Mauryan State Support for Brahmanical Temples and Land Grants — Mauryan India (c.322–185 BCE)

1. Mauryan Empire consolidates a centralized revenue state

   Jan 1, 322 BCELabels: Chandragupta Maurya, Centralized state

   • Britannica
   • Britannica

2. Sohgaura copper plate records state famine relief system

   Jan 1, 300 BCELabels: Sohgaura copper, Famine relief

   • Sohgaura

3. Aśoka begins public inscription program across empire

   Jan 1, 268 BCELabels: A oka, Edict program

   • Ashoka
   • Thapar OUP

4. Rock Edict 11 endorses giving to Brahmanas and Sramanas

   Jan 1, 250 BCELabels: Rock Edict, Brahmanas

   • Major Edicts
   • Scroll

5. Rock Edict 12 promotes honoring all sects with gifts

   Jan 1, 249 BCELabels: Rock Edict, Religious gifts

   • Puratattva RE12
   • Ashoka

6. Lumbini (Rummindei) pillar inscription grants tax relief

   Jan 1, 249 BCELabels: Lumbini pillar, Tax relief

   • Rummindei text
   • Puratattva MPE

7. State support focuses more on Buddhist monuments than Brahmanical temples

   Jan 1, 240 BCELabels: Buddhist monuments, Sanchi

   • Sanchi
   • Thapar OUP

8. Mauryan “temple economy” remains hard to document epigraphically

   Jan 1, 230 BCELabels: Epigraphic record, Temple grants

   • Thapar SOAS
   • Major Edicts

9. Mauryan Empire declines and successor states reshape patronage

   Jan 1, 185 BCELabels: Mauryan decline, Successor states

   • Britannica
   • Thapar OUP

10. Early Vaishnavism inscriptions show new temple-building activity

    Jan 1, 100 BCELabels: Vaishnavism, Hathibada Ghosundi

    • Hathibada Ghosundi

11. Temple donations and images appear clearly in early Common Era inscriptions

    Jan 1, 15Labels: Mathura inscriptions, Temple images

    • Mora Well
    • Vasu Doorjamb

12. Land-grant culture to Brahmanas becomes a major state economic tool

    Jan 1, 400Labels: Brahmadeya, Land grants

    • Brahmadeya
    • Nidhanpur example