The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (collected till 1923) and Outlines of Political History c7.55

c7.55

The position of the new Sunga King Pushyamitra was very precarious. There began in his time a great tribal movement in Mongolia and Turkestan. One of these tribes, the Śakas, driven out of their own country north of the Jaxartes, or Syr Daryā river, by the incursions of hordes from Western China known as the Yueh-chi, were forced over the mountain borderland southwards and began to settle in India in large and increasing numbers. About 170 B.C. war broke out between Pushyamitra and the Āndhra king Yajña Śrī Śātakarṇi in which the former's son Agnimitra was victorious.¹ At that time the Āndhra monarch was ruling over a large extent of country including Berar, part of the Central Provinces and Hyderabad, as well as over his own Telugu tracts; which fact accounts for the Kālinga Khāravēla's inscription of about 159 B.C. calling the Āndhra ruler 'Lord of the West.' Pushyamitra also had to contend with the Hellenistic king of Baktria, Menander, about 155 B.C., who was victorious in several campaigns and eventually forced his way into parts of Oudh and Rajputana. About 153 B.C. Khāravēla, who has just been mentioned allied himself with the Āndhra king Pūrṇōtsanga and attacked the Sunga king. Khāravēla stormed Rājagriha, penetrated into Magadha, and compelled Pushyamitra to make peace.