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What will we learn

What are Mahajanapadas?
What are 16 Mahajanapadas? Lets know all the details
Which was the most powerful Mahajanapadas?
What is the difference between Janapada and Mahajanapadas?

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Mahajanpadas were formed sixth century BC onward.

The most prominent feature of Mahajanpadas is the formation of states.

With the rise of Mahajanpadas , the political history of North India became clearer.

16 Mahajanpadas had both republics and monarchies

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What were Janpadas

The Aryans were the most powerful tribes of the time, and they were referred to as 'Janas.’ The Janapadas were the main kingdoms of Vedic India.

Janapada, which means "people" and "foot," By the sixth century BCE, there were possibly 22 distinct Janapadas.

Rather than the tribe or jana, the residents formed a strong connection to the land or Janapada to which they belonged.

This is also considered the second urbanisation era, after the Harappan civilisation.

Socioeconomic achievements, notably the use of iron instruments in agriculture and warfare, as well s religious and political advances, resulted in the establishment of the Mahajanapadas from small kingdoms known as Janapadas.

The political centre shifted from the west to the east of the Indo-Gangetic plains during this period.

The land had higher land fertility as a result of increased rainfall and rivers was linked to this. Hence, this area was also closer to iron-producing areas.

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Later Vedic period saw the start of many Janapadas and Mahajanapadas

Vedic Literature mention 9 Janapadas
Andhras
Pulindas
Sabaras
Pundaras

6^th Century BC Panini mentions 22 different Janapadas .

Important ones as Magadha Kosala and Vatsa .

Present study is based on Buddhist and Jain Literature , which presents a list of 16 Mahajanapadas

( It is believed that growth of eastern UP and western Bihar is completely linked with the Mahajanapadas)

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According to Anguttara Nikaya

ANGA

CAPITAL : Champa (confluence of the Ganga and Champa rivers).

(Important towns being Monghyr and Bhagalpur)

The Mahabharata and Atharva Veda both mention Anga Mahajanapada.
It was seized by the Magadha Empire under the reign of Bimbisara.
It is found in modern-day Bihar and West Bengal.

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2) MAGADH

Capital : Rajagriha or Girivaj.

Important towns : Patna, Gaya and parts of Shahabad

The Atharva Veda mentions Magadha.
It was near Anga in modern-day Bihar, separated by the Champa River.
Later, Magadha became a Jain centre, and Rajagriha hosted the first Buddhist Council.

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3) VAJJI

Capital: Vaisali

Confederacy of 8 Republican tribes , situated to the N of the River Ganga in Bihar

The Vajjis ruled the state north of the Ganga in the Tirhut division.
The most powerful clans were the Lichchhavis (Capital – Vaishali), Videhans (Capital – Mithila), and Jnatrikas (based in Kundapura).
Mahavira was a member of the Jnatrikas clan.
Ajatashatru triumphed over the Vajjis.

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4) Malla

Capital: Kusinara and Pawa

Includes modern districts of Deoria, Basti, Gorakhpur and Siddharthnagar in E U.P

It is mentioned in Buddhist and Jain scriptures, as well as in the Mahabharata.
Malla was a democratic republic.
Its territory extended to the Vajji state's northern boundary.
Kusinara and Pava are the capitals.
Both capitals are significant in Buddhist history. The Buddha ate his final supper at Pava before entering Mahaparinirvana in Kusinara.

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5) Kasi

Capital: Varanasi

According to the Matsya Purana, this city was named after the rivers Varuna and Asi.
Kosala apprehended Kasi.

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6) Kosala

Capital Shravasti (northern)

Kushavati (southern Sravasti

Includes modern districts of Faizabad, Gond , Bahraich.

It was in Uttar Pradesh's current Awadh area.
Ayodhya, a significant city linked with the Ramayana, was also included in the territory.
Kosala also includes the tribal republican territory of Kapilavastu's Sakyas.
Gautama Buddha was born at Kapilavastu in Lumbini.
Prasenjit (Buddha's contemporaries) was also an important ruler.

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7) Vatsa

Capital : Kausambi (at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna).

Includes modern districts of Allahabad and Mirzapur.

Vatsa is often spelled Vamsa, located on the banks of Yamuna.
This Mahajanapada was governed in a monarchical manner, but commercially an important city. In the sixth century, trade and commerce flourished.
Following Buddha's ascension, the monarch Udayana established Buddhism as a state religion.

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8) Chedi

Capital: Shuktimati

Includes modern districts of Bundelkhand ( Central India)

This is mentioned in the Rigveda.
Shishupala was the King. During the Rajasuya sacrifice of Pandava monarch Yudhishthira, he was murdered by Vasudeva Krishna.

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9) Kuru

Capital : Indraprastha

Includes modern Haryana and Delhi area to the west of River Yamuna

Kuru Mahajanapada was probably born in the vicinity of Kurukshetra.
It adopted a republican form of government.
The Mahabharata, an epic poem, describes a war between two branches of the ruling Kuru clan.

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10) Panchala

Capital: Ahichhatra and Kampilya

(Its capital for northern Panchala was Ahichhatra (modern Bareilly), and its capital for southern Panchala was Kampilya (modern Farrukhabad).

Covering the area of W U.P up to the east of River Yamuna up to Kosala Janapada

Kanauj, the famed city, was located in the Kingdom of Panchala.

Later, the form of government changed from monarchy to republic.

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11) Surasena

Capital: Mathura was located on the banks of the Yamuna.

Covering Brij Mandal

During Megasthenes' time, this location was a centre of Krishna devotion.
The disciples of the Buddha also held sway. Awantipura is a powerful king (Disciple of Buddha).

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12) MATSYA

Viratanagara was the capital (modern Bairat).

Covering the area of Alwar, Bharatpur and Jaipur in Rajasthan.

It lay to the west of the Panchalas and to the south of the Kurus.
Founder – Virata

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13) Avanti

Capital: Ujjayini (Northern Part )and Mahishmati (Southern Part)

Covering area of Modern Malwa. It was located in what is now Malwa and Madhya Pradesh.

Avanti had an important role in the emergence of Buddhism.
Pradyota was a powerful king.

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14) Ashmaka

Capital Potana, Poonch

Area between River Narmada and Godavari

It was on the banks of the Godavari and the only Mahajanapada in Dakshinapatha, located south of the Vindhya Range.
It includes the Pratisthan or Paithan area.

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15) Gandhara

Capital: Taxila

Area covering modern Peshawar and Rawalpindi, Pakistan, as well as the Kashmir valley.

The Atharva Veda also mentions Gandhara. The people were well-versed in the art of fighting.
It was noteworthy in terms of international trade.
Pushkarasarin is a powerful king.
Later, Gandhara was captured by the Persians in the late sixth century BCE.

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16) Kamboja

Capital : Poonch

Covering modern districts of Hazara district of Pakistan

It is located in modern-day Kashmir and the Hindukush.
Kamboja was a republic, according to several literary sources.
Kambojas had an exceptional horse breed

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Drawbacks

The list leaves out vast areas of Bengal and E India, practically the whole of South India
Maha Govinda Sutta of Digha Nikaya

Describes the shape of India as rectangular in the North and Triangular in the South , just like a bullock cart

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Buddhist Nikayas

They mention 5 fold divisions.

Uttarapatha (NW)

Madhyadesha

(Central)

Prachi

(East)

Dakshinapath

(South)

Apranta

(West)

It confirms that geographical unity of India had been visualised before 6^th Century B.C

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Magadh emerges as the most powerful .

Magadha faced competition from Avanti, Kosala, and Vatsa for supremacy.

However, over the years (600-400 BC), Magadha gained sovereignty and became the most powerful Mahajanapadas.

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