Ashoka, popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third Mauryan Emperor of Magadha in the Indian subcontinent during c. 268 to 232 BCE. His empire covered the largest part of the Indian subcontinent, stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to present-day Bangladesh in the east, with its capital at Pataliputra. A patron of Buddhism, he is credited with playing an important role in the spread of Buddhism across ancient Asia.
Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Maurya Empire, a geographically-extensive empire based in Magadha. He reigned from 320 BCE to 298 BCE. The Magadha kingdom expanded to become an empire that reached its peak under the reign of his grandson, Ashoka the Great, from 268 BCE to 231 BCE. The nature of the political formation that existed in Chandragupta's time is not certain. The Mauryan empire was a loose-knit one with large autonomous regions within its limits.
Chanakya was an ancient Indian polymath who was active as a teacher, author, strategist, philosopher, economist, jurist, and politician. He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya or Viṣṇugupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise, the Arthashastra, a text dated to roughly between the fourth century BCE and the third century CE. As such, he is considered the pioneer of the field of political science and economics in India, and his work is thought of as an important precursor to classical economics. His works were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire in the sixth century CE and not rediscovered until the early 20th century. Around 321 BCE, Chanakya assisted the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in his rise to power and is widely credited for having played an important role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire. Chanakya served as the chief advisor to both emperors Chandragupta and his son Bindusara.
Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor of Magadha in Ancient India. The ancient Greco-Roman writers called him Amitrochates, a name likely derived from his Sanskrit title Amitraghāta.
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia based in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The empire was centralized by the conquest of the Indo-Gangetic Plain; its capital city was located at Pataliputra. Outside this imperial centre, the empire's geographical extent was dependent on the loyalty of military commanders who controlled the armed cities scattered within it. During Ashoka's rule, the empire briefly controlled the major urban hubs and arteries of the Indian subcontinent excepting the deep south. It declined for about 50 years after Ashoka's rule, and dissolved in 185 BCE with the assassination of Brihadratha by Pushyamitra Shunga and foundation of the Shunga dynasty in Magadha.
Kaurvaki was the "Second Queen Consort" of the third Mauryan emperor, Ashoka. She was Ashoka's fourth wife and 2nd chief empress consort. She was the mother of Ashoka's fourth son, Prince Tivala.
A chakravarti is an ideal universal ruler, in the history, religion, and mythologies of India. The concept is present in Indian subcontinent cultural traditions, narrative myths and lore. There are three types of chakravarti: chakravala chakravarti, an emperor who rules over all four of the continents ; dvipa chakravarti, a ruler who governs only one of those continents; and pradesha chakravarti, a monarch who leads the people of only a part of a continent, the equivalent of a local king. Dvipa chakravarti is particularly one who rules the entire Indian subcontinent (as in the case of the Mauryan Empire. The first references to a Chakravala Chakravartin appear in monuments from the time of the early Maurya Empire, in the 4th to 3rd century BCE, in reference to Chandragupta Maurya and his grandson Ashoka.
Dhana Nanda, according to the Buddhist text Mahabodhivamsa, was the last ruler of the Nanda dynasty of ancient India. He was the youngest son of Mahapadma Nanda.
Susima was the crown prince of the Maurya Empire of ancient India and the eldest son and heir-apparent of the second Mauryan emperor Bindusara. He was next in line for his father's throne, but was defeated in a succession conflict by his younger half-brother, Ashoka, who eventually succeeded Bindusara as the third Mauryan emperor.
Chandragupta is a board wargame designed by Stephen R. Welch and released in 2008 by GMT Games as part of the Great Battles of History (GBoH) series of games on ancient warfare. Chandragupta simulates battles fought by the Mauryan Dynasty in ancient India, and in so doing, attempts to illuminate the features, challenges, and unique attributes of the Indian military system and culture during this period.
Yashashri Masurkar is an Indian actress and voice artist known for her work in Hindi television productions. She is best known for her aplaying the role of Kanak in Star One's drama series Rang Badalti Odhani which was her acting debut. Yashashri has also been part of various other shows, including Sanskaar – Dharohar Apnon Ki, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, and Krishnadasi. Additionally, she participated in Bigg Boss Marathi 4.
Tej Sapru is an Indian actor. He is the son of D. K. Sapru and Hemvati, both of whom were actors in the Hindi film industry. He has appeared in a number of Bollywood films of between the 1980s and 2010s, including Tridev, Tezaab,Gupt, Mohra, Sirf Tum and Saajan, Aarzoo. He is also known for his roles in popular television series such as Qubool Hai, Saat Phere – Saloni Ka Safar, Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli and Zee Horror Show.
Siddharth Nigam is an Indian actor who works in Indian television and films. He is known for his role as young Sahir and Samar in Dhoom 3, young Mauryan prince Ashoka in Colors TV's Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, Prince Bindusara in StarPlus's Chandra Nandini and Aladdin in Sony SAB's Aladdin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga.
The information about Mother of Ashoka The Great, the 3rd Mauryan emperor of ancient India, varies between different sources. Ashoka's own inscriptions and the main texts that provide information about his life do not name his mother. The Asokavadanamala names her Subhadrangi, while Vamsatthapakasini calls her Dharma. Different texts variously describe her as a Brahmin or a Kshatriya.
Chandra Nandini is an Indian Hindi-language historical fictional drama television series which aired on Star Plus from 10 October 2016 until 10 November 2017. It was produced by Ekta Kapoor under her banner Balaji Telefilms and directed by Ranjan Kumar Singh. Starring Rajat Tokas as Chandragupta Maurya and Shweta Basu Prasad as a princess Nandni, the story is loosely based on the life of Chandragupta Maurya.
Samrat Ashoka is a 1992 Indian Telugu-language historical drama film produced and directed by N. T. Rama Rao under his Ramakrishna Horticultural Cine Studios banner. It stars Rama Rao and Vani Viswanath, with music composed by M. S. Viswanathan.
Chandragupta Maurya is an Indian historical television show that aired on Sony TV from 14 November 2018 to 30 August 2019. Written by Raj Routh, the show is based on the life of Chandragupta Maurya, the first Mauryan emperor and founder of the Maurya Empire. The show is produced by Siddharth Kumar Tewary's One Life Studios.
Rakshasa is a character in the ancient Indian Sanskrit-language play Mudrarakshasa. In the play, he holds the post of Amatya in the Nanda and Maurya courts of Magadha. Originally a minister of the Nanda king, he escapes during Chandragupta Maurya's conquest of the Nanda empire. He then makes several attempts to overthrow Chandragupta, but each time, he is outsmarted by Chandragupta's advisor Chanakya. Finally, he agrees to give up the resistance, and accepts the post of amatya in the Maurya court.
Pracchand Ashok is an Indian Hindi-language historical fictional drama television series that aired from 6 February 2024 to 29 March 2024 on Colors TV and JioCinema. It was produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor under their banner Balaji Telefilms and is directed by Santram Verma. Starring Adnan Khan as Samrat Ashok and Mallika Singh as Rajkumari Kaurvaki, the story-line is loosely based on the life of Samrat Ashok.
