On 1st May is Moryan Emperor CHANDAGUTTA’S JAYANTI.

The Buddhist Emperor, Chandagutta (Pali), known to the Greeks as Sandrocottus (later Sanskritised to Chandragupta Maurya), born in Pataliputta (modern day Patna), was the grandfather of Asoka-The-Great. He was the first person to unite all the lands of the Moryan Empire into one administrative unit, effectively sowing the seeds for Akhand Jambudeep (Bharat), which Asoka The Great further expanded.

1st May is the birth anniversary of this Great Buddhist Emperor believed to be born in 350BC and died 295 BC in Chandagiri, Karnataka.

After Alexander’s death, his Greek general, ‘Seleucus The First’ controlled Afghanistan and most of Persia. Seleucus, looking to expand the Greek empire further east, waged war on Chandagutta. Chandagutta gave 500 elephant to Seleucus as a sign of his friendship and married his daughter Helena who was a lover of ancient Indian music. In return Seleucus gifted Chandagutta the land that is now Iran and Afghanistan. Helena is sometimes called mother of Chandagutta’s son Bindusara but his first wife, Durdhara, is more often given this role. Some Buddhists believe that the name Durga maybe derived from Durdhara. Chandagutta abdicated his throne in favour of his son, Bindusara (father of Asoka) and spend the rest of his days in meditative contemplation.

Chandagutta’s empire is known as the MORYAN EMPIRE because MOR (a peacock) was chosen by him to be the totem of his empire. The surname Maurya is a 20th century surname and no record of it is found prior to that.

HAPPY CHANDAGUTTA JAYANTI

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[Ref: Encyclopedia Britannica and Indica, the accounts of Greek historian Megasthenes (died 290 BC) who witnessed the reign of Chandagutta].

Megasthenes also mentions the Moryan Navy in his book, Indica. He stated that the Moryan Navy was the largest in the world at that time, with over 500 ships. The ships were used for both trade and for military purposes. The Moryan Navy was instrumental in helping the Moryan Empire expand its territory and maintain control over its vast empire.