Ancient India Test - 10

Bimbisara was a king of Magadha and belonged to Haryanka Dynasty. He ruled during the 5^th century. He followed Buddha and also built the city of Rajgir, which is known for Buddhist writings. He was the son of Bhattiya and ascended to the throne at the young age of 15. He was succeeded by Ajatshatru, his son.

Kautaliya, i.e. Chanakya, was the son of Chanak and was the chief advisor of Chandragupta Maurya. He was a statesman and philosopher, and a professor of political science and economics at Taxila university. He played a crucial role in the fall of Magadha and establishment of Mauryan Empire by training its first king Chandragupta Maurya. He helped Chandragupta establish one of the most influential empires of the time.

Mauryan Empire was overthrown by Pushyamitra Shunga of Shunga dynasty, an ancient Indian dynasty which ruled eastern and central Indian subcontinent. Shunga ruled from 185-78 BCE. Mauryan Empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya under the ministership of Kautaliya. With the assassination of Brihadratha, the Mauryan Empire fell in the hands of Shungas.

The Sanskrit Junagadh inscription, dated 150 CE, credits Rudradaman I with supporting the cultural arts and Sanskrit literature and repairing the dam built by the Mauryans. In fact, he repaired the embankments of the lake Sudarshana, which was constructed by the Mauryas for checking floods.

The power of the Saka rulers started to decline in the 2^nd century CE after the Saka rulers were defeated by the south Indian Emperor, Gautamiputra Satakarni of the Satavahana dynasty.

King Kharavela of Orissa professed Jainism and became its great patron. From the fifth century AD onwards, famous rulers of royal dynasties of south India, such as the Chalukya, the Ganga, the Kadamba and the Rashtrakuta, were patrons of Jainism.

Samudragupta performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice to prove his imperial sovereignty, and according to his coins, remained undefeated. His gold coins and inscriptions suggest that he was an accomplished poet, and also played music. His expansionist policy was continued by his son Chandragupta II.