Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c9.s7.206

c9.s7.206

The origin of the Haryañka line, to which Bimbisāra belonged according to Aśvaghosha, is wrapped up in obscurity. There is no cogent reason why this dynastic designation should be connected with Haryaṅga of Champā mentioned in the *Harivaṁśa*² and the Purāṇas. *Haryañka-kula* may simply be an expression like "*aulikara-lāñchhana ātma vaṁśa*" of a Mandasor Inscription, pointing to the distinctive mark or emblem of the family.³ Bimbisāra was not the founder of the line. The *Mahāvaṁśa* states that he was anointed king by his own father when he was only 15 years old.⁴ He avenged a defeat of his father⁵ by the Aṅgas and launched Magadha into that career of conquest and aggrandisement which only ended when Aśoka sheathed his sword after the conquest of Kaliṅga.