Ch.3. Republics and Kingdoms, New Religions

1. Evolving political and social structures2. Rise of Magadha3. Towns and trade

4. New religions- Buddhism and Jainism & C

States and cities• The 600 B.C.E was a transition to a new historical scene in north India with the

establishment of kingdoms, oligarchies and chiefdoms and the emergence of towns. • Geographically the focus shifted from Indus region to Ganga basin.• Political organization as gana-sangha, chiefdom of kingdom. • Ganasangha-power was diffused- in the people- despite having been defeated a

number of times they still persisted• 16 Mahajanpadas are listed in Buddhist lit.• Anga, Magadha, Vrijji, Mallas in the middle ganges• Kashi, Kosala, Vatsa- west• Kuru, Panchala, Mastya and Surasena- farther west• Kambhoja and Gandhara- North west• Avanti, Chedi- central• Assaka- Deccan• In the Vedas Magadha and Anga are described as impure lands- but Magadha was to

become dominant later on• Mallas- several tribes• Varshnis- Krishna- Mahabharata

The second urbanization: The Ganga

• Genesis of towns was not uniform• Some administrative centers: capitals of kingdoms, Rajgriha, in

Magadha, Shravasti in Kosala, Kaushambi in Vatsa, Champa in Anga and Ahicchatra in Panchala.

• Others grew out of markets: each surrounded or supporting a number of villages- trade rout- Ujjain

• Sacred centers- VaishaliSmaller population and settlements were slower in the Ganga basinConsistent layout of the urban centersFlood walls- since many of the cities were close to water sourcesGrid layout- with main street running East -westHouses: Rooms built around court yard

Trade and urbanization

• Urbanization is from surplus- so can be imagined that there was abundant trade in different produce

• Surplus agriculture• Burning the forests to clear for agriculture• Specialized profession, like weaving, carpentry, etc. • Markets• Hierarchy of settlements: Grama- village; nigama-

markets, nagara- political• Occupational groups- in one section of town- No attempt

to imitate Harappan city plans• Towns- diverse population as well as diverse religions

Ganasanghas- Chiefdoms and oligarchies

• Alternative polity to the kingdoms and may represent the continuation of an earlier system.

• New religious systems were from the ganasanghas• Where a kingdoms are centered on the Ganga- the

Ganasanghas are on the periphery of the kingdoms- tended to occupy less cultivated hilly regions- supposes that they predate the kingdoms or still in transition

• Equal status to people: Some ganasanghas are formed by single clans- some by many clans.

• Election system of representation- mahasammata

Kingdoms

• Centralized government with king at its center• Ruling family- hereditary kingship• Advisory councils- Parishad and Sabha• Kings supposed to be Ksatriyas- but in Indian history no

clear Ksatriya king is seen• Gramani- head of the village• Taxes: Bali, bhaga, shulka- but went to the king• Grihapathis- housholders, Karshaka- farmers• Varna and Jati becomes restricted- mobility is less• King- Shadbhagin- 1/6share holder

Raise of Magadha

• Ajatasatru- usurped the throne in 493 B.C.E. to become king of Magadha.

• Rajagriha- the capital is surrounded by hills and natural defense- strengthened it and built another fort- Pataliputra

• Annexed Kosala- although the king was his uncle• Annexed Vrijji confederacy• Magadha remained powerful- big cities and resources• Copper deposits, fertile land, forest to supply wood for

constructions• Mahapadmananda- and Nanda line comes to throne in

470 B.C.E.• Expansionist policy and annexed a number of kingdoms

North west India and Alexander

• In 539 Cyrus the emperor of Persia, crossed Hindukush and annexed Kambhoja and Gandhara.

• Naturally when Alexander attacked Persepolis he went further east- his campaign lasted for about 2 years.

• Greek records about India: autonomous states• Philosophical interaction: in India- greeks are

called Yavana- from Ionia- the term for greeks in Persian inscriptions

Early trade

• Alexander established a number of Greek settlements in the Punjab, but none survived as towns.

• Opened trade route between India and the west• Pottery, silver and precious things discovered in

excavations-• Coinage replaces barter system- first systematic

coinage- punchmarked coins- coins changed the trading pattern much more easy trade

• Gahapatis- traders- sethis• Sanskrit-local variations of languages- Prakrit and Pali

commonly spoken languages• Dharmasastras- social code composed

New Religions

• Kutuhala shalas (place of creating curiocity) - philosophers in discussion

• Several different ideas of thought- and philosophies 6 schools of Vedic philosophy and several non-Vedic schools of philosophy

• Ajivikas-principle of predetermination• Charvakas- materialists• Nigranthas- ascetics

Buddhism and Jainism• Buddhism (566 B.C.E- 486 B.C.E): Founded by Siddhartha

Gautama- Born in Lumbini (Foothills of Himalayas: Now in Nepal) to the King Sudhodhana and Maya (mother) of Sakya clan.

• His mother died in childhood, so his step mother Gautami took care of him- hence known as Gautama.

• Principles: 4 noble truths• 1.Sorrow 2. cause of sorrow 3. A way to end the sorrow 4.

Astangamarga (8 fold way); middleway• First sermon: deer park in Sarnath• Enlightenment (nirvana): under Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya• Major teaching: Ahimsa (Nonviolence)Rejected Karma, caste, soulMonastic religionHinayana (theravada): To south and southeast AsiaMahayana: Northward- Tibet, China, Japan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Gandhara_Buddha_(tnm).jpeg

Jainism• Founded by Mahavira- the 24th Thirthankara but traced its origin

from a long line of Ajivikas• Born Kundagrama (599 B.C.E)• Jina hood • From Jina (conquer) Jaina (conqueror)• Extreme asceticism and nonviolence• 5 principles• Jivas-particles of life-everything has soul• Cicles of life• Karmic law• Satya (truth), Ahimsa (Non violence), Asteya (non stealing),

Brahmacharya (abstaining from sex), aparigraha (non attachment)• Kaivalya-liberation• Digambaras: (sky clad) naked• Swetambaras: White robes

Classical Hinduism

• The classical texts Mahabharata and Ramayana are composed now between 700 B.C.E to 300 B.C.E.

• The religion shifts from rituals to worshipping personal deities- more freedom to choose any deity and practice

• Multiple beliefs and practices• Bhakti (devotion)- one’s own interaction with

deity is important for moksa• Popular religion finds legitimate place in religion