epdf.pub_amar-chitra-katha-megasthenes

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HIS (..ONG AND AROUOlJ5 CflMPlJlGN IN PER51f1~ IllExflNoee THEGREIIT REflCHEO

NORTH-WESTERN F'RONTleR OF INOlA IN 326 8.C.I"IE OE~EflTEP PIU.lRIIVII fiNO Wll5 FIlLEt:> WITH

fl80UT HIS MIl/TAR"! PROWESS.

AT LAST I HAVE REACije:D "THE

DOORWA "I "TO THE l.AND

OF" M4 DREAMS.. ·

- - -,--

Itt ... THE VAST INDIAN l.AND PARDON Me>
LIES BEFORE US 10 BE ' tOU R.
OUR VICTOR4 OVER PORUS
HAS ReMOVED THE TOUGHEST CONQUER~D~ GENERAL. MAJEST4.·,
SELEUCUS NICATOR~
OBSTACLe. IN OUR.

PATH ...

I~

'" OU~ SOlDIERS FEEL. EXHIlUSTE(;) omar chifra ko~tha ----------------
WE FORCE: THEM AN4 MORE we MPH BE
84 THE WARS AND HAve t..OST "H,EI~
WILL 1'0 FIGHT. THe" HAVE BEEN LeFT WITH A MUTIN"! ON ouR HANDS.

AWA'1 FROM THEIR HOMES IN 'THAT CASE ,
EIGHT l.ONG 4EARS ·· ·
SEI..EUCU5 . we

6I!ALL
GReECe .

- MEliNWHILE. IN PIITIILJPiJTI?II. THE CIIPITIIL OF
MIU;RO}fIj) KING CHRNORAGiJPTII M/JURqIl Wll9
. " We MUST RETAIN 00(2 CONTROL ovel2 BROOOIAIG OVER THE PROBLEM P05EP Bq 7HE

TERRITORies cot-JQueRED B4 uS. GREEKS · HE HAC CIU.tED A MEETING OF INIS WAR

GENeRAL SELE:UCUS. I APPOINT "IOU COl/NCIL·

THE GOveRNOR OF -ntIS THE CONGTIINT PRESENCe OF ntE.
I AM
'(MANAS* ON THE FRoNTIERS
HONOUR'ED~
OF OUR LAND POSES 1\N
"lOUR
IMMINENT THRE1\T "10 OUR

5ECURtT«.

WITHIN A FEW YERRS SELEllCUS FIIlMLtI

CP HIM6ELF flS THE SOLE RULER OF THE GREEK
OOMIUNS·

'IOU ARE I<'IGHT...

MAHARAJ. MORE.OVER

THE 4AVANAS AR:E A

FORMIDABLE FORCE.

2

I DISAGREE . AT THE MOMENT. 4eG ! NOW 16
THEIR STRENGTfoI SEEMS THE liME TO

REDUCED· A LARGE CONTINGENT
OF THEIR FORCES HAS GOWe.

BA.Ck TO 'THEIR LA~D WITH
ALEXANDER·

SOME TIME LAT~fl~ IN THE Gli?EEK OOMFHN_ HE IS CAMPING ON [HE WELL ) lHEH TOO SHiILl.
OTHER S IDE OF lHE' TASiS "'THE S TEeL
'fOUR: MAJ~9T4') HOW FAR HAS INDU9+ WITH HIS OF GREeK MIGHT .
HE ADVANCED?
SANDROCOTTUS* OF POWERFUL ARM.4.
MA6ADHA HAS
OUI2. KINGDOM.

IN THe ENSUING Willi?> HOWEVER) ,HE. GREEKS WeRt! DEFEflT&()·

ornor chjtro kotho HAve MERe" ON ME )
5ANOROCOTTU9 > 0
NICIJTOR wIJ6 TIIKeN CflPTlVe fiNO GREAT KING OF

Pli!OOtlCEP BEFORE CHRNORJ:lGlIPrlJ. INDIA.

so 4QU ARE "THE 4AVANA

MAk'ING INROADS INTO

oue COUNTR4.

('-..:.

/114 FORCES HAVE BEEN 40U RULE vAST I WANT ONLLf THOSE
LANDS. BELONG TO l tJD1A. 50 GIVE ME
CRUSHED. I AM PREPARED ARIA~ ARACH05tA AND
S ELEUCUS .
10 PA4 WHATEVER PAROPANISADAE"!'
TRIBUTE 40U ~
I AGREE,O
DEMAND. .
6ANDROCOTTU5 .

FROM NOW ON . we ARE FRieNDS AS A TOKEN OF THIS o GREAT

AND $0 ARE OUR ,wo I GIVE 40u 500 ELEPHANTS KING •
COUNTRIES· UNCHAIN HIM)
AS Po SPECIAL GIFT FR OM
GUARDS.
INDIA. ~

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MEGASTHENES 4e5) LET'S
SEE wHAT '{OU
SELElICUS NIChTOR WISHEP TO RECIPROCRTE THE MIIGNANIMfT'/ OF OIANORAfiiJPTII.
HAVE TO
I, MA't' , HAVE THE HONOUR OF OFFER.
PRe6ENTING TO '{OU IN RETURN,
,,I I A 'TRIBUTe OF WHAT 15

I' ' DEAREST TO M'I

HeART?

I I\,,,

I

I OFFER 40U IN MARRIAGE • • ' AND I OFfER
'IOU
THE HAND OF THE MOST
/MEGASiHENE:S. - - : : r
BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS*'

IN OUR FAMIL4···

I

f

MEGASTHENES? HE HAS seRVED ME LO(jALL'-I FOR 4EARS)
WHO IS HE"?
o 5 ANDRO COTTUS> R$ MY AMBASSADOR IN
- SEVERAL LANDS, HE WILL BE M'{ AMBASSADOR

~-,r~A~T 40UR COURT· ..-_-::::::::::ra i

* ACCORDING TO LEGEND) THE DAUGHTER OF SELEUCUS

_ _ _ ~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _o--,mar chitra;:.ko:t;:.h;:.Q:....-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _-,

AS M4 ENVQ4 TO 40U~ I COULDN'T wRS I(EEN ON
FIND A MAN OF GREATER
•
CALIBRE AND OF A MORE
RELATIONS BETWEJEN INPIR FlNP
VERSATILE MIND ·
•
'lOUR: MA.JEST4
• .
1$ VErlc( 1 AM HIGHl4
I WELCOME 40U)
KIND. HONOUREI7, 0 )(ING
MEGASTHENES, TO BE
SANOROCOTTUS.
A GUE9T IN ""'4
KINGDOM.

I WISH 10 HONOUR 40U, A M4 MOST TRUSTED
GUEST 10 M'i LAND> IN OUR SERVANT Will NOW BE
IN ATTENDANCE ON
TRADITION OF REVERING
40U.
GUESTS UKE SODS·

HE SHALL BE
WITH 40U 1\5 LONG

AS 'IOU STA4

,-,___ 'N INOIA_.-;'''C :;::......_

_r----,~-. _ _ _ _ _ _""'_ _ _ _-"MEGASTHENES

ALSO. I AM GIFTING 40U AS CHIIHORIIGlJPT/I WISHEO 77) PROCEEI7 ON II

AN ELEPHANT AND CAMPI/ION •

"TWO HORSES. I ANI NOT RETURNING

THANK 40U TO PATALIPUTRA

veR4 MUCH) IMMEDIAl"El.'1> B UT

o KING . MAY PROCEED

THERE· 4E.S,

5EVA~A !* MMARAJ·

'IOU WILL ACCOMPAN4 'lOUR USUAL DUTt1)
MEGA&THENES ON
HI6 WA'I TO - ---- -5EVAKA.kEEPAN E'-IE ••;
PAlAU PUTRA . ON
HIM·
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,"""

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, . . - - -- ---1LRTER~ MEGRSTHENES WENT TO THE CAMP OF SELEUCUS NICIITOR TO 81DHIIt4 GOOI>IfItIE·

MA4 I TAKE LEAVE WAIT A MINUTE)

OF (jOUR MAJE$TC( MEGASTHEHES.

NOW?

--:;~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ --:-:-" omar AND. ABOVE ALL) I SHAll REMEMBER

TR4 TO KNOW THE LAND AS WELL AS PON'T FORGET THAT ALWA45 ,
4 0 UR MOTHERLRND. 40UR MAJESW.
"{DU CAN AND ALSO THE pe:OPL.E. FIIoJD
,
OUT HOW THE. FRIENDSHIP BE1'WEEN

OUR COUNTR4 AND INDIA CAN BE

STREtJGTHEH E P. ANO ···

.•• SEND IN

40UR REPORTS

REGULARL4·

IN fj FEW OII<{S) TIME MEGRS1HENES) ACCOMPIINIEP 8'1 THE SERVflN7; BEGRN HIS JOURNECI TOWIiROS
PATIIlIPt}TRA . THEil CROSSEI/- THE RIVeR S/NOI(I.I WHERE ITWIIS SHALLOW.

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17 Hill) SEEN AN EXHAUSTING TASK. IttEG/lSTHENES REFl.ECTEP.

.' -:: ::- INDIA, A MIGHTq COUNTR'i)

NAMED AFTeR A
MIGHT'1 RiveR•

• •

I AM SuRE. 40U ,,
WILL LIKE IT HERE.)
-
• SIR.
I ALREAD4 PO . KING IWOEeD~ SIR. HE HAS I _ _ ~·J·' .·/ /..-'

SANDROCOTTU5 HAS GIFTED 'fOU ANIMALS
NO CIT/ZEN IN INDIA IS
BEEt.! VERI.{ kiND y~ALLOWED TO OWN -';:

TO ME·

,//

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.' /rIEGIlSTHENES PREFERREO rol/SE THE HORSES

TO THE EI..EPH!iNT DURING HIS 7R!iV€LS.

I AM EXCITED AT THE HOW FAR ON '"fOUR SCALE OF
THOUGHT OF VISITING IS IT FROM MEASUREMENT IT
PALIBOTHRA .* IT MUST
BE A BIG CIT'f. HERE? WI LL BE ABOUT

10.000 STADEst

SIR.

"

IT IS·

if: GREEK FOR PATALIPUTRA . \ 9

-r 10.000 STAOES ARE

SUCH A LONG omor chitro kl.ltho
ROAD RIGHT
ACROSS THE: AND A BEAUTIFUL ONE,SJR.

COUNTI?4? CfOU SHAl.l. see

FOR 40URSEl.F.

TO PAT!lIJPUreli wlIS /I tONS ONE . WHEN THE" weRE ON THE OllTSKIRTS OF MIITH(JR/I-

THESE iRees AH THE
ARe SUCH A REl.IEF
REST-HOUSE FOR
IN THIS HEAT!
~~,l~RA'VEllERS_./ ' .."._

•

-- •

HOW FAR. ARe WE FROM we ARE HALFWA4 Lfes , 1 CERTAINL4 I
PATAlIPuTJ('A
THROUGH THE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT
• NOW?
SIR. WOULD 4QU LIKE THE ell'!.

TO SPENt:' A FEW OA"fS

IN THIS CIT4 OF
SHOORA5ENAS*?

•

.' 10

MEGASTHENES

ON ENTE/?ING THE CIT'! THE'I FOIJNO GLORI.{ BE. •

PEOPlE IN A FERVOUR OF OEVarIOH. TO taRO

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WHO WI'S •
VAASUDCVA?
HE WAS A J204AL PRINCE WHOSE PARENTS

WERE IMPRISONED 6<t THE KING
BECAUSE ".

. i.

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... IT HAD SEEN PROPHE51EP THIS TALE VAA6UDEVA Gi2EW
EVEN BEFORe YAASUDEVA~S S EEMS
BIRTH THAT HE: WAS FAMILIAl? AMONG VILLAGERS,

DESTINED 10 BE THE KING. ANt> WITH GREA-r

1VALOUR~'~"____

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amar eNfre katha

r - - ------:

... KILLED "THE KING MEANS ,HE HERAGLES!

AND CAPTURED THE

THRONE.

HERAClES IS WORSHIPPeD IN
GREECE FOR HIS VALOUR,
AND FOR KILLING 'THE.
HUNDRED- HEADED

H'IORA " •

. . . AND MAN4 OTHER

WICKED PEOPLE.

TtlAT'S L.IKE
VRASUDEVA SUBJUGATING

THE FIVE - He:ADED
COBRA:"

'* SOME OF TIlE EXPLOITS OF HERACLES WERE THOSE OF t<:RIS)oItJA' MUS" HAVE. 12
8EEN. STRUCK ~ ,.HESE SIMILARITIES.

MEGASTHENES
liFleR TR!iVELlING FOR "'liN'! WEEK!; BII I?()AO . THEil REBellED PlMVIIGII .*

-- -~. - - -- - =... - :-:=~~
- -

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-- - •.---. _. .- - MEGII9TH£NES OBSERvEO DEV07eES
WORSHIPPING THE I?IVER.
- .- .- -
o MOTHE12. THIG ~lv eR
WHAT A
MAGNIFICENT GANGA! GRANT DeSERvES 10 BE.

RIVER THE floE. M4 WISH . WORSHIPPED.
GANGES IS!

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-c:.. --
-" .-"-.-. --
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r--:::-:-=--:-:-__-:-:____, ___-7.a::.~mar chitra katha
-MOVING FURTHER EAST.. HE

OBSER'YE() THE VIIST P/.IIIN5

OF THE NORTH.
.,.."-",-"-, :' c"~..>-:-S--~--=--:--~-~.::' :.s."......"~."-~1-'--•~•--,.,•;;.0:..._"' J, -
. -..=.:..-=:- -- - .- . - -------- -
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ER6E/? m LEIf/~N RBOUT THE PEOPLE OF INOlA> HEfJlllNG THE HORSES RPPI/l()IiCHING~ THE

MEGRSTHcNES IIPPROIiCHEO THE HOllSEHOLP OF CIi/tO lOOltED U".P--- --
II PERSANT. LOOK~ MOTHER!

•

WELCOME,

SIRS!

THE P€RS/""~S WIFE TURNE(J ROUND 70 SEE WHO 7HE PEliSANT WELCOME /) THE VISiTORS.

WRS COMING·

WELCOME , o WElCOME~ SIRS! PLEASE THE PARROT ALSO
SlI2S! PLEASE SAID THAT· THESE
BE SEATED AND 0 BE 5EATEP AND SHARE -PEOPLE MUST BE
• EXTENDING
SHARE OUR FOOD. TAL.ITcl
OUR I=OOD . BE M'f GUESTS
BE M'I GUESTS
lODA<I. TODA4 ·

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r - - - - -- -- - - ~---.....:;M=E=GA.:.S:.THE;::N.::ES=___,~---~,._

THE'! ACCePTED THE OFFER. ""ONE" ? OH) 40U THE FOOD IS I WONDER HOW ,.HEY
M~kE HONE4 _
JAAI.f I HAVE SOME MEAN "HE o e Ll CIOUS·
CERTAINL4 ~ SIR. I WITHOUT BEES·
MORe HOt.JE4
SERVe IT TO
pl.EASe? HIM .

MEG/ISTNENES AND THE SEIi!IIANT MOE THE PERSIINT RNO HIS FRMll 'l 6000BVE FINO Rlf5IJNlEP THEIR

VOURNff ro ""T/ltJPtlTI?II.

NJGHT4 GANGES THIS MAN CERTAINL'i
IS SHARP.
AND HER IRrllGA1tON
CANALS NO DOUBT 811"113

PROSPERIT4 TO
THIS LAI.JO.

THEIR JOURfIIEY 'TIFf

OH ,.WHAT

A STRANGE.

T"'eel

ITS BRANCHES ARE GOI ~G /I LITTLe FIIRTHeE- COTTON~
J2'IGHT BACK INiO THE GROUND!
WHRl 15 COULD IT BE SIR. WE MAKE
I HAve NEveR SEEN S UCH R CLOTHSS OUT
GROWING
PeCU LIAR TREE BEFORE! ON TREES? OF IT •

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. ._ " ' " --

.... t ,7 7

Ii FEW MaIZe WEEKS~ rJOURNEC/ THE'f RRR/VEO RT PIfTFU/PUTRII·

THIS MOAT HELPS TO

HOLD THE' ENEM4 AT 8IW.

IT 15 A P ROTECTION
AGAINST ENEMIES. IT
ALSO RECEIVES THE
CIT<I'S SEWAGE.

•

amar chitra katha

THE SERVRNr t..EP MEGIISTHENES ON II ROlI#/) OF THE -"-R-C'-HC:EC:RC:SC-C:SH'-O-OT--'IIT-T-H-e-~ I,,

Ctr9. ME6liSTHENES WFiS VERt{ OBSERv,t1NT. eNEMCf THROUGH iHESE.

• •, THESE PRASII* ARE.

I MARVELl.OUSt
, ", I .
I J: • " ,jj ,I
I ,I ,
II \
"I I,.
I
i '1

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,I••

- ••~<-

IT TOOk THEM SOME TIME TO ReICH
THE HOUSE Flt..LOTTEP TO
MEGIISTHENES .

,

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118 THECI ENTER€{) THE HOUSE TOMORROW I'D FIRST l(OU HAVE TO
REGISTER ClOUR NAMe.
I HOPE 40U UKE TO VISIT WITH THE CIT~ AUTHO-
WILL BE KING
COMFORTABLE RITIES. SIR. ALL
••
hERE, 5112. FOREI5NERS HAVE TO DO

t{ES.

THANK

if PRACH4AS ( THE EASTERNERS), MEANING THE PEOPLE OF MAGADHA 20

•

•

THE NEXT OIW. IIFTEIC REGlS.TERING W/.TH
THE CfTCI FlLJTHORfTIES~ .MEGRSTHENES

WENT TO ,HE R{)CIIIl PIURCE·

INSIDE THE ROqlfL COURT. kING CHFINORIfGUPTA WELCOMED HAVo R VoR4

WELCOMcJ ME"GA9THEWES.40U NeeD HOW 010 HE KNOW? HIS SPLENDID
NOT HAVE 50NE TO THE Clrq SPIES MUST HAVE" PRL.ACE-. O KING

AUTHORITIES . 'fouARE A SP~CIAL REPORTE:D TO HIM. 5ANDROCOTTUS!

GUEST·

I HAVE LIVED BUT "THE LIKES OF THIS PALACE OF
40URS. 0 KING~ ' I HAVE SEeN
IN MAN'f EXOTIC
WErTHER IN suSA NOR IN
LAt-IDS · · . E.CBATANA.* AND PFlLIBOTHRA IS

50 WELL PROTECTED FROM

~---1PERNICIOUS FOES t

-Re.PORTEDI..'i OF GOLD

omer chitra kotha~~------------~
40U HAVE A I<.i'"EN INTElLECi ... ACCOMPAN4' ME ON M'I CAMPAIGNS .iHIS

INDeED. MEGASTHENES. Will.. HEI.P 40U IN THE SiU D4 Of 'THIS

'IOU MA4 iAKE A SERf THANK 4 0U ,
NEXT iO ME AND· ..
o KING. Ii IS

VERt{ IeIND OF

'Iou ·

,

MEGIISTHENES WIt'TCHEO 7He PROCEEP/NGS WITH FIISCINIIT/()N. MATTERS PEIi!TlIINING 70 RDlNNtSTIllIT/()N
WEIi!C FIRST RTTENDEP TO ·

4ES. WE SHALl. IIPPOINi PUSH4I1GUPTA

•

'*GOVERN02 OF SAURASHTRA. AS <IOU

HAVE PROPOSED .

THEN CliMe THE IIDM/NISTRIITION OF dlJSTICE - THE PRI SONERS fiND THE Gl)ARPS

MAHARAJ! HE. HAS COMMITTED HI5 - - -- - MAHARAJ, I WANTED TO DISCIJSS
PuN ISHMENT
A HeINOUS CRIME. He CUT OFF A SMALl. MATTER PERTA INING
THE HAND OFA POrl~2. 15 DEATH .
TO THE Ro<IAL PROCESSION
.. TOMORROW•

•

THAT CAH WRIT. LET MEGASTHE NES liFTeR RETURNING TO HIS RESIDENCE
MEGRSTHENES WROTe /1BOUT WHflT HE
ME FIRST FIN ISH SUCH HARD WORK HIID lEARNT liT THE /?O((fil COURT.
AND HE DOES NOT
M4 SUSINESS WITH
H~VE A REST!
THE AMBASSADOI>S. •

«THE AST't'NOMOI*OF PIiU80THRA LOOK

AFTER GIX SUB,JECTS: INDUSTRIAL

ARTS; FOREIGNERS, CENSUS} TRADE

AND COMMERCE, WEIGHTS AND

MEA5URE5;AWD COLLECTION

OF ,AXES .. ·

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\

THe NEXT OfW /-IT THE PfllflCE-

COME ON~ I SHI\LL.
MEGA5THENES ,
JOIN US IN ,HE GLADU1 DO

VASANT PANCHAM/1' , THAT,

PROCESSION. o KING.

--:";"" -.

from ashta amatya a eight minister s . +It i s presumed that the

occasion was Panchami . Megssthenes has not mentioned the name of t he festival .

omQr chitra katha
THE P/iOCESSION PASseD THI!OIJGH THE M/IJN SIltLElS OF Plf71fUPIITIM.

,.

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AFTBe fNOTtlRNlNG 70 THE PfUACI!, IHE KING RECEIveD V18J7Ofl5-

=-:-

MAHARAJ. PLEASE
ACCEPT THIS HUMBLE

C;IFT FROM ME.

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OBVIQU5L4, THIS IS AN
OCCASION WHEN GIFTS ARE
PRe.Se~TEO TO THE

kiNG·

MEGASTHENESr -_ _ _ _ _~ ----------

LATER- iOMOI?RO W WE NO <> I WOULD PREFER. WOU LD 40U l.IKE
TO G O ON AN
HAVE ARRANGED ELEPHANT HUNT. TO COME,
A CHARIOT RACE ,
MEGASTHeNES ?
.MAHARA J !

,I.I'LL BE

H ONOUReD~

o KING.

"HElI SET our THe NEXT 0Ii'l- GOOD. \T 15 SENS ING THE COW- El.ePH/lHTG IN THE PI7; THE
8 16 ENOUG~ WIWeLEPH8NTS 8PPI?08 CEf) IT III THE' NIGHT.
THE TRENCH IS REl\D~. :-:
FOR TWENT<;
MAHARAJ. THE COW-ELEPHANTS THE ENTIRE HE.RO WILL Be.
ELEPHANTS . BEEN TRAPPED IN
ARE 60lNG IN · THE Prr · NOW WHAT? STARVED IW1-o

SUBMISSION · WE
WILL REiURN

A6RIN RFlER
SOME DA4S .

-'

WHEN TilE MEN weRE REAOY FOR THE SECONO PART OF THE OPERIJ7/0N~ MEGII5THENES RGIIIN

VlSITeO TilE SPOT IUONG WITH THE KING·

SEe HOW

M4 PET 15' J

HOPE 'fOU HAVE

FED ~IM
WELL .

" OF COURSE
I HAVE .
25

omar chit ra k.a:.:th~a===_ _ -,-_ _-.,._ _ __ _ _-,-_

TRRPPEA THE WILD EtEPHRNTS IITTIIC/(ED THE TRME WER/(ENEf)~ THE WILD ONES SOON COtlllPSED

ONES. -' IN SHEER EXJlRJJSTIO}/ .
- - --
,

'.

\.,

THE$' WERE 7HEN 7/lkEN CIIP11VE lIND tED TO THE /i!(}f.lfll S7FJ8LES .

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- ,",,"-- " .,. "

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lIFTER RETlIfcWING HOME> Me6llS7HliNES HE SET OATUO~TN:lEiT_H~NOI~GU~H5:TEI~IN~Oj:SE=C=R~E:TL:'I~W~flT~C:H:W=T=H:E:=

HIS GEI?VIINT. peOPLE

40URS 15 AN INTEIlESTlNG S HAU MAkE I WANT 'lOU R WILL SHE
LAND · I SHOULl) UKE TO BE HIS
HAND IN MARRIAGE FO~ ,.q
THE COMMON
PEOPLE IN DISGUISE,,/, SON · I HAVE BROUGHT THE THIRO WIFE?
PAIR OF OXEN 'IOU HAD

/

_____ _ ----------~-----------~M=E~GAST~H=EN=E=S~---------------------------­

NO, FOURTH . ONE AT RNOTHER HOUSE FI PHl.fSIC/~N W8S P~NING II

/\lUST HAVE A LOT "OU R $ <iMPTOMS JNOICATE
OF CHILDReN.
cWU WILL HAVE A BABC4

_ ...../'-------:B~04;... ..

• PEePING INTO IINOTHeR House-

AND THIS OINTMENT SHOULD

RELieVe 400 OF ,/OUR THtS IS THE PEOPLE
HEADACHE·
POUCH 40U DROPPED V ARE so

IN "THE SIREET THANK HONeST

ACROSS . HEQE!

111 HOME "THE INDIANS ARE TNe NEXT O/IV ME6IISTHeNES MET THE KING IN THE
WroTE- DIVIDED INlO SEVEN
IINTECHAMBER OF THE ROVIIL PIIlIICE· "..-~
THE PHILOSOPHERS
40Ug
BEING THE MOST
BED CHAMBER IS
RESPECTED ONES .. ;u1t
e.TOOAtI IN TH

NORTH WING.

'* THE: COMPLICATED CASTE STRUCTURE OF 27

INDIAN SOCIE.lC( 08YIOUSl<f 8EWllDEREO

MEGASTHENE5)FOR THERE HAVE AlWA4S .
BEEN ONl" FOUR PRIMARY cASTES.

•

ornar chif r"o katha

SURPRISED. ME6ASTHENES? IN A WEEIo:: ' S TIME WE r-~~--~~~----------­
I SLEEP IN A DIFFERENT
CHAMBER EVERl( NIGHT. MEGRSTHefrl13$ flCCOhfP~NIEO CH~NOf!lI6lJP111
THE KING HRS MAN4
LEAVE FOR THE TO THE BATTlE-FIELD.
ENEMIES) AS 40U
MUST KNOW. 8ATTLE- FIELD. WOULD

40U Uk:E TO COME

WITH US? I WOULD

BE. DELIGHTED

TO~O KING.

THECf PITCH€O TENTS liT NIGHT.

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S UDD€NLr.,t THERE. WRS II COMMOTION IN THE
5TOP~ TH IEF ~

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r -______________________________~M~E=G~AST HrEN~E=S----~------~--~~------------

HERRING THE COMM0710N. CH/fNDRfI(3UPTIJ WE RECOVERED THE RETURN 11 TO THE
MONE4 BUT 1"HE THIEF OWNER· AND SPARe
WHAT IS THE A THIEF STOLE NO EFfORT TO
MATTER. 200 COINS, AWRCf· HERes
GUARD? C/ITCH THE lHIEF.
MAHARAJ. THE MONEtt!>
MFlH ARRcl.

MEGRS7HENES WAS INTRIGIJEO Sf{ THE INC/OENT- ME~S7HENES lfJreR WROTE illS OBSERVIITIONS
IIBOUT 7Hc IIRM<{ ,
200 COINS IS A SMALL OSTCECAULRINRGENICSEA. BRU•ATRIEF
",HE 600,000 SOLDIERS
AMOUNT) 0 KING· WH4 ,HIS GOES •

ARE YOU MRKltJG THe. VICE MA4 OF SANDROCOTIUS' ARMq

SUC H A J:"USS l' SPReAD . ARE VER4 WELL-PAID.'HE4
ARE CON,ROLLED 84 A

WAft! OFFICE WITH SIX

BOARDS ... "

•

ornar chitra katha

HE 7OUli'EO THE COUNJR« EX7ENSIVELV ANO OBSEI?VEfJ THE WFIlI OF LIFE OF

HE ~VeN VISITEfJ THE FIIR /lWHI P/lNOctll iI' CI)IJN~ ~ RNO THE PAlJDYRNS seEM TO
PREFER WOMEN FOR
OB5ERVEO THE 9~TEM OFIIl>MINISTIHITION THeJ?E ) HEIlOE{) 8t(
SeNIOR ADMINISTRA-
R QUEEN.
TIVE POST5.
OFFICER! FIN 0 OUT WH4 ctES ..
STRANGE: !
OUR CARGO OF PEARLS FROM MAt-tARANI.

TAMBAPANNI+ GOT DEl.AqeD

THIS "'TIME.

liT THE SEIlPORT OF

--

•

=.- 3-=--;-:-.:::-.......-- -
'KINS
SANDROCOnU6
HAS AN

IMPReSSIVe

of present-day Tamil Nadu . + Tamrapar ni, Sri Lanka of today . --*Modern Sopara on the Western Coast . 30

MEGASTHENES
MEGII5TJlENES RETV/i'NEf) IN DUE COIJRSE TO PIITRlJPlJ1RR. .=====::::::;;--~--------l

, I
•
•• ---
\

"

HE THEN WeNT 70 CHANOIMGIJPTA TO BIO HIM FINRllf.(~ HE BADE GOODBYE TO 7HE

FAREWEll.., 0 KING. MCf I HOPE CiOU ENd OCfE[) GOODB~E AND THANK TO TElL 40U THE
~OU . ~ou HAV6 BeEN A
TENURE: IN. INDIA IS ~OUR STAY WITH US· 'TRUTH, SIR) I 'WAS
WONDERFUL ASKED TO Spy
aVE J1. I WISH TO GIVE MCf REGARDS TO COMPANION.
RETURN HOME NOW. ON 'IOU .
kiNG 5ELEUCUS. ~
"---

/rIEGA51HENE5 RODE !iWR'I WESTWRRDS WfTH THE FOUR VOlUMES G(!iP&(

OF'HI!) INV~L(/I1BI.E INDICA;, THE FIRST 11.l1THENTIC ACCOUNT OF INO/II

TO ·THE wesrERN WORlD.
WHAT A CHARMING AND

nJTELl.IGENT MAN ~ I

HOPE THE 4AVANAS

AND lNDIA~S WilL
COME CLOSER

NOW.

31

Illustrated Classics From India

Megasthenes

Megasthenes was among the first foreigners to have visited India in historical times and given an eyewitness
account of conditions prevailing in this country during the 4th century B.C . He was the ambassador of

Selecus Nicator at the court of Chandragupata Maurva and he had the opportunity to travel extensively in the

country and observe closely the proceedings at the royal court , various aspects of military and civil

administration, the geography to the country, the social and economic conditions of the people and the

political institutions. He put down his observations in four vikunes entitled 'Indica'.

'Indica' in its original form has now been lost. but some later writers like Diodorus. Pliny. Strabo and Arrian
have quoted from the work. Barring the few instances where Megasthenes had to rely on hearsay. his
account of India is highly valued for its accuracy and authenticity.

This story of Megasthenes is adapted from his own account of the India of his times. and the sequence of
events in our narration has been modified for coherence and lucidity while maintaining the accuracy of
historical records .

Editor: Anant Pai

Script: Shubha Khandekar Illustrations: Souren Roy Cover: Ramesh Umrotkar

Related Titles

Fa Hien • Hiuen Tsang. Chanakya
Chandragupta Maurya • Paurava and Alexander

JSB N 81-7508- 422-7

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