- "It is not enough to lead your people. Rather, you must lead as though you are your people."
Chandragupta Maurya (340 – 293 BC) was the founder of the Maurya Empire, the first empire to unite most of Ancient India, over which he reigned from 321 to 297 BC, when he abdicated the throne to his son Bindusara and allegedly became an ascetic Jain monk until his death. He leads the Indians in Civilization VI: Rise and Fall.
Chandragupta represents a less peaceful side of India, not afraid to be on the offense, expanding its borders into foreign lands.
Intro[]
Trust your ambition, Chandragupta, for it led you to unify all of India. Unleash war elephants upon any rival who curses your name, proud Mauryan king. Once you reclaim the land for your people, your stepwells shall see it flourish. May the borders of your empire expand forever.
In-Game[]
Chandragupta's unique agenda is Maurya Empire. He wants to expand his empire and dislikes civilizations that have cities near his borders.
His leader ability is Arthashastra. He can declare a War of Territorial Expansion after discovering Military Training, and receives +2 Movement and +5 Combat Strength for the first 10 turns after doing so.
Detailed Approach[]
Early access to the Territorial Expansion casus belli is Chandragupta's main advantage, so completing the Military Training civic is essential before mounting your attacks against your foreign neighbors. Preparedness is key in order to truly take advantage of his Arthashastra ability, crushing your foes swiftly with superior strength and faster movement. India's religious strengths should not be ignored, as conquering cities with other dominant religions makes it easier to spread those religions throughout his empire and taking advantage of the follower beliefs they provide.
Lines[]
Chandragupta is voiced by Sahil Vaidya. He speaks Pali, but the language is poorly translated. He also refers to India as Jambudipa and uses some very distinctive Bengali pronunciations, such as "durattho" as the word for "distance" and ng for the accusative m at the end of a word.
Voiced[]
Codename | Quote (English translation) | Quote (Pali) | Notes |
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Agenda-based Approval | The best neighbors are distant ones. Right now, you are India's best neighbor. | Yo durattho uttamo paṭivassako. Idāni tvameva jambudīpassa uttamo paṭivassako. | |
Agenda-based Disapproval | There is no distance between our lands. My people are forced to endure the stench of your own. | Tathaṃ natthi antara amhākaṃ bhūmiyā. Mama pajā tvameva pūtigandhassa balanto adhivasetam. | |
Attacked | India does not fear war. The most you can do is slow our rightful advance. | Jambudīpaṃ yuddhassa na bhayaṃ. Adhikatto, tvaṃ amhākaṃ ñāyānugata vaḍḍhita sanikaṃ ganissasi. | |
Declares War | Your territory could be much improved under Indian rule. Best I see it through. | Tvameva janapado abhivaḍḍhissi bahutaraṃ jambudīpassa sāsane. Uttamo iminā ahaṃ vassāmi. | |
Defeated | You learned my own lessons far too well. I instructed you in my own demise. | 𑀫𑀫 𑀉𑀧𑀤𑁂𑀲𑁄 𑀘 𑀢𑁆𑀯𑀁 𑀲𑁄 𑀲𑀺𑀓𑁆𑀔𑀺𑀢 𑀅𑀥𑀺𑀓𑀜𑁆𑀘 𑀲𑀸𑀥𑀼𑀜𑁆𑀘𑁈 𑀫𑀫 𑀫𑀭𑀡𑀲𑁆𑀲 𑀓𑀸𑀮𑁂 𑀅𑀳𑀁 𑀢𑁆𑀯𑀁 𑀘 𑀲𑀺𑀓𑁆𑀔𑀸𑀧𑁂𑀢𑁂𑁈
Mama upadeso ca tvaṃ so sikkhita adhikañca sādhuñca. Mama maraṇassa kāle ahaṃ tvaṃ ca sikkhāpete. |
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Greeting | I am Chandragupta, Mauryan emperor of unified India. No, it has not gone to my head. | 𑀅𑀔𑀡𑁆𑀟 𑀚𑀫𑁆𑀩𑀼𑀤𑀻𑀧𑀲𑁆𑀲 𑀫𑁅𑀭𑁆𑀬𑀲𑁆𑀲 𑀅𑀥𑀺𑀭𑀸𑀚, 𑀅𑀳𑀁 𑀘𑀦𑁆𑀤𑁆𑀭𑀕𑀼𑀧𑁆𑀢𑁈 𑀦 𑀇𑀤𑀁 𑀫𑀫 𑀲𑀻𑀲𑁂 𑀅𑀦𑀼𑀧𑀯𑀺𑀲𑀺𑀢𑁆𑀣𑁈
Akhaṇḍa jambudīpassa mauryassa adhirāja, ahaṃ Chandragupta. Na idaṃ mama sīse anupavisittha. |
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Quote from Civilopedia | It is not enough to lead your people. Rather, you must lead as though you are your people. | 𑀫𑀸 𑀇𑀤𑀁 𑀅𑀮𑀁 𑀲𑀁𑀯𑀢𑁆𑀢𑀢𑀼𑀁 𑀢𑀼𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀸𑀓𑀁 𑀧𑀚𑀸𑀬. 𑀓𑀺𑀜𑁆𑀘 𑀢𑁆𑀫𑁂𑀏 𑀢𑀲𑁆𑀲 𑀧𑀚𑀸𑀬 𑀲𑀁𑀯𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁂𑀳𑀺 𑀏𑀯𑀁 𑀢𑁆𑀯𑀁 𑀅𑀢𑁆𑀣𑀺𑁈
Mā idaṃ alaṃ saṃvattatuṃ tumhākaṃ pajāya. Kiñca tvameva tassa pajāya saṃvattehi evaṃ tvaṃ atthi. |
This is probably inspired by a quote from Arthashastra (Book I, Chapter XIX), written in Sanskrit - "In the happiness of king's subjects lies his happiness; in their welfare his welfare; whatever pleases himself he shall not consider as good, but whatever pleases his subjects he shall consider as good."[1] Chanakya, the teacher and guardian of Chandragupta, is traditionally credited as the author of the text. |
Unvoiced[]
Delegation: Our delegation brings many gifts. Drink all the spiced buttermilk you desire! We can always send more.
Accepts Player's Delegation: I quite enjoyed hosting your delegation. They gave me much to consider about our mutual future.
Refuses Player's Delegation: Though I would be delighted to meet your delegation, I am occupied elsewhere. Another time!
Accepts Player's Declaration of Friendship: Truly, India has long thought the same of your people. To declare so publicly is a privilege.
Rejects Player's Declaration of Friendship: My people do not share my enthusiasm for our friendship. But they may warm to you, one day.
Requests Declaration of Friendship: India thinks highly of your people. With your permission, I will declare our mutual friendship to all.
Player Accepts Declaration of Friendship: I can respect that.
Trade Deal Accepted: A wise proposal!
Trade Deal Rejected: No. India would not benefit.
Denounced by Player: Though I ignore your cruel words, India will long remember them.
Denounces Player: You are an embarrassment to your people! You speak with two mouths, neither of them pleasant.
Invitation to Capital: We should speak of our capitals. Determine just how far we are from one another.
Invitation to City: You travel near Indian territory. Why not visit and relax at our grand stepwells?
Civilopedia entry[]
Rare is the conqueror whose name spans millennia. Rarer still is the strategist who is equally capable on the battlefield and the political arena. Rarest is the ruler who would willingly give away an empire. Of all three, there is only Chandragupta Maurya.
Born sometime in the 3rd Century BCE in what was the Magadha region of India, Chandragupta’s early life remains somewhat of a mystery. Though some accounts speak of his connection to a family with a noble warrior tradition, conflicting Greek accounts claimed he was born a commoner. Despite this confusion, Chandragupta quickly earned a reputation as a clever and charismatic man, so much so that the great Chanakya decided to mentor him. With support and advice of the legendary politician and philosopher, Chandragupta received a crash course in politics, the arts, and military tactics.
Chanakya’s education was all for a singular purpose: he hoped his pupil could challenge the Nanda dynasty, a government widely perceived as corrupt. Chandragupta proved worthy of his tutor’s confidence, for he soon raised an army. By 322 BCE he overthrew the Nanda, installed himself as ruler of the kingdom of Magadha, and established the Mauryan dynasty.
Chandragupta was never one to settle. His eye soon turned to the lands ostensibly held by the mighty successor states of Macedon. Although Alexander the Great had perished before Chandragupta’s ascent to the throne, his conquest of the Indus valley ostensibly left the local satrapies under Macedon’s control. It seems Chandragupta took issue with this, for he restored the conquered lands under his banner, annexed the Punjab, and kept going until he pressed against the borders of Persia—and into the eastern flank of Seleucus I Nicator, basileus of the newly formed Seleucid Empire, and Companion to Alexander himself.
The Seleucid-Mauryan War, lasting from 305 to 303 BCE, would end with Seleucus ceding Macedon’s Indian satrapies to the Mauryan king. To show there were no hard feelings, and knowing Seleucus cared more about his successor state rivals to his west and south, Chandragupta gifted 500 war elephants to the basileus—a perfect present for nearly any occasion.
All told, Chandragupta’s empire extended all the way from modern day Afghanistan to southern India. Yet conquest was not Chandragupta’s only strength. Throughout his reign, Chandragupta proved himself a canny ruler who cared deeply for his people—or at the very least, canny enough to imply such care through actions. He built roads, irrigation systems, and expanded trade routes to improve the lives of his people. He was also clever enough to ensure the loyalty of his soldiers by providing them finery and servants in their garrisons.
Chandragupta met the sage Bhadrabahu near the end of his life, who taught him the precepts of Jainism, a religion promoting spiritual enlightenment and nonviolence through ascetic living. Following this new code, Chandragupta abdicated his throne to his son, Bindusara. He sought enlightenment, going on a pilgrimage to a cave in southern India. There he meditated until his death, fulfilling his ultimate goal of spiritual purity by giving up literally everything—his throne, kingdom, riches, and even food.
However, Chandragupta’s death was not the end of his dynasty. The Mauryan Empire would last another century. Inspired by his actions, Chandragupta’s successors—especially his grandson, Ashoka—followed his combined examples of expansion and spiritual enlightenment.
Trivia[]
- Chandragupta's leader ability is named after a treatise on economics, statecraft, and military strategy written by his teacher and advisor Chanakya, while his leader agenda references his status as the founder of the Maurya Empire.
- Chandragupta's diplomacy screen features Swaminarayan Akshardham, a Hindu temple in Delhi. Funnily enough, the temple was only officially opened in 2005.
- Chandragupta's grandson, Ashoka, is one of the leaders to whom players can be compared on the Ranking screen (if their final score is 1,600-1,699 points). Ashoka was also an Indian leader in Civilization IV.
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Related achievements[]
A Burning Splendor
Win a regular game as Chandragupta
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I Thought We'd Moved Past This Joke
As Chandragupta, launch a nuclear weapon.
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References[]
See also[]
- Chandragupta (Maurya) in other games