Selina Textbook Solutions: The Mauryan Empire | History Class 9 ICSE PDF Download

 Page 1


The Mauryan Empire 
EXERCISES 
Question 1. 
Name any two sources to reconstruct the Age of the Mauryas. 
Answer: 
Literary Sources: Indica (Written by Megasthenes), Arthashastra 
Archaeological sources: The Rock Edicts of Ashoka, the Ashokan Pillars. 
Question 2. 
Who was Kautilya (Chanakya)? Name the famous book written by him. 
Answer: 
Kautilya (Chanakya) was a learned Brahmin of Taxila, who later on became a prominent 
diplomat in the kingship of emperor Chandragupta Maurya. The ‘Arthashastra’ was 
written by Kautilya. 
Question 3. 
What is a Stupa ? Name one stupa built by Ashoka ? 
Answer: 
The Stupa is a semi-spherical solid dome-like structure made of unburnt bricks and 
stones. The Sanchi stupa was made by Ashoka around 3rd century BC. 
Question 4. 
Why did Seleucos Nicator invade India? 
Answer: 
Seleucos Nicator was a Greek king, he invaded India with an intention to recover the 
Greek conquests in India. 
Question 5. 
What do you know about the extent of Chandragupta Maurya’s empire? 
Answer: 
The empire of Chandragupta Maurya had been extended up to Mysore in the South and 
Kabul, in the north-west. It stretched from Saurashtra in the West up to Bengal in the 
East. 
Question 6. 
What change did the Kalinga War bring about in Ashoka’s life? 
Answer: 
Ashoka was the Bird and the most enlightened ruler of the Mauryan dynasty. The 
Kalinga War was the major turning- point in the career of Ashoka. the massacre of 
Kalinga absolutely converted the aggressive conscience of his. He „ was so moved by 
Page 2


The Mauryan Empire 
EXERCISES 
Question 1. 
Name any two sources to reconstruct the Age of the Mauryas. 
Answer: 
Literary Sources: Indica (Written by Megasthenes), Arthashastra 
Archaeological sources: The Rock Edicts of Ashoka, the Ashokan Pillars. 
Question 2. 
Who was Kautilya (Chanakya)? Name the famous book written by him. 
Answer: 
Kautilya (Chanakya) was a learned Brahmin of Taxila, who later on became a prominent 
diplomat in the kingship of emperor Chandragupta Maurya. The ‘Arthashastra’ was 
written by Kautilya. 
Question 3. 
What is a Stupa ? Name one stupa built by Ashoka ? 
Answer: 
The Stupa is a semi-spherical solid dome-like structure made of unburnt bricks and 
stones. The Sanchi stupa was made by Ashoka around 3rd century BC. 
Question 4. 
Why did Seleucos Nicator invade India? 
Answer: 
Seleucos Nicator was a Greek king, he invaded India with an intention to recover the 
Greek conquests in India. 
Question 5. 
What do you know about the extent of Chandragupta Maurya’s empire? 
Answer: 
The empire of Chandragupta Maurya had been extended up to Mysore in the South and 
Kabul, in the north-west. It stretched from Saurashtra in the West up to Bengal in the 
East. 
Question 6. 
What change did the Kalinga War bring about in Ashoka’s life? 
Answer: 
Ashoka was the Bird and the most enlightened ruler of the Mauryan dynasty. The 
Kalinga War was the major turning- point in the career of Ashoka. the massacre of 
Kalinga absolutely converted the aggressive conscience of his. He „ was so moved by 
this dreadful heart-tearing scene that he dropped his weapons forever and became a 
follower of Lord Buddha. 
Question 7. 
Mention two advantages of the Pan-Indian character of the Mauryan empire. 
Answer: 
Pan-Indian or Subcontinental character of the Mauryan empire. Ashoka ruled over a 
large part of the Indian subcontinent. There were three main advantages of the Pan-
Indian character of Ashokan empire. First, it resulted in the disappearance of small 
states. Second, it enabled the rulers face foreign invasions successfully. Third, it 
facilitated trade and commerce with frontier towns as well as the Middle Eastern and 
Greek cities. 
Question 8. 
What does Megasthenes’ Indica tell us about the king’s life? 
Answer: 
Megasthenes’ Indica tells us that the king Chandragupta had been the first historical 
emperor of India. He expanded his empire in India and beyond her neighboring 
countries. Chandragupta renounced princely life and settled down at a place Sravana 
Belagole in southern India. Here, he died as an ascetic. 
Question 9. 
What does Kautilya tell us about the duties of the king? 
Answer: 
Kautilya divided the King’s day into eight parts. It was the King’s duty to give close 
attention to people’s welfare, social order and military action. 
Question 10. 
What does Megasthenes tell us about the City administration? 
Answer: 
Megasthenes explains that the City administration was divided into six boards of five 
persons each. Each Board dealt with a specific function, such as the supervision of 
trade and commerce or census of population or care of foreigners and so on and so-
forth. 
Question 11. 
What is the importance of Ashoka’s inscriptions (Stone Edicts)? 
Answer: 
The Ashoka’s inscriptions (Stone Edicts) leave the message of love with mankind and 
all living creatures. It exhorted people to live with peace. Might is not the ultimate 
solution to any problem, as it ends in destruction and ruthless killings. 
 
Page 3


The Mauryan Empire 
EXERCISES 
Question 1. 
Name any two sources to reconstruct the Age of the Mauryas. 
Answer: 
Literary Sources: Indica (Written by Megasthenes), Arthashastra 
Archaeological sources: The Rock Edicts of Ashoka, the Ashokan Pillars. 
Question 2. 
Who was Kautilya (Chanakya)? Name the famous book written by him. 
Answer: 
Kautilya (Chanakya) was a learned Brahmin of Taxila, who later on became a prominent 
diplomat in the kingship of emperor Chandragupta Maurya. The ‘Arthashastra’ was 
written by Kautilya. 
Question 3. 
What is a Stupa ? Name one stupa built by Ashoka ? 
Answer: 
The Stupa is a semi-spherical solid dome-like structure made of unburnt bricks and 
stones. The Sanchi stupa was made by Ashoka around 3rd century BC. 
Question 4. 
Why did Seleucos Nicator invade India? 
Answer: 
Seleucos Nicator was a Greek king, he invaded India with an intention to recover the 
Greek conquests in India. 
Question 5. 
What do you know about the extent of Chandragupta Maurya’s empire? 
Answer: 
The empire of Chandragupta Maurya had been extended up to Mysore in the South and 
Kabul, in the north-west. It stretched from Saurashtra in the West up to Bengal in the 
East. 
Question 6. 
What change did the Kalinga War bring about in Ashoka’s life? 
Answer: 
Ashoka was the Bird and the most enlightened ruler of the Mauryan dynasty. The 
Kalinga War was the major turning- point in the career of Ashoka. the massacre of 
Kalinga absolutely converted the aggressive conscience of his. He „ was so moved by 
this dreadful heart-tearing scene that he dropped his weapons forever and became a 
follower of Lord Buddha. 
Question 7. 
Mention two advantages of the Pan-Indian character of the Mauryan empire. 
Answer: 
Pan-Indian or Subcontinental character of the Mauryan empire. Ashoka ruled over a 
large part of the Indian subcontinent. There were three main advantages of the Pan-
Indian character of Ashokan empire. First, it resulted in the disappearance of small 
states. Second, it enabled the rulers face foreign invasions successfully. Third, it 
facilitated trade and commerce with frontier towns as well as the Middle Eastern and 
Greek cities. 
Question 8. 
What does Megasthenes’ Indica tell us about the king’s life? 
Answer: 
Megasthenes’ Indica tells us that the king Chandragupta had been the first historical 
emperor of India. He expanded his empire in India and beyond her neighboring 
countries. Chandragupta renounced princely life and settled down at a place Sravana 
Belagole in southern India. Here, he died as an ascetic. 
Question 9. 
What does Kautilya tell us about the duties of the king? 
Answer: 
Kautilya divided the King’s day into eight parts. It was the King’s duty to give close 
attention to people’s welfare, social order and military action. 
Question 10. 
What does Megasthenes tell us about the City administration? 
Answer: 
Megasthenes explains that the City administration was divided into six boards of five 
persons each. Each Board dealt with a specific function, such as the supervision of 
trade and commerce or census of population or care of foreigners and so on and so-
forth. 
Question 11. 
What is the importance of Ashoka’s inscriptions (Stone Edicts)? 
Answer: 
The Ashoka’s inscriptions (Stone Edicts) leave the message of love with mankind and 
all living creatures. It exhorted people to live with peace. Might is not the ultimate 
solution to any problem, as it ends in destruction and ruthless killings. 
 
Question 12. 
Mention any two principles of Ashoka’s 
Answer: 
Two principles of Ashoka’s Dhamma are: 
1. Purity of Domestic Life. 
2. Toleration. 
( STRUCTURED QUESTIONS ) 
 
Question 1. 
Describe the sources to reconstruct the Age of the Mauryan with reference to the 
following: 
(a) Indica (b) Arthashastra 
Answer: 
(a) Indica — Megasthenes wrote a book named Indica which contains his impressions 
of what he heard and saw during his stay in India. Megasthenes’ original Indica has 
been lost, but its fragments still survive in the writings of later Greek Authors like Starbo, 
Arrian, Diodorous. Plutarch and Justin. 
(b) Arthashastra — Of all the literary sources on the history of the Mauryas, the most 
important source is the Arthashastra written by Kautilya, also known as Vishnugupta 
and Chanakya. Arthashastra contains 6000 shlokas and is divided into 15 sections and 
180 subjects. It is written in Sanskrit. These subjects deal with politics, rules 
ofdiplomacy, principles of administration and other political topics. This book was 
discovered in 1909. 
Question 2. 
What is an Edict ? Mention the significance of Ashokan Edicts, with particular reference 
to the Rock Edict XIII and the Rummindei Pillar Inscription. 
Answer: 
Ashokan Edicts: An edict means “an official order or proclamation. According to the 
Rock Edict XIII, in Kalinga war about a hundred thousand people were killed and as 
many as one hundred and fifty thousand were taken as prisoners. The horrors of the 
War awakened in Ashoka’s heart the feelings of profound sorrow. The XHIth Rock Edict 
says “The Beloved of the Gods, the King considers victory by dhamma to be the 
foremost victory.” The inscription on the Rummindei Pillar, for instance says “King, the 
beloved of the Gods, visited this spot in person and offered worship at this palace, 
because the Lord Buddha was born here.” 
 
 
Page 4


The Mauryan Empire 
EXERCISES 
Question 1. 
Name any two sources to reconstruct the Age of the Mauryas. 
Answer: 
Literary Sources: Indica (Written by Megasthenes), Arthashastra 
Archaeological sources: The Rock Edicts of Ashoka, the Ashokan Pillars. 
Question 2. 
Who was Kautilya (Chanakya)? Name the famous book written by him. 
Answer: 
Kautilya (Chanakya) was a learned Brahmin of Taxila, who later on became a prominent 
diplomat in the kingship of emperor Chandragupta Maurya. The ‘Arthashastra’ was 
written by Kautilya. 
Question 3. 
What is a Stupa ? Name one stupa built by Ashoka ? 
Answer: 
The Stupa is a semi-spherical solid dome-like structure made of unburnt bricks and 
stones. The Sanchi stupa was made by Ashoka around 3rd century BC. 
Question 4. 
Why did Seleucos Nicator invade India? 
Answer: 
Seleucos Nicator was a Greek king, he invaded India with an intention to recover the 
Greek conquests in India. 
Question 5. 
What do you know about the extent of Chandragupta Maurya’s empire? 
Answer: 
The empire of Chandragupta Maurya had been extended up to Mysore in the South and 
Kabul, in the north-west. It stretched from Saurashtra in the West up to Bengal in the 
East. 
Question 6. 
What change did the Kalinga War bring about in Ashoka’s life? 
Answer: 
Ashoka was the Bird and the most enlightened ruler of the Mauryan dynasty. The 
Kalinga War was the major turning- point in the career of Ashoka. the massacre of 
Kalinga absolutely converted the aggressive conscience of his. He „ was so moved by 
this dreadful heart-tearing scene that he dropped his weapons forever and became a 
follower of Lord Buddha. 
Question 7. 
Mention two advantages of the Pan-Indian character of the Mauryan empire. 
Answer: 
Pan-Indian or Subcontinental character of the Mauryan empire. Ashoka ruled over a 
large part of the Indian subcontinent. There were three main advantages of the Pan-
Indian character of Ashokan empire. First, it resulted in the disappearance of small 
states. Second, it enabled the rulers face foreign invasions successfully. Third, it 
facilitated trade and commerce with frontier towns as well as the Middle Eastern and 
Greek cities. 
Question 8. 
What does Megasthenes’ Indica tell us about the king’s life? 
Answer: 
Megasthenes’ Indica tells us that the king Chandragupta had been the first historical 
emperor of India. He expanded his empire in India and beyond her neighboring 
countries. Chandragupta renounced princely life and settled down at a place Sravana 
Belagole in southern India. Here, he died as an ascetic. 
Question 9. 
What does Kautilya tell us about the duties of the king? 
Answer: 
Kautilya divided the King’s day into eight parts. It was the King’s duty to give close 
attention to people’s welfare, social order and military action. 
Question 10. 
What does Megasthenes tell us about the City administration? 
Answer: 
Megasthenes explains that the City administration was divided into six boards of five 
persons each. Each Board dealt with a specific function, such as the supervision of 
trade and commerce or census of population or care of foreigners and so on and so-
forth. 
Question 11. 
What is the importance of Ashoka’s inscriptions (Stone Edicts)? 
Answer: 
The Ashoka’s inscriptions (Stone Edicts) leave the message of love with mankind and 
all living creatures. It exhorted people to live with peace. Might is not the ultimate 
solution to any problem, as it ends in destruction and ruthless killings. 
 
Question 12. 
Mention any two principles of Ashoka’s 
Answer: 
Two principles of Ashoka’s Dhamma are: 
1. Purity of Domestic Life. 
2. Toleration. 
( STRUCTURED QUESTIONS ) 
 
Question 1. 
Describe the sources to reconstruct the Age of the Mauryan with reference to the 
following: 
(a) Indica (b) Arthashastra 
Answer: 
(a) Indica — Megasthenes wrote a book named Indica which contains his impressions 
of what he heard and saw during his stay in India. Megasthenes’ original Indica has 
been lost, but its fragments still survive in the writings of later Greek Authors like Starbo, 
Arrian, Diodorous. Plutarch and Justin. 
(b) Arthashastra — Of all the literary sources on the history of the Mauryas, the most 
important source is the Arthashastra written by Kautilya, also known as Vishnugupta 
and Chanakya. Arthashastra contains 6000 shlokas and is divided into 15 sections and 
180 subjects. It is written in Sanskrit. These subjects deal with politics, rules 
ofdiplomacy, principles of administration and other political topics. This book was 
discovered in 1909. 
Question 2. 
What is an Edict ? Mention the significance of Ashokan Edicts, with particular reference 
to the Rock Edict XIII and the Rummindei Pillar Inscription. 
Answer: 
Ashokan Edicts: An edict means “an official order or proclamation. According to the 
Rock Edict XIII, in Kalinga war about a hundred thousand people were killed and as 
many as one hundred and fifty thousand were taken as prisoners. The horrors of the 
War awakened in Ashoka’s heart the feelings of profound sorrow. The XHIth Rock Edict 
says “The Beloved of the Gods, the King considers victory by dhamma to be the 
foremost victory.” The inscription on the Rummindei Pillar, for instance says “King, the 
beloved of the Gods, visited this spot in person and offered worship at this palace, 
because the Lord Buddha was born here.” 
 
 
Question 3. 
Chandragupta ruled over a vast empire. In this context explain: 
(a) His main conquests. 
(b)Details of his victory over Seleucos Nicator. 
 
Answer: 
Chandragupta ruled over a vast empire in this context, the given heading are 
explained below: 
(a) His main conquests: He conquered West Punjab and Sindh. Next, he attacked 
Magadha and uprooted the Nanda dynasty and took control of their rich and powerful 
kingdom, Magadha. 
(b) Details of his victory over Seleucos Nicator: The territories west of the Indus 
were ruled by the Greek king Seleucos. He crossed the Indus in 305 BC and hoped to 
march victoriously through the Punjab.The Mauryan armies rushed to the north-west 
and inflicted a crushing defeat on the invader. Seleucos was forced to retire and had to 
purchase peace by ceding to Chandragupta the territories of Herat, Kandahar and 
Kabul (Afghanistan). Chandragupta presented him with 500 war-elephants. It is said 
that Chandragupta married princess Helen, the daughter of Seleucus. The Greek King 
maintained friendly relations with the Mauryan Court and sent Megasthenes as his 
ambassador who lived in Pataliputra and wrote a book on India. 
Question 4. 
The administration of a vast imperial state raised intricated problems which were wisely 
solved by Chadragupta Maurya and Ashoka. In this context explain briefly: 
(a) Position of the king. 
(b) Role of the Council of Ministers. 
(c) Provincial Administration. 
Answer: 
In context of the intricated raised problems by the administration of a vast imperial state 
and talking them Wisely by Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka, the given heads are 
explained below: 
(a) Position of the king: The king was the supreme Head of the State and had military, 
judicial and executive powers. He also had the power to enact laws. 
(b) Role of Council of Ministers: They were small in number, but were very influential. 
At times, the Council of Ministers (.Mantriparishad) could act as a check on the King’s 
powers. The ministers also advised the King in the task of choosing governors. General 
of the Army, Treasurer of the State, chief magistrates and other high officials. 
(c) Provincial Administraction: Next to the Emperor, tanked the Governors incharge 
of provinces of the empire. The Ashok an inscriptions mention four such Governors 
posted at Taxila (Northern Province), Ujjain (Western Province), Tosali (Eastern 
Province) and Suvarnagiri (Southern Province). The Governors had their ministers and 
also had the power to appoint a few officials. The smaller provinces were under officials 
called Pradesikas in the Ashokan Edicts. 
Page 5


The Mauryan Empire 
EXERCISES 
Question 1. 
Name any two sources to reconstruct the Age of the Mauryas. 
Answer: 
Literary Sources: Indica (Written by Megasthenes), Arthashastra 
Archaeological sources: The Rock Edicts of Ashoka, the Ashokan Pillars. 
Question 2. 
Who was Kautilya (Chanakya)? Name the famous book written by him. 
Answer: 
Kautilya (Chanakya) was a learned Brahmin of Taxila, who later on became a prominent 
diplomat in the kingship of emperor Chandragupta Maurya. The ‘Arthashastra’ was 
written by Kautilya. 
Question 3. 
What is a Stupa ? Name one stupa built by Ashoka ? 
Answer: 
The Stupa is a semi-spherical solid dome-like structure made of unburnt bricks and 
stones. The Sanchi stupa was made by Ashoka around 3rd century BC. 
Question 4. 
Why did Seleucos Nicator invade India? 
Answer: 
Seleucos Nicator was a Greek king, he invaded India with an intention to recover the 
Greek conquests in India. 
Question 5. 
What do you know about the extent of Chandragupta Maurya’s empire? 
Answer: 
The empire of Chandragupta Maurya had been extended up to Mysore in the South and 
Kabul, in the north-west. It stretched from Saurashtra in the West up to Bengal in the 
East. 
Question 6. 
What change did the Kalinga War bring about in Ashoka’s life? 
Answer: 
Ashoka was the Bird and the most enlightened ruler of the Mauryan dynasty. The 
Kalinga War was the major turning- point in the career of Ashoka. the massacre of 
Kalinga absolutely converted the aggressive conscience of his. He „ was so moved by 
this dreadful heart-tearing scene that he dropped his weapons forever and became a 
follower of Lord Buddha. 
Question 7. 
Mention two advantages of the Pan-Indian character of the Mauryan empire. 
Answer: 
Pan-Indian or Subcontinental character of the Mauryan empire. Ashoka ruled over a 
large part of the Indian subcontinent. There were three main advantages of the Pan-
Indian character of Ashokan empire. First, it resulted in the disappearance of small 
states. Second, it enabled the rulers face foreign invasions successfully. Third, it 
facilitated trade and commerce with frontier towns as well as the Middle Eastern and 
Greek cities. 
Question 8. 
What does Megasthenes’ Indica tell us about the king’s life? 
Answer: 
Megasthenes’ Indica tells us that the king Chandragupta had been the first historical 
emperor of India. He expanded his empire in India and beyond her neighboring 
countries. Chandragupta renounced princely life and settled down at a place Sravana 
Belagole in southern India. Here, he died as an ascetic. 
Question 9. 
What does Kautilya tell us about the duties of the king? 
Answer: 
Kautilya divided the King’s day into eight parts. It was the King’s duty to give close 
attention to people’s welfare, social order and military action. 
Question 10. 
What does Megasthenes tell us about the City administration? 
Answer: 
Megasthenes explains that the City administration was divided into six boards of five 
persons each. Each Board dealt with a specific function, such as the supervision of 
trade and commerce or census of population or care of foreigners and so on and so-
forth. 
Question 11. 
What is the importance of Ashoka’s inscriptions (Stone Edicts)? 
Answer: 
The Ashoka’s inscriptions (Stone Edicts) leave the message of love with mankind and 
all living creatures. It exhorted people to live with peace. Might is not the ultimate 
solution to any problem, as it ends in destruction and ruthless killings. 
 
Question 12. 
Mention any two principles of Ashoka’s 
Answer: 
Two principles of Ashoka’s Dhamma are: 
1. Purity of Domestic Life. 
2. Toleration. 
( STRUCTURED QUESTIONS ) 
 
Question 1. 
Describe the sources to reconstruct the Age of the Mauryan with reference to the 
following: 
(a) Indica (b) Arthashastra 
Answer: 
(a) Indica — Megasthenes wrote a book named Indica which contains his impressions 
of what he heard and saw during his stay in India. Megasthenes’ original Indica has 
been lost, but its fragments still survive in the writings of later Greek Authors like Starbo, 
Arrian, Diodorous. Plutarch and Justin. 
(b) Arthashastra — Of all the literary sources on the history of the Mauryas, the most 
important source is the Arthashastra written by Kautilya, also known as Vishnugupta 
and Chanakya. Arthashastra contains 6000 shlokas and is divided into 15 sections and 
180 subjects. It is written in Sanskrit. These subjects deal with politics, rules 
ofdiplomacy, principles of administration and other political topics. This book was 
discovered in 1909. 
Question 2. 
What is an Edict ? Mention the significance of Ashokan Edicts, with particular reference 
to the Rock Edict XIII and the Rummindei Pillar Inscription. 
Answer: 
Ashokan Edicts: An edict means “an official order or proclamation. According to the 
Rock Edict XIII, in Kalinga war about a hundred thousand people were killed and as 
many as one hundred and fifty thousand were taken as prisoners. The horrors of the 
War awakened in Ashoka’s heart the feelings of profound sorrow. The XHIth Rock Edict 
says “The Beloved of the Gods, the King considers victory by dhamma to be the 
foremost victory.” The inscription on the Rummindei Pillar, for instance says “King, the 
beloved of the Gods, visited this spot in person and offered worship at this palace, 
because the Lord Buddha was born here.” 
 
 
Question 3. 
Chandragupta ruled over a vast empire. In this context explain: 
(a) His main conquests. 
(b)Details of his victory over Seleucos Nicator. 
 
Answer: 
Chandragupta ruled over a vast empire in this context, the given heading are 
explained below: 
(a) His main conquests: He conquered West Punjab and Sindh. Next, he attacked 
Magadha and uprooted the Nanda dynasty and took control of their rich and powerful 
kingdom, Magadha. 
(b) Details of his victory over Seleucos Nicator: The territories west of the Indus 
were ruled by the Greek king Seleucos. He crossed the Indus in 305 BC and hoped to 
march victoriously through the Punjab.The Mauryan armies rushed to the north-west 
and inflicted a crushing defeat on the invader. Seleucos was forced to retire and had to 
purchase peace by ceding to Chandragupta the territories of Herat, Kandahar and 
Kabul (Afghanistan). Chandragupta presented him with 500 war-elephants. It is said 
that Chandragupta married princess Helen, the daughter of Seleucus. The Greek King 
maintained friendly relations with the Mauryan Court and sent Megasthenes as his 
ambassador who lived in Pataliputra and wrote a book on India. 
Question 4. 
The administration of a vast imperial state raised intricated problems which were wisely 
solved by Chadragupta Maurya and Ashoka. In this context explain briefly: 
(a) Position of the king. 
(b) Role of the Council of Ministers. 
(c) Provincial Administration. 
Answer: 
In context of the intricated raised problems by the administration of a vast imperial state 
and talking them Wisely by Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka, the given heads are 
explained below: 
(a) Position of the king: The king was the supreme Head of the State and had military, 
judicial and executive powers. He also had the power to enact laws. 
(b) Role of Council of Ministers: They were small in number, but were very influential. 
At times, the Council of Ministers (.Mantriparishad) could act as a check on the King’s 
powers. The ministers also advised the King in the task of choosing governors. General 
of the Army, Treasurer of the State, chief magistrates and other high officials. 
(c) Provincial Administraction: Next to the Emperor, tanked the Governors incharge 
of provinces of the empire. The Ashok an inscriptions mention four such Governors 
posted at Taxila (Northern Province), Ujjain (Western Province), Tosali (Eastern 
Province) and Suvarnagiri (Southern Province). The Governors had their ministers and 
also had the power to appoint a few officials. The smaller provinces were under officials 
called Pradesikas in the Ashokan Edicts. 
Question 5. 
What do you know about: 
(a) Mauryan District Administration. 
(b) Mauryan City Administration. 
 
Answer: 
The above headings are described as follows: 
(a) Mauryan District Administration: 
Provinces were divided into districts for purposes of administration. Ashokan 
inscriptions refer to three classes of high officials, namely the Rajukas, Yuktas and the 
Mahamatras. The Rajukas were probably incharge of district and corresponded to the 
District Magistrates of the present day. They managed the state property and kept law 
and order in the districts. The Yuktas were probably the District Treasury Officer who 
collected revenues and kept accounts. The Mahamatras were heads of special 
departments. Ashoka created a new class of Mahamatras which included the Dhamma 
Mahamatras who promoted Dhamma (Dharma) and looked after the general interests of 
women were protected by a separate Department, headed by Stri Adhyaksha 
Mahamatra. 
(b) Mauryan City Administration: 
In the Arthashastra ’s there is a mention of the Nagarka who functioned as a City- 
Superintendent or a City-Magistrate, with a number of officers assisting him. Nagarka 
was entrusted with the duties such as providing water facility to the city dwellers, the 
maintenance of public roads and public buildings, the inspection of city walls and city 
towers and taking precautions against fire. He was often required to meet difficult 
situations like—floods, epidemics.According to Megasthenes, the city administration 
was divided into six boards of five persons each. Each board dealt with a specific 
function, such as supervision of trade and commerce or census of population or care of 
foreigners. The six Boards acted together in general matters like—the maintenance of 
public buildings, fire-protection and care of wells and temples, etc. 
Question 6. 
Ashoka’s Dhamma was not a narrow religious faith. Its broad objective was to promote 
harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst people of the realm. In this 
context explain: 
(a) Fundamental Principles of Dhamma. 
(b) Means adopted for the propagation of Dhamma and the spread of Buddhism. 
Answer: 
In context of Ashoka’s Dhamma was not a narrow religious faith. Its broad 
objective was to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood 
amongst people the following principles were adopted: 
(a) Fundamental Principles of Dhamma: The Prakrit word ‘Dhamma’ and the Sanskrit 
word ‘Dharma’ have the same meaning. Dharma never meant exactly ‘religion’. It 
Implied such concepts as justice, virtue, morality, law and duty. The fundamental 
principles of Ashoka’s Dhamma are as follows: