UPSC PRELIMS & MAINS 2021

ANCIENT HISTORY
CHAPTER –
4
NANDA
DYNASTY
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 MAGADHAN DYNASTIES
HARYANKA SHAISHUNAGA NANDA MAURYAN SUNGA KANVA
DYNASTY DYNASTY DYNASTY DYNASTY DYNASTY DYNASTY
544 to 413 413 to 345 345 to 321 321 to 185 180 to 75 75 to 26

Mahapadma Nanda Chandragupta Pushyamitra Shunga

Bimbisara Shishunaga
Vasudeva
Pandhukananda Bindusara Agnimitra

Ajatashatru Kalashoka (Kakavarna) Panghupatinanda Vasujyeshtha

Ashoka
Bhutapalananda Vasumitra
Dasharatha Bhumimitra
Udayin Kshemadharman
Rashtrapalananada Andhraka
Samprati
Govishanakananda Pulindaka
Anuruddha Kshatraujas
Shalishuka Narayana
Dashasidkhakananda Ghosha
Devavarman
Munda Nandivardhana Kaivartananda Vajramitra

Karvinatha Nand Shatadhanvan Bhagabhadra

Susarman
Nāgadāsaka Mahanandin
Dhana Nanda Brihadratha Devabhuti

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 HARYANKA DYANSTY
BIMBISARA + Kosaladevi

<
Shrenika (T) Buddhists Texts Mahakosa (Kosala Kingdom) Prasenjit

PHYSICIA
Rajgir
Or + Chellana
Jain Text – Nirayavaliya Sutta Chetaka (Lichchavi Kingdom)
Girivraja (C)
N
Madra (Punjab Kingdom)
(J) Yamadhar > + Kshema
Jivaka Brahamdatta (Anga Kingdom)

AJATSHATRU< + Vajira Buddhists Text – Tripitaka Used 2 Innovative military weapons

Kunika (T) Jain Texts – Agamas • Mahashilakantaka
1st Buddhist > Sunidha • Rathamusalsa
Council Pasendi (Kosala Kingdom)
Vassakara Vajii (Lichchavi Kingdom)
>

UDHYABHADRA < Palaka (Avanti Kingdom)

Udayin (T)
Patliputra (C)

ANIRUDDHA

AMATYA
MUNDA NAGADASAKA > Shaishunaga ( Shaishunaga Dynasty)

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1st Capital Shifted Capital To 2nd Capital SHAISHUNAGA DYANSTY
Rajagir (C) Patliputra (C) Vaishali (C)
AMATYA
NAGADASAKA (Haryanka Dynasty)
SHAISHUNAGA<
<
Nandivardhana (Pradyota Dyansty)
A
KALASHOKA Puranas – Kakavarna (T)
2nd Buddhist Council Sinhala Chronicles – Kalashoka

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th

KSHMADHARMAN NANDIVARDHAN B

C
MAHANANDIN + Mahapadma (Sudra)
D
MAHAPADMANANDA (Nanda Dynasty)
Chandragupta
Maurya
(Mauryan Dyansty)
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 NANDA DYNASTY
345 to 321
Mahapadma Nanda
Pandhukananda
Panghupatinanda
Bhutapalananda
Rashtrapalananada
Govishanakananda
Dashasidkhakananda
Kaivartananda
Karvinatha Nand
Dhana Nanda
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 N
A
N
D
A

D
Y
N
A
S
T
Y
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 Shaishunaga

Kalashoka TITLES OF MAHAPADMANANDA A

Ugrasena (T) – Palli Text
Ekrat (T) – Brahmanical Text
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
Kshmadharman Nandivardhan B

Mahanandin + Mahapadma (Sudra) C

NANDA
DYANST
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
Y D
MAHAPADMANANDA DHANA NANDA < Chanakya
<

>
Chandragupta Maurya
PABATA (Mauryan Dyansty)
Panchala, Kasi, Haihaya, Kalinga, Asmaka,
NANDA
Kuru, Maithila, Surasena, Vitihotra and Kosala

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 Shaishunaga

Kalashoka A

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th

Kshmadharman Nandivardhan B

Mahanandin + Mahapadma (Sudra) C

NANDA
DYANST
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
Y D
MAHAPADMANANDA DHANA NANDA < Chanakya

>
Chandragupta Maurya
Acc. to., Buddhist Text – Mahabodhivamsa
PABATA (Mauryan Dyansty)
1.
2.
Dhana Nanda (Died – 321 BCE) was the last ruler of the Nanda dynasty..
He was the youngest of the 8 brothers of the dynasty's founder
NANDA
Mahapadmananda.

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 Shaishunaga

Kalashoka A

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th

Kshmadharman Nandivardhan B

Mahanandin + Mahapadma (Sudra) C

NANDA
DYANSTY
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
MAHAPADMANANDA DHANA NANDA < D
Chanakya

>
Acc. to ., Buddhist Text – Mahavamsa
1) The dynasty's founder was Mahapadmananda, who was Chandragupta Maurya
originally “A man of the frontier": he fell into the hands of a
gang of robbers, and later became their leader. 
PABATA (Mauryan Dyansty)
2)
3)
Mahapadma Nanda killed sons of Kalashoka.
It names 9 Nanda kings, who were all brothers, and ruled in
NANDA
succession for a total of 22 years.

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 Shaishunaga

Kalashoka A

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th

Kshmadharman Nandivardhan B

X (Barber) + Mahapadma + Mahanandin C

NANDA
DYNASTY
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
MAHAPADMANANDA DHANA NANDA < D
Chanakya

>
Chandragupta Maurya
Acc. to ., Jain Text – Avashyaka Sutra & Parishishta-parvan PABATA (Mauryan Dyansty)
1) Mahapadma Nanda was the son of a barber.
2) The mother of 1st Nanda king was a courtesan. NANDA +
3) Last Nanda kings daughter married to Chandragupta.
D/o Dhana Nanda
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 MAHAPADMA NANDA
LITERARY SOURCES

JAIN TEXTS BUDDHIST TEXTS

PALI TEXTS BRAHMANICAL TEXTS

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 JAIN TEXTS • As recorded in the Avashyaka
Sutra and Parishishta-parvan,
corroborates the Greco-Roman
accounts, stating that the first
Nanda king (Mahapadma Nanda)
was the son of a barber.

• According to the 12th century text Parishishta-parvan, the mother of the

first Nanda king was a courtesan.

• However, the text also states that the daughter of the last Nanda king
married Chandragupta, because it was customary for Kshatriya girls to
choose their husbands; thus, it implies that the Nanda king claimed to be a
Kshatriya, that is, a member of the warrior class.

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 BUDDHIST TEXTS • The Buddhist tradition calls the
Nandas "of unknown lineage"
(annata-kula).
• According to Mahavamsa, the
dynasty's founder was Ugrasena,
who was originally “A man of the
frontier": he fell into the hands of a
gang of robbers, and later became
their leader. 
MAHAPADMA
NANDA
• Mahapadma Nanda later ousted the
sons of the Shaishunaga
king Kalashoka (or Kakavarna)

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PALI TEXTS
• According to Pali texts, He is also
Known as Ugrasena, because of
his large army.

• According to the Brahmanical texts,

BRAHMANICAL TEXTS he belonged to a low caste or at
least a non-kshatriya caste.
• The first Emperor of India & clamied
to be the Ekarat, the king who
destroyed all other ruling princes.

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 WHY MAHAPADMA NANDA IS CALLED AS
“UGRASENA” & “EKRAT” ?

• According to Pali texts,

He is also Known as
Ugrasena, because of his
large army.
• According to the
Brahmanical texts, he is
the first Emperor of India
& clamied to be the
Ekarat, the king who
destroyed all other ruling
princes.
• He defeated Panchala, Kasi, Haihaya,
Kalinga, Asmaka, Kuru, Maithila,
Surasena, Vitihotra and Kosala
Kindoms respectively.
• He expanded his territory south of
the Vindhya Range into the Deccan
Plateau.

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 DHANA NANDA
• The Buddhist text Mahabodhivamsa, Dhana Nanda (died c. 321 BCE) was the last ruler of
the Nanda dynasty.
• He was the youngest of the eight brothers of the dynasty's founder Ugrasena.

• The Buddhist text Mahavamsa names 9 Nanda kings,

who were all brothers, and ruled in succession for a
total of 22 years.
• The first of these king was Ugrasena, and the last
was Dhana Nanda.
• It is believed that Alexander attacked Punjab during
his reign but his huge army checked them from
advancing towards Magadha.

• He is believed to be an arrogant and oppressive ruler

who imposed heavy taxes on the comman man.
• His greed and exploitation made him quite unpopular
among the masses.
DHANA NANDA
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 THE FALL OF NANDA = CHANAKYA + CHANDRAGUPTA

Get out you ugly I will not tie my tuft of hair until I uproot the
black monkey … whole Nanda dynasty and establish dharma
in Magadha. Rulers like you have spoiled
Bharat. The tuft of hair which you
arrogantly pull now will be like a serpent
which comes back to bite you …

DHANA
NANDA CHANAKYA

ACCORDING TO BUDDHIST TEXTS.,

• Dhana Nanda wanted a Brahmin to run the Daankendra (Charity Centre).
• Chanakya who was scholar in Taxila University, wanted to apply for this post and he went to
Dhanananda court.
• Dhanananda insulted the Brahmin Chanakya for his ugly appearance during an alms-giving
ceremony at Pupphapura (Pushpapura)
• Chanakya felt humiliated and vowed that he would not re-tie his Brahmin knot until he had driven
King Nanda out of power and destroy his clan.

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• With this act Nanda ordered to arrest Chanakya.
• Chanakya escaped and befriended the king's son Pabbata.
• With help of a signet ring given by the prince Pabbata, Chanakya fled the Nanda palace.
• Chanakya narrowed down two candidates to replace Dhana Nanda: Pabbata, and Chandragupta, who
belonged to a former royal family.
• To test them, he gave each of them an amulet to be worn around the neck with a woolen thread.
• One day, while Chandragupta was asleep, he asked Pabbata to remove Chandragupta's woolen thread
without breaking it and without waking up Chandragupta. Pabbata failed to accomplish this task.
• Some time later, when Pabbata was sleeping, Chanakya challenged Chandragupta to complete the
same task. Chandragupta retrieved the woolen thread by cutting off Pabbata's head.
• Over next seven years, Chanakya trained and mentored Chandragupta.
• When Chandragupta became an adult, Chanakya assembled an army using his wealth.
• The Mahavamsa also describes how Chandragupta and Chanakya set out to collect recruits from
different places. There are references to how a large number of his soldiers (mercenaries) came from
the republics in and around Punjab. Jain text, Parishishtaparvan, and the later
play Mudrarakshasa talk of a crucial alliance that Chandragupta forged with a Himalayan king,
Parvataka, and how the army that finally stormed the Nanda bastion in Pataliputra would have been
composed of mostly groups of Sakas, Yavanas, Kambojas and Kiratas. Interestingly in the
play Mudrarakshasa King Parvataka is mysteriously killed (probably poisoned) just as Chandragupta
comes close to victory.
• with his army invaded Dhanananda’s capital Pataliputta (Pataliputra)  (also called Kusumapura, "The
City of Flowers"), and killed Dhana Nanda.

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 RELIGION
• The various religions that were followed
during the Nanda Dynasty included Jainism,
Hinduism, and Buddhism.
• However, rulers of the Nanda Empire
embraced Jainism.
• Once the Nanda rulers took over the kingdom
of Kalinga, they fetched the “Kalinga Jina”
and set it up in Pataliputra (modern-dayPatna),
their capital.
• Jivasiddhi, the Digambar saint, was venerated
by the final Nanda monarch.
• Pataliputra is known all over the world for
being the place of enlightenment of Lord
Mahavira.
• Incidentally, the stupas which are major holy It is said that in 150 BCE King Kharavela
sites for the Hindus, were constructed in big fought against the Nandas, a rival dynasty,
numbers by Dhana Nanda, the final ruler of the recapturing the image of Ananta they had
taken from his ancestors.
empire and plenty of these stupas in Rajgir.
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 HISTORY NOTES
PREPARED BY

KCR
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