Mahajanapadas

Quest for UPSC CSE Panels

22-07-2023 GS-I Sub-Categories: GS-I: Ancient History 1 min read

What are Mahajanapadas?

What factors lead to the creation of Mahajanapadas?

What made Magadha the most powerful Mahajanapada?

What were the features of Mahajanapadas?

Art & Architecture

What is the signi몭cance of the Mahajanpadas with regard to early Indian

History?
 What were the causes of decline of Mahajanapadas?

Prelims: History of India

Mains: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Arts forms, literature and
Architecture from ancient to modern times

What are Mahajanapadas?

Mahajanapadas were ancient kingdoms or republics that emerged in northern India during
the 6th century BCE. The term "Mahajanapadas" literally means "great kingdoms" or "great
states".

Geographical location: There were 16 Mahajanapadas in total, which were said to

have been located in the region roughly corresponding to primarily present-day Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh.

Type of Mahajanpadas: Two kinds of states are included in the list of

Mahajanapadas - monarchies (Rajyas) and non-monarchical states known as Ganas
or Sanghas.

Source of information: The Anguttara Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture that belongs to

the Sutta Pitaka. It provides valuable insight into the social, political, and economic
conditions that existed in ancient India during the time period.
Other sources:
Mahavastu- A Buddhist work

Bhagavati Sutra- A Jaina work, it gives a widely different list of the

sixteen Mahajanapadas which includes Vanga and Malaya.
Table: Sixteen Mahajanapadas

16 Mahajanapada

What factors lead to the creation of Mahajanapadas?

The Later Vedic period (900 BCE–600 BCE) witnessed the transition from a tribal polity
based on lineage to a territorial state.

Settlement of tribes: The Janas, who migrated eastwards, began to settle down in
various regions. The loyalty of the people shifted from Jana (tribe or clan) to
Janapada (territory).

New agricultural tools: The new agricultural tools and implements enabled the
peasants to produce far more food grains than they required for consumption.

The king was the sovereign ruler: He also levied taxes out of agricultural surplus and
redistributed it, and ensured the maintenance of law and order in a hierarchical
society by force and coercion.

Transition from Janpada to Mahajanapadas:

Meaning: Janapada literally meant ‘the place where the tribe sets its foot
 Meaning: Janapada literally meant ‘the place where the tribe sets its foot
upon.’ The janapadas fought with one another for resources and political
dominance.

Political rivalry: Some janapadas extended their territories and brought

various Janas within their jurisdiction. Such janapadas grew into
Mahajanapadas.

The Mahajanapadas represented the emergence of territorial kingdoms that

ruled over people (Jana).

The king headed the government aided by a centralised administration.

Map of Mahajanapadas

What made Magadha the most powerful

Mahajanapada?
The following various factors combined to make Magadha the most powerful and
prosperous Mahajanapada.

Natural boundaries:
It was bounded by the Ganga, Son, and Champa rivers on the north, west,
and east, respectively, and the Vindhyan spurs on the south. This was
important for transport, water supplies and making the land fertile.

Its earlier capital was surrounded by 몭ve hills, which helped to provide
natural forti몭cation.

Transportation: It provided an easy means of transportation for goods and people

For example, the city of Pataliputra (the capital of Magadha) was located on
the banks of the Ganges and was an important centre of trade and
commerce.

Abundant natural resources:

Elephants, which lived in the forest, could be captured and trained for the
army.

Forests also provided wood for building houses, carts and chariots.

Minerals: There were iron ore mines in the region that could be tapped to
make strong tools and weapons.

Rainfall: Su몭cient rainfall and a perennial supply of river water and fertile
land caused the rise in agricultural produce

Economic factors
The strategic location of the Empire: It was located on the central route
between the West and East Indian subcontinent. This enabled them to
control trade and receive heavy taxes.

Prosperity and Growth: With prosperity and rise of the population led to an
increase in activities of agriculture, mining, building cities and expanding the
army.

It was positioned approximately between the Vatsa and Anga.

Political factors
Prominent rulers extended the territory of the Magadhan Empire through
matrimonial alliances and conquests.

Magadha had two very powerful rulers, Bimbisara and Ajatashatru, who
used all possible means to conquer other janapadas.

They maintained strong standing militaries.

What were the features of Mahajanapadas?
The Mahajanapadas are classi몭ed as Gana-Sanghas and chiefdoms based on the nature of
their polity.

Administration:

The Mahajanapadas were ruled by kings who were supported by a council of

ministers.

The administration was divided into several departments, such as 몭nance, justice,
and defence.

In the Mahajanapadas, the basic unit of settlement was the Grama (village)

It used to be a mobile unit of people, and when two gramas came together, it led to
Sangrama

The leaders of the villages were called Gamini. The Gamini are also referred to as
soldiers, elephant and horse trainers and stage managers.

The kingdoms had a well-de몭ned system of taxation to 몭nance the administration.

Administration in Gana-Sanghas:
They had an oligarchical system of governance.

The administration was run by an elected king with the help of large councils
or assemblies comprising heads of all important clans and families.

Society:

The society was divided into various classes, such as nobles, traders, farmers, and
labourers.

The caste system was not yet fully developed during this period.

Kassaka and ksetrika denoted the common peasants who were generally of the
Sudra jati.

Slavery was prevalent, and slaves were used for various kinds of manual labour.

Marriage alliances were an important aspect of inter-state relations but often

became irrelevant when it came to realising political ambitions.

Economy:
 Agriculture was the main occupation of the people, and the kingdoms were largely
agrarian.

Trade and commerce 몭ourished, and the kingdoms had well-established trade
routes.

Coinages: The kingdoms minted their own coins, which were used for trade and
commerce.
The coins were generally made of silver or copper, and they were often
stamped with symbols and inscriptions that re몭ected the political and
cultural identity of the state.

The coins were known as punch-marked coins because they were stamped
with a series of symbols and dots that were punched into the metal.

Image- Punch Marked Coin

Religion:

The Mahajanapadas were religiously diverse, and people followed different

religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

The kings patronised different religions, and the religious leaders had considerable
in몭uence over the people.

Military:

The kingdoms had a well-organised army composed of infantry, cavalry, and

elephants.

The kings had their own personal armies, which were loyal to them.

Wars were frequent, and the kingdoms often engaged in con몭icts with each other.

Art & Architecture

 The Mahajanapadas developed a unique style of art and architecture.

The kingdoms built impressive structures such as stupas, temples, and palaces.

The art was characterised by intricate carvings and sculptures, which re몭ected the
cultural and religious beliefs of the people.

What is the signi몭cance of the Mahajanpadas with

regard to early Indian History?
The period witnessed the rise of powerful rulers who expanded their territories, built cities
and patronised the arts and sciences. It was also a time of signi몭cant social, economic, and
religious changes that would shape the course of Indian history for centuries to come.

The emergence of territorial states: The Mahajanapadas marked the beginning of

the emergence of large territorial states in ancient India, governed by monarchies
with well-de몭ned administrative systems.

Shift towards urbanisation: The rise of the Mahajanapadas also led to a shift
towards urbanisation. Many of these states had capital cities that were centres of
trade, commerce, and culture.

Formation of political alliances: The Mahajanapadas witnessed the formation of

political alliances between various kingdoms. These alliances were sometimes
formed to counter external threats and, at other times, for mutual bene몭t.

Development of trade and commerce: With the emergence of large territorial states,
trade and commerce 몭ourished. The establishment of new trade routes and the
construction of roads and bridges facilitated the exchange of goods and services.

In몭uence on later Indian history: The Mahajanapadas had a profound in몭uence on

later Indian history. Many of the political, social, and economic structures that
emerged during this period continued to shape Indian society for centuries to come.

What were the causes of decline of Mahajanapadas?

The Mahajanapadas,lasted until the rise of the Mauryan Empire in the 4th century BCE.
There were several factors that contributed to the decline of the Mahajanapadas:

Weak rulers: After the reign of Emperor Ashoka, the Mauryan dynasty began to
decline due to weak rulers who were unable to maintain the empire's vast territories
and were frequently challenged by rebellions and invasions.

Economic factors: The Mauryan state relied heavily on agriculture, and the
 Economic factors: The Mauryan state relied heavily on agriculture, and the
productivity of the land declined due to deforestation, soil exhaustion, and the
neglect of irrigation works. This led to food shortages, famine, and economic
hardship for the people.

Foreign invasions: The Mauryan empire faced frequent attacks from foreign
invaders, such as the Greeks under Alexander the Great and the Bactrian Greeks.
These invasions weakened the empire's military and economic power.

Regional revolts: The people of the different regions of the Mauryan empire, such as
the Kalingas and the Satavahanas, resented the centralised rule of Magadha and
rebelled against it. This weakened the Mauryan state and made it vulnerable to
external attacks.

Succession disputes: The Mauryan empire faced frequent succession disputes and
civil wars, which weakened the state and made it vulnerable to external attacks and
internal rebellion.

Early Indian Trad…

Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Prelims
2016:

Q) Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of
the founder of the Sunga dynasty?

(a) Swapnavasavadatta

(b) Malavikagnimitra

(c) Meghadoota

(d) Ratnavali
(d) Ratnavali

2014:

Q) Which of the following Kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha?

1. Avanti

2. Gandhara

3. Kosala

4. Magadha

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 2 and 4

(c) 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 3 and 4

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q) Who established the Haryanka dynasty?

Bimbisara, the son of King Bhattiya of Magadha, established the Haryanka dynasty. He
is believed to have ruled from around 543 BCE to 491 BCE.

Q) What is meant by second urbanisation?

Agricultural surplus, the growth of crafts and trade, and the growing population led to
the emergence of towns in the Gangetic plains. This is called the second urbanisation
in Indian history after the 몭rst urbanisation evident in the Harappan Civilization.

Q) How did Varanasi get its name?

The kingdom of Kashi was bounded by the Varuna and Asi rivers to the north and
The kingdom of Kashi was bounded by the Varuna and Asi rivers to the north and
south respectively. It is from the names of these two rivers that its capital city Varanasi
on the banks of the Ganga got its name.

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