Chandragupta Maurya And Kautilya

Exam-Oriented Q&A

Q1: Who authored the Arthashastra and when was it composed?
Answer: Kautilya (Chanakya), around the 4th century BCE under the Mauryan court.

Q2: How did Kautilya aid Chandragupta in establishing the Mauryan Empire?
Answer: By mentoring him, planning the overthrow of the Nanda dynasty, and serving as prime minister to centralize administration.

Q3: What is the Saptanga theory in the Arthashastra?
Answer: The seven elements of the state: ruler, ministers, fortified capital, territory, treasury, army, and allies.

Q4: What administrative system did Chandragupta adopt from Kautilya’s teachings?
Answer: A hierarchical bureaucracy with standardized revenue systems and an intelligence network.

Q5: How did the Arthashastra influence later Indian political thought?
Answer: It provided a comprehensive manual on governance and realpolitik that informed medieval and modern rulers.