The Post Mauryan period in India saw the emergence of regional dynasties as centralized control declined after the fall of the Mauryan Empire. Three major dynasties arose in different regions of North and South India between 200 BCE to 300 CE. In North India, the Shunga and Kanva dynasties ruled, while in South India, the Satavahanas held power. The Shungas ruled from their capitals of Pataliputra and Vidisha for over 100 years until being replaced by the Kanvas. In Odisha and parts of eastern India, the Chedi dynasty, with rulers like Kharavela, dominated local politics. During this period, Hinduism and

1. Post Mauryan
Dynasties
(200 BCE to 300AD)
Shunga- Kanva-Chedi
Sachin Kr. Tiwary

2. What
happened in
Post
Mauryan
Dynasty
Centralized-
De-
centralized
Emergence of
three dynasties
on the north and
one in the south
Revival of
Brahamanis
Foreigner
accepted the
Vaishanava
religion
Stalwarts like;
Manu, Patanjali,
Kalidas
Gigantic
Buddhist
Architecture

3. Whole region
divided into three
different ruling
regions:
• North-West for
Foreign Rulers-
Indo-Greeks- upto
Mathura
• North India for
Śuṅga-Kanva (The
Age know as
Revival of
Brahminism)
• South India for
Satvahana

4. Heliodorus pillar
• Erected around 113 BCE in
Vidisha, MP.
• Part of an ancient Vāsudeva
temple site.
• Earliest known writings
of Vāsudeva-Krishna devotion
and early Vaishnavism and are
considered the first archeological
evidence of its existence
• The pillar is also one of the
earliest surviving records of a
foreign convert into Vaishnavism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliodorus_pillar

5. Manu Patanjali Kalidas

6. Bharahut, M.P.
Shunga Pd.

7. Sanchi, M.P.
Shunga Pd.

8. Bodhgaya, BR
Shunga Pd.

9. Amaravathi, AP.
Satavahana Pd.

10. Amaravathi, AP.
Satavahana Pd.

11. Ajanta Caves, MH., Satavahana Pd.

12. SHUNGA
Dynasty
(184-72 BCE)

13. SHUNGA Dynasty: Basics
• First King- Pushyamitra Shunga (He was commander in
Mauryan Infantry), He killed the last ruler Brihdrath
openly in front of the army.
• Last King- Devabhuti/Devabhumi, who was killed by
the Kanva king Vasudeva Kanve (He was minister in
Shunga Empire)
• They ruled for 112 years
• They had two capitals- Pataliputra (Bihar) (Up to
Vajramitra times) and Vidisha (M.P.) (During
Bhagbhadra times)

14. • Literature [Indian-Foreign] (Religious-Brahminical, Buddhist, Jaina; Secular):
Harshcharita of Banbhatt, Malvikagnimitram of Kalidas, Purans (Harivansh, Vayu,
Brahmand, Vishnu), Mahabhashya of Patanjali, Manusmriti, Baudhayan
Shrautsutra, Lattayayan Shrautsutra, Ashwalayan Shrautsutra, Brihadaranyak
Upnishad, Merutunga, Yugpuran of Gargi Samhita, Mayavritti of Abhayanadni,
Arya-manju-sri-mul-kalpa, Dibyawadan, Taranath, Strabo..
• Archaeological [Epigraphs/Inscription/Edict/Copper Plate,
Numismatics, Architecture- Art]:
– Ayodhya Inscription of Dhandeva (Local ruler of Ayodhya who
claimed to be the sixth descendant of Pushyamitra Shunga-
mentioned about the 02 Ashwamedh Yagya).
– Besnagar Inscription of Heliodorus at Vidisha (Importance of pillar
inscription) at the time of Bhagwat (ninth ruler of this dynasty).
– Kosal Inscription of Jyesthamitra.
– Coins of Ruhelkhand and Ahichhatra (Agnimitra).
– Buddhist Architectures of Sanchi, Bharahut, Bodhgaya.
SHUNGA Dynasty: Sources

15. Pushyamitra (184–149 BCE)
Political
1. Reveal against the Muaryan kings;
2. War of Vidarbh against Yagyasen
3. War with Demetrius (Indo Greek king), Demetrius sometimes identified as
Menander (Mentioned in the Mahabharata and the Yuga Purana describe the
conflict between the Shungas and the Indo-Greeks)….
Religious
• According to Arya-manju-sri-mul-kalpa, Ashokavadan (an account of Dibyawadan),
Taranath- Pushyamitra announced about the killing of monks…
• the Asokavadana account of the Divyavadana claims that the Shungas sent an army to
persecute Buddhist monks as far as Sakala (Sialkot) in the Punjab region in the northwest…
... Pushyamitra equipped a fourfold army, and intending to destroy the Buddhist religion, he
went to the Kukkutarama (in Pataliputra). ... Pushyamitra therefore destroyed
the sangharama, killed the monks there, and departed. ... After some time, he arrived
in Sakala, and proclaimed that he would give a ... reward to whoever brought him the head
of a Buddhist monk….
• Similarly Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purana, mentioned about the killing of 01
million monks…
• During the times of Pushyamitra; Sanchi, Bharahut, Bodhgaya Buddhist architectures were
built…

16. Later Rulers
1 Agnimitra 149–141 BCE Malvik-agnimitram
2 Vasujyeshtha 141–131 BCE STARTED DECLINE OF THE
EMPIRE
Antiochus-Heliodorus-
Besnagar Garun Pillar
LAST RULER Killed by the
Shunga court minister
Vasudeva.
3 Vasumitra 131–124 BCE
4 Bhadraka 124–122 BCE
5 Pulindaka 122–119 BCE
6 Ghosha 119-108 BCE
7 Vajramitra 108-94 BCE
8
Bhagabhadra 94-83 BCE
9
Devabhuti 83–72 BCE

17. KANVA Dynasty
(72- 27 BCE)

18. • First King- Vasudeva (He was minister in Shunga dynasty), He
killed and overthrown the last ruler Devabhuti.
• Last King- Shusarman, who was killed by the Satvahana king
Simuk (He was the founder of Satvahan or Andhara Empire)
• They ruled for 45 years
• They had two capitals- Pataliputra (Bihar) or Vidisha (M.P.)
NOMENCLATURE- Kanva- This is a Gotra.
Sources:
• Vishnupurana, Harshcharita
Rulers and their reign:
• Vasudeva (c. 72/75 – c. 66 BCE)
• Bhumimitra (c. 66 – c. 52 BCE)
• Narayana (c. 52 – c. 40 BCE)
• Susarman (c. 40 – c. 27/30 BCE)- He was killed by Balipuccha,
who founded the Andhra dynasty.

19. CHEDI Dynasty
(600 - 100 BCE)

20. Other
Names
Cheta
Cheti
Chetavamsa
Chedirashtra
Mahameghava
hana
Aira
Mahameghava
hana
ऐरेण महाराजेन महामेघवाहनेन चेतराज वस वधनेन पसथ सुभलखलेन चतुरंतलुठन गुणउपेनेत कललंगाधधपततना
लसरर खारवेलेन

22. Important Ruler: Kharavela (A name of the king of
this dynasty), therefore, mentioned in his
inscription that he enhanced the glory of the
dynasty of Chetaraja (Chetarajavasa Vadhanena).
Present Location: Odisha and Andhra Pradesh
Source:
• Brahmanic, Buddhist and Jaina literatures.
• Hatigumpha Inscription of Kharwela
(For Detail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kharavela)
• Later and contemporary other short inscriptions
found on the Udayagiri hill of Odisha.

23. Hathigumpha Inscription- Udayagiri, near Bhubaneswar in Odisha

24. Detail:
Earlier:
In the days of Buddha in sixth century B.C.E., the political map of India
contained sixteen Mahajanapadas. One of those Mahajanapadas was the
Chedi territory which extended between the rivers Jamuna and Narmada.
The Chedi race seems to have moved to other places in course of time.
This fact proves that the Chedis of Kalinga were the descendants of the
ancient Chedi race of India, so prominently described in the Buddhist and
Jaina literature.
Establishment of Dynasty:
Who established the kingdom: ?
Some said- Mahameghavahana
Some said- Abhichandra as Chedirashtra in the region of the Vindhyas- Jaina
sources.
Capital: Suktimati-Puri on the bank of the river Suktimati.
• This river has been identified by Alexander Cunningham with the river
Mahanadi itself.
D.C. Sircar said that river Suktimati is Suktel which is a tributary of the
Mahanadi (or of the Tel river). The river Suktel flows into the river Tel
which meets the river Mahanadi.

25. Successor:
• Vasu:-The son and successor of king Abhichandra of Chedirashtra was King Vasu. Vasu
seems to have been a more powerful ruler, and he became famous for his pious deeds to
earn the title of Rajarsi.
• Chetaraja:- King Chetaraja was the immediate predecessor of Kharavela, ruling Kalinga.
• Kharavela:- King Kharavela of Kalinga regarded Rajarsi Vasu as the founder of his
dynasty and took pride in describing himself in his Hatigumpha Inscription as a
descendant of Rajarsi Vasu. Kharavela belonged to the third generation of the Kalinga
Chedi dynasty. He had two wives Vajiraghara and according to Hatigumpha Inscription
LALALK the Queen of Simhapatha, her father name was Hastisingh. Kharavela described
his achievements in the Hathigumpha inscription. The inscription talk about his 13th year
achievements and the work for the subject.
• Kudepasiri:-Kudepasiri was the son of Kharavela and succeeded his illustrious father to
the throne.
• The dynasty also carried for its kings a grand designation or title, Mahameghavahana.
The Chedi dynasty of Kalinga, therefore, is also known as the Mahameghavahana
Family.
• Lesser Unknown Kings- Mahameghavahana, Aira (Prinsep and Rajendra Lai Mitra),
Chetaraja.

26. Thank you
Any Questions ?