Decline of the Mauryan Empire

The Mauryan Empire being the first ever sub-continent empire have greatly attracted the Scholars attention on its aspects,from its rising to the decline of the Mauryan Empire. There is something almost dramatic in the way that the empire had decline after the dead of Ashoka , thus the decline was completed within half a century after the dead of Ashoka. The reasons given by historians and scholars were as conflicting as they were confusing .

 Some of the causes for the decline of Mauryan empire were;

Partition of the Mauryan Empire: One of the major reason for the downfall of Mauryan Empire was the partition the had took place after the dead of Ashoka. The Empire was divided into two halves i.e. The Eastern and Western parts.

Weakness of the King: After Ashoka had completly disrupted the Mauryan Administration the weeknesses of the kings were observed. The weekness of these kings can be imagined from the factual point that only Six(6) rulers could rule only 52 Years over the Eastern part of the Empire and finally the lastbMauryan King Rihadata was assesinate by his own Commander in Chief Pushyamitra Sunga.

Ashoka's responsibility: Many scholars and rulers have accused Ashoka for being directly responsible for the decline of the Mauryan Empire.Apart from that, Hariprasad Sastri was of the view that the decline of the Mauryan period was a result of the Brahmanical revolt on account of banned on animal sacrifices and undermining the Brahmins prestige by exposing them as "false God".

Ashoka only banned the unnecessary Sloggter animals and on certain auspecious days. Then again Ashoka's frequent request in his edicts for due respect to Brahmanas and Shramanas hardly points, to his being anti-Brahmanical on outlook.