Conquest of the Nanda Empire

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Historically reliable inscription details of Chandragupta's campaign against Nanda Empire are unavailable and but later written Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu texts which claim Magadha was ruled by the Nanda dynasty, which, with Chanakya's counsel, Chandragupta conquered Nanda Empire.[1][2][3] The army of Chandragupta and Chanakya first conquered the Nanda outer territories, and finally besieged the Nanda capital Pataliputra. In contrast to the easy victory in Buddhist sources, the Hindu and Jain texts state that the campaign was bitterly fought because the Nanda dynasty had a powerful and well-trained army.[4][2]

The Buddhist Mahavamsa Tika and Jain Parishishtaparvan records Chandragupta's army unsuccessfully attacking the Nanda capital. [5] Chandragupta and Chanakya then began a campaign at the frontier of the Nanda empire, gradually conquering various territories on their way to the Nanda capital.[6] He then refined his strategy by establishing garrisons in the conquered territories, and finally besieged the Nanda capital Pataliputra. There Dhana Nanda accepted defeat.[7][8] The conquest was fictionalised in Mudrarakshasa play, it contains narratives not found in other versions of the Chanakya-Chandragupta legend. Because of this difference, Thomas Trautmann suggests that most of it is fictional or legendary, without any historical basis.[9] Radha Kumud Mukherjee similarly considers Mudrakshasa play without historical basis.[10]

These legends state that the Nanda king was defeated, deposed and exiled by some accounts, while Buddhist accounts claim he was killed.[11] With the defeat of Dhana Nanda, Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire.[12]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Thapar 2013, pp. 362–364.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sen 1895, pp. 26–32.
  3. ↑ Upinder Singh 2008, p. 272.
  4. ↑ Mookerji 1988, pp. 28–33.
  5. ↑ Hemacandra 1998, pp. 175–188.
  6. ↑ Mookerji 1988, p. 33.
  7. ↑ Malalasekera 2002, p. 383.
  8. ↑ Mookerji 1988, pp. 33-34.
  9. ↑ Trautmann 1971, p. 43.
  10. ↑ Chandragupta Maurya and His Times, Radhakumud Mookerji, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1966, p.26-27 Mookerji, Radhakumud (1966). Chandragupta Maurya and His Times. ISBN 9788120804050. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  11. ↑ Mookerji 1988, p. 34.
  12. ↑ Roy 2012, p. 62.
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