The city of Pataliputra or Palibothra, the capital of the Nandas, was
situated not far from the confluence of the Ganges and the Sone; and was
on the southern side of the rivers. Nanda, the last king of the Nanda
line, had for his minister the able and experienced Rakshasa.
Chandragupta also called Vrishala and Maurya is identical with
Sandrakottus represented by the Greek writers as the most powerful Raja
in India at the time of Alexander the Great's death. He was a sovereign
of dignity and strength of character and had a high respect for his
minister Chanakya, the Indian Macchiavelli, who was a crafty,
clearheaded, self-confident, intriguing and hard politician, with the
ultimate end of his ambition thoroughly well-determined and directing
all his clearheadedness and intrigue to the accomplishment of that end.
This minister, also called Vishnugupta, is famous as a writer on _Nity_
or "rules of government and polity", and the reputed author of numerous
moral and political precepts commonly current in India. Nanda is slain
by the contrivances of this wily Brahman, who thus assists Chandragupta
to the throne, and becomes his minister. Rakshasa refuses to recognise
the usurper and endeavours to be avenged on him for the ruin of his late
master.
After the assassination of Nanda, Servarthasiddhi is placed on the
throne by Rakshasa but he retires to a life of devotion. Saileswara or
Parvataka or Parvateswara, the king of the Mountains, at first the ally
of Chandragupta, afterwards befriended his opponents and is therefore
slain privily by Chanakya. Vairodhaka, the brother of Parvataka, is
killed by Rakshasa's emissaries by mistake for Chandragupta.
Malayaketu, the son of Parvataka, is a prince whose confidence and
distrust are alike misplaced, who is thoughtless, suspicious, wanting in
dignity, and almost child-like, not to say childish. He leads an army
against Chandragupta but without success. He is so rash and
inconsiderate as to resolve most hastily to undertake war against five
kings at a time.
Rakshasa is a brave soldier but a blundering and somewhat soft-natured
politician, whose faithfulnesss to his original master Nanda prompts him
to wreak vengeance on Chandragupta and Chanakya. He has ultimately to
abandon in despair his self-imposed task, the great aim of his life,
being foiled by the arts of his adversary Chanakya. The proximate motive
of the abandonment, however, is the duty of repaying favours received by
him when he was engaged in his attempts at vengeance. He accidentally
acquires a ring.
Chanakya, whose ability and diplomatic skill are of a high order, lays
out various plottings and machinations to make Chandragupta the
paramount sovereign in India, by winning over the noble Rakshasa to his
master's cause. He tries successfully to effect a reconciliation between
his protegé, and Rakshasa. With this view Rakshasa is rendered by the
contrivances of Chanakya an object of suspicion to the prince Malyaketu
with whom he has taken refuge and is consequently dismissed by him.
In this deserted condition he learns the imminent danger of a dear
friend Chandandasa whom Chanakya is about to put to death, and in order
to effect his liberation surrenders himself to his enemies.
They offer him, contrary to his expectations, the rank and power of
Prime Minister, and the parties are finally friends.
The Nanda dynasty thus comes to an end and Chandragupta becomes the
founder of the Maurya dynasty.
A curious scene in the last Act may be noticed here. A Chandala or
executioner leads a criminal to the place of execution. The latter bears
a stake (_Sula_) on his shoulder, and is followed by his wife and son
who use no expressions suggestive of tenderness but only of sacrifice--a
stern sense of duty. At the impending execution of her husband, she
neither faints nor becomes disconsolate but simply weeps and talks of
her duty.
The executioner calls out--"Make way, make way, good people! let every
one who wishes to preserve his life, his property, or his family, avoid
transgressing against the king as he would, poison." This criminal is
Chandan Das who is put into chains with a view to force his friend
Rakshsa to yield. He gives up his life and property for the sake of his
friend Rakshasa. This conduct is described as casting into the shade the
noble acts of even the Buddhas.