Magadha

Magadha was an ancient Indian kingdom located in southern northeastern India and Nepal.It was succeeded by the Magadhan Empire . Over time, Magadha lost some of its lands to the Satavahanas in 28 BC and became a smaller principality.

During the time of the Mauryas, Magadha became a large empire, covering a big part of north India and Nepal. Magadha was central to the Nanda Empire, Maurya Empire, Shunga Empire, and Gupta Empire. The Pala Empire also ruled over Magadha and had a royal camp in Pataliputra. Even after the major empires, the Pithipatis of Bodh Gaya continued to call themselves Magadhādipati and ruled parts of Magadha until the 13th century.

 Area of Magadha 
Before Magadha expanded, its kingdom was limited by the Ganges, Son, and Campā rivers to the north, west, and east, while the southern border was formed by the eastern spurs of the Vindhya mountains. This initial Magadha kingdom covered what is now Patna and Gaya districts in the Indian state of Bihar.Raychaudhuri, Hemchandra (1953). Political History of Ancient India: From the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of Gupta Dynasty. University of Calcutta. pp. 110–118.

Greater Magadha, which was part of the eastern Gangetic plains, included nearby areas and parts of Nepal, and had its own unique culture and beliefs.

 History 
The Magadha people are mentioned in ancient texts like the Atharvaveda along with other groups. The main part of their kingdom was in Bihar, south of the Ganges River. Their first capital was Rajagriha, later known as Rajgir, and then Pataliputra, which is modern Patna. Magadha grew by conquering Vajjika League and Anga, covering most of Bihar and parts of Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal.

The kingdom is talked about in Jain and Buddhist texts, as well as in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Puranas. The early rulers are not well-known, but the Haryanka dynasty led for about 200 years from 543 to 413 BCE. Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, lived in Magadha, gaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya and giving his first sermon in Sarnath.

The Haryanka dynasty was followed by the Shishunaga dynasty, and later, Mahapadma Nanda ended their rule in 345 BCE. Chandragupta Maurya defeated the Nandas around 321 BCE, starting the Mauryan Empire. Under King Ashoka, it expanded across India. After the Mauryan Empire, the Shunga and Khārabēḷa empires followed, replaced by the Gupta Empire. The Gupta capital remained in Pataliputra in Magadha.Tenzin Tharpa, Tibetan Buddhist Essentials: A Study Guide for the 21st Century: Volume 1: Introduction, Origin, and Adaptation, p.31

 List of rulers 

Following is the Chronology of rulers according to the Buddhist Mahavamsa:

Haryanka dynasty ( – 413 BCE)
+List of Haryanka dynasty rulersRulerReign (BCE) Bimbisara  544–491 BCE Ajatashatru  491–461 BCE Udayin  461–428 BCE Anirudha  428–419 BCE Munda  419–417 BCE Darshaka  417–415 BCE Nāgadāsaka  415–413 BCE

Shishunaga dynasty ( – 345 BCE)
+List of Shishunga dynasty rulersRulerReign (BCE) Shishunaga  413–395 BCE Kalashoka  395–377 BCE Kshemadharman  377–365 BCE Kshatraujas  365–355 BCE Nandivardhana  355–349 BCE Mahanandin  349–345 BCE

Nanda Empire ()
+List of Nanda dynasty rulersRulerReign (BCE) Mahapadma Nanda  345–340 BCE Pandhukananda  340–339 BCE Panghupatinanda  339–338 BCE Bhutapalananda  338–337 BCE Rashtrapalananada  337–336 BCE Govishanakananda  336–335 BCE Dashasidkhakananda  335–334 BCE Kaivartananda  334–333 BCE Karvinathanand  333–330 BCE Dhana Nanda  330–322 BCE

 References 

Category:History of India
Category:History of Nepal
Category:Establishments in Asia
Category:Disestablishments in Asia
Category:Former empires
Category:Former countries in South Asia