The first emperor of India - Chandragupta Maurya the Great

“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” ― George Orwell

Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of a unified China. Qin conquered all of the other Warring States and unified all of China in 221 BC. He assumed the title “emperor” for the first time in China. He also built new walls to connect the remaining fortifications along the empire's northern frontier.

This may be common knowledge unlike Chandragupta Maurya who is seldom remembered in the same manner. Chandragupta’s unification of India (except some parts of South India and Kalinga) preceded Qin by almost a century.  His efforts would start a tradition empire building in the sub-continent that would continue till late 18^th century. Most of these empires would rise to get the country rid of foreign occupation.

Chandragupta was taken to Taxila by Chanakya and was trained in all essential skills to be an emperor. This tradition of a disciple inspired by his Guru to resist foreign invasion & occupation would continue to the days of Guru Govind Singh who inspired Banda bahadur to fight against Mughuls in Punjab.  

In the words of Radhakumud Mookerji  “Thus the task of Chandragupta was carefully to mobilize the military resources of the country and specially its morale, and to awaken its spirit of resistance, depressed by Alexander’s campaigns, in a national struggle for freedom.” This tradition of national struggle also was to continue for next  2000 years till British were ousted from Indian soil in 1947. Chanakya and Chandragupta recruited people from different places especially from republican people of Punjab who fought Alexander to last man.

In the meanwhile, the position of Greeks in Punjab was growing difficult. The Assakenoi (Aśvakas) killed the Greek satrap Nicanor followed by assassination of Phillipus in 325BC.

Justin wrote “India after the death of Alexander, had shaken off the yoke of servitude and put his governors to death. The author of this liberation was Sandrocotts”.

Chandragupta began war of liberation around 323 BC and by 317 BC accomplished his mission. He then started his struggle against Nanda Empire in mainland India. Astute diplomacy of Chanakya and military skills of Chandragupta became successful in uniting whole country under Maurya rule.

Seleucus I Nicator who succeeded Alexander in the eastern part of his empire moved towards India to recover the lost possessions of Alexander around 305 BC. He had to fight a united India this time led and organized by an able leader unlike Alexander who fought a divided India split up into multitude of kingdoms. Details are missing in both Greek and Indian sources about this war, though results were clearly in favor of Chandragupta. 

In the words of Meredith L. Runion, "In an effort to gain more power and influence over the region, Seleucus pushed the boundaries of his empire as far as the Indus River in India, and it was here in 305 b.c.e. that the Mauryan dynasty of India engaged in a crucial conflict with the Seleucids. After facing a completely devastating battle and almost utter defeat, Seleucus reached an agreement with Chandragupta Maurya, the king of the Mauryan tribe in India."

Seleucus had to cede territories in present day Afghanistan. Seleucus appears to have fared poorly, having ceded large territories west of the Indus to Chandragupta. Chandragupta presented 500 elephants in return, a military asset which would play a decisive role at the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC. Chandragupta accepted a daughter of Seleucus in marriage. Greek writers naturally passed over this defeat of Greek king by an Indian ruler. 

Chandragupta abdicated his throne in favor of his son Bindusara, embraced Jainism, and followed Bhadrabahu to South India. He is said to have ended his life at Shravanabelagola (in present-day Karnataka) through Sallekhana.

Thus was created the first centralized Indian state. Empire over which Ashoka ruled was mostly the creation of his grandfather Chandragupta. He is not the great military leader as suggested in current history textbooks.

Chandragupta’s story has many lessons for India in the past and continues to be relevant in this age. Unified India, requirement of a central state, spirit of resistance and fight, right military leadership and doctrine, right intellectual guidance (provided by Chanakya) are some the positives of Chandragupta story.

Prof K A Nilakanta Sastri wrote in this context- “It showed clearly that an emotional love of independence was no match to the disciplined strength of a determined conqueror though we should not fail to note that in this instance (Alexander’s conquest of North-west India) the states of North-western India had to contend against one of the greatest generals of world. It left the warrior tribes of the Indus river system weakened and broken, and thus paved the way for the easy extension of Mauryan rule”.