The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c7.s2.1

v1.c7.s2.1

THERE is a great deal of controversy about the origin of the Sātavāhanas, and the date of their emergence into power. Inscriptions found in the caves of Nānāghāṭ and Nāsik in the Western Deccan mention the names of several kings of ‘Sātavāhana-kula’. These names as well as their order of succession are mostly in agreement with those of the Paurāṇic genealogies of the kings of ‘Andhra-jāti’. Some Purāṇas style them as Andhrabhṛtyas. Hence on the basis of certain names common to various kings mentioned in the two sources some scholars identified the Sātavāhanas of the epigraphical records with the Andhras of the Purāṇas; others strongly objected to this identification because in no inscription or coin are the Sātavāhanas called Andhras and similarly in no Purāṇa are the Andhras mentioned as Sātavāhanas.¹