English
TtcDunded a new empire at Palibotliira. i -w^as the founder of a nevr dynasty ot PIttaliputra. Sandracottus gCLine< oollecting bands of robbers. Cliandra, ^xne. Sandracottus was called to iroya! ^T* of the gods and by prodigies. S 5^npta, although the prodigy related b^ -fc exactly the same as the prodigies ir- c3lu authors. So far, therefore, tb^ ixi the Greek accounts that is not conf lui tradition. That there should be a :iTe in Hindu tradition than ^was kno^vn ^ is but natural, particularly as many c ^t:ories were evidently invented at a latei i fcTx a certain object- As the grandson of i ^^-t^o. was the great patron of the Bndd ^^^^& were naturally made by Buddhist writ -ebat Chandragupta belonged to the same ^^3.<iba; while on the other hand the Brab ^^ would be no less fertile in inventing ' ^-^<:>oW throw discredit on the ancestor c - is1> sovereigns of hidia. Some extr^I^ 5 icings of these hostile parties will ^e^ ^P3ineof Maurya seems to bavebeen Ic^^ ^igha. Journal of the As. ^H^ ^ZV^ *"*-" ^ ..cXJ^en houses in which the tribe of ^ ^ **"'• 5^^ed,may refer to the story of the xc "^o^eia a e Mahavanso. p. xxxix Maury^a living ^tement of Wilford, that Maurya iS of a barber and a Sadra-woma^^^ ^'^ ^ CHANBRAGUPTA. 281 how this was achieved. In the Mafaltvanso^ we read : ^^Elllllsoko had ten sons: these brothers (conjointly) ruled the empire righteously for twenty-two years. Subsequently there were nine brothers : they also ac- cording to their seniority reigned for twenty-two years. Thereafter the Brahman Ch&nakko, in grati* iication of an implacable hatred borne towards the ninth surviving brother, called Dhana-nando, having put him to death, installed in the sovereignty over the whole of Jambudipo, a descendant of the dynasty of Moriyan sovereigns, endowed with illustrious and beneficent attributes, and surnamed Ghandagutto. He reigned 24 (not 34) years." The commentary on this passage adds the following details^: '^ Subsequent to E4I£l3oko, who patronised those who held the second convocation, the royal line is stated to have consisted of twelve monarchs to the reign of Dhamm&soko, when they (the priests) held the third convocation. Edl&soko's own sons were ten brothers. Their names are specified in the Attha kathll. The appellation of Hhe nine Nandos' origi- nates in nine of them bearing that patronymic title. . **' The Atthakathd. of the Uttaravih&ro priests set^ forth that the eldest of these was of an extraction (maternally) not allied (inferior) to the royal family; and that he dwelt in one of the provinces^ ;^ it gives 1 Mah&vanso^ p. 21. The Pali orthography has been preserved in the following extracts. > Mahav., p. 38. * It would seem that the eldest son of Atoka did not participate in the general government of the country, but received a pro- vincial vice-royalty. But in the Burmese histories it is Stated distinctly that the eldest son, named Bhadrasena, reigned with nine of his brothers during a period of twenty-two years. 282 GHANDSAGUFTA. also the history of the other nine. I also will give their history succinctly, but without prejudice to its perspicuity. ^^ In aforetime, during the conjoint administration of the (nine) sons of E&l&k>ko, a certain provincial person appeared in the character of a marauder, and raising a considerable force, was laying the country waste by pillage. His people, who committed these depredations on towns, whenever a town might be sacked, seized and compelled its own inhabitants to carry the spoil to a wilderness, and there securing the plunder, drove them away. On a certain day, the banditti who were leading this predatory life having employed a daring, powerful, and enterprizing individual to commit a robbery, were retreating to the wilderness, making him carry the plunder. He who was thus associated with them, inquired: ^6y what means do you find your livelihood ? ' ^ Thou slave' (they replied) ^ we are not men who submit to the toils of tillage, or cattle tending. By a pro* ceeding precisely like the present one, piUaging towns and villages, and laying up stores of riches and grain, and providing ourselves with fish and fiesb, toddy and other beverage, we pass our lives jovially in feasting and drinking.' On being told this, he thought: ^ This mode of life of these thieves is surely excellent ; shall I, also, joining them, lead a similar life ? ' and then said, ^ I also will join you, I will be- come a confederate of yours. Admitting me among you, take me (in your marauding excursions).' They replying * s&dhu,' received him among them. ^^ On a subsequent occasion, they attacked a town which was defended by well armed and vigilant inha* bitants. As soon as they entered the town the people CHANDRAQUFTA* 283 rose upon and surronnded them, and seizing tbeir leader, and hewing him with a sword, put him to death. The robbers dispersing in all directions re- paired to, and reassembled in the wilderness. Dis- covering that he (their leader) had been slain ; and saying, * In his death the extinction of our prosperity is evident; having been deprived of him, under whose control can the sacking of villages be carried on ? even to remain here is imprudent ; thus our disunion and destruction are inevitable:' they resigned them- selves to desponding grief. The individual above mentioned, approaching them, asked : * What are ye weeping for ? ' On being answered by them, * We are lamenting the want of a valiant leader, to direct us in the hour of attack and retreat in our village sacks.' ^ In that case, my friends,' (said he) ^ ye need not make yourselves unhappy ; if there be no other person able to undertake that post, I can myself perform it for you : from henceforth give not a thought about the matter.' This and more he said to them. They, relieved from their perplexity by this speech, joyfully replied, ^ s4dhu,' and conferred on him the post of chief. ^^From that period proclaiming himself to be Nando, and adopting the course followed formerly (by his predecessor), he wandered about, pillaging the country. Having induced his brothers also to co-operate with him, by them also he was supported in his marauding excursions. Subsequently assembling his gang, he thus addressed tJiem : ^ My men ! this is not a career in which valiant men should be engaged ; it is not worthy of such as we are; this course is only befitting base wretches. What advantage is there in persever- ing in this career, let us aim at supreme sovereignty? ' 284 CIIANDRAGnPTA. They assented. On having received their acquies- cence, attended by his troops and equipped for war, he attacked a provincial town, calling upon (its in- habitants) either to acknowledge him as sovereign, or to give him battle. They on receiving this demand all assembled, and having duly weighed the message, by sending an appropriate answer, formed a treaty of alliance with them. By this means reducing under his authority the people of Jambudipo in great num- bers, he finally attacked Pfttiliputta^ (the capital of the Indian empire), and usurping the sovereignty, died there a short time afterwards, while governing the empire. ^^ His brothers next succeeded to the empire in the order of their seniority. They altogether reigned twenty- two years. It was on this account that (in the Mahftvanso) it is stated that there were nine Nandos. " Their ninth youngest brother was called Dhana- nando, from his being addicted to hoarding treasure. As soon as he was inaugurated, actuated by miserly desires the most inveterate, he resolved within him- self, * It is proper that I should devote myself to hoarding treasure;' and collecting riches to the amount of eighty kotis, and superintending the trans- port thereof himself, and repairing to the banks of the Ganges, by means of a barrier constructed of branches and leaves interrupting the course of the main stream, and forming a canal, he diverted its waters into a different channel ; and in a rock in the bed of the ^ Pataliputra was then governed by the youngest son of ASoka* called Pinjamakhy and the robber-king, who first called himself I^anda, is said to have reigned a short time under the title of Ugrasena. As. Res. xz. p. 17(X CUANBRAGUFTA. 285 river having caused a great excavation to be made, he buried the treasure there.