Trade and Trade Routes in Ancient India c2.26.2

c2.26.2

The long rivalry between the Śakas and Sātavāhanas was not only due to political reasons but also due to commerce. While the Sātavāhanas were firmly established in the Kalyan-Nasik region the Śakas held sway over Sopara-Bharukachchha region and these regions exchanged hands several times depending on the strength or weakness of the rivals. In this connection a new fact has been brought to light that one of the names of Kanishka was Chandana and according to the Periplus Sandanes or Chandana exercised authority on Bharukachchha. This theory of Sylvan Levi remains unsupported by known events, but at least one fact supports his theory and it is the statue of Chashṭana along with that of Kanishka found in the Devakula at Mat. So far the relation of Kanishka with Chashṭana remains unexplained. From the assertion of the Periplus that Sandanes (Chandana or Kanishka) controlled Bharukachchha it could be suggested that there must have existed some relationship between Kanishka and Chashṭana and that Kanishka extended his control over Bharukachcha-Sopara through Chashṭana. The Mat statue of Kanishka represents him as a middle-aged man, and Chashṭana was a young man. It may be suggested that Chashṭana was a younger brother or a close relation of Kanishka. It is also possible that he was racially related with Kanishka’s family. Sylvan Levi has also suggested that between 25 and 120 A.D. the Yüe-chi were in the Deccan.