Post Maurya Period - II

IAS Notes October 25, 2022
Post Maurya Period

After the demise of Mauryas, many new dynasties emerged in different parts of Indian sub-continent. They can be categorised in two different groups.

Outsiders 

  • Indo-Greeks
  • Shakas
  • Parthians
  • Kushanas
Indigenous 
  • Shunga
  • Kanva
  • Satavahana


Shunga dynasty

shunga dynasty
  • Shunga dynasty was founded by a brahmin Pushyamitra Shunga.
  • He tried to revive the Vedic rituals.
  • He also performed an Ashwamedha Yajna, which he mentioned in Ayodhya inscription.
  • He also destroyed many Buddhist stupas.
  • Patanjali was the contemporary of Pushyamitra Shunga who propounded the 'Philosophy of Yoga' and wrote Yoga sutra.
  • Next ruler was his Agnimitra Shunga whose love affairs with Malvika is mentioned in historical work of kalidas 'Malvikagnimitram'.
  • He was followed by Vashumitra Shunga. During his tenure, the stupas which were destroyed by Pushyamitra Shunga was restored.
  • During the tenure of Shunga ruler Bhagabhadra, a Greek ambassador Heliodorus not only accepted Hinduism but also erected a pillar at Bhilsa (Vidisha, MP) to mark the worship of Lord Vishnu. The pillar was popularly known as 'Garudadhwaj' and is considered to be the 1st archeological evidence of Lord Vishnu worship.
garudadhwaj
Garudadhwaj


Kanva dynasty

kanva dynasty


  • Shunga dynasty was replaced by Kanva dynasty in 75 BC.
  • This dynasty was founded by Vashudeva Kanva, who also promoted Vedic Hinduism.
  • In the 1st century AD, Kanvas were defeated by Satavahans who were the ruler of Deccan and annexed Magadha into their Deccan kingdom.


Satavahana dynasty

  • Satavahanas were also known as Andhra or Andhrabhriyta.
  • The most important source of their history is Hindu religious text Puranas.
  • In the 1st century AD, Satavahana kingdom was firmly established by Shimuk who defeated the Kanvas.
  • One of the important ruler of Satavahana was Hala who patronised Art and Literature.
  • He wrote a famous erotic love poetry 'Gatha Sapta Sati'.
  • Gautami Putra Satakarni was the most important ruler of Satavahanas. His mother Gautami Balashree proclaimed in Nashik inscription that Satkarni is the only protector of the Brahmins.

Initiatives of Satavahanas 
  1. Satavahanas were the 1st ruler in India who started to release lead coins for commercial transactions.
  2. They were also the 1st ruler who started the practice of granting lands to Brahmins and Monks in lieu of their services.

Next Article - Gupta Empire


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Note - This is my Vision IAS Notes (Vision IAS Class Notes) and Ashutosh Pandey Sir's Public Administration Class notes. I've also added some of the information on my own. 

Hope! It will help you to achieve your dream of getting selected in Civil Services Examination 👍 
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