History of ancient Bihar in a nutshell | Bihar Articles

By: Bihar.ws

3139–83 BC - The Magadh Dynasties

The authority of the Bhagwatam is taken to determine the dates of the dynasties of the kings of Magadh up to the Andhra dynasty. There were nine dynasties that ruled Magadh after the Mahabharat war (3139 BC). They were: 21 kings in Brihadrath dynasty (1,000 years), 5 in Pradyot (138 years), 10 in Shishunag (360 years), one King Mahapadm Nand along with his 8 sons (100 years), 10 Maurya (137 years), 10 Shung and 4 Kanva (457 years), and 30 kings of Andhra dynasty for 456 years (Bhagwatam 9/22/46-49, 12/1/1-28). The ninth one is Gupt dynasty. There were seven kings in the Gupt dynasty with total reigning period of 245 years (Kaliyug Rajvrittant, Bhavishyottar Puran).

The reigning period of 10 Maurya kings, shown only for 137 years, appears to be much less as compared to the reigning period of the other kings of Magadh. Apart from the Mauryas, 81 kings in the other seven dynasties ruled for 2,511 years which give an average of 31 years per king. It appears to be a copying mistake while writing the period of Maurya dynasty. Probably, instead of 317 it was mistakenly written as 137, because the Kaliyug Rajvrittant gives the figure of 316 years for 10 Maurya kings. However, 300 years in round figures for the Maurya dynasty has been taken.

1894–1814 BC – Gautam Buddh

According to the Buddhist records, Gautam Buddh was already 72 years old at the time of Ajatshatnu’s coronation; it means that he was in his 73rd year at that time. Shishunag dynasty’s period is 2001 BC to 1641 BC. The first five kings of Shishunag dynasty, Shishunag to Bindusar, ruled for (40+36+26+40+38) 180 years. Then Ajatshatnu became the king and ruled for 27 years. Accordingly, 2001 BC (-) 180 = 1821 BC is the coronation year of Ajatshatnu. Adding 73 years (the existing age of Gautam Buddh at that time) to 1821 BC comes to 1894 BC. Thus, the date of birth of Gautam Buddh is 1894 BC and his nirvan year is (1894-80) 1814 BC. He was born on Vaishakh full moon day which is March/April.

1541–1507 BC – Chandragupt Maurya

Magadh was the fourth dynasty after the Mahabharat war (3139 BC). Chandragupt Maurya was the first king of the Maurya dynasty. His mother’s name was Mur, so he was called Maurya in Sanskrit which means the son of Mur, and thus, his dynasty was called Maurya dynasty. A pious, learned and determined brahman, Chanakya, also known as Kautilya, who didn’t have a pleasant appearance but had an intelligent brain, managed to terminate the existing King Mahapadm Nand and his eight sons and made Chandragupt the King of Magadh who was also the legitimate heir of the throne. The total period of the four dynasties including the Nand dynasty after the Mahabharat war is 1,598 years (1,000 + 138 + 360 + 100). Thus, the coronation date of Chandragupt Maurya comes to 3139 - 1598 = 1541 BC. Chandragupt Maurya ruled for 34 years (1541-1507 BC), his son Bindusar ruled 28 years (1507-1479 BC) and his grandson Ashokvardhan ruled for 36 years (1479-1443 BC).

328–83 BC – Gupt Dynasty

The Gupt dynasty was the ninth Magadh dynasty. There were seven kings in the Gupt dynasty: (1) Chandragupt Vijayaditya (ruling period 7 years), (2) Samudragupt Ashokaditya Priyadarshin or Ashok the Great (51 years), (3) Chandragupt II Vikramaditya (36 years), (4) Kumargupt Mahendraditya (42 years), (5) Skandgupt Parakramaditya (25 years), (6) Nrasinghgupt Baladitya (40 years) and (7) Kumargupt II Vikramaditya (44 years). The total reigning period was 245 years. After the downfall of Gupt dynasty the kingship of Magadh ended and it went under the subordination of Vikramaditya of Ujjain (Malva).