4. • Indica/Indika was written by Megasthenes (Greek
Ambasador to Pataliputra).
• He lived in Pataliputra for 5 years.
• His book described:
Organisation of army
Administration of Pataliputra
Economy
Customs & Religion of the people.
INDICA/INDIKA
4
5. • Arthashastra was written by Kautilya or Chanakya.
• It has 6000 verses divided into 15 sections.
• It describes:
Administration
Duties of the King
Functions of ministers
Organisation of civil service
Information about diplomacy and relations with other
kingdoms.
It states that an Ideal State should provide relief to poor,
orphans, old and infirm. And during famine opens state
granaries should open their doors to those who are starving.
ARTHASHASTRA
5
11. •King Priyadarsi, Beloved of Gods
wishes that people of all religious
sections should live in harmony in all
parts of his dominions. They should
practice ‘liberality’ and should possess
self-control and purity of thought.
ROCK EDICT VII
@ SHAHBAZGARHI
11
15. • Lumbini Pillar/Rummindei Pillar stated:
‘King the beloved of the Gods, visited
this spot in person & offered worship at
this palace, because the Lord Buddha was
born here.’
(King Ashoka has visited & worshipped this place as
this is the birth place of Lord Buddha.)
INSCRIPTIONS ON PILLARS
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16. • Lauriya-Nandangarh
• Rampurva Pillar
• Delhi-Topra which stated: it consists of
virtuous deeds, compassion, liberality,
truthfulness and purity.
OTHER PILLAR INSCRIPTIONS
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19. • Stupa is a semi-spherical dome made of unburnt
bricks and stones.
• It was built to commemorate a sacred spot or event
Or it had a Spiritual body of Buddha containing his
relics (hairs, articles, teeth, bones etc.)
• Stupa at Sanchi was built in 3rd century BC by
Ashoka at Sanchi (60kms from Bhopal in MP)
• It has 4 gateways in four directions.
• Original stupa had wooden railing which was later
replaced by stone railing.
SANCHI STUPA
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20. • It had Four gateways from all four sides.
• Sculptures on the gateways or every symbol in the
structure denotes meaning or a story from Buddha’s
life or stories from Jataka tales.
• Buddha was represented in Symbolic forms like Lotus,
Wheel or Throne under a pipal tree.
• It shows highest form of architectural and technical
skills of the people of this period.
SANCHI STUPA
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21. • The death and destruction caused during the famous
war of Kalinga changed Ashok’s personality.
• He stopped eating meat and gave up life of luxury.
• He declared Buddhism as the religion of the State.
• Prisoners of war were used for agricultural work
which increased production and economic
development.
KALINGA WAR
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23. • The system of administration of Mauryans was
elaborate.
• Chandragupta Maurya laid the foundation of
the administration of the Mauryan Empire.
• Bindusara didn’t change the system and
followed the same system.
• Ashoka however made some minor changes in
the system of administration as per his
requirement.
MAURYAN ADMINISTRATION
23
24. •Features of Administration during Ashokas’ rule:
1. King & Council of Ministers
2. Network of Spies (Overseers/Gudhapurushas)
3. Sources of Revenue
4. Provincial Administration
5. District Administration
6. City Administration
7. Administration of Justice (cutting of nose, shaving offender’s hair, penalty to
death)
8. Peace & Good Order (honesty, efficient administration & good eco & trade)
9. Productive Agriculture
10. Lucrative Trade (land & waterways, trade with Myanmar, Sri Lanka, sea
route: Gujarat to Babylon)
MAURYAN ADMINISTRATION
(ASHOKA)
24
25. •State was divided into five Provinces (During
Chandragupta Maurya’s rule State had Four
Provinces, Kalinga was added by Ashoka)
•The five provinces were as follows:
1. Taxila (Northern)
2. Ujjain (Western)
3. Tosali (Eastern)
4. Suvarnagiri (Southern)
5. Kalinga.
PROVINCES DURING
ASHOKAS’ RULE
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27. Revenue:
• Land revenue from mines & forests
• Revenue from manufactured goods
• Tolls for using bridges and roads
• Fines
• Licence-fees
• Tax would vary from 1/3rd/1/6th of the Produce
Expenditure: construction of roads, bridges, wells,
rest-houses and army.
SOURCES OF REVENUE
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28. • Good irrigation works such as at Sudarshan lake &
fertile soil, agricultural economy flourished during this
period.
• Tax would vary from 1/3rd/1/6th of the Produce
depending on the irrigation facility provided in that
area.
PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURE
28
29. Principles:
• Purity of Domestic life and truthfulness
• Toleration
• Ahimsa
• True Ceremonial (kindness to living creatures & liberality to
ascetics & Brahmins)
DHAMMA
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30. • No Royal Hunt
• Religious tolerance
• Donations to Brahmins and ascetics
• Officers reminded people of duties
• Dhamma Mahamatras propagated religion
• Ashokan Edicts: taught people purity of life, religious tolerance, not
to kill animals and be charitable..
• Royal Missionaries were sent to frontiers of empire and to Sri
Lanka, Myanmar, Syria, Egypt and Macedonia.
MEANS FOR
PROPAGATION
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