About CHANAKYA
The background:
Indian civilization was already a few thousand years old. Had already seen a few great wars and
written most of the great scriptures, produced great thinkers in diverse streams of knowledge such
as socio-politics, religion and science. New organized religions had already started taking roots in
the culture of Indian race. Old beliefs had already started becoming dogmas. And people were
having their first brush with the western conquests...
The 320 years before the Christian era or thereabouts, the fabric of Indian race had disintegrated a
little. The first democracy in the present day central India, to save which lord Krishna had devoted
first half of his life, had already eroded. The great kingdoms of northwestern India such as KuruPanchal, or southwestern Soparak and Sthaneshwer had either vanished dwindled in importance.
Small or midsized kingdoms were being ruled by shortsighted, greedy and pompous tyrants, who
were absolutely oblivious to the threat the western invaders posed. They were engaged in there past
time, greed, jealousy, promiscuity, superstition or egotism.
The first sovereign of known Indian history was groomed in this era. CHANDRAGUPT MAURYA
was coroneted on the throne of Magadha, one of, arguably the only, big kingdom in or about 329
BC. He and his grandson SAMRAT ASHOK brought the land under their regime bigger than the
modern-day India.
The legend has it that this revolution started by a Brahmin named CHANAKYA. Chanakya was the
son of revolutionary leader of Magadha saint CHANAKA of KUTAL clan. He had escaped to
Takshashila, the epicenter of Indian academics from the time immortal. He had studied at the
Takshashila University, befriended the future king of the region, later started teaching in the same
university, and rose up to the post of chancellor: all the while waiting for the chance: for the right
time to start a revolution. And the revolution that would yield long term results this time.
Some time during middle of the 4th century before Christian era there were few revolutionary
groups struggling to liberate Magadha from the reign of an outsider, the clan of Bindusaar and
Ajatshatru of Ang region. The most prominent of them were Katyayanacharya Rakshash and
Shaktaar. Shaktaar had become successful and established the short-lived kingdom of
SHISHUNAAG, a northeastern dynasty that would become greatest dynasty for nearly three
centuries in the first part of the Middle ages and the strongest defender of Hinduism; but that would
be in the future.
Shishunaag was an outsider too and the group of Rakshash kept on struggling. The regime changed
within few years. Shishunaag was decapitated. The power was usurped by MAHAPADMA
NANDA, the founder of Nanda dynasty. He ruled fairly under the guidance and control of
Rakshash for few years but his sons became uncontrollable. The eldest Nanda was
HIRANYAGUPTA who came to throne after his father’s demise. His eight brothers took up all the
important positions in the administration and security. Hiranyagupta was called DHANANANDA
by his subjects because of his insatiable greed.
Mahapadma Nanda had begotten a son by his strategic marriage to the princess of nomads called
Moor clan. This son was the youngest and most despised by all nine elder brothers. Probably
because Mahapadma Nanda’s relation with Moor clan had made these nomads uncontrollable.
Daughter of Moor was never considered as a legitimate queen of Nandas and alluded as the MURA
DAASI (house cleaner Mura). Her son, the tenth of Nandas was called DAASISUT and MAURYA
instead of Nanda. He was the great Samraat Chandragupt Maurya.
It is believed that Mahapadma Nanda kept Chandragupt with the Moors when he was a child for he
feared for Chandragupt’s life. This is where Chanakya had first seen Chandragupt and had become
impressed the intelligence and leadership quality of this child. However, another story is more
plausible considering the age of Chanakya at the time of Chandragupt’s conquest. This story is
narrated in the play written By Mihir Bhuta titled CHANAKYA which states that Chandragupta
was an ex-student of Taxila University where Chanakya had seen his potential as a warrior and an
administrator.
This play is the dramatized version of pre Christian ear history of India. A small glimpse of the first
rays of the rising sun of Indian nation and nationality. This story is of and about the final step in the
long journey of the Aryan clan from nomadic barbarians to the proud nationals of Indian
subcontinent.
Alexander the great came to northwestern front of India in year 320 BC. Most of the Indian rulers
either surrendered or perished fighting Alexander. Chanakya was heading the Takshashila
university at the time but had established a secrete organization to keep close watch on the world
politics. He knew the threat Alexander posed to Indian subcontinent. He had realized that the
fragmented Indian strength was not capable of fighting the Greeks. He had the vision to bring India
under sovereignty of a benevolent king, collect the fragmented fragile populace of Indian
subcontinent, and convert it in to a formidable force. The story is structured so that it begins with
Chanakya’s dream and ends with its fulfillment.
The high points of the story are as follows.
Chanakya advises the King of Purushpoor that he should send prostitutes and spies on special
commission to infiltrate the Greek army and thus ignite a revolt so that Alexander would have to
return to Greece. Thus he foils Alexandrian conquest which otherwise would have subjugated India
for a long time. The History of India would have been different than.
Chanakya knows that the Greek would come back in a few years to annex this land. he formulates a
secrete plan to amalgamate most of the major kingdoms of the subcontinent within that period and
make this united Bharatvarsh a formidable force before the Greeks return. As part of his grand plan
he sends few of his disciples to the mountain kingdom of Himavat, present day's Nepal to become
priests there. He him self travels to Magadh, the eastern most kingdom. On rout he studies the
political scenario of the land.
He gets to know in Magadh that Dhananand has pronounced death sentence for his youngest step
brother Chandragupta. Chanakya manages to siphon Chandragupta away with the aid of his
disciples. This is where he takes his famous oath to destroy the evil ways of Dhananand and his
entire clan.
He along with Chandragupta and his disciples take refuge with the nomads called Riksh. He
encourages Chandragupta to make warriors out of these hunters and with that army Chandragupta
conquers two neighboring kingdoms of Kashi and Kosal.
Now is the time for Chandragupta to enter into treaties as a king, with Major kingdoms to fight
against Magadh. As per the traditions of those days no legitimate king would enter into any kind of
treaty with a rebel unless that person is coroneted by the main priest of an important religious center
such as Minakshi, Somnath, Jaggannath or Pashupatinath. But Chanakya had envisaged this
problem and worked out the solution. This was the reason he had sent his disciples to Nepal to
become priests in the temple of Pashupatinath. The king of Himavat named Parvatak has no other
recourse but to expect Chandragupta as a legit king. Once Parvatak enters in the treaty with
Chandragupta seven other feudatories follow. Though Parvatak has his own secrete agenda but
Chanakya knows about that.
Chanakya suddenly dissolves the nomad army under the pretext that Aryan army would not like
fight along side the nomads. Unknown to Himavat Chanakya has asked his nomad army to go and
settle down in and around the mountain kingdom and await instructions.
Chandragupta defeats his step brother with the help of his allies and the master strategist Chanakya.
The chief minister Rakshash rebels and Chanakya knows that Chandragupta would not be able to
keep his kingdom unless Rakshash is on his side. Rakshash can not be allowed to rebel nor he can
be killed. Rakshash's heart has to be changed.
on top of this, immediately after the victory over Magadh and before Chandragupta's army gets any
chance to recuperate, Parvatak declares war against Chandragupta. Rakshash is on his side too. But
unknown to Parvatak, Chanakya had been ready for this eventuality long back. Chandragupta's
Nomad army starts raiding Himavat. Parvatak realizes that he will have to lift the siege and go back
to Himavat. Chanakya's invitation for fresh treaty comes as good news so that he will be able to win
his war here in Magadh and still go back to Himavat. Little does he know that Chanakya is going to
kill him.
As a last stroke of genius Chanakya converts Rakshash, the rebel chief minister of Dhananand for a
formidable foe in to a great friend and the chief minister of Magadh under Chandragupta too.
Characters:
Chanakya’s intelligence is considered the greatest after more than two thousand years. That is due
to his success in carving out a unified nation and bringing prosperity to India single handedly. And
the success of his revolution had arguably the longest life of all Indian revolutions. Chanakya was
scholar of practically all the traditional disciplines of knowledge; but his heart was in politics and
economics. He firmly believed that mono-centric rule and correct economical growth only would be
able to bring happiness to the much-exploited masses of this war torn land. His work was similar to
that of lord Krishna, though at war was between Aryan and non-Aryan in the time of Krishna.
Chanakya’s cunning was in his ability to see farther in time than anybody could see. He designed
his future moves well in advance and went further by taking actions that would bare advantageous
fruits when the time was ripe for making those moves. He probably had a great insight in to the
human psychology and could accurately predict the behaviors of people.
Chanakya had cool fortitude and unhurried confidence. Although the chronology of events suggests
that he had been able to make Chandragupt the sovereign within short span of five years after
Alexander left Indian soil, his demeanor seldom showed any kind of anxiety.
He was ruthless when need arose. His kindness was a force rather then a weakness. He believed that
the end justified the means. He him self lived a ascetic and stern life and pursued his goal, at first
making Chandragupt the king and later completing his treaty on economics, with no thought for
personal comfort or happiness.
His character shows the trait of so many great leaders that the combination of all these make him
the foremost among them. He had the purity of Rama, foresight of Krishna, comprehension of
Pluto, politics of Aristotle, ruthlessness of Mao, kindness of Nelson Mandela, selflessness of
Gandhi, passion of Pushyamitra, magnanimity of King Arthur, wit and charisma of Churchill and so
on and so forth. Chanakya was truly the hero of all heroes.
Katyayana Rakshash was the most influential individual in the Magadha empire; for two reasons
1)
Rakshash had devoted his life for the uplifting of Magadha subjects. He had struggled to
overthrow Pramadshatru and then fought against Shaktaar to overthrow Shishunaag. Thus, he had
saved Magadhee people from being ruled by outsiders and established the rule of a Magadhee king
Mahapadma Nanda. 2)
He was the greatest scholar in the two most important and new
disciplines of knowledge viz. Architecture and Metals. His SHULBHASUTRAS were the authority
on these sciences for a very long time. Magadha had the reserves of newly found and most useful
metal called iron, and Rakshash was among few who knew everything about this metal.
Katyayana was popular as Rakshash because he was as feared as revered by the Magadhee. He had
fierce intelligence and determined disposition. He never laughed. His sense of justice did not know
pardon. People believed that his body grew with his temper, which was probably not the fact but
was the truth in essence. He never feared speaking his mind. He was hard to his core and his rock
solid seriousness never melted. These were the reasons for Chanakya’s decision to retain Rakshash
as the chief minister of Chandragupt. Rakshash had only two shortcomings, his unyielding ego and
his unwavering devotion to the Nanda clan. However, Chanakya’s purity of intention ultimately
won him over.
Chandragupt was most unfit to be the king of even a small kingdom, leave aside the great empire.
He was a great warrior but too emotional to fulfill the demands of being the emperor. Had it not
been for Chanakya he would rather have lived and died for his love for Sumoha. In the later part of
his life he accepted Jainism and renounced the world. He died as a Jain monk near SRAVAN
BELGOLA.
Sumoha was younger sister of Ambhi who had fallen in love with Chandragupt while Chandragupt
was studying at Takshashila. They had planed to get married and live happily ever after, but the fate
had different design for her. Hiranyagupta asked for her hand in marriage, just to annoy
Chandragupt. Ambhi could not afford to displease such a powerful king as the Magadha monarch.
Sumoha’s dream of marrying her beloved was shattered. She had become a bitter woman. Her only
desire was to kill her husband and marry Chandragupt. Chanakya loved this younger sister of his
old friend Ambhi like his own sister, but decided to sacrifice her for the benefit of the entire
Aryavart. This how Sumoha’s life ended.
Katika was the representative of non-Aryan aboriginal nomads whom Chanakya had trained in the
ways of Aryans and employed in the war against Magadha. Katika was the classical poison-maid or
‘VISHAKANYA’ whose resentment towards the oppressors was her poison and her knowledge
about snakes helped her poison the enemies.
Parvatak was the greedy king of probably present day Nepal whom Chanakya had fooled into
helping Chandragupt in war against Hiranyagupta and ultimately killed.
Puru popularly known as Porus was more of a wrestler and less of a king. He is immortalized in
history for his meeting with Alexander as a captive. Alexander had asked him how he would like to
be treated and he had proudly answered that he should be treated as a king would treat another king.
The hidden reason behind this incident, if it were true, must have been that Puru had, as per the
advice of Chanakya, created such unrest in the already tired army of Alexander that Alexander had
to go back to Greece without entering Indian subcontinent any further.