The Nanda(424 BC-321 BC) were the successors of Shishunaga dynasty.Mahapadma Nand was the founder of Nanda dynasty.he was the illegitimate son of last Shishunaga King Mahanandin.Vishnu Puran(24/104) states that he defeated most of the kings of India and won most of the part of India.He exterminated all Kshatriya kings(Vishnu Puran 24/104 and Bhagwat Puran 12/1/10).he ruled about 88 years,followed by 8 sons for 12 years(Matsya Puran270/20,273/23).He defeated the Kingdoms of Aikshvakus,Panchalas,Kasis,Haihayas, Kalinga,Asmaka,Kuru,Maithilas and Surasena. He was referred as Sole Sovereign.The last ruler was Dhana Nanda.He was famous for for excessive taxation and extraction.The Nanda dynasty set up a efficient administration techniques. to run the huge  empire.They had very strong army of 2 lakhs infantry,twenty thousand mobile army using horseback,two thousand rathis and three thousand war elephants.They founded the stem of standard weights and measures.They were appreciators of art and literature and gave aid and support to the scholars.The famous Sanskrit grammarian Panini was present during this period.He formulated 3,959 rules of Sanskrit forms,syntax and semantics.This formulation was called Astadhyayi.

Dhana Nand levied taxes on skins,Gums,trees and stones.He  accumulated money to the extent of around 80 Kotis and buried up  in the bed of  River Ganges.As per Purana there are 9 Nandas,they were Ugrasena,Pundaka,Pandugati,Bhootpal, Rashtrapal,Govishank,Dassiddhak,Kaivest and Dhan.The main economic structure was agrarian.This dynasty constructed large number of canals.The Nanda dynasty followed Jainism.Dhana Nand built large number of Stupas and was the follower of Digambar Saint Jiva Siddhi .

This dynasty is known for inland waterways and worked on proper water supply system.Greek biographer stated that Nanda dynasty had a mighty military power of 80000 horse back troops,200000  foot soldiers, 6000 battle elephants and about 8000 war horse-drawn vehicles.

The language  used for communication was Sanskrit and monarch was termed Samrat.The reign of Nanda represents the great transitional period in ancient history.The changes in material culture In river Ganges Valley by settled high agricultural technology and uses of iron for making agricultural tools resulted in the surplus agricultural production.The high yield of agricultural goods resulted in the the growth of commerce and urban centers.

According to Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology,material culture term is used to describe the objects produced by human beings,including building,structures,,monuments,tools,weapons,utensils and furniture's.  Here the context material culture refers to the construction of the agricultural tools by using iron and construction of canal,inland waterways and advanced water supply systems (widely used and worked by Nanda dynasty).Nanda dynasty used the best available agriculture technology.The possibility is the mechanical processing of soil called Tilling by adding nutrients for proper plantation.Nanda dynasty rulers were the best taxes collectors and  had team of best officials for this work.

The last ruler Dhana Nand was very cruel and was unpopular among the masses.Chandragupta Maurya assassinated Dhana Nand with the help of  Chanakya.This way Shishu Naga dynasty ended and recorded in the history.The main rulers of this dynasty were Mahapadma Nand and Dhana Nand.This dynasty was preceded by Shishunaga dynasty and succeeded by Maurya Dynasty.

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