Mahajanapadas In India Study

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MAHAJANAPADAS
From the sixth century BC, the widespread use of iron in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Western Bihar facilitated the
formation of large territorial states. The new agricultural tools and implements enabled the peasants to produce far
more food grains than they required for consumption. These material advantages naturally enabled the people to stick
to their land and also to expand at the cost of the neighbouring areas. People began owing strong allegiance to the
Janapada or the territory to which they belonged and hot to the Jana or tribe to which they belonged (as was the case in
the Later Vedic period).
Buddhist texts list sixteen mahajanapadas or major janapadas, as having been in existence in the sixth century
BC. They extended from Gandhara and Kamboja in the north-west of what is now Pakistan, Awanti and Chedi in
central India and Anga and Kalinga in Bengal and Orissa. Soon to be known as Rashtra or kingdoms, many still
retained their tribal names: Kuru was still the land of the Kuru and Malla belonged to the Malla. However, allegiance
was now tied to economic and social dependency. Instead of being focused on tribe and clan, loyalty was increasingly
to the territory itself, to the individual or body which had sovereignty over it and to the town or city where the power
resided. The 16 mahajanapadas of that era were:

Brahmank Period
By the conclusion of the Later Vedic Period
(between 1000 and 500 BC) also known as the
Brahmanic Period, the Aryans shifted across the
plain region which separates the Yomuna from the
River Ganga. It was not an easy project. The Doab
region was thickly forested; the Aryans gradually
burned and settled the Doab, Finally, they reached
the Ganga. The Rig Veda is associated with the
most primitive religion of the Aryans, while the
Religion of the Later Vedic period is associated with
the Brahmanas, or priestly book. The Brahmanas
were composed between 1000 and 850 BC. Every
aspect of the Aryan life came under the control of
priestly rituals and spells in the Later Vedic Period.
The Later Vedic Periodis known as the Epic Age.
Though the great epics of the Indian culture the
Mahabharata and the Ramayana were composed
between 500 and 200 BC, they were originally
formulated and told in the Later Vedtc Period.
These epics deal with heroes’ from this period.
These also demonstrate how Aryan cultural values
were being transformed by mixing with the Indus
cultures.
(i) Magadha Kingdom (South Bihar): The initial capital of the Magadha was Rajagriha and later Patuliputra was made
its capital. It is believed that Brihadrata was the founder of the Magadha Kingdom.
(ii) Anga and Vanga Kingdoms (East Bihar): The capital of the kingdom was Champa which was a prosperous and
thriving business centre. Later, the kingdoms were annexed by Bindusara and made u part of Magadha.

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(iii) Malta Kingdom (Gorakhpur region): Kushinugar was the capital of the kingdom. It was also a seat of many other
smaller kingdoms. Buddhism was the main religion followed there. Later, the kingdom was merged into the mighty
kingdom of Magadha.
(iv) Chedi Kingdom (Yamuna and Narmada belt): The capital of the kingdom was Tisvathirati. One of the families
from this kingdom later merged into the Kalinga Kingdom.
(v) Vatsa Kingdom (Allahabad): The town of Kausumbi was the capital of this kingdom. Udayan was the most
famous ruler of this kingdom.
(vi) Kashi Kingdom (Banaras): The capital of this kingdom was Varanasi. Kashi fought several battles against the
Kosala Kingdom. Finally, Kashi was merged with the Kosala Kingdom. Dhrutarashtra was a famous ruler who once
ruled over the kingdoms of Kashi and Ang'a.
(vii) Kosala Kingdom (Ayodhtya): Its capital was Sravasti which is identified with Sahet Mahet However. Ayodhya
was a significant town of Kosala. Ajatshatru, the ruler of Magadha merged Kosala with Magadha. Kosala was also a
part of the tribal republican territory of Sakyas of Kapilvastu.
(viii) Vajji Kingdom (North Bihar) Its capital wasVajji which was the seat of a united republic of eight smaller
kingdoms including Lichhay is, Janatriks and Videhus. The Lichhavis had their capital at Vaishali which was a
prosperous kingdom. Later, it was merged with the Magadha Kingdom. Mithula was the kingdom of the Videhas
Kingdom. Its most famous ruler was King Janaka. Magadha merged this kingdojn as welt with their kingdom.
(ix) Karu (Thaneswar, Meerut and present day Delhi): Indraprastha was the capital of the Kurus. During the Vedic
period, it was an important kingdom. It had friendly relations with the kingdoms of the Bhoja and Panchala.
(x) Panchala Kingdom (Uttar Pradesh): It had its capital at Kampila. Initially it was a monarchy but later it became an
autonomous republic. Kanauj was the most important town in this kingdom,
(xi) Matsya Kingdom (Jaipur): The capital of this kingdom was at Viratanagar. The Matsyas attained independence
from the Chedi Kingdom under the leadership of Viral Raja.
(xii) Suransena Kingdom (Mathura): The kingdom had its capital at Mathura. King Avantiputra was its most famous
ruler.
(xiii) Assaka Kingdom (Godavari): It had its capital at Potali. King Brahamadtta was its most famous ruler.
(xiv) Gandharva Kingdom (Peshawar and Rawalpindi): The capital of the kingdom was at Taxila, which was an
important trade and education centre during the alter Vedic age. The Magadha ruler Bindusara defeated its ruler King
Pukkusati.
(xv) Kamboj Kingdom (North-east Kashmir): Rajapure waa the capital of his kingdom. The most prominent centre of
trade and commerce in the kingdom was Hajara.
(xvi) Awanti Kingdom (Malwa): Awanti had two parts- north and south. Ujjain was the capital of the northern part,
while the southern part had its capital at mahismati. Avanti was the most vulnerable of all Mahajanapadas. It was ruled
by many kingdoms and was merged with the Magadha Kingdom.
University of Taxila

It is said to be the fist organised educational

epicentre of ancient India. It is also the oldest
university and it is not known who actually founded
this university. However, it was funded almost oil the
great kings arid rulers of that time. Many great kings
and passed their early years in this university. It was
a centre of learning for logic, religion, medicine,
mathematics, astroligy, the Vedas, warfae and
primitive science. Taxila, which was the earlier

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capital of the Gandharva Kingdom, allowed students Lokayata

from all parts of India to be enrolled and education Charvaka's Darshan is a very famous Indian
was free for all. Only Chandalas were not allowed to philosophy. It was termed as lokayata because it
study in this university, Scholars like Nagarjuna, was based on the Ideas which were derived from the
Panlni, Chanokya, Prasanajlt, Jeevka (son of common people. Charvaka did not believe in the
Bimbsara) all came to this place to study before they existence of any supernatural divine agency. He
become important personalities in Indian History propagated that the Brahmanasos created rituals for
Even foreign rulers accepted its importance and obtaining gifts.
many of them took scholars from this university to Advance in Knowledge
their nations. Alexander took some scholars from In the later period, samhitas referred to the list of
Taxila to Greece, In 500 BC, the Hun ruler, subjects for study and showed a wide range of
Toramana, attacked and demolished the university knowledge embracing, not only Vedas, ltihaasa,
campus. During that time, most of the records which Puranas and grammar, but also astronomy, military
were burnt or dastioyed could have thrown more science, dilectics and knowledge of portents. There
light on the management of this university and the were several competent 'Kshotriya' teachers as also
ways it shaped the social ami political stature of women teachers.
ancient India
Political Unrest
None of the mahajanapadas was great kingdoms and they continuously fought among themselves. The smaller
and weaker kingdoms were defeated by the relatively stronger kingdoms. The stronger kingdoms had a general
tendency towards civil wars, which disintegrated them into smaller parts that others could easily capture. This state of
political disorder continued till the emergence of the Mauryan Empire in the early fourth century BC. Another
important point was the continuous emergence of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh regions as trade and commerce centres and
the lack of prominence of the Punjab region, which was the hub of activity during the Rig Vedic period.

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