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Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c16.s2: Section II. Agnimitra and his Successors

Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c16.s2

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Section II. Agnimitra and his Successors

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Pushyamitra died in or about 151 B.C., probably after a reign of 36 years,¹ and was succeeded by his son **Agnimitra**.² The name of a prince named Agnimitra has been found on several copper coins discovered in Rohilkhand. Cunningham³ was of opinion that this prince was probably not to be identified with the son of Pushyamitra, but belonged to a local dynasty of North Pañchāla (Rohilkhand). He gave two reasons for this conclusion :

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¹ Only thirty years according to a Jaina tradition—"*aṭṭhasayaṁ Muriyāṇaṁ tisa chchia Pūsamittassa*" (*IA*. 1914. 118 f. Merutuṅga).

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² The commentary on the *Amarakośa* seems to suggest that Agnimitra is the original of king Sūdraka of tradition (Oka, p. 122; *Ann. Bhand. Or. Res. Inst.*, 1931, 360). On the other hand Keith refers to a tradition recorded in the *Vīra charita* and by the younger Rājaśekhara which represents Sūdraka as a minister of a Sātavāhana king. We are further told by another writer that Sūdraka defeated prince Svāti and ruled for a long time. A tale alluded to in the *Harshacharita* represents him as an enemy of Chandraketu, lord of Chakora, apparently in South India (Keith, *The Sanskrit Drama*, p. 129; *Sanskrit Literature*, p. 292; Ghosh, *History of Central and Western India*, pp. 141 f.). The story of Sūdraka is essentially legendary and it is difficult to extract any historical truth out of it. The abeyance of Sātavāhana power in the Upper Deccan for a long period is a fact. But it is due to the irruption of foreign tribes from the north. Disloyal ministers may have helped to bring in the invader.

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³ *Coins of Ancient India*, p. 79. *Cf.* Allan, *CICAI.*, p. cxx.

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1. Agnimitra's is the only coin-name found in the Purāṇic lists. The names of the other "Mitra" kings occurring on coins of the so-called "Pañchāla series," do not agree with those found in the *Purāṇas*.

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2. The coins are very rarely found beyond the limits of North Pañchāla.

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As to the first point Rivett-Carnac⁴ and Jayaswal⁵ have shown that several coin-names besides that of Agnimitra can be indentified with those found in the Purāṇic lists of Śuṅga and Kāṇva kings; for example, Bhadra-ghosha may be identified with Ghosha, the seventh king of the Purāṇic list of Śuṅga kings. Bhūmimitra may be identified with the Kāṇva king of that name. Jethamitra, who is identified with the successor of Agnimitra, viz., Vasu-Jyeshṭha or Su-Jyeshṭa, who is called simply Jyeshṭha in the *k Vishṇu* manuscript,¹ no doubt left coins that belong to a different series. But even he is closely connected with an Agnimitra. Several names indeed cannot be identified, but they may have been names of those Śuṅgas who survived the usurpation of Vasudeva Kāṇva and the remnant of whose power was destroyed by the so-called Andhras and Śiśunandi.²

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⁴ *JASB*, 1880, 21 ff.; 87 ff.; *Ind. Ant.*, 1880, 311.

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⁵ *JBORS*, 1917, p. 479. *Cf.* 1934, pp. 7 ff.

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¹ *Dynasties of the Kali Age*, p. 31, n. 12. Pace Allan, *CICAI.*, p. xcvi.

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² *Dynasties of the Kali Age*, p. 49.

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As to the second point we should remember that "Mitra" coins, even those which undoubtedly belong to the so-called Pañchāla series, have been found in Oudh, the Basti district, and even Pāṭaliputra, as well as in Pañchāla. Names of two "Mitra" kings, Brahmamitra and Indramitra, of whom the latter undoubtedly belonged to the Pañchāla group, are found engraved on two rail pillars at Bodh Gayā as well as on coins discovered at Mathurā, Pañchāla and Kumrahar.³ In the face of these facts it is difficult to say that the "Mitras" in question were a local dynasty of North Pañchāla. The matter, however, must be regarded as *subjudice*.

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³ Cunningham, *Coins of Ancient India*, pp. 84, 88; Allan, *CICAI*, pp. cxix, cxx; Marshall, *Archaeological Survey Report for 1907-8*, p. 40; Bloch *ASR*, 1908-9, p. 147; *IHQ*, 1930, pp. 1ff. The name *Im……tra* occurs in a mutilated inscription on a rail pillar at Bodh Gayā with the title *Rāño* added before it. Marshall, Bloch and Rapson agree in identifying king *Im……tra* with Indramitra of coins. Bloch further identifies him with Kauśikīputra Indrāgnimitra, husband of Āryā Kuraṅgī, whose name occurs on certain pieces of coping. The epithet Kauśikīputra reminds one of Paṇḍita-Kauśikī of the *Mālavikāgnimitram* (Act 1). The Kuśika family was apparently intimately associated with the rulers of the age. Kauśikī mentioned in the *Mālavikāgnimitram* was sister to the minister of a prince of Berar. The sister of the prince herself was one of the queens of Agnimitra. King Brahmamitra is the husband of Nāgadevī, another prominent donor mentioned in the epigraphs.

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Agnimitra’s successor, as we have already seen, was Jyeshṭha (of the *k Vishṇu* manuscript), who is very probably identical with **Jeṭhamitra** of the coins.¹

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¹ *Coins of Ancient India*, p. 74. Allan, *CICAI.*, xcvi. Note the connection of Jeṭhamitra with Agnimitra. The name of a Jyeshṭhamitra is said to occur also in a Brāhmī inscription on certain stone fragments recently discovered at Kosam (*Amrita Bazar Patrika*, July 11, 1936, p. 5).

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The next king **Vasumitra** was a son of Agnimitra. During the life-time of his grandfather he had led the imperial army against the Yavanas and defeated them on the Sindhu (possibly in Central India) which probably formed the boundary between the empire of Pushyamitra and the Indo-Greek territories in Malwa.

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Vasumitra’s successor is called Bhadraka in the *Bhāgavata Purāṇa*, Ārdraka and Odruka in the *Vishṇu*, Āndhraka in the *Vāyu*, and Antaka in the *Matsya Purāṇa*. Jayaswal identified him with Udāka, a name occurring in a Pabhosā inscription. The epigraph has been translated thus: “By Āshāḍhasena, the son of Gopālî Vaihidarî and maternal uncle of king Bahasatimitra, son of Gopālî, a cave was caused to be made in the tenth year of Udāka for the use of the Kassapiya Arhats.” We learn from another Pabhosā inscription that Āshāḍhasena belonged to the royal family of Adhichhatrā (Ahichhatrā), the capital of North Pañchāla. Jayaswal maintained that Odraka (identified with Udāka) was the paramount Śuṅga sovereign, while the family of Āshāḍhasena was either gubernatorial or feudatory to the Magadha throne. Marshall,² on the other hand, identified the fifth “Śuṅga” with king Kāsîputra³ **Bhāgabhadra** mentioned in a Garuḍa Pillar Inscription found in the old city of Vidiśā, now Besnagar. Jayaswal identified Bhāgabhadra with Bhāga Śuṅga, *i.e.*, Bhāgavata of the *Purāṇas*. This theory has to be given up in view of the discovery of another Besnagar Garuḍa Pillar Inscription (of the twelfth year after the installation of Mahārāja **Bhāgavata**) which proves that there was at Vidiśā a king named Bhāgavata apart from king Kāsīputra Bhāgabhadra. In the absence of clear evidence connecting "Udāka" with Vidiśā it cannot be confidently asserted that he belonged to the house of Agnimitra and Bhāgavata. The view of Marshall seems to be more probable.¹

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² *A Guide to Sāñchī*, p. 11 n.

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³ Sircar suggests Kautsīputra.

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It appears that the successors of Agnimitra at Vidiśā cultivated friendly relations with the Greek sovereigns of the Western Pañjāb. The policy of the Bactrian Greeks in this respect resembled that of their Seleukidan predecessors. Seleukos, we know, first tried to conquer the Magadha Empire, but, frustrated in his attempts, thought it prudent to make friends with the Mauryas. The Bactrians, too, after the reverses they sustained at the hands of Pushyamitra's general, and weakened moreover by internal dissensions, apparently gave up, for a time at least, their hostile attitude towards the imperial power in the Ganges valley. We learn from the Besnagar Inscription of the reign of Bhāgabhadra that Heliodora (

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He was apparently well-versed in the *Mahābhārata*¹ which he might have heard recited in his native city of Taxila.

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¹ The three immortal precepts, lit. *steps to immortality*, *dama*, *chāga* and *apramāda*, self-control, self-denial and watchfulness, mentioned in the second part of Heliodora's inscription, occur in the *Mahābhārata* (*V.* 43. 22; *XI.* 7. 23; *Damas-tyāgo' pramādaścha te trayo Brahmaṇo hayāḥ*. *Cf.* also *Gītā*, XVI. 1.2). See JASB, 1922, No. 19, pp. 269-271; ASI, 1908-1909, p. 126; JRAS, 1909, 1055, 1087f, 1093f; 1910, 815; 1914, 1031f; IHQ, 1932, 610; *Annals of the Bhandarkar Institute*, 1918-19, p. 59.

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Nothing in particular is known regarding the three immediate successors of Bhadraka. The ninth king Bhāgavata had a long reign which extended over 32 years. Dr. Bhandarkar identifies him with the *Mahārāja* Bhāgavata mentioned in one of the Besnagar Inscriptions referred to above. Bhāgavata's successor **Devabhūti** or **Devabhūmi** was a young and dissolute prince. The *Purāṇas* state that he was overthrown after a reign of 10 years by his *Amātya* or minister Vasudeva. Bāṇa in his *Harshacharita* says that the over-libidinous Śuṅga was bereft of his life by his *Amātya* Vasudeva with the help of a daughter of Devabhūti's slave woman (*Dāsī*), disguised as his queen. Bāṇa's statement does not necessarily imply that Devabhūti was identical with the murdered Śuṅga. His statement may be construed to mean that Vasudeva entered into a conspiracy with the emissaries of Devabhūti to bring about the downfall of the reigning Śuṅga. (Bhāgavata), and to raise Devabhūti to the throne. But in view of the unanimous testimony of the *Purāṇas* this interpretation of the statement of Bāṇa cannot be upheld.

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The Śuṅga power was not altogether extinguished after the tragic end of Devabhūti. It probably survived in Central India² till the rise of the so-called Andhras, Andhrabhṛityas or Sātavāhanas who "swept away the remains of the Śuṅga power" and probably appointed Śiśunandi¹ to govern the Vidiśā region. Śiśunandi's younger brother had a grandson (*dauhitra*) named Śiśuka who became the ruler of Purikā.²

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² *Cf.* *Dynasties of the Kali Age*, p 49.

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¹ *Ibid*, 49.

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² For the location of purikā see JRAS, 1910, 446; cf Ep. Ind, xxvi, 151.

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