Chandragupta was the founder of the Maurya Dynasty, the first pan-Indian empire that thrived between the 4th to the 2nd century BCE. In his later years, Chandragupta started following Jainism on the insistence of sage Bhadrabahu I. He died by fasting till death in a ritual called ‘Sallekhana’.
Chandragupta’s life history and achievements are mentioned in the ancient Hindu, Greek, Buddhist, and Jain texts, but they vary from one another on several different accounts. And none of these texts agree upon his ancestral origins but it is generally believed that he was from a humble background.
With the help of Kautilya (Chanakya), Chandragupta built a strong army and gained prominence in the Punjab region of India. After that, he attacked the Nanda Empire whose center was located in Magadha (present-day Bihar) and went on to conquer it as well. By applying the philosophies and tactics mentioned in the Arthashastra, Chandragupta kept on expanding his kingdom to form the biggest and the most well-organized kingdoms of that era.
According to ancient Digambara texts, sage Bhadrabahu I predicted a 12-year famine as a consequence of all the acts of violence Chandragupta had caused in order to build his empire. When this famine started, Chandragupta decided to adopt the principles of Jainism and became a monk. He went to Shravanabelagola (in present-day Karnataka) and after living as an ascetic for several years, he died as per the Jain tradition of sallekhana (fasting till death).