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Mauryan Empire — REET Notes (Social Studies)

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The Mauryan Empire (322–185 BCE) was India's first great pan-Indian empire, and its administrative system is described in detail in Kautilya's Arthashastra. REET asks close, detailed questions on this topic — provincial capitals, Ashoka's edicts and the administrative vocabulary of the Arthashastra.

  • 4 questions in REET 2024
  • Class 6–8 level
  • 10 min read
Verified 17 September 2026 · Source: Wikipedia — Major Rock Edicts

How REET asks about this topic

REET 2024's questions included 'which is NOT' among the provincial capitals, the Arthashastra's names for coins (the copper coin 'masaka'), what is mentioned in which of Ashoka's rock edicts, and statement-based questions on administrative posts and units. So the exam goes beyond surface facts into the close vocabulary of the Arthashastra and the edicts, so learn every term with understanding rather than rote memory. Note too that several of these questions were 'which is wrong/NOT' type, so the ability to sift through options carefully matters as much as recalling facts.

The founding of the Mauryan Empire

Founder
Chandragupta Maurya (reigned roughly 322–298 BCE) — founded the empire by defeating the Nanda dynasty
Guru / minister
Chanakya (Kautilya/Vishnugupta) — author of the Arthashastra, which describes politics and administration in detail
Capital
Pataliputra (present-day Patna)
Conflict with Seleucus
Around 305 BCE, Chandragupta defeated the Greek ruler Seleucus Nicator; in the treaty, Seleucus ceded the regions of Kandahar, Herat, Kabul and Balochistan, and sent Megasthenes as his ambassador to the Mauryan court
Megasthenes
The Greek ambassador, who described Mauryan society and administration in a text called the 'Indica'
Bindusara
Chandragupta's son and successor, called 'Amitrochates' in Greek sources; expanded the empire into south India

Ashoka and his Dhamma

The Kalinga war
Around 261 BCE — the terrible loss of life in this war brought about Ashoka's change of heart and his turn toward Buddhism
Title
In his edicts, he called himself 'Devanampiya Piyadasi'
Dhamma Mahamatras
Special officers appointed to spread the Dhamma and look after public welfare — mentioned in the fifth rock edict
Dhamma Yatras
Religious/welfare journeys that Ashoka started in place of hunting expeditions — mentioned in the eighth rock edict
Dhamma Vijaya
Described in the thirteenth rock edict — after the Kalinga war, Ashoka declared 'Dhamma Vijaya' superior to conquest by war, and mentions carrying the Dhamma even to Greek (Yavana) rulers
Script and language
Most edicts are in the Brahmi script and Prakrit language; in the northwest, edicts have also been found in the Kharoshthi script and in Greek-Aramaic

Mauryan provinces and their capitals

Province/regionCapital (centre)
Northwestern province (Gandhara)Taxila
Western province (Avanti)Ujjain
Southern provinceSuvarnagiri
Eastern province (Kalinga)Tosali
The central empirePataliputra (the main capital)

Kaushambi was certainly an important city, but it is not counted among these four major provincial political centres — REET 2024 tested exactly this.

The Arthashastra's administrative and currency vocabulary

TermMeaning
PanaThe main silver coin
MasakaA copper coin
KakaniA smaller copper coin than the masaka
SannidhataThe head of the royal treasury and stores (treasurer)
SamahartaThe chief officer in charge of revenue collection
SthaniyaThe administrative centre for a unit of 800 villages
DronamukhaThe administrative centre for a unit of 400 villages
KharvatikaThe administrative centre for a unit of 200 villages
SangrahanaThe administrative centre for a unit of 10 villages

A glimpse of central administration

Per Megasthenes' account and the Arthashastra, Mauryan administration was highly centralised. The king was supreme, but was assisted by a council of ministers. The city of Pataliputra was managed by six committees (of five members each), which looked after crafts, foreigners, registration of births and deaths, trade, the sale of manufactured goods, and tax collection.

The spy (intelligence) network was also very robust — sanstha (stationary spies) and sanchara (roving spies) kept the king informed of what was happening across the kingdom. This system explains how Mauryan rule managed to control such a vast territory. The army, too, was run by six committees, covering infantry, cavalry, chariots, elephants, the navy and supplies separately — showing how systematic Mauryan administration was, even by modern standards.

Mauryan art and architecture

The most distinctive artistic contribution of the Mauryan period is Ashoka's monolithic (single-stone) pillars, given a glossy finish (the 'Mauryan polish'). The lion capital of the Sarnath pillar is today India's national emblem, and the words 'Satyameva Jayate' inscribed below it are taken from the Mundaka Upanishad. The Barabar caves (Bihar) were built for ascetics of the Ajivika sect and are counted among India's oldest rock-cut caves.

The Mauryan Empire's decline followed Ashoka's death (around 232 BCE), owing to weak successors, loosening central control and economic pressure. The last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha, was killed by his own commander-in-chief, Pushyamitra Shunga, who founded the Shunga dynasty — bringing the Mauryan Empire to an end after roughly a century and a half.

How to teach this to children

Classroom activity (Class 6–8)

Mark Pataliputra, Taxila, Ujjain, Suvarnagiri and Tosali on an outline map of India to show the extent of the Mauryan Empire — this makes the idea of an 'empire' concrete in spatial terms.

Teaching aids

Read out a simple English translation of one of Ashoka's edicts (such as the thirteenth rock edict) and have students underline the part about 'Dhamma Vijaya'.

Common misconceptions

Children often think all of Ashoka's edicts are in Sanskrit — whereas most edicts are in Prakrit language and Brahmi script. This distinction needs to be made clear.

Assessment idea

A 'match the word and meaning' activity — a quick matching exercise linking words like pana, masaka, sannidhata and samaharta to their correct meanings, followed by having students write a line or two about which memory trick helped them most — this tells the teacher which recall method works best in that class.

Memory trick

Remember the provincial capitals by direction — 'Taxila in the northwest, Ujjain in the west, Suvarnagiri in the south, Tosali in the east (Kalinga)' — roughly one capital in each direction. And for the coins, remember: silver is the bigger deal, so it gets the bigger name 'pana'; copper is the smaller deal, so it gets the smaller names 'masaka' and 'kakani'.

Questions asked in REET 2024 (solved)

Question 92

Which of the following centre was not the main political centre of the Maurya Empire ?

  1. Aतक्षशिला
  2. Bउज्जयिनी
  3. Cकौशाम्बी
  4. Dसुवर्णगिरी

Explanation

मौर्य साम्राज्य की राजधानी पाटलिपुत्र थी और प्रशासन के लिए प्रमुख प्रांतीय केन्द्र तक्षशिला (उत्तर-पश्चिम), उज्जयिनी (अवन्ति/पश्चिम), सुवर्णगिरि (दक्षिण) और तोसली (कलिंग) थे; इनका उल्लेख अशोक के अभिलेखों में मिलता है। कौशाम्बी एक महत्त्वपूर्ण नगर था, पर इसे इन प्रमुख प्रांतीय राजनीतिक केन्द्रों में नहीं गिना जाता। इसलिए सही उत्तर कौशाम्बी है।

Question 117

What were the copper coins called during the Mauryan period ?

  1. Aनिष्क
  2. Bकार्षापण
  3. Cधरण
  4. Dमाषक

Explanation

कौटिल्य के अर्थशास्त्र के अनुसार मौर्यकाल में 'पण' मुख्यतः चाँदी का सिक्का था, जबकि 'माषक' ताँबे का सिक्का था; उससे छोटे ताँबे के सिक्के 'काकणी' कहलाते थे। कार्षापण मूलतः चाँदी के आहत (पंचमार्क) सिक्के थे। अतः ताँबे के सिक्के के लिए सही उत्तर (D) माषक है।

Question 132

In which rock edict of Ashoka is there a mention of the ‘Victory of Dhamma’ in his distant regions ?

  1. Aसातवें शिलालेख में
  2. Bतेरहवें शिलालेख में
  3. Cपाँचवें शिलालेख में
  4. Dआठवें शिलालेख में

Explanation

अशोक के तेरहवें शिलालेख में कलिंग युद्ध के बाद अशोक के हृदय परिवर्तन और ‘धम्म विजय’ को सर्वश्रेष्ठ विजय बताने का उल्लेख है। इसी शिलालेख में यवन राजाओं (जैसे अंतियोक) सहित सुदूर प्रदेशों में धम्म विजय प्राप्त करने की बात कही गई है। पाँचवें शिलालेख में धम्म महामात्रों की नियुक्ति तथा आठवें में धम्म यात्राओं का उल्लेख है।

Question 136

Consider the following statements about the administration of the Mauryan period : 1. ‘Kushilan’ was associated with judiciary. 2. A unit of 100 villages was called ‘Sthaniya’. 3. The ‘Sannidhata’ was the treasurer of the State. Which of the statements given above is/are true ?

  1. A1, 2, 3
  2. Bकेवल 3
  3. C1, 3
  4. Dकेवल 1

Explanation

कौटिल्य के अर्थशास्त्र के अनुसार ‘कुशीलव’ नट, नर्तक, गायक आदि मनोरंजन करने वाले लोग थे, उनका संबंध न्यायालय से नहीं था; अतः कथन 1 गलत है। 800 ग्रामों के बीच स्थित प्रशासनिक केन्द्र को ‘स्थानीय’ कहा जाता था (400 ग्रामों पर द्रोणमुख, 200 पर खार्वटिक, 10 पर संग्रहण), इसलिए 100 ग्रामों वाला कथन 2 गलत है। ‘सन्निधाता’ राजकीय कोष व भंडार का प्रमुख (कोषाध्यक्ष) था, अतः केवल कथन 3 सही है।

Practice questions

Question 1

Who founded the Mauryan Empire?

  1. Aबिन्दुसार
  2. Bचंद्रगुप्त मौर्य
  3. Cअशोक
  4. Dचाणक्य

Explanation

With his guru Chanakya's help, Chandragupta Maurya defeated the last Nanda ruler and founded the Mauryan Empire around 322 BCE. Chanakya was his minister and guide, not the ruler himself.

Question 2

Megasthenes was the ambassador of which ruler, and which text did he write?

  1. Aसेल्यूकस निकेटर का राजदूत, 'इंडिका'
  2. Bअशोक का राजदूत, 'अर्थशास्त्र'
  3. Cबिन्दुसार का राजदूत, 'मुद्राराक्षस'
  4. Dसेल्यूकस निकेटर का राजदूत, 'अष्टाध्यायी'

Explanation

Megasthenes was the ambassador sent by the Greek ruler Seleucus Nicator to Chandragupta Maurya's court, and he described Mauryan-era India in a work called the 'Indica'.

Question 3

In which of his rock edicts did Ashoka express remorse over the Kalinga War and declare 'Dhamma Vijaya' the greatest conquest?

  1. Aपाँचवाँ शिलालेख
  2. Bआठवाँ शिलालेख
  3. Cतेरहवाँ शिलालेख
  4. Dबारहवाँ शिलालेख

Explanation

Ashoka's thirteenth rock edict records the Kalinga war, his remorse over it, and his declaration that 'Dhamma Vijaya' is the greatest victory, superior to conquest by war.

Question 4

According to the Arthashastra, who was the chief officer in charge of the royal treasury and storehouse called?

  1. Aसमाहर्ता
  2. Bसन्निधाता
  3. Cअमात्य
  4. Dपुरोहित

Explanation

Sannidhata was the head of the royal treasury and stores (treasurer), while samaharta was the chief officer in charge of revenue collection.

Question 5

In the Mauryan period, what was the administrative centre for a unit of 400 villages called?

  1. Aस्थानीय
  2. Bसंग्रहण
  3. Cद्रोणमुख
  4. Dखार्वटिक

Explanation

Per the Arthashastra, 10 villages had sangrahana, 200 had kharvatika, 400 had dronamukha, and 800 villages had sthaniya. So the correct answer is dronamukha.

Question 6

By what name was Bindusara known in Greek sources?

  1. Aअमित्रघात (Amitrochates)
  2. Bदेवानांप्रिय
  3. Cचंद्रगुप्त द्वितीय
  4. Dप्रियदर्शी

Explanation

Bindusara is known in Greek sources as 'Amitrochates' (destroyer of enemies). The title 'Devanampiya Piyadasi' was used by Ashoka for himself in his edicts.

Question 7

Mauryan-era Taxila was the administrative centre of the province in which direction?

  1. Aउत्तर-पश्चिम
  2. Bदक्षिण
  3. Cपूर्व (कलिंग)
  4. Dपश्चिम (अवन्ति)

Explanation

Taxila was the administrative centre of the northwestern (Gandhara) province. Ujjain was the centre of the western (Avanti) province, Suvarnagiri of the southern province, and Tosali of the eastern (Kalinga) province.

Question 8

While teaching Mauryan administration in Class 7, a teacher has children correctly match the terms 'Pana, Mashaka, Kakani'. What is this activity suited for?

  1. Aमौखिक परीक्षा से बचने के लिए
  2. Bशब्दावली को संदर्भ सहित स्मरण कराने के लिए
  3. Cकेवल समय व्यतीत करने के लिए
  4. Dचित्रकला अभ्यास के लिए

Explanation

Matching activities help fix difficult vocabulary in long-term memory by linking it with its correct meaning in context — an effective teaching method for the historical terms of Social Studies.

Question 9

Which rock edict of Ashoka mentions the appointment of Dhamma-Mahamatras?

  1. Aपाँचवाँ शिलालेख
  2. Bआठवाँ शिलालेख
  3. Cतेरहवाँ शिलालेख
  4. Dपहला शिलालेख

Explanation

Ashoka's fifth rock edict mentions the appointment of 'Dhamma Mahamatras' to spread the Dhamma and look after public welfare, while the eighth rock edict describes the Dhamma Yatras.

Question 10

Which of the following was NOT a Mauryan-era provincial centre?

  1. Aतक्षशिला
  2. Bउज्जयिनी
  3. Cकौशाम्बी
  4. Dतोसली

Explanation

Taxila, Ujjain, Suvarnagiri and Tosali were the Mauryan Empire's major provincial political centres. Kaushambi was an important city, but it is not included among these provincial centres.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions come from the Mauryan Empire in REET?+

REET 2024 carried 4 questions on this topic. The Mauryan period is taught in the most detail among the ancient India chapters, so it's a high-weightage sub-topic.

Who wrote the Arthashastra, and what is it about?+

Chanakya (Kautilya) wrote the Arthashastra. It is ancient India's major treatise on politics, administration, taxation, justice and foreign policy.

What agreement was reached between Chandragupta Maurya and Seleucus Nicator?+

Chandragupta defeated Seleucus, after which, in the treaty, Seleucus ceded the regions of Kabul, Kandahar, Herat and Balochistan to the Mauryan Empire and sent Megasthenes as his ambassador.

In which language and script are Ashoka's edicts?+

Most edicts are in the Prakrit language and Brahmi script; some edicts in northwestern India are in the Kharoshthi script, and in the Afghanistan region, in Greek and Aramaic too.

How were villages administratively organised in the Mauryan period?+

Per the Arthashastra, a unit of 10 villages had a centre called sangrahana, 200 villages had kharvatika, 400 had dronamukha, and 800 villages had a centre called sthaniya.

How did the Mauryan Empire decline?+

After Ashoka's death, his successors proved weak and central control loosened. The last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha, was killed by his commander-in-chief Pushyamitra Shunga, who founded the Shunga dynasty.

Read next

The Mahajanapadas

The 16 mahajanapadas that came before the Mauryan Empire.

Gupta Empire

The next great empire of the post-Mauryan period.

REET Syllabus

The complete syllabus for REET Level 1 and Level 2 in one place.

REET 2024 Solved Paper

All of REET 2024's solved questions, by subject.

Official Sources

  1. Wikipedia — Major Rock Edicts
  2. Wikisource — Arthashastra, Book IV

Change Log

  • 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked