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The Fall of the Maurya Empire - The Shunga Coup of 185 BCE

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In 185 BCE, one of ancient India's greatest empires—the Maurya Dynasty—met its abrupt and violent end when its last ruler, Brihadratha Maurya, was assassinated by his own general, Pushyamitra Shunga, who then established the Shunga Empire. This marked the end of nearly 140 years of Mauryan dominance over much of the Indian subcontinent.

Background: The Decline of the Mauryas

The Maurya Empire, founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE and expanded by Ashoka the Great (r. 268-232 BCE), had once stretched from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal and down to the Deccan. However, after Ashoka's death, the empire weakened due to:
- Administrative decentralization - Provincial governors grew more independent.
- Economic strain - The cost of maintaining a vast empire and bureaucracy took its toll.
- Military weakening - The Mauryan army, once formidable, lost its edge.

By the time of Brihadratha Maurya (the last Mauryan emperor), the empire had shrunk considerably, with much of its former territory slipping out of central control.

The Coup: Pushyamitra's Rise to Power

According to the Buddhist text Ashokavadana and the Hindu Puranas, Pushyamitra Shunga, the commander-in-chief of the Mauryan army, staged a dramatic coup:
- During a military parade, Pushyamitra publicly assassinated Brihadratha while the king was inspecting his troops.
- He then declared himself king, establishing the Shunga Dynasty (185-73 BCE).
- The coup was likely supported by Brahmins and military elites who resented the later Mauryas' perceived weakness and possible favoritism toward Buddhism.

Aftermath {content}amp; Legacy

• The Shungas moved the capital from Pataliputra (modern Patna) to Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh).
  
• They ruled a smaller kingdom, primarily in the Ganges heartland, and faced invasions from the Greeks (Indo-Greeks) in the northwest.
  
• Pushyamitra is often depicted in Buddhist texts as a persecutor of Buddhists (though this claim is debated by historians).
  
• The coup marked the end of India's first major centralized empire, leading to regional fragmentation before the rise of the Gupta Empire centuries later.

Conclusion:
The overthrow of the Mauryas in 185 BCE was not just a palace coup but a turning point in Indian history—shifting power from a pan-Indian empire to a more fragmented political landscape. The Shungas, though short-lived, played a key role in shaping post-Mauryan India.

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