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30
Mahavira Era
Mahāpadma Nanda was coronated 1500 years later, 1637 B.C. The Nandas ruled not less than 136 years.21 So Chandragupta Maurya became a king 1501 B.C. Puśyamitra, who became a king 137 later, was therefore coronated 1364 B.C. As he reigned for 60 years, he died 1304 B.C. As Buddha died 505 years earlier, he must have died 1304 +505=1809 B.C.
The contention that Asoka was coronated 218 years after the death of Buddha or even less than that is based on prejudices and obsessions. For example, Charpentier argues “that names like Mahậnandin and Nandivardhan have nothing in common with the Şaisunāgas but look suspiciously like Nanda" and deems that enough "to draw the conclusion that Mahānandin and Nandivardhana originally represented the two generations of the Nandas, reigning 85 years" and "that the 100 years attributed to the Nandas is an interpolation based on oblivion and misunderstanding of the real facts."22 I am afraid such a logic can make Nanda and Yasodā in separable from the Nanda dynasty and turn Krsņa into a contemporary of the Nandas ! I wonder what is specific or exclusive about the names belonging to different dynasties and why certain names must be struck off as uncommon despite the testimony of the Purānas to the contrary. Charpentier and his followers do not care to explain it.
The Purāṇas assign 137 years to the Mauryas and 136 years to the Nandas before them. According to the texts edited by Pargiter, the Sisunāga dynasty ruled for 362 years. However, the figures given for individual reign total 346 years only as evident from the following:
40 years
1. ŚIŚUNAGA 2. KAKAVARNA 3. KŞEMADHARMA 4. KŞATRAUJA 5. BIMBISARA 6. AJĀTASATRU 7. DARSAKA 8. UDAYI 9. NANDIVARDHANA 10. MĀHĀNANDI
346 years
