Prologue continues ....

The Mauryan kings had to take an oath at the time of their coronation:
“May I be deprived of heaven, of life and of offspring if I oppress you.” In
the happiness of his subjects lies his happiness.

It is interesting to note that the concept of a ‘king in the service of the
people’ originated here. Chandragupta Maurya is regarded as a great
administrator. In running the administration of the empire he was assisted
by Chanakya, his legendary minister and the renowned author of Arthasastra, a treatise on statecraft. Chanakya is still widely regarded as the
Indian Machiavelli.

Chandragupta Maurya was a farsighted ruler who built wide roads to
connect most parts of his empire. A road is the most essential infrastructure
without which development will remain only a pipedream.

Chandragupta
Maurya realized this about 2,300 years ago. He built canals, encouraged trade with foreign countries, encouraged domestic craft, set up warehouses,
stored enough grain to meet the needs of the people during famine, provided
sanitation, set up hospitals and took care of widows, orphans and the sick.

In short, he was running a modern state with emphasis on development
and public welfare. He comes off as a ruler amazingly sensitive to the needs
of the people.

The Mauryan dynasty consolidated the political power in the northern
regions of India stretching up to Kabul. The military might of the empire
was recognized by all. The dynasty also produced one of the greatest kings
in the history of the world – Ashoka, who after great victories over kingdoms
realized that the true conquest ‘consists of the conquest of men’s hearts’ and vowed never to take to arms. Ashoka became the apostle of peace, love and compassion. The historian H.G. Wells writes in his Outline of History:

To be continued...