Chandragupta disciple of Chanakya: Rich Son of Poor Dad

There are few people in the world who are born to a poor or ordinary parents but climbed to the summit. In my opinion Chandragupta, the Maurya, is foremost among them. Peeping into the ancient history of India we find his name possessing rarest qualities. He is the Hero of my story "Poor dad, Rich son".

He was born in the fourth century B.C. to an unknown parents and became the Emperor of Magadh (Bihar), the mightiest empire in the world.

Now we take a tour to the history of the then India and through that to his life.

The Nanda dynasty

Magadh (Presently in Bihar), a very powerful empire, was ruled by the Nanda dynasty for centuries. Dhanananda, the ninth emperor, was luxurious and unpopular among the people of Magadha. He, though mighty, had not been looking after the welfare of his citizens. However, he was involved in satisfying his own lust and luxury. He was truly a dictator and the people of Magadh were afraid of his tyrant behavior.

Once he badly insulted Chanakya, a Brahman scholar. Chanakya could not digest the great insult he faced in the court of Dhanananda. He took an oath to eradicate the dynasty from its root. He went to Takshasheela (Now in Afghanistan), far away from Pataliputra, the capital of Magadh. Pataliputra is now Patna in Bihar province of India.

Chanakya founded an institute their and started training the youths. He discovered the inbuilt talent (of a rich son) in a youth, Chandragupta. Chandragupta started learning every possible skills from his mentor Chanakya. It was a combination similar to that of Aristotle and Alexander the great in ancient Greece.

Chandragupta was an obedient and disciplined intellect with a great physique. He mastered arms and weapons very soon and then became expert in military strategy. He also learned political principles and diplomacy. Chandragupta was appointed leader of the newly organized army in the institute of Takshasheela.

Chandragupta, with his mentor,  attacked Magadha but defeated badly with the mighty forces of Dhanananda. Escaping from the battle field both Chanakya and Chandragupta roared about in disguise of ordinary Brahmans.

Once they came in to a village and started living with an old woman who had her only kid to be with her. The kid put his hands in the middle of a hot food stuff and burnt his hands during lunch. The old woman called her son to be as foolish as Chanakya. Chanakya was not only a scholar but a diplomat.

He asked the old woman, " Who is Chanakya? Why is he fool ?" The woman replied, "That foolish man attacked the center of the powerful dynasty and badly defeated. He should start conquering from the distant places and gradually increase power. While powerful enough to fight with the mighty he should attack the capital". Chanakya learned the greatest lesson of his life. He leaved the place thanking the old lady.

Both Chanakya and Chandragupta followed the strategy and finally defeated Dhanananda. Chandragupta became the Emperor of Magadha and declared his mentor Chanakya,  the Prime Minister.

Chandragupta was an enlightened Emperor. He founded the Mourya dynasty. He kept his citizens safe, wealthy and happy. Megasthenis, a Greek traveler, who came to visit his court, has written a description of his wealth, might and enlightenment. It was golden age of India. Chanakya was all along with him guiding and saving him from all dangers and evils.

Being old, Chandragupta, felt detachment from all earthly possessions and comforts. He, then Enthroned his son Bindusara and chosen to be a monk. (It is worth mention that Ashoka, the great was the son of Bindusara).

He went to Bhadrabahu Swami, the great Jain Acharya, and devoted himself to his Noble feet. He enchanted the tough vows of Jain monks and renunciated. He left his kingdom, his palace, his wealth, his family and started practicing the Noble path of Lord Mahavira, taught by his preacher.

Chandragupta, the Mourya, was truly a rich son of a poor dad. Historians even do not know his father's name. Born to unknown parents, he became the Emperor of the mightiest Empire in the world. More over he had shown the courage of a truly rich person to leave all these in search of eternal peace and devoted himself to the noble path taught by Lord Mahavira.

Bravo!!!

Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi produced a TV serial about Chanakya in the nineties (India). The serial hit the audience. However, it was an early age of TV in India and India had only government Chanel Doordarshan. Large numbers of Indian people didn't have access to television at that time.

Dr. Dwivedi is a learned man and conducted research on the life story of Chanakya. He made the serial truly historical. The TV serial was like a historical documentary. personally met him and he described how he created the serial. The serial was named "Chanakya".

A new TV serial has started last year namely Chandragupta Murya. Fortunately, most of the Indian households have access to TV and they can now enjoy the serial.