Bindusâra

Bindusâra is the second emperor Maurya and reigns after his/her father Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the dynasty, -300 approximately with -274 approximately. Called Devanampriya , its original name is Simhanesa according to the Rajâvalikhata , a work jaïna . It is known Greek and Strabon names it Allitrochadès , Athenaeus and Amitrochates - the hellenisation of the Sanskrit Amitraghata , the killer of the enemies.

Bindusâra inherits a great empire made up of north, center and is of India, as well as parts of the Afghanistan and Balouchistan. It extends it, during its reign, towards the south, the country dravidien, integral what we know today like the Karnataka, thus dominating most of the Indian peninsula, which it names the country between the two seas , i.e between the Bay of Bengal and of the Mer of Oman. Bindusâra however does not make the conquest of the States dravidiens of the Chola, the Pandya and the Chera which preserve their independence in spite of the incursions maurya. Remain also independent, in the North-East of the sub-continent, Kalinga - the modern Orissa - which will be conquered only later by his/her son Ashoka, who is viceroy with Ujjaini (Ujjain) during the reign of his father. The life of Bindusâra is not as documented as that of his/her Chandragupta father or his Ashoka son. He was however not a conqueror, but rather an organizer of the empire bequeathed by his father whom he does not extend truly but that he transmits to his son very consolidated interior.

The philosopher Chânakya is Prime Minister during his reign, as it had been during that of his father. He knows two revolts of Takshashîlâ (Taxila), the first caused by the bad governorship of Susima , his oldest son. The reason of the second revolt is unknown, perhaps an operation of Susima to put in difficulty Ashoka, this wire favorite, but Bindusâra dies after having sent there Ashoka which seizes some without difficulty.

Many ambassadors visit his court during his reign, in particular the Greek Deimachos, sent by Antiochos Ier Sôter of Syria, which succeeds Mégasthènes and Dyonisos, the ambassador of Ptolémée II Philadelphe of Egypt, proof of good relationships with the Hellenic world. To the difference of his Chandragupta father who was jaïn, it follows philosophy Âjîvika, atheist and anti-brahmanique.

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