30-07-2013, 02:45 PM
Chanakya
Chanakya.ppt (Size: 708.5 KB / Downloads: 22)
General Information
Born around 350 BC and died around 283 BC
Name at birth was Vishnugupta but was later known as Chānakya and Kautilya
Born in Patliputra, Maghadh which is currently Patna, Bihar in India
Teacher of political science at Taxila University
Later became Prime Minister of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya
Childhood and Education
Vishnugupta was born to Rishi Chanak in Patliputra who was a revolutionary against the evil emperor of Magadh. Chanak was exiled after publicly speaking out against the king. Vishnugupta left soon after to study at the famous Taxila University.
Taxila was the best University of the time and offered education in many different fields.
Life in Taxila
After completing his education, Vishnugupta became a professor at the Taxila University. Here he got the names Chanakya and Kautilya due to his fame and wits.
Gandhar Republic attacked Taxila because the dim-witted prince of Taxila sent soldiers to the border to abuse and torture the people living there.
Taxila was defeated in no time but Porus, the king of Gandhar, demanded that Gandharians not be attacked again and left without taking or destroying anything.
Defeat of Magadh
Chanakya went around telling peasants and common folk that Magadh needed to be in stronger hands and not under the rule of the tyrannous Dhanananda.
Chandragupta gathered a huge militia in this way. While he was doing this, Chanakya persuaded a greedy King called Parvatak to help because Chanakya assured him half of Magadh.
Chandragupta’s army attacked and defeated the army of Magadh with Chanakya’s guidance.
Special Gifts and Abilities
Chanakya was amazing at guessing his enemy’s every move and never once did he fail to predict his enemy’s doings. He was also very good at persuasion. (defeating Rakshas)
Chanakya was very good at spy work and managing spy-systems and conducting unexpected attacks on his enemies (defeat of the Greeks)
Chanakya was a great political philosopher who wrote the Arthashastra and Nitishastra. He has been called the Indian Machiavelli for his works.
Uniting India
Chanakya was the person who thought of the plans to defeat Alexander out of India. To accomplish this, he united different kingdoms to fight against the Greeks which was a very rare occurrence.
He also thought of the plans to take over his homeland, Magadh, from the tyrannical rule of the Nand Dynasty and handed it over to his main apprentice, Chandragupta Maurya. Under Chanakya’s guidance, Chandragupta created a huge empire unititig most of India by using Magadh’s enormous military force and wealth. This later became the great Ashokan Empire and for the first time in it’s history, India was a united nation.