Kautilya’s Arthasastra 

* This book in Sanskrit was written by Kautilya, a contemporary of Chandragupta Maurya. Kautilya was also called ‘Indian Machiavelli’. 

* The Arthasastra contains 15 books and 180 chapters and It is the most important literary source for the history of the Mauryas . 

It is divided into three parts: 

* The first deals with the king and his council and the departments of government; the second with civil and criminal law; and the the third with diplomacy and war. 

Visakadatta’s Mudrarakshasa 

* It is a drama in Sanskrit. Though written during the Gupta period, it describes how Chandragupta with the assistance of Kautilya overthrew the Nandas. It also gives a picture on the socio-economic condition under the Mauryas. 

Megasthenes’ Indica 

* Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador in the court of Chandragupta Maurya. His book Indica has survived only in fragments. Yet, his account gives details about the Mauryan administration, particularly the administration of the capital city of Pataliputra and also the military organization. 

Other Literature 

* The Puranas and the Buddhist literature such as Jatakas provide information on the Mauryas. 

* The Ceylonese Chronicles Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa throw light on the role Asoka in spreading Buddhism in Sri Lanka