Why did Alexander the Great’s army stop its eastward advance at the Hyphasis River?

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The Parthenon stands atop the Acropolis hill in Athens, Greece, surrounded by ancient stone walls and ruins, with city buildings and a distant hill in the background. — ancient Greek civilization The Acropolis, Athens.

Alexander the Great’s army halted its eastward advance at the Hyphasis River (modern Beas River) in 326 BCE primarily because the troops were exhausted in both body and spirit. Having campaigned extensively, the soldiers were weary of the arduous conditions, which were exacerbated by heavy tropical rains.1

Additionally, some historians suggest that the army may have been discouraged by reports of the vast military strength of the Nanda Empire, which lay further to the east. Faced with an adamant refusal from his men to continue—a sentiment voiced by the marshal Coenus—Alexander ultimately agreed to turn back. This decision marked the end of his eastward expansion, after which he began his journey southward through the Indus valley.213