Question

Give a brief account of how Chandragupta established the Mauryan empire.

Answer 1

Hint: The lord of the Maurya Kingdom in ancient India was Chandragupta Maurya (reign: c. \[321\] - c. \[297\] BCE). On the Indian subcontinent, he founded one of the largest-ever empires, and then according to Jain accounts, he renounced it all and became a Jain monk.

Complete answer:
In the history of India, Chandragupta Maurya was a fundamental figure, setting the foundations of the first government to unite much of South Asia. Under the tutelage of Chanakya, Chandragupta established a new kingdom founded on the ideals of statecraft, raised a vast army, and began to extend the borders of his empire until he finally renounced it in his final years for an ascetic life.
According to the Buddhist text Mahavamsa Tika, after the former completed his schooling at Taxila, Chandragupta and Chanakya formed an army by hiring soldiers from several areas. Chanakya made Chandragupta an army general. Parishishtaparvan mentions in the Digambara Jain text that Chanakya raised this army with coins he minted and an alliance with Parvataka was established. Chandragupta assembled an army, according to Justin. The original expression of Justin was translated by early translators as "body of robbers" but says Raychaudhuri, the original expression used by Justin may mean mercenary soldier, tracker, or robber. The Buddhist Mahavamsa Tika and Jain Parishishtaparvan document the unsuccessful assault of Chandragupta's army on the capital of Nanda. On the border of the Nanda Kingdom, Chandragupta and Chanakya then started a campaign, eventually capturing separate regions on their way to the capital of Nanda. By building garrisons in the captured lands, he then perfected his policy and eventually besieged the capital of Nanda, Pataliputra.

Note: Chandragupta and Chanakya passed a series of significant economic and political reforms after unifying most of India. Chandragupta founded a powerful Pataliputra (now Patna) central administration. Chandragupta implemented the statecraft and economic policies mentioned in the Arthashastra text of Chanakya.