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1. Decline
of Mauryan
Dynasty
Sachin Kr. Tiwary

2. Decline
Of Mauryan
Dynasty
Ineligible Rulers
Division of
Empire
Highly
Centralized
Administration
Monarchical
System
Revolt of
Regional Rulers
Internal Revolt
Fury of Publics-
Tax
Control over the
military became
slowly week
Liberal Policy of
the Ashoka
Continues
External
attacked
Religious
Reason

3. • Ineligible Rulers- DECETRALIZATION- Romila Thaper
– Kashmir was independently announced as free region by Jalauk- According to
Kalhan
– Gandhar was independently announced as free region by Veersena (grandson
of Kunal)- According to Taranath
– Vidarbha was also declared as free state- According to Malvikagnimitram
• Division of Empire- Prof. Romila Thaper
– Eastern- Dashratha
– Western- Kunal
• Highly Centralized Administration-
– Historian Romila Thapar is of the view that the highly centralised
administration under the Mauryas became a problem with the later Mauryan
kings who were not as efficient administrators as their predecessors.
– Powerful kings like Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka could control the
administration well. But weak rulers led to a weakening of the administration
and ultimately led to the empire’s disintegration.
– Also, the sheer vastness of the Mauryan Empire meant that there had to be a
very effective ruler at the centre who could keep coherent all the regions.
– A weakening of the central administration coupled with a large distance to
communicate also led to the rise of independent kingdoms.

5. • Monarchical System – Radhakumud Mukherjee (Why the
son of a king can be King ?)
– The officials owed their loyalty to the king and not to the State.
• Revolt of Regional Rulers-
– It was started even during the Ashoka- Taxshila, Kalinga, Ujjain
– It is mentioned in the edicts of Ashoka
– Loss of Loyalty- According to Divyavadan
• Internal Revolt
– During the rule of Brihadratha, there was an internal revolt led
by his army chief Pushyamitra Shunga in about 185 or 186 BC.
– Bana describes in Harshacharita how Shunga killed Brihadratha
during an army parade.

6. • Fury of Publics- Tax
– Economical Policy- D.D. Kausambi On the basis of PMC quality, Debasement of Silver coins..
– They had vast region to rule over it, for that they need money, they stopped war but they had big
military, they had big administration, they need salary.
– Ashoka created post and many architecture (Pillars, Stupa) and art… for that need money.
– It is mentioned in the Patanjali works that the way and medium of tax collection were not always
good.
– This is the advantage for Pushyamitra Shunga.

7. Contribution
Art
Capital
Architecture
Pillar, Stupa,
Rock Cut Cave
Inscription
Defining
Territory,
Religious Post,
Ashoka
Dhamma,
Buddhism
IIIrd Buddhist
Council etc.
Religious
journey

8. Ashoka created post and many
architecture (Pillars, Stupa)
and art… for that need money.

11. • Control over the military became slowly week-
– The military were useless because no war,
– Due to lack of practice one could not ready for immediate revenge.
• Liberal Policy of the Ashoka-
– Some scholars suggest that Ashoka’s policies of non-violence and pacifism led
to the weakening of the empire.
– Since he stopped waging wars, foreign powers were once again tempted to
attack the kingdom.
– Also, he gave a lot of importance and efforts to the propagation of Buddhism.
– Military, Dhammadesh, Treasury, Publicity of Buddhism in the foreign country-
this resulted as economical burden to the treasury.
• H.C. Raychaudhuri -“From the time of Bimbisara to Kalinga war the history of India
was the story of the expansion of Magadha from a tiny state in South Bihar to a
gigantic empire extending from the foot of the Hindukush to the borders of the
Tamil country. After the Kalinga war ensued a period of stagnation at the end of
which the process is reversed. The empire gradually dwindled down in extent till it
sank to the position from which Bimbisara and his successors had raised it.”

12. • Continues External
attacked-
– After the rule of Shalishuk
(Grandson of Dasharath)
Mauryan declined from the
land of Madhya Pradesh-
According to Gargi Samhita
– The attack of Greek ruler
Antiochus in 206 BCE
• Religious Reason-
– Brahmin resentment- Non-
violence (Brahmins started
revolt)- Hemchandra Rai
Chaudhary,
– Dhamma Policy- Romila
Thaper,
– Brahmin Thoughts-
Harprasad Shastri

13. MISINTERPRETATION
• Economical Policy- D.D.Kosambi=
– Archaeological evidence at Hastinapura and Sisupalgarh.
– In the post - Asokan period surplus wealth was used by the rising commercial
classes to decorate religious buildings.
– The sculpture at Barahut and Sanchi and the Deccan caves was the contribution of
this new bourgeoisie.
• Against the view Brahmins Revolt
– Haraprasad contends that the revolt by Pushyamitra was the result of
brahminical reaction against the pro-Buddhist policies of Ashoka and pro-
Jaina policies of his successors. The view that brahminical reaction was
responsible for the decline because of the following reasons.
• Prohibition of the slaughter of animals displeased the Brahmins as animal
sacrifices were esteemed by them.
– Asoka's compassion towards animals was not an overnight decision.
Repulsion of animal sacrifices grew over a long period of time. It is doubtful
whether these prohibitions were strictly enforced.
• The book Divyavadana refers to the persecution of Buddhists by Pushyamitra
Sunga.
– During the time of Pushyamitra Sunga that the Sanchi and Barahut stupas
were completed.

14. Bharahut, M.P.

15. Sanchi, M.P.

16. Bodhgaya, BR

17. MISINTERPRETATION
• The capture of power by Pushyamitra Sunga shows
the triumph of Brahmins.
– The victory of Pushyamitra Sunga clearly shows that the last of the
Mauryas was an incompetent ruler since he was overthrown in the very
presence of his army, and this had nothing to do with brahminical
reaction against Ashoka's patronage of Buddhism. Moreover, the very
fact that a Brahmin was the commander in chief of the Mauryan ruler
proves that the Mauryas and the Brahmins were on good terms. Ashoka
was a Buddhist in the same way as Harsha was a Buddhist, or
Kumarapala was a Jain. But in the view of the people of the day he was a
Hindu monarch following one of the recognized sects. His own
inscriptions bear ample witness to the fact. While his doctrines follow
the middle path, his gifts are to the Brahmins, sramansa (Buddhist
priests) and others equally. His own name of adoption is Devanam Priya,
the beloved of the gods. Which gods? Surely the gods of the Aryan
religion. Buddhism had no gods of its own. The idea that Ashoka was a
kind of Buddhist Constantine declaring himself against paganism is a
complete misreading of India conditions. Ashoka was essentially a
Hindu, as indeed was the founder of the sect to which he belonged.

18. Thank you
Any Questions ?