Mahapadmanand : Shudra king of Nand empire

Mahapadmanand: Shudra king of Nand Empire

Nand empire overview : ( 344B.C­ -322B.C )

      Mahapadmanand is a founder of Nand empire he was known as Ugrasen. he is the son of last Shishunaga king from a shudra mother. he killed his king father 'Mahanandi' according to some historical sources and appoint self as a new king and found the new kingdom as Nand empire.                        He also referred in ancient Indian Puranas as a kshtrantak means the Kshatriya killer because of the win and conquer dynasties like Mithila, Panchal, kasha, Puru, Medhi, Kaling etc and found a big Nand empire. 

Map of Nand empire

Facts about Mahapadmanand :

                   Mahapadmanand founds a first centralized kingdom in north India as the capital of Patliputra. In Vedas, his time is marked as the beginning of kaliyug as he was shudra. He was a great administer he appointed officials to collect taxes, he gathered a great treasury by systematic collection of taxes. During is time period the wealth of Nand empire increased tremendously. Agriculture development and infrastructure boosted in his period it also increase economy of the Nand empire.

                 In Mahapadmanand period there was stability in the region so peoples live without fear and enjoyed prosperous life without fear of out side invaders. In greek history it is mentioned Alexander army was fearing to cross Beas river to invade nand empire , as alexander failed to defeat the puru kingdom ruled by the king Purushothama and the greek army also heard about Nand empire bigger and more powerful than the puru kingdom so they fear to attack on the Nand empire, it results as alexander’s army refuses to cross the Beas river.

Mahapadmanand

Military power of Nand empire :

     Nand empire army in the period of mahapadmanand consisted 2,00,000 infantry , 20,000 cavalry, 3000 war elephants and 2000 war chariots approximately because of such huge military power no intruder even think of attacking nand empire he focuses mainly on building a huge and a powerful army for defending his empire.

Life of peoples of Nand empire:

       During the period of Mahapadmanand  peoples enjoyed the freedom of religion and live without any fear, peoples mainly followed Hinduism , Buddhism, Jainism but the ruler of Nand empire embraced Jainism his rule encouraged arts and literature. Panini the eminent linguist was born in the rule of mahapadmanand . he also encourage the development in the agriculture and made infrastructure for it so the income of the peoples gets increased and people contribute to and support the Nand empire.

Death of Mahapadmanand :

       The researcher tries to find the actual time period of Mahapadmanad and it still going on, but the vaayu Purana it assign 28 years to Mahapadmanand reign. He will be remembered as a great king of ancient india due to under his rule people enjoyed freedom and stability and live without fear of invaders. Mahapadmanad also gives freedom to people to follow the religion they want to follow from their faith.

Successors of Mahapadmanand  :(Dhananand)

       Dhananand is a son of mahapadmanand became  a king of nand empire after mahapadmanand .

Dhananand:

      Dhananand is known for holding of a large amount of wealth , his vast treasury is consisted of a reserve of gold , he gathered wealth by laving taxes on skin stone and day to day articles it is said that he excavate a huge rock in bed of Gangas river to build his own treasure house and hiding his gold their. Although he his popular for his wealth and power of his army he failed to gain popularity between people all through his rule does not gain support by people the maintenance of his army at the cost of public .he escorted money from the people in the form of taxes  which result in hatred towards the king .

       His Anty Kshatriya policy made hatred in the eyes of Bramhans and Kshatriyas and fetched many enemies, one story is very popular in India of revenge of Chanakya which highlights the Dhananand view towards scholars in his period.

Relation of Dhananand and Chanakya :

       Chanakya was very intelligent and a scholar he was a professor of political science in the Takeshita university, he was an expert in economics, warfare, and politics. the Magadh kingdom was controlled by Dhananand at that time. according to Buddhist and Sanskrit text, Chanakya was interested in the position of Dhankendra ( charity center) in the Nand empire, Chanakya decided to apply for the position because of his curiosity.

Arya Chanakya

         When Chanakya entered his palace he saws nine seats lined up inside of throne of which 8 are reserved for Nand princes and it was said that the nine was for the position of Dhankendra, Chanakya  sat down on the ninth seat and informed the king that he was the best for that position but the Dhananand insulted him by calling him an ugly Brahmin, all the text agrees that Dhananand insulted chankya by referring Chanakyas bad looks .

         Both thought each other arrogant with great anger Chanakya vowed that he would not re tie his topknot until he destroy Nand empire and throw Dhananand out of power