© 2011 Maharaj Mukherjee A Comprehensive History of India Lecture – 5 December 4, 2011 Empire Building Maharaj Mukherjee

© 2011 Maharaj Mukherjee

A Comprehensive History of IndiaA Comprehensive History of IndiaLecture – 5Lecture – 5

December 4, 2011December 4, 2011

Empire BuildingEmpire BuildingMaharaj MukherjeeMaharaj Mukherjee


Time Line Studied So FarTime Line Studied So Far

• Early Inhabitants of India?– Hunter Gatherers – 15000 Years ago

• Earliest Civilization in the World?– Fertile Crescent – 10000 Years ago

• Earliest Civilization in India – City States– Indus Valley Civilization – 5000 - 6000 Years ago

• Arrival of Aryans– 3500 - 4000 Years ago

• Time of Ramayana – City States – 3000 - 3500 Years ago

• Time of Mahabharata – Start of Empire Building– 2700 - 3000 Years ago

• Time of Buddha and Mahavira – 2500 Years ago or about 600 BC

• Empire Building 500 BC onwards


Food For ThoughtFood For ThoughtCE

Early Farming

Indus Valley Civilization

Arrival of Aryans

Time of Ramayana

Time of Mahabharata

Mahavira

Buddha

AD

Early Farming

Indus Valley Civilization

Arrival of Aryans

Time of Ramayana

Time of Mahabharata

Mahavira

Buddha

AD


Focus on Universal ValuesFocus on Universal Values

Eight Fold Path of Buddhism:

1. Right View

2. Right Intention

3. Right Speech

4. Right Action

5. Right Livelihood

6. Right Effort

7. Right Mindfulness

8. Right Concentration

THE JAIN CODE OF CONDUCTThe five vratas (vows):

1. Non-violence in thought, word and deed,

2. To seek and speak the truth, 3. To behave honestly and never to take

anything by force or theft,4. To practice restraint and chastity in

thought, word and deed,5. To practice non-acquisitiveness.

These same set of values are the glues for most societies in the world


Growth of Human SocietyGrowth of Human Society

Family• A group of related people• Any dispute is resolved by the head of the family

• Interest of the family

Tribes – • Mostly a collection of families of related people• No division of labor • Any dispute is resolved by the tribe head’s man/woman

• Interest of the tribes – start of a value system

City States:• One or two cities with villages around it• People have different skills

• Rulers, Teachers, Traders, Farmers• People belong to same language or culture• Resolving dispute is done by Rule of Law

• Needs well established value system


Growth of Human SocietyGrowth of Human Society

Empires:• Several states dominated by a single state• Diverse cultures, languages and practices• Rule of Law

• Based on Values

Nation


Empires of India

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

-500 0 500 1000 1500 2000

Common Era

% o

f In

dia

Ru

led

Nanda

Maurya

SaatVahanaKushana

GuptaHarsha

Pala

RashtrakutaChola

Sultaan

Mughala

British


Aryan Migration to India and EuropeAryan Migration to India and Europe

The Persian Empire – 500 BC

The Greek Civilization – 400 BC


The Persian EmpireThe Persian Empire

• The First Empire in the World• Peak Time Around 500 BC• Extended from Indus Valley to Greece• Capital at Parsua • Also known as Parthian Empire


Persian Civilization’s Influence on Persian Civilization’s Influence on Indian HistoryIndian History

World’s First Codified Justice System• Influence on Current Indian Justice system:

• Indian justice system was originally modeled after the Persian system• Words borrowed from Persian:

• Ukil – Lawyer• Dalil – Documents• Hakim – The Judge• Hazir – Being Present in Court

In More Recent Times:• Persians are one of the last migrants to India• They helped build the city of Bombay• The Tata Group has a strong contribution to Indian industrialization


The Greek CivilizationThe Greek Civilization

Around 500 BC

Greeks and Persians fought many wars

Greek Contributions to the World (400 BC – 200 BC) :• Philosophers and Thinkers:

• Socrates, Plato, Aristotle• Mathematicians and Scientists

• Euclid, Archimedes

Suggested Class Projects: Learn about the Greek Thinkers and their contributions.


Time of Alexander (350 BC)Time of Alexander (350 BC)• The Greek Prince to completely vanquish the Persian Empire and Build a

Greek Empire in its Place at the age of 23.• But his empire completely broke up after his death.

• Extended from Indus Valley to Greece

Many Later Indian Empires were built based on the principles and techniques of both Greek and Persian Empires

The Greek Invasion Opened Door for Trade between Europe and India

Indian Art, Literature and Science were influenced by Greek Thinking

Many Greeks kept record of their Indian adventures


The Mauryan EmpireThe Mauryan Empire• Founded by Chandra Gupta Mauyra

– Around 300 BC

• Extended by his Grand Son Ashoka– The most influential Emperor in Indian History

• Mauryan Empire Covered Almost the whole of India and Beyond

• Their Capital was Patali Putra – The Present Day Patna, Bihar

• India as a Nation is still influenced by the principles of this era.


The Mauryan EmpireThe Mauryan Empire


Chandra Gupta MauryaChandra Gupta Maurya

• His origin is completely unknown• He learned war techniques from Greeks and had many

Greek soldiers and generals in his army• He also sent his ambassadors to many Greek kingdoms• He has his trusted advisor Chanakya (also known as

Kautilya)• Chankya authored the book of Artha-Sashtra

– Elaborate principles of how an empire to be ruled and protected

• At his later life he converted to Jainism and left his empire to his son Bindusar (Father of Ashoka)


Ashoka – Priya DarshiAshoka – Priya DarshiAshoka – The HandsomeAshoka – The Handsome

• Came to power after some struggle• Later on converted to Buddhism• He set his empire on a principle of welfare and

benefits for his subjects• He followed the principle of balance as ordained

in the Buddhist Principles• He extended his physical empire to almost

whole of India and beyond.• But his actual influence was felt all over the

world – through the spread of Buddhist Principles


Spread of BuddhismSpread of Buddhism

•Buddhism spread across the world more in time of Ashoka than in any other time in the history•He sent his own son and daughter to spread the word of Buddha


Influence of Ashoka in Modern IndiaInfluence of Ashoka in Modern India

Seal of India-Ashoka Stambha (The Piller of Ashoka)

Indian Flag – At the Center there is the Dharma Chakra or the Chakra of Ashoka


QuizQuiz• What was the first empire of the World?

– The Persian Empire• Who vanquished the Persian Empire and Built a Greek

Empire in its Place?– Alexander

• How far did the Persian and the Greek Empire extend to?– From the Indus Valley to Greece

• Who founded the Maurya Empire?– Chandra Gupta Maurya

• Who is the most influential emperor of Indian History?– Ashoka Priya Darshi

• What is the grand seal of India?– Ashoka Stambha or the Piller of Ashoka

• What is in the Center of the Indian Flag?– The Dharma Chakra or the Ashoka Chakra


Project for Parents and StudentsProject for Parents and Students

• Think and Discuss:– Why did the Persian Empire and the Mauryan

Empire lasted for more than 300 years and the Greek empire built by Alexander did not last more than a decade?