History of India, c. 150 A.D. to 350 A.D.: Naga–Vakataka Imperial Period c17.s1.1

c17.s1.1

152. It will be convenient to have a retrospect of the Southern history to see its bearing on Northern India and the inter-connection between the South and the North before summing up the effects of the Gupta imperialism. The Purāṇas, from the time of the Āndhras onwards, give the subordinate ruling dynasties under the imperial power. They do so for three dynasties—the Āndhras (=Sātavāhanas), the Vindhyakas (=Vākāṭakas) and the Guptas. It is noticeable that when the centre of imperialism shifts from Magadha, when it goes from the Kāṇvāyanas to the Sātavāhanas, the Purāṇas begin to describe the imperial dynasties with reference to their places of origin and not by their dynastic titles. The Sātavāhanas are described as Āndhra, i.e., arising from Āndhra-deśa; similarly the Vākāṭakas are described as Vindhyaka, arising from Vindhyadeśa. And when the Purāṇas revert to Magadha the Guptas are again described by their dynastic title. We shall now study the Andhran imperial organisation as noted in the Purāṇas; the Vākāṭakan and the Guptan, we have already surveyed.