The Rise of Ancient Bihar | BPSC Preparation: All subjects - BPSC (Bihar) PDF Download

Introduction

Bihar has a very old and diverse history, being one of the most ancient regions in India. It is the birthplace of major religions like Buddhism and Jainism. Guru Gobind Singh, the last guru of Sikhism, was also born here. Bihar was home to the first republic and was a center of power, learning, and culture for thousands of years under the Mauryan and Gupta empires.

• The name 'Bihar' comes from 'Viharas,' which refers to the resting places of Buddhist monks in ancient times. The Puranas and Epics also mention Vihara. In the 12th century, Muslim invaders began calling this region 'Bihar.' 
• This large area was settled as early as the pre-Vedic period, and archaeological evidence highlights Bihar's glorious history.

Bihar in the 6th Century BC: The Mahajanapadas

Emergence of Mahajanapadas

• Buddhist and Jain texts indicate that during the later Vedic Age, the region of Bihar was dominated by several small kingdoms or city-states.
• By 500 BC, sixteen monarchies and republics known as the Mahajanapadas had formed, stretching across the Indo-Gangetic plains from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal and Maharashtra.

List of Mahajanapadas

• The sixteen Mahajanapadas included Kosi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji (Vriji), Malla, Chedi, Vatsa (Vamsa), Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara, and Kamboja.
• By 500-400 BC, many of these kingdoms had merged into four major Mahajanapadas: Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala, and Magadha.

Mahajanapadas in Bihar

• Out of the sixteen Mahajanapadas, three were located in present-day Bihar: Anga, Vajji, and Magadha.

Anga

• Historical References: Anga is first mentioned in the Atharvaveda. The kingdom included areas that are now Khagaria, Bhagalpur, and Munger, situated to the northeast of Magadha.
• Capital: The capital of Anga was Champa, corresponding to modern-day Bhagalpur. Initially known as Malini, Champa was established by Mahagovind and later referred to as Chenpo by the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang.
• Mahabharata References: Anga is mentioned in the Mahabharata as the kingdom of Karna. King Bali had six sons, one of whom was Anga, after whom the kingdom was named.
• Buddhist and Jain Texts: The Anguttara Nikaya, a Buddhist scripture, lists Anga as the 16th Mahajanapada. Jain literary texts also mention Anga.
• Architectural Significance: The kingdom was designed by the famous architect Maha Govind, as per the Buddhist scripture Digha Nikaya.
• Kings of Anga: The first king of Anga was Titikshu. The last three kings before its annexation by Magadha were Dadivahana, Drdhavarman, and Brahmadatta. Bimbisara, the king of Magadha, defeated Brahmadatta and merged Anga into his kingdom.

Vajji/Vriji

• The Vajji consisted of eight or nine clans and was located in Northern India. Its capital was at Vaishali, which is in present-day Bihar. 
• The Vajji kingdom covered areas that are now the Champaran, Saran, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, and Darbhanga districts of Bihar. 
• The most prominent clans within the Vajji confederacy were the Vaishali, Videhas, and the Jnatrikas.

Vaishali (Licchavi)

• The Vaishali clan was likely distinct from the Aryans and was the most powerful clan in the Vajji confederacy. Located on the northern banks of the Ganga River, it covered parts of present-day Bihar and Nepal, with its capital at Vaishali. Archaeologists, including Cunningham, have identified the village of Basarh in Muzaffarpur district, Bihar, as the site of ancient Vaishali. 
• The city was named after King Vishal from the Mahabharata era and became an important center for Buddhism and the headquarters of the Vajji republic. The birthplace of Lord Mahavira, Kundagram in Vaishali, is mentioned in various ancient texts. 
• Vaishali is considered the world’s first republic, with an elected assembly and a sophisticated system of administration that influenced modern statecraft. The clan remained influential until the 4th century BC, after which it was conquered by Ajatashatru, the King of Magadha.

Videha (Mithila)

• The kingdom of Videha, also known as Mithila, was situated on the northern side of the Ganga River, covering parts of present-day Northern Bihar and the Eastern Terai region of Nepal. This ancient kingdom is mentioned in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata as extending into small parts of Nepal and was first referenced in the Yajurveda. 
• Videha was established by Nimi Videh, a descendant of Ikshvaku. His son, Mithijanak Videh, founded Mithila, and subsequent kings were known as Janaka. The most famous of these was Raja Janaka, who is known for his wisdom and for hosting a competition won by the sage Yajnavalkya. 
• The kingdom declined after Raja Janaka, facing administrative changes with the arrival of the Aryans. Videha is notably recognized as the home of Goddess Sita, the daughter of Raja Janaka. The capital of Videha was Janakpur, now in Nepal.

Jnatrikas

• The Jnatrikas clan, part of the Vajji confederation, was located in Kundagram, Vaishali. Mahavira Jain, a significant figure in Jainism, belonged to this clan. 
• His father was the head of the Jnatrika clan, and his mother was a princess from the Licchavi clan.

Magadha

• Magadha is first mentioned in the Atharvaveda and was a strong republic during the Buddha period before becoming a powerful kingdom. Its territory stretched from the Ganga River in the north to the Vindhya Mountains in the south, and from Champa in the east to the River Sone in the west. The early capital of Magadha was Girivraja or Rajgir, later moved to Patliputra. 
• The Magadhan empire included regions like Koshal, Vatsa, and Avanti, becoming a superpower in India. The Brihadratha dynasty, founded by Brihadratha in Magadha, included powerful kings like Jarasandha, who expanded the empire’s influence over regions such as Chedi, Anga, Pundra, Vanga, and Kalinga.

Magadha

• Magadha, located in present-day Bihar, was the cradle of two of ancient India’s greatest empires: the Mauryan and Gupta empires. These empires were instrumental in advancing various fields such as science, mathematics, astronomy, religion, and philosophy.
• Malla Mahajanapada, one of the 16 ancient republics known as Mahajanapadas, was situated north of Magadha. It was named after the ruling clan and is mentioned in the Mahabharata. The main town of Malla was Pava, which holds significance as the place where Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, attained Nirvana.