During the reign of which ancient Indian dynasty did Jainism split into the two main sects of Shvetambaras and Digambaras?

Introduction / Context:
The division of Jainism into the Shvetambara and Digambara sects is an important development in the religious history of India. The question asks during which dynasty this split is generally placed. Knowing this helps to connect religious evolution with political chronology.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The two sects are called Shvetambara, meaning white clad, and Digambara, meaning sky clad.

Concept / Approach:
Traditional accounts associate the division with events that occurred some generations after Mahavira, particularly around the time of a famine in Magadha. Many historians place the origins of the split in the later part of the Mauryan period, when migration of monks to western India and differences in practice evolved into two distinct sects. Thus, the answer matches the Mauryan dynasty.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Recall that Mahavira lived in the sixth century BCE and the Nandas immediately preceded the Mauryas.The Mauryan dynasty, especially under Chandragupta Maurya and later rulers, overlapped with major Jain developments.Traditional narratives mention a famine during Chandragupta Maurya time, leading some monks to migrate south and west and creating divergence in observance.Over time these differences hardened into the Shvetambara and Digambara sects, linked to the Mauryan period.

Verification / Alternative check:
Histories of Jainism commonly mention that the schism took clearer shape in the early centuries after Mahavira, with the Mauryan age forming an important backdrop. Later dynasties like the Kushanas or Shungas do not receive the same emphasis for this particular event.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Nandas ruled just before the Mauryas and are not typically cited as the context for the schism.
The Kushanas belong to a later period and are more closely linked with Mahayana Buddhist developments.
The Shungas followed the Mauryas but are not usually associated with the origin of the Jain sect split.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes pick the Kushanas because many religious changes occurred in the early centuries of the Common Era. It is important to link this specific Jain split with the earlier famine narratives connected with the Mauryan period rather than with later foreign dynasties.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Mauryas.