Porus & Alexander

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Pranshu B Saxena

 

 

Hi,

 

about Porus (Parvataraja Paurava) and Alexander conflict. Paurava was

small king of kekaya

(or jallandhar Doab , i think). After the conflict which Greeks

probably won. Alexander instead of striking into now open gangetic

valley decided to assist Pauarava defeat his renegade nephew and then

turned south skirting the desert and moved towards what is now

Dipalpur, on to Multan.

 

The conflict might have taken a lot out of greeks.

Another legend that they were anxious to get home after a long

campaign would be sheer baloney. Most of Alexander 's troops were

from Bactria and Persia and not "twelve years" away from home.

again his officers were mainly greek and if they were homesick, how

come none of them went back home and settled in asia to find

kingdoms.

 

The legends on the other side point to Greeks scared of stories of

powerful eastern states of Gangahridaya (heart of ganga) and Prasii

(poorva or eastern, another explanation is Prachya or Panchala state

which would be bordering Delhi).

They were of course meaning the Powerful Nanda empire in case of

Ganga hridaya.

The very fact that Chandragupta was able to rally paurava, abhisara

and nieghbouring forces to his standard and attack and conquer

Magadha (which alexander did not try to attempt) within a year

indicates that Chandragupta had won renown on field of valor atleast.

he hailed from a republican community and to be elevated to

samratship indicates that his deeds were enough for the crowned kings

to accept his leadership. Of course, other republican communities

would have followed him because he was one of them.

 

Chandragupta might resisted the greeks and won the ultimate honors

through that path.

 

Panchala, kekaya , abhisara as states existed under otherwise

centralized mauryan empire and even outlasted it indicating that they

had a part to play in the early establishment of the Mauryan state.

 

also, Indian tradition points to Budhha's nirvana as 544 BC, the

piyadassi plate celebrating coronation is 218 years after nirvana.

One of names or titles of CG was priyadarshan, same as his grandson,

so if that plate is Chandragupta 's then he was crowned 326 BC justa

year after alexander fought paurava. The battles fought were many in

defeating the nanda armies and it involved

defections galore but those could be ongoing at time of alexander or

that capital fell first and nandas carried struggle afterwards.

 

Or that plate could be of Ashoka and refer to Chinese Nirvana date of

487 BC which has problems like ashoka was crowned 273 BC (mayhap a

four year civil war) and that means that naming imperial plates after

budhha 's years was standard practise which now mitigates against

theory of ashoka 's change of heart which happened around 261 BC

after kalinga conquest.

 

or Piyadassi might also be priya-das (as chandragupta might be to

chanakya or ashoka to Buddha /public). Traditions persist of strong

monastic support for Chandragupta (minister shaktar was jaina, his

son sthulabhadra became mendicant, of what sect is not specified),

which might have found expression in victory coronation plate

referring to Buddha.

 

all refers to probable quick downfall of nanda state just after

alexander left and as greeks credit his soldiers of being wary of

Nandas mean military position of Alexander was not very good.

It was'nt bad though they were molested on the way to the sea they

fought through.