Chandragupta Maurya (c. 321 - c. 297 BCE), called Sandrakottos (or Sandrokottos) into the Greeks, was the founder of the Maurya Dynasty (4th-2nd century BCE) and can be credited with the setup of their first (almost ) pan-Indian empire. Inspired by his mentor and afterwards ministry Chanakya or Kautilya (c. 4th century BCE), he put a huge centralized empire, particulars of whose working, military, society, and market are well maintained in Kautilya's Arthashastra.
Chandragupta's Stage: Ms. Setting
India across the 4th century BCE has been divided into several kingdoms and republics. The foremost among them was that the Magadha Kingdom in southern India, whose rulers start with King Bimbisara (543-492 BCE) had embarked on a quest for empire-building. Magadha's borders had been considerably extended over the years and contained a fantastic portion of eastern, central, and north-eastern India.
The Magadha ruler throughout those days was Dhanananda (329-322/321 BCE) of this Nanda Dynasty. Known to the Greeks as Xandrames or even Agrammes, the understanding of his Magadhan could had added to the grief of the war-weary Macedonian troops on India's north-west, forcing themamong other reasons, to not press farther into India.
Much of Chandragupta's lifestyle and roots are still shrouded in mystery. Most of what's known about him comes out of legends and folklore instead of actual historical resources;"The single real inscriptional reference to Chandragupta is at the 2nd century CE Junagarh inscription..." (Singh, 330.)
For information of those momentous events that caused the supersession of the Nandas from the Mauryas we have to turn into Indian chroniclers and story-tellers. No modern account has lived. The conventional story is told differently by various authors.
Chandragupta's social roots, especially his caste, are still debated. Buddhist, Jain, and historical literary works all give different variations. He's mentioned as belonging to this Kshatriya Moriya clan judgment Pippalivahana about the present-day Indo-Nepal boundary, as being out of a tribe of peacock-tamers, a boy of a girl named Mura (thus the name, Maurya) and even closely or distantly related to the Nandas, however scorned and pushed away as Dhanananda was covetous of his own far-superior talents.
Historians are consequently divided as to his social roots. Some argue that"he appears to have belonged to a regular family" (Sharma, 99) which"he wasn't a priest but a mere commoner with no direct title to the crown of Magadha" (Tripathi, 146). Various other historians say that he really belonged to the Moriya or even Maurya clan, which from the 4th century BCE had fallen into hard times, and consequently Chandragupta"climbed up among peacock-tamers, herdsmen, and predators" (Majumdar, Raychaudhuri and Datta, 92). Buddhist texts and ancient inscriptions cite him as a Kshatriya. Therefore, it could be conjectured he could have belonged to some Kshatriya (ruler/warrior caste) or some connected caste, since the Brahmin Kautilya, in keeping with all the caste principles, wouldn't have favoured him for rulership.
Chandragupta was sought and ambitious ways and means of attaining a position of authority or perhaps a crown. This appetite could have easily been born due to his circumstances. He wished to reestablish his clan's fallen bundles and set himself into his rightful place as a Kshatriya ruler. Even if the variation about him related to Dhanananda is approved rather, then this intention would have taken root in Chandragupta's head and he'd have desired his fair share of being a true prince. Even if from an entirely ordinary household, Chandragupta didn't believe his roots had anything to do with his political aspirations. In any event, historically, it's so very likely that Chandragupta as a young man had certainly involved himself in the effort of fulfilling his aspirations.
Chandragupta understood that to successfully reach his journey to power, war using the recognized kingdoms would be inevitable. He focused on getting military training and expertise. Legends say he met Alexander and possibly obtained his consent to function in his army in order to understand the Macedonian method of war and how it may be used against the strategies of early Indian war, besides his own army instruction. But this assembly was a tragedy, and Chandragupta had been forced to flee for his life.
Some historians are of the opinion that for Chandragupta, who dwelt at the Magadhan kingdom, it wasn't feasible to go all of the way into the north-west to fulfill Alexander, even if the thought happened at him all in the first location. Rather, he fulfilled Dhanananda and hunted service in his military. They consider that Justin wrongly mentioned Alexander rather than Dhanananda.
Regardless of what Chandragupta's early moves in his profession were, what could be said with certainty is his connection with all the statesman-philosopher Kautilya. He had been his very best ally, mentor, and direct, and also the person who shaped not only his livelihood but the route of the Mauryan empire under Chandragupta. Vishnugupta Chanakya or Kautilya, on his part, had determined to take the major role in reshaping and rebuilding the Indian polity. Though originally from Magadha, being a pupil and later a teacher in Takshashila (currently Taxila in present-day Pakistan), Kautilya consequently became witness to the political chaos created in north-western India due to the Macedonian invasion. This induced him to think concerning creating a centralized pan-Indian empire which may keep invaders at bay and reestablish order. The occurrence of numerous republics and kingdoms, disunited and perennially at war with one another, for obvious reasons, couldn't do so.
Kautilya
He believed Magadha apt to be the empire question - his suggestion for exactly the same has been met by scorn and insults from Dhanananda, that was followed closely by Kautilya's decision to eliminate king. Magadha was the sole territorial thing that could offer order among the chaos. It had a practically unrivalled military status, essential for the presence of the type of empire which Kautilya desired. Protected by its enormous army, it enjoyed a equilibrium which other kingdoms couldn't. Kautilya was thus decided to get Magadha as the centrepiece of the scheme of things whether below the Nandas or somebody else, it didn't matter.
He consequently decided to substitute Dhanananda using a much better and more competent candidate. The man picked was Chandragupta Maurya. Mentoring him to get the function, Kautilya ready for a takeover of Magadha and all that went with it. Chandragupta's very own calibre was consequently honed concerning warfare, diplomacy, and covert operations.