In ancient Indian history, Chanakya served as the chief adviser and mentor of which famous ruler who founded a large Mauryan empire?

Introduction / Context:
Chanakya is a legendary figure in ancient Indian history, remembered as a brilliant strategist, economist, and political thinker. He is traditionally credited with writing the Arthashastra and with playing a central role in the establishment of the Mauryan Empire. This question asks you to identify the ruler whom Chanakya served as chief adviser and mentor, a key fact that connects political theory with historical state formation in ancient India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The person in question is Chanakya, also known in some texts as Vishnugupta or Kautilya.
• The role described is that of chief adviser and mentor.
• The options include Babur, Chandragupta Maurya, Akbar, Kautilya, and Ashoka.
• You must select the ruler whose rise to power is most closely linked with Chanakya guidance.

Concept / Approach:
Traditional accounts, including later literary works and legends, describe how Chanakya helped the young Chandragupta Maurya overthrow the Nanda dynasty and establish the Mauryan Empire in the late fourth century before the common era. Chanakya provided strategy, planning, and advice and is presented as the chief minister in the new empire. Babur and Akbar are Mughal rulers of a much later period, and Ashoka was a later Mauryan emperor, not the founder. The option Kautilya actually refers to Chanakya himself by another name, not to a separate ruler.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that Chanakya, Vishnugupta, and Kautilya are different names for the same person, not different individuals. Step 2: Recall that he is linked with the composition of the Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft, economy, and military strategy. Step 3: Traditional narratives state that he took Chandragupta Maurya under his guidance, trained him, and supported him in overthrowing the Nanda rulers of Magadha. Step 4: As a result of these efforts, Chandragupta established the Mauryan Empire with its capital at Pataliputra, and Chanakya became his chief adviser. Step 5: Compare the options and note that Babur and Akbar belong to the Mughal period and had no link with Chanakya, while Ashoka was a later Mauryan ruler who benefited from the already created empire. Step 6: Therefore, Chandragupta Maurya is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Accounts of early Mauryan history in textbooks and popular retellings emphasise the partnership between Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya. They describe Chanakya as the mastermind who saw potential in the young Chandragupta and used his knowledge of politics and warfare to guide him. No credible historical or traditional source associates Chanakya with Mughal rulers or treats Kautilya as a separate king, which confirms that Chandragupta Maurya is the only valid answer in this context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Babur: He was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth century common era, more than a thousand years after Chanakya time.

Akbar: He was a later Mughal emperor known for his own capable advisers, but he had no connection with Chanakya.
Kautilya: This is another name for Chanakya himself, not a separate ruler whom he advised.
Ashoka: Although a great Mauryan emperor, he came after Chandragupta and is not the ruler whose rise is directly tied to Chanakya mentorship.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be confused by the inclusion of Kautilya as an option and mistakenly treat him as a different person from Chanakya. Others might mix up ancient and medieval figures simply by recalling famous names. To avoid these errors, remember the key association: Chanakya, also called Kautilya or Vishnugupta, guided and advised Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan Empire, in ancient India.

Final Answer:
Chanakya served as the chief adviser and mentor of Chandragupta Maurya.