THE PRE-GUPTA PERIOD (Chapter 6)

Introduction

The later Mauryan or pre-Gupta period started as the Mauryan Empire began to decline. Several rulers came to power and aspired to expand their reign before the Guptas established their hold on India.

Learning Objectives

In this chapter, you will learn about the:

Decline of the Mauryan Empire
Native Successors of Mauryas
Foreign Successors of Mauryas

Decline of the Mauryan Empire

Ashoka’s death brought the decline of the Mauryan Empire. After the war of Kalinga, Ashoka had renounced war as a means of conquest. He dedicated himself to the expansion of Buddhism. Brihadratha was the last Mauryan ruler. He was killed by his commander-in-chief, Pushymitra Shunga. The post Mauryan or pre-Gupta period extended from 185 BC to 319 AD. Since the death of Ashoka, the Empire had begun to disintegrate and waves of dynastic rules but could not manage to forge another empire before Guptas.

Native Successors of Mauryas

The Mauryan Empire was one of the world’s largest empires in its time and the largest ever in the Indian subcontinent. After the decline of Mauryan Empire, Mauryas were succeeded by a number of native rulers, such as Shungas, the Kanvas and the Satavahanas in the Central India and Deccan.

Flowchart: Native Successors of Mauryas

Shunga Dynasty (185 BC – 73 BC)

Pushymitra Shunga was its founder. He was Brihadratha’s commander-in-chief and belonged to the Brahmin caste.
In 185 BC, he assassinated Brihadratha and ascended the throne.
Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh was the capital of his empire.
He adherently followed orthodox Brahmanism.
He performed two Asvamedha sacrifices under the guidance of Patanjali.
It is believed that he defeated the Indo-Greek ruler Menander.
The great Buddhist stupa at Bharhut (Madhya Pradesh) and Sanchi was renovated during his reign.
His son-Agnimitra succeeded him.
It is believed that Agnimitra was the male lead of the romantic drama Malvikagnimitra by Kalidas.
Patanjali’s Mahabhasya was also composed in this period.
Vasumitra, Vajramitra, Bhagabhadra and Devabhuti respectively, succeeded Agnimitra.
Devabhuti was the last ruler of this dynasty. According to Puranas, his rule came to an end in 73 BC.

Kanva Dynasty (73 BC – 28 BC)

Vasudeva was its founder who killed Devabhuti and ended the Shunga dynasty in 73 BC.
Patliputra was the capital city.
Kanva dynasty ruled for 45 years.
Susaram was its last ruler who was killed by Andhra king Simuka, thus ending the dynasty in 28 BC.

Satavahana Dynasty (60 BC – 225 AD)

It is the most important of the native dynasties to succeed Mauryas and was founded by King Simuka after murdering Kanva dynasty’s ruler-Susaram.
Its society was matriarchal in nature.
It existed in Deccan and Central India with Pratishthana or Paithan in Maharashtra as its capital.
Satavahanas are considered equal to Andhras as suggested in the Puranas.
Mainly lead, copper, bronze and potin were used to issue coins.
Satavahanas patronized Buddhism and Brahmanism and began the practice of giving land grants to Brahmans and Buddhist monks.
Prakrit language and literature was promoted by them.
Satavahanas also contributed in the creation of a few Ajanta paintings.
Hala was its 17th ruler. He wrote Gathasaptasati or Sattasai, a collection of poems containing 700 verses in Prakrit.
Gunadhya, a famous writer and Hala’s contemporary, wrote Vrihat Katha, an ancient Indian epic in Prakrit.
Stupas were a common feature during the Satavahanas’ reign. Amaravati, a sculptural treasure house, sculpture of Karle Chaitya and Nagarjunakonda were its most famous stupas.
Gautamiputra Satakarni was the 23rd and the greatest Satavahana ruler. He reigned for a period of 24 years from 106 AD to 130 AD and renewed the Satavahana power by defeating the Saka Ksatrp Nahapana.
Satakarni captured the whole of Deccan and expanded his empire.
He patronized Brahmanism.
He was succeeded by his son Vashishtaputra Pulamayi.
Yajna Sri Satakarni was the last great ruler of Satavahanas.

Foreign Successors of Mauryas

In the north-western India the Mauryas were succeeded by a number of ruling dynasties from Central Asia.

Flowchart: Foreign Successors of Mauryas

Indo-Greeks

They were the first foreign rulers in the post-Mauryan period. Also known as Bactrian Greeks, they ruled over North-Western India.
Demetrius, the Greek ruler of Bactria, was the first to invade India and formed the ‘Indo-Greek Kingdom’ in India.
Indo-Greeks were known for issuing large number of coins and were the first rulers in India to issue gold coins.
They introduced Hellenistic or Greek features in art, which brought about the growth of Gandhar School of art in North-Western India.
Menander was the most eminent Indo-Greek ruler. He was also known as Milinda.
He ruled from 165-BC to 145 BC and the capital of his kingdom was Sakala (modern Sialcot).
Buddhist monk Nagasena or Nagarjuna converted him to Buddhism.
His dialogues with Nagasena were compiled in Pali and were called Milindapanho, meaning Questions of Milinda.
Indo-Greeks remained in India for two centuries and were later replaced by Sakas and Kushanas.

Sakas

The Sakas or the Scythians attacked and captured Bactria from Greek rulers.
Gradually, they replaced Indo-Greeks in India.
It is believed that Sakas were nomadic tribes of Central Asia.
The seats of authority of their five branches existed in different parts of India. These were Afghanistan, Punjab with Taxila as its capital, Mathura, Western India and Central India with Ujjain as its capital.
Western India was the most important of them up till 4th Century AD.
In 58 BC a king of Ujjain fought against them and defeated them. After this he assumed the title of Vikramaditya.
An era called Vikram Samvat was created to mark this king’s victory over Sakas and it started from 57 BC.
Henceforth, Vikramaditya became a coveted title, and consequently 14 kings adopted this title.
Rudradaman I was the most renowned Saka ruler and ruled from 130 AD to 150 AD.
He was known for his military prowess and his conquest of the Satavahanas.
He was deeply involved in public works. One of his most significant public works was the repair of Mauryan period’s popular artificial Sudarsan Lake at Girnar in Saurashtra.
He patronized the Sanskrit language and issued the Junagarh Rock Inscription – a first ever long inscription in pure Sanskrit.
Nahapana, Ushavadeva, Ghamatika, Chashtana, were some of the other important Saka rulers in India.

Kushans

Kushans were one of the five Yeu-chi clans of Central Asia and were also called Tocharians.
They first came to Bactria by displacing the Sakas. Then they, gradually, moved towards the Indian subcontinent.
The Kushan dynasty was divided in two parts: First and Second.

First Kushan Dynasty

Kadphises I, also known as Kujul Kadphises, was the founder of the first Kushan dynasty and Kadphises II, also known as Vema Kadphises was its second king.
Kadphises II issued gold coins with high-sounding titles such as, the ‘Lord of the Whole World’.
The early Kushan kings issued gold coins on a large scale with higher degree of purity.

Second Kushan Dynasty

Kanishka established the second Kushan dynasty. He was the most celebrated Kushan ruler and reigned from 78 AD to 120 AD.
Under his regime, Kushans’ influence expanded to upper regions of India. Peshawar or Purushapura was its capital city.
He was also called the ‘Second Ashoka’ and in 78 AD he started an era, now known as the Saka era and used by the Indian government.
During his time in power, 4th Buddhist council was conducted in Kundalavana, Kashmir.
During his reign, Buddhism got divided into two sects- Hinayana and Mahayana.
He greatly supported Mahayana Buddhism.
Scholars such as, Vasumitra, Asvaghosha, Parsva, Nagarjuna, Charaka and Mathara were patronized in his royal court.
Sushruta, a medical student who wrote Sushruta Samhita that described surgical procedures, belonged to his era.
Mathura and Gandhara school of Art developed during his reign.
His successors ruled for another 150 years.
Vasudeva I was the last great ruler of this dynasty.

Important Facts

Charaka, one of the great authorities on Ayurveda and writer of ‘Charakasamhita’, was the Physician of Kanishka’s court.
Asvaghosha was a great philosopher, poet and dramatist. He was the author of Buddhacharita (Ramayana of Buddhist).
Nagarjuna is known as ‘Einstein of India’ because he propounded the theory of ‘Shunyavada’ which was similar to Einstein’s theory of relativity.

Summary

In this chapter, you learned that:

Pre-Gupta Period:
- The later Mauryan or pre-Gupta period started as the Mauryan Empire began to decline.
- Before the Guptas established their hold on India, several rulers came to power.
Decline of the Mauryan Empire:
- Ashoka’s death brought the decline of the Mauryan Empire.
- Brihadratha was the last Mauryan ruler who was killed by his commander-in-chief, Pushymitra Shunga.
- The post Mauryan or pre-Gupta period extended from 185 BC to 319 AD.
Native Successors of Mauryas:
- After their decline, Mauryas were succeeded by Shungas, Kanvas and Satavahanas.
- Shunga dynasty was founded by Pushymitra Shunga and ended in 73 BC.
- Kanva dynasty ruled for 45 years and ended in 28 BC.
- Satavahana dynasty was the most important native dynasty with Pratishthana as capital.
- Yajna Sri Satakarni was the last great ruler of Satavahanas.
Foreign Successors of Mauryas:
- Indo-Greeks, Sakas and Kushans ruled north-western India.
- Indo-Greeks introduced Hellenistic art and issued gold coins.
- Sakas established Vikram Samvat.
- Kushans under Kanishka promoted Mahayana Buddhism and Gandhara art.