54 



SIR ANDREW WINGATE, K.C.I.E., ON INDIA. 



and reached Taxila (now Hasan Abdul) some twenty miles 

 north-west of Rawalpindi. Taxila was the capital of a kingdom 

 between the Indus and the Jhelum; a wealthy, cultured city 

 with a mixed population. Alexander was received with gifts 

 and advanced against Porus, another king, ruling between the 

 Jhelum and the Chenab. At this time, the Panjab was divided 

 among a number of States, much as Rajputana is to-day. The 

 army of King Porus was well-appointed, and represents the 

 struggle for existence of the period. It comprised 30,000 

 infantry, 4000 cavalry, 300 chariots and 200 war elephants. 

 Alexander prevailed after a stiff battle, and fought his way to 

 the Beas River. His soldiers, impressed by the tall stature and 

 military prowess of the men of the Panjab, refused to penetrate 

 farther, and Alexander was compelled to retreat by way of the 

 Jhelum and the Indus, across South Beluchistan, back to Persia. 

 He died at Babylon in 323 B.C. 



His invasion furnished opportunity for the overthrow of the 

 Nanda dynasty, which had been for a long time reigning in 

 Magadha, a city already mentioned in connection with the 

 Jains and Buddhists. A young adventurer, Chandragupta 

 Maurya, aided by a clever Brahman, Chanakya, seized Pataliputra 

 (Patna), the capital of Magadha, in 322 B.C., drove out the 

 Macedonian garrisons from the Panjab, and compelled Seleukos. 

 Alexander's successor in Asia, to cede Afghanistan. Chandragupta 

 reigned with " ruthless severity " from 322 to 298 B.C. over all 

 North India from Herat to Patna, the Narbada being his 

 southern boundary. Dr. V. Smith emphasizes the appalling 

 wickedness of the statecraft taught by Chanakya and the 

 espionage and corruption which tainted the administration. 



Alexander had broken the fighting strength of the Panjab 

 kingdoms which rendered possible this rapid extension of the 

 Magadha State under what is known as the Maurya Dynasty. 

 Chandragupta was succeeded by his son, Bindusara (298-273 B.C.), 

 and he by his son, the famous Asoka (273-242 B.C.). The army 

 was large, composed of some 700,000 infantry, with 8000 

 chariots and 9000 elephants, clad in mair, representing the modern 

 " Tank." The Maurya kings emulated the Persian monarchs 

 and lived in much splendour. Gladiatorial combats and animal 

 fights were the cruel amusements, as indeed they long continued. 

 Dancing girls occupied as prominent a place then as now, though 

 we recollect the noble answer given not long ago by the Mysore 

 Government to the temple priests, that uncleanness could form 



