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[[File:Chandragupta_mauryan_empire.GIF|Chandragupta mauryan empire.GIF[[File:7th-century_Bhadrabahu_Sanskrit_inscription,_Purvahale_Kannada_script,_Shravanabelgola_Karnataka.jpg|7th-century Bhadrabahu Sanskrit inscription, Purvahale Kannada script, Shravanabelgola Karnataka|thumb|left]] [[File:Chanakya_artistic_depiction.jpg|Chanakya artistic depiction|thumb|left]] [[File:EasternSatrapsAfterAlexander.jpg|EasternSatrapsAfterAlexander|thumb]] [[File:Chandragupt_maurya_Birla_mandir_6_dec_2009_(31)_(cropped).JPG|Chandragupt maurya Birla mandir 6 dec 2009 (31)|thumb]] [[File:Chandragupta_Maurya_Empire_c.290_BCE.png|Chandragupta Maurya Empire c.290 BCE|thumb]] '''Chandragupta Maurya''' (reigned c. 321 – c. 297 BCE) was the founder of the [[Maurya Empire]] in ancient [[India]]. He built one of the largest empires on the Indian subcontinent and is considered one of its greatest military minds. Chandragupta's life and accomplishments are a blend of historical facts and folklore, documented in various ancient texts, including the [[Arthashastra]] attributed to [[Chanakya]], his chief advisor.

==Early Life==
Little is known about Chandragupta's early life. According to Jain traditions, he was born in a humble family in the Magadha region and was orphaned at an early age. He was discovered by Chanakya, a teacher and strategist at [[Takshashila University]], who saw in him the potential to challenge the [[Nanda Dynasty]] that ruled much of the North Indian plains.

==Rise to Power==
With the guidance and counsel of Chanakya, Chandragupta raised an army and overthrew the Nanda king, Dhana Nanda, establishing the Mauryan Empire. This marked the beginning of a new era in Indian history, characterized by political unification and administrative innovation.

==Expansion of the Empire==
After consolidating power in the Gangetic plains, Chandragupta turned his attention to the north-western territories, which were under the control of the [[Greek]] satraps left by [[Alexander the Great]]. Through a series of campaigns, Chandragupta was able to annex these regions into his empire. The most notable of these conquests was his battle against Seleucus I Nicator, a general of Alexander and the founder of the [[Seleucid Empire]]. The two leaders eventually reached a settlement, through which Chandragupta gained control over vast territories in the north-west in exchange for 500 war elephants.

==Administration==
Chandragupta's rule is noted for its significant administrative reforms. He established a centralized government with a complex bureaucracy that managed everything from tax collection to internal security. The Arthashastra provides insights into the sophisticated governance and economic policies of the Maurya Empire under Chandragupta's leadership.

==Retirement and Death==
In his later years, Chandragupta abdicated the throne in favor of his son, [[Bindusara]], and became a follower of Jainism under the guidance of Bhadrabahu, a Jain monk. He is said to have migrated south with Bhadrabahu during a period of famine and eventually died at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka, after undertaking the ritual of Sallekhana, a form of voluntary death by fasting.

==Legacy==
Chandragupta Maurya's legacy is that of a visionary leader who laid the foundations of the first great Indian empire. His achievements set the stage for the golden age of the Maurya Empire under his grandson, [[Ashoka the Great]]. Chandragupta's life and empire have been subjects of admiration and study in Indian culture and history.

[[Category:Indian monarchs]]
[[Category:Mauryan Empire]]
{{History-stub}}

Chandragupta Maurya - Revision history

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