Chapter 6 : Mahajanapadas - SAMUNDRAGYAAN EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Chapter 6 : Mahajanapadas

Introduction

The Mahajanapadas were the large politico-geographical units that existed in ancient India. 16 Mahajanapadas were established in the sixth century BC by incorporating the Janapadas which were earlier autonomous. Nearly 1000 years after the decline of the Harappan civilization, new urban centres began to emerge in the country in the sixth century BC. For this reason, the sixth century BC is dubbed the era of second urbanization in the Indian subcontinent. Between the period 600 BC to 300 BC, around 60 urban towns and cities were established and they were the major centres for craft development and trade activities. The 16 Mahajanapadas mentioned in the early Buddhists and Jaina texts were among them. Magadha, Koshala, Avanti, Panchala were some of the important Mahajanapadas.The Mahjanapadas were sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that lived in ancient India during the sixth to fourth centuries BCE during the second urbanisation era.

What are Mahajanapadas?

Kingdoms that rose to fame from 6th Century BC onward were called Mahajanapdas. The Mahajanapadas signify the tribes that came together to form different groups and later gave rise to a permanent area of settlements called ‘states’ or ‘Janapadas.’

The Janapadas were the main kingdoms of Vedic India. The Aryans were the most powerful tribes of the time, and they were referred to as ‘Janas.’
Janapada, which means “people” and “foot,” was born as a result of this.
By the sixth century BCE, there were possibly 22 distinct Janapadas.
Socioeconomic achievements, notably the use of iron instruments in agriculture and warfare, as well as religious and political advances, resulted in the establishment of the Mahajanapadas from small kingdoms known as Janapadas.
Rather than the tribe or jana, the residents formed a strong connection to the land or Janapada to which they belonged.
This is also considered the second urbanisation era, after the Harappan civilisation.
The political centre shifted from the west to the east of the Indo-Gangetic plains during this period.
Higher land fertility as a result of increased rainfall and rivers was linked to this. This area was also closer to iron-producing areas.

The Origin Of Mahajanapadas

The term Mahajanapada refers to the large Janapadas which were the political units that existed in the Indian subcontinent during the Vedic age.
In the sixth century BC, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar became the major political centre of the country. Some of the territorial states in these regions gained access to iron production centres and used them to make iron weapons and tools. With the help of these weapons, they gradually expanded their territory. Such states came to be known as the “Mahajanapadas.“
Most of the Mahajanapadas were established by conglomerating several Janapadas. One such example is the Kosala which incorporated the Janapada of Sakyas and of Kashi.
Several Buddhist texts repeatedly refer to the 16 Mahajanapadas and their major settlements, which existed during the lifetime of Buddha (6th century). However, there were slight variations in the list of Mahajanapadas mentioned in different Buddhist and Jaina texts.
The Mahajanapadas were mostly situated to the north of Vindhyas and extended from Bihar in the east to the northwest frontier

Types of Mahajanapadas

Based on the form of government, Mahanjanapadas can be classified into two types. They are as follows:

Monarchical Mahajanapadas

In Monarchical Mahajanapadas, the state was ruled by the hereditary king or chieftain.
Here, the rulers gave importance to Brahmanas and Vedic sacrifices.
In Mahajanapadas such as Kosala and Magadha, a monarchical type of government was followed.

Republican Mahajanapadas

In Republican or oligarchic Mahajanapadas, the king was elected from the group of Rajas who were known for their fighting ability and he runs the administration with the help of an assembly called Sabha.
Here, the Brahmanas and Vedic sacrifices were not given much importance. It is evident from a few Buddhist texts that the Brahmanas were placed below the Kshatriyas in the social hierarchy.
In Vajji, the oligarchy form of government was followed. Such Mahajanapadas were known as gana sangha.

What are 16 Mahajanapadas?

There are 16 Mahajanapadas which are mentioned in the Buddist text, Anguttara Nikaya,a part of Sutta Pitaka. The list of 16 Mahajanapadas is given below.

Kosala
Malla
Chedi/Cheti
Anga
Magadha
Kamboja
Kasi
Vajji
Vatsa
Kuru
Matsya
Surasena/Shurasena
Assaka
Avanti
Gandhara
Panchala

Map Of 16 Mahajanapadas

16 Mahajanapadas

Anga – Champa

The Mahabharata and Atharva Veda both mention Anga Mahajanapada.
It was seized by the Magadha Empire under the reign of Bimbisara.
It is found in modern-day Bihar and West Bengal.
Champa, its capital, was situated at the confluence of the Ganga and Champa rivers.
Merchants travelled from here to Suvarnabhumi, since it was a key commercial centre on the trading routes (South East Asia).
During the rule of Bimbisara, it was taken over by Magadha Empire.
It is situated in present-day Bihar and West Bengal
Sahajati and Tripuri were the important towns of Chedi Mahajanapada.
Sahajati and Tripuri were the important towns of Chedi Mahajanapada.
Its territory stretched up to the Malwa plateau. It covers the eastern region of present-day Bundelkhand.

Magadha – Rajagriha

Magadha finds mention in the Atharva Veda which conveys that Magadha was semi-Brahmanical habitation.
It was located in present-day Bihar close to Anga, divided by river Champa.
Later, Magadha became a centre of Jainism and the first Buddhist Council was held in Rajagriha
It was one of the most powerful and prosperous Mahajanapadas.
Its capital, Rajagirha was protected by five hills.

Kasi – Kasi

Varanasi was the location.
According to the Matsya Purana, this city was named after the rivers Varuna and Asi.
Kosala apprehended Kasi.
They were known for their horse markets and cotton textiles.
Brihadratha, the ruler of Kashi conquered Kosala. However, it was later annexed by Kosala, which turned out to be a cause of war between Magadha and Kosala

Vatsa – Kaushambi

Vatsa is often spelled Vamsa.
Located on the Yamuna’s banks.
This Mahajanapada was governed in a monarchical manner.
Kausambi/Kaushambi was the capital (which was at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna).
This was a commercially important city.
In the sixth century, trade and commerce flourished.
Following Buddha’s ascension, the monarch Udayana established Buddhism as a state religion.
Vatsas were a branch of Kurus that migrated to Vatsa.
According to Puranas, Nichaksu (A Pandava descendant) shifted the capital of Vatsa from Hastinapur to Kausambi.
Vatsa was located around the present-day Allahabad

Kosala- Shravasti (northern), Kushavati (southern)

It was in Uttar Pradesh’s current Awadh area.
Ayodhya, a significant city linked with the Ramayana, was also included in the territory.
Kosala also includes the tribal republican territory of Kapilavastu’s Sakyas.
Gautama Buddha was born at Kapilavastu in Lumbini.
Prasenajit (Buddha’s contemporaries) was an important ruler.
Hiranyanabha, Mahakasala Prasenajita and Suddhodana were some of the rulers of Kosala.
During the reign of king Vidudabha, Kosala was merged into Magadha.
Ayodhya, Saketa and Sravasti were important towns

Surasena – Mathura

During Megasthenes’ time, this location was a centre of Krishna devotion.
The disciples of the Buddha also held sway.
Mathura, its capital, was located on the banks of the Yamuna.
They followed the Oligarchy or Republic form of government and they were referred to as Gana Sanghas.
Avantiputra, one of the prominent rulers of Surasena was a chief disciple of Buddha. He ensured the spread of Buddhism in Mathura.
It was later annexed into the vast Magadha empire

Panchala – Ahichchhatra and Kampilya

Its capital for northern Panchala was Ahichchatra (modern Bareilly), and its capital for southern Panchala was Kampilya (modern Farrukhabad).
Kannauj, the famed city, was located in the Kingdom of Panchala.
According to ancient texts, there were two lineages of Panchalas-northern Panchalas and southern Panchalas.
The two lineages were divided by the river Bhagirathi.
Initially, they followed a monarchical form of government and later switched to the republican form

Kuru – Indraprastha

Kuru Mahajanapada was probably born in the vicinity of Kurukshetra.
It adopted a republican form of government.
The Mahabharata, an epic poem, describes a war between two branches of the ruling Kuru clan.
Koravya, and Isukara were the important rulers of Kuru Mahajanapada and they belonged to the race of Yudhisthira.
They made matrimonial alliances with the Bhojas, the Panchalas and the Yadavas.
The rulers of Kuru were referred to as Rajasabdopajivinah (consul of the King) in Arthashastra. Thus, it is evident that absolute monarchy was absent in Kuru Mahajanapada

Matsya – Viratanagara

It lay to the west of the Panchalas and to the south of the Kurus.
Viratanagara was the capital (modern Bairat).
It included the portions of the Alwar and Bharatpur regions of Rajasthan.
Matsya has separated from Panchala by the river Yamuna.
Their capital city was famed as the hiding place of Pandavas.
It once formed a part of Chedi Mahajanapada which is evident from the fact that king Sujata ruled over both Matsya and Chedi

Chedi- Sothivathi

This is mentioned in the Rigveda.
Sothivati/Shuktimati/Sotthivatinagara was the capital.
Shishupala is the King. During the Rajasuya sacrifice of Pandava monarch Yudhishthira, he was murdered by Vasudeva Krishna.
Its capital, Champa was one of the six great cities of the 6th century BC and it was known for its trade and commerce.
It was located at the confluence of river Champa and River Ganga.
Anga is mentioned in Atharva Veda and in Prajnapan which is a highly revered text of Jaina.
It was annexed into the Magadha empire by Bimbisara

Avanti- Ujjaini or Mahishmati

Avanti had an important role in the emergence of Buddhism.
Avanti’s capitals were Ujjaini (northern section) and Mahishmati (southern part).
It was divided into two parts – northern Avanti and southern Avanti.
Pradyota was the powerful ruler of Avanti during the 6th century BC. It is believed that Vatsa was conquered by him.
Another famous ruler of Avanti was Prasenajit who strengthened his position by making matrimonial alliances with Magadha. While marrying his sister Kosala Devi to Bimbisara, he gifted Kasi as the dowry
It was situated around present-day Malwa and Madhya Pradesh

Gandhara – Taxila

Taxila was the capital (Takshashila).
Modern Peshawar and Rawalpindi, Pakistan, as well as the Kashmir valley.
The Atharva Veda mentions Gandhara.
The people were well-versed in the art of fighting.
It was noteworthy in terms of international trade.
Gandhara was captured by the Persians in the late sixth century BCE.
It was ruled by king Pukkusati (Pushkarasarin) during the 6th century BC. He was the contemporary of Bimbisara.
According to Mahabharata, Gandharas were the strong allies of the Kurus who together fought against the Pandavas

Kamboja – Poonch

Poonch was the capital of Kamboja.
It was located in the Northwest region around the Hindukush mountains in Punjab and Kashmir.
In Brahmanical texts, the Kambojas were regarded as uncultured people.
The Arthashastra refers to them as Varta-Sastropajivin Samgha which means confederation of agriculturists, traders, herdsmen and warriors
Kamboja was a republic, according to several literary sources.
Kambojas had an exceptional horse breed.

Asmaka- Potali/Podana

It was on the banks of the Godavari.
It includes the Pratisthan or Paithan area.
It was located in the Dakshinapatha and it covered the regions of Telangana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Brahmadatta and Aruna were the important rulers of Asmaka

Vajji – Vaishali

The Vajjis ruled the state north of the Ganga in the Tirhut division.
The most powerful clans were the Lichchhavis (Capital – Vaishali), Videhans (Capital – Mithila), and Jnatrikas (based in Kundapura).
Mahavira was a member of the Jnatrikas clan.
Ajatashatru triumphed over the Vajjis.
River Gandak separated Vajji from Kosala Mahajanapada.
Vajji is listed as one of the 16 Mahajanapadas in both Buddhist and Jaina texts

Malla – Kusinara

It is mentioned in Buddhist and Jain scriptures, as well as in the Mahabharata.
Its territory extended to the Vajji state’s northern boundary.
Kusinara and Pava are the capitals.
Both capitals are significant in Buddhist history. The Buddha ate his final supper at Pava before entering Mahaparinirvana in Kusinara.
Oligarchy or Republic form of government was followed in Malla and they were referred to as Gana Sanghas.
It had several branches, out of which the branches at Pava and Kusinara towns were very significant during the time of Buddha.

Mahajanapadas Society

As Aryans spread throughout India, the social order spontaneously reorganised.
However, there was little consistency in social traditions and etiquette across India.
The habits and manners of the inhabitants of the Gangetic valley were neither acceptable to the people of the south, nor to the people of the rest of northern India.
Women had almost little liberty in the Gangetic valley, while in other regions of India, women had enough social autonomy and were regarded in high regard.
The ceremony of Sati, or the burning of the widow in the funeral pyre of the slain husband, was common in north-west India but was not practised in the Gangetic valley except in extremely rare occasions.
It was legal for a man to have more than one wife in Vedic times, and this practice was continued in some locations during the Epic age, but it was frowned upon during the Sixteen Mahajanapadas.
During the Sixteen Mahajanapada period, swayamvara, or choosing the marriage by the girl herself, was common.
Although women were not permitted to leave the family in some situations, in general, women had complete freedom.
Because civilization was mostly agrarian, the majority of people lived in villages.
Only the monarch, his ministers, members of the royal court, and state officers used to reside in the well-protected and walled-up city that served as the country’s capital.
There were observation towers throughout the fortified capital. These were precautionary measures.

The Mahajanapadas – Caste system

The caste system was prevalent and increasingly hardened into extreme conservatism, although caste separation did not give birth to any class enmity throughout the Sixteen Mahajanapadas.
Although marriage within one’s own caste was normally desired, inter-caste marriages were not prohibited.
However, at the end of the time, inter-caste marriage was absolutely forbidden.
During this time, the Brahmanas’ sway over society was shifting toward authoritarian control.

The Mahajanapadas – Urbanisation

The Northern Black Polished Ware era marks the start of India’s second urbanisation.
With the development of settlements in the middle Gangetic basin in the sixth century BCE, India saw a second wave of urbanisation.
The majority of the houses were made of mud brick and wood.
The excavated structures are not very remarkable, but when combined with other material remnants, they show a large population when compared to the Painted Grey Ware communities.
Many towns functioned as government centres as well as significant trade and economic centres.
The towns’ artisans and merchants were organised into guilds, each with its own headman. The “sethi” was a high-ranking merchant involved in commerce and money lending.
Both artists and merchants resided in established locations known as vessas (merchants’ streets) in cities.

The Mahajanapadas – Agricultural Society

The village’s holdings were separated into cultivable pieces and distributed family by family.
Every family cultivated their plots with the assistance of its members, who were supported by agricultural labourers.
Peasants were compelled to pay a tax of one-sixth of their production, which was collected directly by royal agents with no intermediary landowners.
Some villages were given to wealthy merchants and Brahmanas for their own use. Rich peasants were known as grihapatis and were similar to Vaishyas.
For the first time, a sophisticated food-producing economy had expanded throughout the fertile alluvial soil of the middle Gangetic basin.
This economy supplied subsistence for both direct producers and non-farmers.
Rice was the major grain, and paddy transplanting was common. Cotton and sugarcane were grown alongside rice, barley, millets, lentils, and other grains.
Agriculture advanced greatly as a result of the use of iron ploughshares and the high fertility of the region’s alluvial soil.
It appears that people were fully aware of the richest iron mines in the nation, which were certain to enhance the supply of agricultural and craft implements.

Mahajanapadas Economy

Agriculture was the backbone of the economy during that period. One-tenth of the soil’s yield had to be paid in land revenue.
The agricultural area was divided into tiny plots, and a cooperative system was used for irrigation, agriculture, and water conservation.
Famine was not unheard of, but it was extremely unusual.
Animal husbandry, in addition to agriculture, was a significant source of economic existence.
At the period, arts and industries such as ivory work, mural painting, stone carving, and so on were greatly developed.
Business was conducted both within and beyond the country.
Bharuch, Tamralipti, Sopara, and other prominent ports of the period embarked on waterborne commerce with Burma, Ceylon, Malaya, Babylonia, and other countries.
The main items were silk, gold, and embroidered fabric. There are examples of the cooperative system in the period’s trade and commerce.
Karshapana, the medium of exchange, was copper and silver. Dharan was another name for the silver Karshapana.
A silver Karshapana was worth one-tenth of a Vedic Niska.
Some kingdoms had a principal city that functioned as a capital and housed the ruler’s palace.
Taxes were collected in each village and town by officials chosen by the monarch in exchange for protection from attacks by other rulers and robber tribes, as well as invading foreign nomadic tribes.
In addition, the King established law and order in his domain by punishing the guilty.
Magadha was a very fruitful agricultural area. Furthermore, iron mines (in modern-day Jharkhand) were easily accessible and offered supplies for tools and weaponry.
In addition, the Ganga and its tributaries provided a cheap and convenient mode of communication.

Mahajanapadas – Taxation

The emperors of the Mahajanapadas required greater resources as they built massive forts and maintained large armies.
They also required authorities to gather these.
So, instead of relying on occasional gifts sent by people, like the raja of the Janapadas did, they began collecting monthly taxes.
Crop taxes were the most significant. This was due to the fact that the majority of people were farmers.
Typically, the tax was set at one-sixth of what was generated. This was referred to as bhaga or a share.
Craftspeople were subject to taxes as well. These may have taken the shape of labour.
A weaver or smith, for example, could have had to labour for the monarch for a day every month.
Taxes were also required of herders in the form of livestock and animal output.
There were additional levies on commodities purchased and sold through commerce.
In addition, hunters and gatherers were required to deliver forest produce to the raja.

Mahajanapadas Administration

During the Sixteen Mahajanapadas, governmental administration in various portions of India varied greatly.
The names of the leaders of state or administration must also vary. These were names like King, Samrat, Virat, and Swarat.
The person who succeeded to the throne after performing Rajasuya Yajna was referred to as King.
He might reclaim the title of Emperor by reenacting Rajasuya Yajna.
The ruler who received Indra’s blessing would be known as Virat. Every monarch would endeavour to capture lands in the surrounding area, and if he succeeded, he would become an Ekarat.
In the Age of the Sixteen Mahajanapada, kingship was mainly hereditary, although in certain situations, the monarch was elected by the people.
A monarch might have up to four wives. Rajamahishi was the name of the chief queen.
The king’s power was theoretically and legally limitless. In actuality, however, the monarch had to carry out governance with the help of the Brahmanas, Ministers, Rajya Sabha, and peasants.
By descending from the throne, the king was required to pay homage to the Brahmanas in the open Court.
It should be noted that the Brahmanas of that time were revered as reservoirs of culture and education.
The rulers belonged to the Kshatriya caste, but their ministers were Brahmanas. In all administrative matters, the Ministers’ advice was sought.
Samiti, or the People’s Assembly, had to be consulted as well. Politically, the Assembly’s view was extremely important.
There have been cases where tyrannical kings were forced to abdicate due to the Assembly’s demands.
In exceptional situations, the Assembly of the People may sentence the monarch to death.

Mahajanapadas – Administrative system

The king was mostly a warlord who led his realm from triumph to victory.
The Monarch ruled with the assistance of bureaucrats.
Higher officials were referred to as ‘Amatyas’ or ‘Mahamatras,’ and they held positions such as Commander (Senanayaka), Minister (Mantrin), chief accountant, judge, and head of the royal harem.
The administration of the villages was the responsibility of the village headmen (Gramini, Gramabhojaka, or Gramika).
Ayuktas were another type of official who performed comparable duties in a few states.
The Buddhist literature describes Varsakara, a prominent minister who assisted Ajatashatru in conquering Vaishali by sowing discord among the Lichchhavis of Vaishali.
A strong fiscal structure was essential to support a large army.
Peasants were also required to make an obligatory contribution known as ‘Bali,’ which was collected by special officials known as ‘Balisadhakas.’
During Vedic times, tribesmen made voluntary payments to their chiefs.
The king took one-sixth of the output as a levy from the peasants.
The emergence of writing may have benefited in the assessment and collection of taxes. Tax was paid in both cash and kind.
Popular assemblies, such as the Sabha and the Samithi, had virtually vanished, and now, a tiny group known as the Parishad, composed entirely of Brahmanas, operated as the king’s advisory council.

Mahajanapadas – Legal system

The Brahmanas (priests and instructors), Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors), Vaishyas (peasants and taxpayers), and Shudras (who served all other classes) were the four castes of the community .
The Dharmasutra defined the obligations of each varna, and civil and criminal law evolved to reflect this distinction.
The greater the varna, the purer it was and the higher the moral order was expected.
The Shudras were subjected to a variety of handicaps.
They were stripped of their privileges and demoted to the lowest rung of society.
The legislators propagated the myth that Shudras were created from the creator’s feet.
The Shudras were expressly asked to work as slaves, craftsmen, and agricultural labourers for the dvijas (twice-born — Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas).
Royal agents administered civil and criminal laws, inflicting harsh punishments like scourging, execution, and so on.
In many circumstances, criminal punishments were controlled by the concept of vengeance — a tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye.
Despite the rise of socioeconomic inequities, familial connections remained immensely significant and were later incorporated into the caste system.
Nati and Nati-kulani were terms for extended kin groupings.
Natakas signified relatives on both mothers’ and fathers’ sides, whereas Kula denoted an extended patrilineal family.
Women’s subordination intensified when patriarchal power inside the home was strengthened.

Mahajanapadas: The Political Structure

Mahajanapadas mark a change from a tribal society that was semi-nomadic to one that was centered on agriculture and had a well-developed trading network and political system.
Although most of these entities were monarchies, a few of them were “ganasangha” republics.
In the oligarchic government of Ganasangha, the executive branch was headed by an elected monarch who was supported by a sizable council.
Although the situation was very near to being a democracy, the average person had no voice in how it was run.
Monarchies constituted the majority of the nations; nevertheless, there were republics, also referred to as Ganas or Sanghas.
The whole Jain and Buddhist founding families originated in these Republican States. Each Mahajanapada had a capital city that served as the development center.
Craftsmen and traders founded guilds (shrem) and a banking and lending system. They also produced writing and minted coins, the earliest of which were silver-bent bars and silver and copper punch-marked coins.

Magadha – The Most Powerful Mahajanapada

Magadha faced competition from Avanti, Kosala, and Vatsa for supremacy, however, over the years (600-400 BC), Magadha gained sovereignty and became the most powerful Mahajanapada.

What is the difference between Janapadas and Mahajanapadas?

‘Jana’ in both terms means people. These people denoted a tribe or an ethnic group or a tribal political organization. Indo-Aryans, as mentioned in the early Vedic texts, used to live in the semi-nomadic tribal states. This tribal-state organization called ‘Jana’ transformed into Janapadas towards the end of the Vedic period. Janapadas then meant, a foothold of a tribe. And when the Janapadas started growing, they transformed into Majahanapadas.

Features of Mahajanapadas

There are seven features or main constituents of a Mahajanapada and they are listed below:

The King
The Minister
The Country
Fortified City
Treasury
Army, and
Ally

Conclusion

The Mahjanapadas were sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in ancient India during the second urbanisation era, from the sixth to fourth century BCE. The Mahajanapadas were a group of sixteen ancient Indian kingdoms. It all started when the late Vedic period’s tribes (janas) chose to create their own territorial communities, which eventually gave rise to new and permanent zones of settlement known as states’ or ‘janapadas.’