Megasthenes wrote an account about what he saw.

Mauryan Empire according to him was as follows:

• Emperor is carried in a golden palanquin.
• His guards ride elephants decorated with gold and silver.
• Some of the guards carry trees on which live birds, including a flock of trained parrots, circle about the head of the emperor.
• The king is normally surrounded by armed women.
• He has special servants to taste the food before he eats.
• He never sleeps in the same bedroom for two nights.