Chandragupta Maurya

Modern statue of Chandragupta Maurya at Birla Temple, Delhi

Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Maurya Empire in South Asia. He was born in a humble family, was picked up, taught and counselled by Chanakya (also known as Kautilya) – a Hindu Brahmin who wrote the Arthashastra. Together, Chandragupta and Chanakya built one of the largest empires in the subcontinent.

Chandragupta Maurya defeated Seleucus I Nicator, one of the successful satrapies of Alexander the Great and married Seleucus I Nicator daughter Helena . He was the ruler until 297 BC. He became a Jain monk and died at Shravanabelagola of Karnataka in the same year.

Chandragupta Maurya Media

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  Mauryan Empire under Chandragupta Maurya

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  Chandragupta's guru was Chanakya, with whom he studied as a child and with whose counsel he built the Empire. This image is a 1915 attempt at depicting Chanakya.

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  Chandragupta had defeated the remaining Macedonian satrapies in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent by 317 BCE.

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  Chandragupta Maurya Empire c.290 BCE

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  Silver punch mark coin of the Maurya empire, with symbols of wheel and elephant (3rd century BCE)

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  1,300 years Old Shravanabelagola relief shows death of Chandragupta after taking the vow of Sallekhana. Some consider it about the legend of his arrival with Bhadrabahu.

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  A statue depicting Chandragupta Maurya (right) with his spiritual mentor Acharya Bhadrabahu at Shravanabelagola.

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  Chandragupta Maurya having 16 auspicious dreams in Jainism