Ancient Person

Chandragupta II

The Gupta period is known as the golden age in Indian History and it reached the pinnacle of glory during the reign of Chandragupta II. A ruler of excellent administrative abilities, foresightedness and military prowess, he was also a great patron of art, culture, literature and music. He was also known as Vikramaditya and referred as one of the most admirable kings in the history. 

Chandragupta II inherited a large kingdom but extended his empire by winning battles and also by a policy of matrimonial alliances. He defeated the Sakas to annex Gujarat and Saurasthra and made Ujjain his second capital. To strengthen his southern territories he married his daughter Pravabati to the Vakataka king-Rudrasena II. He himself married the Naga princess Kubera Naga and developed strong relationship with the Naga clan. His empire extended from the Gujarat in the north to Malwa in the central. He had his capital in the wonderful city of Pataliputra. 

It his during his rule, that the cultural development of Ancient India reached it's climax. His court comprised of geniuses to the likes of Kalidasa and Susruta. Kalidasa was a famous poet whose work is still treasured and the great physician Susruta's books on surgery are considered legendary. 

During his reign the famous Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien visited India and wrote a detailed account of his kingdom. Marco Polo, the Italian traveler has referred him as an ideal ruler. He was succeeded by his son Kumaragupta who was a great scholar and built the Nalanda University. 

Bimbisara

Bimbisara (558-491 B.C.), the greatest patron of Goutam Budhha, was one of the early kings of the ancient indian kingdom of Magadha. He extended his kingdom upto Anga in the east and this expansion is considered to have laid the foundation for the vast expansion of the Maurya Empire in future. 

Bimbisara belonged to the Shishunaga Dynasty and Rajgir was his capital. He was only fifteen when he became the king and he ruled for fifty-two years. His wife was a princess of Kosala, who brought Bimbisara the village of Kashi as dowry and also bore him his son Ajathshatru. Among his other wives there were Khema, Silava, Jayasena and Chellana also. The latter one was a Lichchavi princess from Vaishali. It is evident from these facts that Bimbisara used marriage alliances to strengthen his position. He had another son, Vimala Kondanna, by the famous courtesan, Ambapali. 

In the Pabbaja Sutta of the Sutta Nipatta Atthakatha it is stated that he saw Goutam Budhha for the first time through his palace window, under the Pandava Pabbata. Bimbisara invited him to visit his court but Budhha refused as he was in search for Enlightenment. The king wished him luck and requested him to visit Rajgir as soon as he would receive Enlightenment. Later Budhha visited Rajgir to fulfill the promise he made to Bimbisara. He became a serious disciple of Goutam Budhha and continued to patronized Budhhism for the rest of his life. 

This great king was unfortunately imprisoned by his own son Ajatashatru in his intense desire to become the monarch. He was instigated(প্ররোচিত (Adj.)) by Devdatta, who hated the king's patronage to the Budhha. Ajatashtru starved his father to death resulting in the end of an able and kind-hearted king's reign. 

Narasimha Varman

Narasimha Varman I was one of the most famous Pallava kings and was successful to maintain the supremacy which his father Mahendravarman had established. He won over the Chalukya king, Pulakesin II to avenge his father's defeat. He inherited his father's love for art and sculpture. 

Narasimha ruled between 645 and 670 AD. During his rule he was able to establish the dominance of the Pallava Empire in the South. He was an excellent war strategist. He defeated Pulakesin II and destroyed the Chalukyan capital, Vatapi. He sent naval expeditions to Ceylon to help Manavamna. Narasimha was a good wrestler and he was also called as Mamallan or the 'Great Wrestler'.

The city of Mamallapuram was named after him. It was during his reign, the famous Chinese traveller Hieun-Tsang visited Kanchi. He wrote a vivid and excellent account of Narasimha's Kingdom. 

As he had a keen interest in art and sculptures, Narasimha built many temples, especially in the city of Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), which is adorned with the seven rock-cut pagodas. He was also a patron of literature and several literary works were written during his rule. Narasimha I was succeeded by Mahendra Varman II who ruled successfully for about twenty-five years. 

Gargi

Women of the Vedic period were prominent with their exemplary intellectuality and supreme spiritual attainment. Gargi is one of those exceptional women and one of the well known scholars and prophetess. 

Gargi was the daughter of sage Vachaknu and her inclination towards academics was very conspicuous from an early age. Gargi composed several hymns, questioning the origin of all existence. When King Janak of Videha organized a 'Brahmayajna'- a philosophic meet, her participation was highly estimated. She presented a series of questions on the soul or 'Atman' which silenced even the greatest sage of that time - Yajnavalkya. 

Gargi has got mentions in the Upanishads. She is honored there as a great natural philosopher. 

Bindusara

Bindusara (298 B.C.-273 B.C.), son of Chandra Gupta, was the second to sit on the throne of the Great Mauryan Dynasty. 

Chandra Gupta ruled for about twenty five years and then became a Jain ascetic, leaving behind him a fairly huge Empire which included Baluchistan, Afghanistan, Assam , Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Mysore, Vindhyas, Narmada and Hindukush, for his son to inherit. 

Bindusara further expanded the Mauryan Dynasty as far as Mysore down south. It is said that he conquered sixteen states to extend the empire between the two seas. Bindusara did not attack the Dravidian Kingdoms of the Cholas, the Pandyans and the Cheras perhaps because they were friendly with the Mauryan Empire. 

He ran the administration smoothly and maintained a good relation with distant countries like the Greeks, the Syrians and the Egyptians. Ambassadors from these countries lived in the King's Court. He was called 'Amitrochates' or the destroyer of enemies by the Greeks. 

The Mauryan Empire reached its peak during the rule of Ashoka, the son of Bindusara. He defeated Kalinga in a devastating war but he underwent a transformation after seeing the goriness of the war. He embraced Budhhism and started preaching non-violence. The dynasty crumbled rapidly after him. 

Ashoka

ASHOKA or better known as the Emperor Ashoka The Great was a Mauryan King. He was the son of the Emperor Bindusara and one of his queens named Dharma. It is believed that Buddha prophesized about the birth of Ashoka, in the story of the 'Gift of Dust'. He said that a king would be born in Pataliputra who will reign one of the four continents and adorn Jambudweep with my relics and spread Buddhism in the whole world. And Ashoka did exactly same as prophesized by the Buddha. 

The name Ashoka means 'without sorrow', he has been referred with many other names such as 'Devanampriya' meaning 'the beloved of the Gods' ,and 'Priyadarshi', one who regards everyone amiably. 

Ashoka is known in the history of the India as well as world mainly for two things, first one for the battle of Kalinga and the second one for the spread of Buddhism in India and across the world. He ruled India from 273 BC to 232 BC. He made many conquests during his rule and reigned over most parts of India, parts of South Asia and Persia.

During his initial days Ashoka was very cruel, and is believed to have killed his half brothers in order to get the throne. As a result he began to be called as a Chand Ashoka, meaning brutal Ashoka. He did not miss any opportunity to invade the neighboring kingdoms, but the war of kalinga and its subsequent conquest is believed to be the last conquest of King Ashoka. It is believed that in this war around 100,000 people from each side were killed and many more became homeless. After watching such a scene of devastation(The state of being decayed or destroyed) Ashoka screamed 'What have I done?' and he changed his policy. From then onwards he laid more emphasis on the welfare of his state and adopted Buddhism.

He preached Buddhism all over India and abroad. For this he made many Stupas at the places associated with the life of Buddha. Due to all this he earned the epitaph of Dharmaashoka, meaning the Pious Ashoka. He sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghmitra to Ceylon(An island in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of India) to spread Buddhism there. Ashoka built thousands of Stupas and Viharas for the followers of Buddhism. The pillar of Ashoka at Sarnath is the most famous of all the Stupas, and is the national emblem of India. He ruled for almost thirty-eight years and died in 232 BC. He is remembered in India even today for the service he did to the Buddhism. 

Science fiction novelist H.G. Wells was very right when he wrote of Ashoka, "in the history of the world there have been thousands of kings and emperors who called themselves 'their highness', their majesties', and their exalted majesties' and so on. They shone for a brief moment, and as quickly disappeared. But Ashoka shines and shines brightly like a bright star, even unto this day."