Mahapadma Nanda

According to the Puranas, Mahapadma Nanda was the first emperor of the Nanda Empire and ruled Pataliputra from 345 to 321 BCE. The Matsya and Vayu Puranas detailed the length of his reign varying between 28 to 88 years respectively. They further stated that his eight sons ruled in succession after him. But as per the Buddhist texts contradicts the Puranas and states that the first Nanda ruler was Ugrasena.

Born to the last Shaishunaga king Mahanandin and a Shudra woman, Mahapadma Nanda was also known as Mahapadmapati, which literally meant the "lord of immense wealth". Some of his other names were "ekarat" or the sole sovereign and "sarva kshatrantaka" or the destroyer of the Kshatriyas. Other than being the first Nanda ruler, Mahapadma Nanda was also the first Shudra king of Magadha and was credited with extensive conquests.

The Jain texts illustrate that Mahapadma Nanda was the son of a courtesan from a barber. This theory was further agreed by Roman historian Curtis who claims that Mahapadma"s father was originally a barber who somehow gained the queen"s affection and assassinated the king. Eventually under the pretext of acting as a guardian for the then princes, he gained authority and killed the king"s children. He produced his own and thus Mahapadma Nanda became the next Nanda king who was the contemporary of Porus and Alexander.

Following the extensive regime and demise of Mahapadma Nanda, the kingdom was assumed by Pandhuka.

According to puranas eights sons of Mahapadma Nanda ruled for 12 years. Buddhist texts describe Dhana Nanda as the contemporary of Alexander. According to `Mahabodhi vamsa` Dhana Nanda was last ruler of Nanda dynasty. Mahabodhivamsa mentions nine nandas as Ugra Sena, Panduk, Pandugate, Bhutapala, Rastra-pala, Govi Shanker, Dasasiddhaka, Kairvata and Dhana. On the basis of `Mahavamsa,` turner writes, "The youngest brother was called Dhana Nanda from his being addicted to hoarding treasure... He collected riches to the amount of eighty kotis in a rock in the bed of the river Ganges. Having caused a great excavation to be made, he buried the treasure there......leaving taxes, among other articles, ven on skins, items, and stones, he amassed further treasure which he disposed of similarly." Thus it is obvious that Dhana Nanda accumulated a lot of wealth. Hiuen Tsang wrote that Nandas had five treasures. According to `Katha Saritasagara,` Nandas had 990 million of gold pieces. But Dhama Nanda was very much unpopular king and was disliked by the people. With the help of Chankya, Chandra gupta Maurya defeated him and put an end to the rule of Nanda dynasty as well.