Dhana Nanda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dhana Nanda
Dhana Nanda's empire
Emperor of Magadha
Reign	c. 329 BC – 321 BC
Predecessor	Kaivarta
Successor	Dynasty abolished (Chandragupta Maurya as Mauryan emperor)
Died	c. 321 BC
Dynasty	Nanda
Father	Mahapadma Nanda

Dhana Nanda (died around 321 BCE) was the last king of the Nanda dynasty in ancient India. He was the youngest son of King Mahapadma Nanda.

A powerful leader named Chandragupta Maurya gathered an army. This army eventually took over the Nanda capital city, Pataliputra, and defeated Dhana Nanda. His defeat meant the end of the Nanda Empire. It also marked the beginning of the mighty Maurya Empire.

Different historical stories tell us about Dhana Nanda. Some ancient texts call him "Nanda." Greek and Roman writers called him Agrammes or Xandrames. These writers say that Alexander the Great's soldiers refused to fight Dhana Nanda's large army. This shows how powerful Dhana Nanda's empire was.

The Story from Buddhist Texts

Buddhist writings, like the Mahāvaṃsa, mention nine Nanda kings. They say these kings were all brothers and ruled one after another for 22 years. The first king was Ugrasena, and the last was Dhana Nanda.

The Buddhist story tells us that Dhana Nanda once insulted a wise man named Chanakya. This happened during a ceremony. Dhana Nanda ordered Chanakya to be thrown out because of his appearance. Chanakya then swore to get revenge on the king.

Chanakya managed to escape and became friends with the king's son, Pabbata. He tried to convince Pabbata to take the throne. Chanakya also used a clever trick to make money. He could turn one coin into eight coins. He used this wealth to build an army.

Chanakya looked for a new leader to replace Dhana Nanda. He chose Chandragupta Maurya, who came from an old royal family. Chanakya trained Chandragupta for seven years. When Chandragupta was ready, Chanakya used his wealth to gather an army.

This army first attacked Dhana Nanda's capital. But they were defeated and had to scatter. Chandragupta and Chanakya then raised a new army. They started by capturing smaller villages near the borders. Slowly, they moved towards the Nanda capital, Pataliputra. Finally, they defeated and killed Dhana Nanda. Chanakya found the king's hidden treasure. He then made Chandragupta the new king.

Other Ancient Stories

Jain Tradition

The Jain tradition has a similar story. It also talks about Chanakya and a Nanda king, but doesn't use the name "Dhana Nanda." In this version, Chanakya felt insulted by a servant of the king. He then promised to bring down the Nanda dynasty. He found and guided Chandragupta. Together, they built an army and defeated the Nanda forces.

However, the Jain story says the Nanda king was allowed to leave his capital alive. The king's daughter fell in love with Chandragupta and married him.

Greco-Roman Accounts

Greek writers called Alexander the Great's Indian opponent Agrammes or Xandrames. Historians believe this was the last Nanda king. The name "Agrammes" might come from a Sanskrit word meaning "son of Ugrasena." Ugrasena was the first Nanda king in Buddhist stories.

These Greek and Roman accounts suggest the Nanda dynasty had only two kings. They say the first king was a barber who became king. His son was later overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya.

Indian kings like Porus the Elder told Alexander that Agrammes was not popular with his people. The Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus wrote about Agrammes's huge army. It had 200,000 foot soldiers, 20,000 horsemen, 2,000 chariots, and 3,000 elephants. The Greek accounts describe Agrammes as the ruler of the Ganges valley and the eastern regions. When Alexander's soldiers heard about this powerful Nanda army, they refused to fight. This made Alexander turn back from India.

All historical accounts agree that the last Nanda king was not well-liked by his subjects. People thought he was not a good ruler. The Sri Lankan Buddhist tradition says the Nanda kings were greedy and charged too many taxes. The Puranas from India also describe the Nandas as not following righteous conduct.