Sanchi stupa relics and Bharhuta stupa relics .
(Chanakya Arthashtra) |
(Sanchi stupa relics and Bharhuta stupa relics .) |
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The pre-4th century Hindu Puranic texts mostly mirror the Greek sources. These texts do not discuss the details of Chandragupta's ancestry, but rather cover the ancestry of the last Nanda king. The Nanda king is described to be cruel, against [[dharma]] and [[shastra]]s, and born out of an illicit relationship followed by a coup.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=7–9}} The Chanakya's ''Arthasastra'' refers to the Nanda rule as against the spiritual, cultural, and military interests of the country, a period where intrigue and vice multiplied.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=7–9}} Chanakya states that Chandragupta returned dharma, nurtured diversity of views, and ruled virtuously that kindled love among the subjects for his rule. {{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=7–9}} | The pre-4th century Hindu Puranic texts mostly mirror the Greek sources. These texts do not discuss the details of Chandragupta's ancestry, but rather cover the ancestry of the last Nanda king. The Nanda king is described to be cruel, against [[dharma]] and [[shastra]]s, and born out of an illicit relationship followed by a coup.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=7–9}} The Chanakya's ''Arthasastra'' refers to the Nanda rule as against the spiritual, cultural, and military interests of the country, a period where intrigue and vice multiplied.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=7–9}} Chanakya states that Chandragupta returned dharma, nurtured diversity of views, and ruled virtuously that kindled love among the subjects for his rule. {{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=7–9}} | ||
Buddhist texts such as ''[[Mahavamsa]]'' describe Chandragupta to be of [[Kshatriya]] origin.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|p=14}} These sources, written about seven centuries after his dynasty ended, state that both Chandragupta and his grandson Ashoka – a patron of Buddhism {{En dash}} were from a branch of the [[Shakya]] noble family, from which [[Gautama Buddha]] descended.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=13-15}} These Buddhist sources attempt to link the dynasty of their patron Ashoka directly to the Buddha.{{sfn|Thapar|1961|p=12}} The sources claim that the family branched off to escape persecution from a king of the [[Kosala Kingdom]] and Chandragupta's ancestors moved into a secluded Himalayan kingdom known for its peacocks. The Buddhist sources explain the epithet ''maurya'' comes from these peacocks, or ''Mora'' in Pali (Sanskrit: Mayura). {{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=13-15}} <ref name="britchandrag" /> The Buddhist texts are inconsistent; some offer other legends to explain his epithet. For example, they mention a city named "Moriya-nagara" where all buildings were made of bricks colored like the peacock's neck.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=13-14}} The ''Maha-bodhi-vasa'' states he hailed from Moriya-nagara, while the ''Digha-Nikaya'' states he came from the maurya clan of Pipphalivana.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|p=14}} The Buddhist sources also mention that "Brahmin Chanakya" was his counselor and with whose support Chandragupta became the king at Patliputra. .{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=13-14}} He has also been variously identified with [[Shashigupta]] (which has same etymology as of Chandragupta) of [[Paropamisadae]] on the account of same life events.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Seth |first1=H. C. |title=Did Candragupta Maurya belong to North-Western India? |journal=Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute |date=1937 |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=158–165 |jstor=41688339 |issn=0378-1143}}</ref> | Buddhist texts such as ''[[Mahavamsa]]'' describe Chandragupta to be of [[Kshatriya]] origin.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|p=14}} These sources, written about seven centuries after his dynasty ended, state that both Chandragupta and his grandson Ashoka – a patron of Buddhism {{En dash}} were from a branch of the [[Shakya]] noble family, from which [[Gautama Buddha]] descended.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=13-15}} These Buddhist sources attempt to link the dynasty of their patron Ashoka directly to the Buddha.{{sfn|Thapar|1961|p=12}} The sources claim that the family branched off to escape persecution from a king of the [[Kosala Kingdom]] and Chandragupta's ancestors moved into a secluded Himalayan kingdom known for its peacocks. The Buddhist sources explain the epithet ''maurya'' comes from these peacocks, or ''Mora'' in Pali (Sanskrit: Mayura). {{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=13-15}} <ref name="britchandrag" /> The Buddhist texts are inconsistent; some offer other legends to explain his epithet. For example, they mention a city named "Moriya-nagara" where all buildings were made of bricks colored like the peacock's neck.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=13-14}} The ''Maha-bodhi-vasa'' states he hailed from Moriya-nagara, while the ''Digha-Nikaya'' states he came from the maurya clan of Pipphalivana.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|p=14}} | ||
{{Gallery | |||
|title= | |||
|width=160 | height=170 | |||
|align=center | |||
|footer= | |||
|File:Balustrade peacock Sanchi Stupa No1.jpg | |||
|Design of a [[peacock]], on the stairway balustrade of the Great Stupa at [[Sanchi]]. | |||
|alt1=Chandragupta Maurya relation with Pipphalivana | |||
|File:Indian Museum Sculpture - Peacock (9217548983).jpg | |||
|Design of a peacock, on the railing of the [[Bharhuta Stupa]]. | |||
|alt2=Chandragupta Maurya relation with Pipphalivana | |||
}} | |||
The Buddhist sources also mention that "Brahmin Chanakya" was his counselor and with whose support Chandragupta became the king at Patliputra. .{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|pp=13-14}} He has also been variously identified with [[Shashigupta]] (which has same etymology as of Chandragupta) of [[Paropamisadae]] on the account of same life events.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Seth |first1=H. C. |title=Did Candragupta Maurya belong to North-Western India? |journal=Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute |date=1937 |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=158–165 |jstor=41688339 |issn=0378-1143}}</ref> | |||
[[File:7th-century Bhadrabahu Sanskrit inscription, Purvahale Kannada script, Shravanabelgola Karnataka.jpg|thumb|upright=1.65|7th-century [[Bhadrabahu]] inscription at [[Shravanabelagola]] ([[Sanskrit]], Purvahale Kannada script). This is the oldest inscription at the site, and it mentions Bhadrabahu and [[Prabhācandra|Prabhacandra]]. [[B. Lewis Rice|Lewis Rice]] and [[Digambara Jainism|Digambara Jains]] interpret Prabhacandra to be Chandragupta Maurya, while others such as [[John Faithfull Fleet|J F Fleet]], [[V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar]], and [[Śvētāmbara|Svetambara]] Jains state this interpretation is wrong. {{sfn|Dikshitar|1993|pp=264–266}}{{sfn|Wiley|2009|pp=50–52}}{{sfn|Fleet|1892|pp=156–162}}]] | [[File:7th-century Bhadrabahu Sanskrit inscription, Purvahale Kannada script, Shravanabelgola Karnataka.jpg|thumb|upright=1.65|7th-century [[Bhadrabahu]] inscription at [[Shravanabelagola]] ([[Sanskrit]], Purvahale Kannada script). This is the oldest inscription at the site, and it mentions Bhadrabahu and [[Prabhācandra|Prabhacandra]]. [[B. Lewis Rice|Lewis Rice]] and [[Digambara Jainism|Digambara Jains]] interpret Prabhacandra to be Chandragupta Maurya, while others such as [[John Faithfull Fleet|J F Fleet]], [[V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar]], and [[Śvētāmbara|Svetambara]] Jains state this interpretation is wrong. {{sfn|Dikshitar|1993|pp=264–266}}{{sfn|Wiley|2009|pp=50–52}}{{sfn|Fleet|1892|pp=156–162}}]] | ||