Bindusara
Bindusara (298BC-273BC)
He was son & successor of Chandra Gupta Maurya. Bindusara had other names: Simha Sena and Amitraghata, which means slayer of enemies.
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He inherited a very big empire from his father. His empire extended from eastern India to Balochistan and covered almost whole India except Southern India and Kalinga, which is present day Odisha.
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During his reign he conquered Southern Karnataka and maintained friendship with Chola, Chera and Satyaputra
Kingdoms. The Three southern dynasties accepted the suzerainty of Mauryans.
Bindusara had sixteen wives of whom the chief queen Charumati was the mother of his elder son Sushim & she was from a royal family, while Subhadrangi his lower wife who cared for other wives of Bindusara, was a Brahmin girl and practiced Ajivika tradition. She gave birth to Ashoka and Vitashoka. Bindusara had at least 101 sons & many daughters. Sushim was his favourite son and the sons of Subhadrangi were never pampered by their father.
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Chanakya continued as chief minister of Mauryan court on the request of retiring King Chandra Gupta Maurya. Emperor Bindusara respected and obeyed him as he was elderly and experienced man. Chanakya decided to retire as he was getting very old and suggested Bindusara to appoint Subandhu as prime minister in his place; however the court’s decision was influenced by Chanakya himself. Subandhu couldn’t tolerate Chanakya’s interference and decided to distance him from the ruler. One day Subhandhu went to Bindusara and told him that Chanakya had killed his mother. Bindusara was shocked and started treating Chanakya with hatred and disrespect. This pained Chanakya to no end and he left the palace and decided to fast unto death.
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Bindusara came to know the real fact of his mother’s death by the maid who was present at that time and felt shamed for his treatment towards Chanakya and ordered Subandhu to bring back Chanakya or else he would be hanged. Chanakya rejected Subandhu’s invite and donated all his fortunes and started fasting till death. Subandhu afraid of the punishment took Sannyasa became a monk, never returned to Pataliputra.
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According to another theory Subandhu set the dung heap on fire that burnt alive Chanakya who was sitting on it.
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Secret of Bindusara’s birth:
Chanakya used to mix a bit of poison with the food given to Chandra Gupta everyday to make his body resist any poison attack on him. Chandra Gupta unknowingly shared his food with his Pregnant queen Durdhara, when she came to visit him. She was due to deliver a baby in seven days. After a bite of food, she collapsed and at the same time Chanakya entered the room. Chanakya to save the unborn child, cut the queen's head and cut open her belly with a sword to take out the foetus. The king was in shock and Chanakya explained him later that the foetus to be kept in the goat’s belly as it’s flesh remains fresh for a day. Over the next seven days, he placed the foetus in the belly of a goat freshly killed each day. After seven days, Chandragupta's son was born. He was named Bindusara, because his body was spotted with drops of goat's blood.
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Revolt at Taxila:
Some years after the death of Chanakya revolt broke out at Taxila. Bindusara sent his son Ashoka who was the Governor of Malwa region residing at Ujjain to suppress the rebellion at Taxila. Ashoka reached the place and found out that People were upset with the administration of Viceroy Pushya Gupta & his ministers. The Viceroy of Taxila was removed and people were convinced for the better administration in future by the Prince. The Revolt was suppressed.
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Bindusara was a good friend of kings of Syria and Egypt; both had sent ambassadors to the Mauryan court. Syria’s ruler and the successor of Seleucus, Antiochus had sent an ambassador named Diamecus to the court of Bindusara. On request from the Indian Emperor he had sent grape wine and dry figs with the ambassador. Greek records mention Bindusara as Allitrochades and Amitrochates.
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During his last year, Taxila faced another rebellion and this time Bindusara sent his eldest son Sushim to suppress the revolt. Some days after the departure of Sushim to Taxila, Bindusara fell ill and was bedridden. He nominated his eldest son Sushim as his successor in front of his 500 officials and the two prime ministers. Knowing the illness of his father, Ashoka rushed to the capital from Ujjain and before reaching Pataliputra, he heard the news of Bindusara’s death. Immediately he captured the throne by killing his step brothers
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Bindusara had appointed Kallatak as new prime minister in place of Subandhu. Radha Gupta was appointed as additional minister in the later years. Bindusara had nearly 500 officials in his court. Bindusara initially a devotee of Shiva & became an Ajivika believer by the influence of his wife Subhadrangi, whom he called as Devi Dharma. The Ajivikas were atheists as they rejected the authority of the Vedas. They did not believe in the concept of karma.
They believed that every living being is Paramatma.
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