RISE OF MAGADHA
HARYANK DYNASTY
âž® The epic Mahabharata has provided information about the early period of Magadha.
âž® Jarasandh and Brihdrath were the rulers during the period of Mahabharata.
âž® Girivraja was the Magadhan capital during the early period.
BIMBISARA (544-492 B.C.)
âž® Bimbisara established the Haryank dynasty.
âž® Rajgir was the capital of the state.
âž® Bimbisara ascended the throne in 544 B.C.
âž® Bimbisara had three wives, mahakosala, Chellana and Khema.
âž® Mahakosala was the sister of Kosal ruler Prasenjit and Chellana was Lichchhavi Princess.
âž® Bimbisara defeated Anga and annexed it.
âž® Bimbisara was a contemporary of Buddha.
âž® Bimbisara send his physician Jivak to treat Chand Pradyot of Avanti
âž® Bimbisara was prisoned by his son Ajatshatru and died in 493 B.C.
AJATSHATRU (492-460 B.C.)
âž® Ajatshatru sat on Magadha throne in 492 B.C.
âž® Ajatshatru followed an expansionist policy.
âž® After a long struggle, he defeated Kasi and Vajji confederacy.
âž® Ajatshatru took the services of his minister Vassakar to divide the Vajji confederacy.
âž® Ajatshatru got a large stupa constructed in Rajgriha.
âž® Gautama Buddha died during his reign; arranged the first Buddhist council.
âž® Ajatshatru constructed a fort around Rajgriha to protect it from Lichcchavi’s attack.
âž® Ajatshatru was killed by his son Udayin in 461 B.C.
âž® Udayin transferred the Capital to Patliputra.
âž® Udayin was a follower of Jainism.
âž® The last Haryank ruler was Nagdasak.
SHISUNAGA DYNASTY (412-344 B.C.)
âž® Nagasaki was killed by his minister Shisunaga.
âž® Shisunaga established the Shisunaga dynasty in 412 B.C.
âž® Shisunaga annexed Avanti to Magadha.
âž® Shisunaga established his capital at Vaishali.
âž® Kalashoka came to the throne in 344 B.C.
âž® Kalashoka again transferred the capital to Pataliputra.
âž® During the reign of Kalashoka second Buddhist council was organized at Vaishali.
âž® Nandivardhan was the last Shisunaga ruler.
NANDA DYNASTY (344-323 B.C.)
âž® Nanda Dynasty was established by Mahapadmananda.
âž® According to Puranas, he was not a Kshatriya.
âž® Mahapadmananda was known as Ekarat and Sarvakshatrantaka.
âž® Mahapadmananda conquered Kalinga.
âž® Last Nanda ruler was Dhanananda.
âž® Dhana Nanda was the contemporary of Alexander.
âž® Alexander attacked India in the reign of Dhanananda (the last ruler)
âž® The Nandas were fabulously rich and enormously powerful.
âž® Nanda Dynasty was destroyed by Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya.
âž® Nandas have been termed as the first empire builders of India.
FACTORS FOR THE RISE OF MAGADHA
âž® Magadha enjoyed an advantageous geographical position
âž® Iron deposits were situated close to Rajgir, the earliest capital of Magadha.
âž® Rajgir and Pataliputra were situated at very strategic points.
âž® Pataliputra was surrounded by rivers from all sides it was called as jaladurga (water-fort).
âž® Magadha lay at the center of the middle Gangetic plain.
âž® Magadha for the first time used elephants on a large scale in wars.
