300 words essay on chandragupta maurya
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Chandragupta Maurya (reign: 321–298 BCE) was the founder of the Maurya Empire in ancient India.[1][7] He was born in a humble family, orphaned and abandoned, raised as a son by another pastoral family, then according to Buddhist texts, was picked up, taught and counselled by Chanakya, the author of the Arthashastra.[1][8][note 1] Chandragupta thereafter built one of the largest empires ever in the Indian subcontinent.[1][10][11]According to Jain sources, he then renounced it all, and became a monk in the Jain tradition.[12] Chandragupta is claimed, by the historic Jain texts, to have followed Jainism in his life, by first renouncing all his wealth and power, going away with Jaina monks into the Deccan region (now Karnataka), and ultimately performing Sallekhana – the Jain religious ritual of peacefully welcoming death by fasting.[note 2] His grandson was emperor Ashoka, famous for his historic pillars and for his role in helping spread Buddhism outside of ancient India.[13][14] Chandragupta's life and accomplishments are described in ancient Hindu, Buddhist and Greek texts, but they vary significantly in details from the Jaina accounts.[15] Megasthenes served as a Greek ambassador in his court for four years.[7] In Greek and Latin accounts, Chandragupta is known as Sandrokottos and Androcottus.