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This article concerns the period 799 BC – 790 BC.
Magadha was a region and one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas, 'Great Kingdoms' of the Second Urbanization in what is now south Bihar at the eastern Ganges Plain. Magahi or Magadhi is the language of Magadh which is still spoken in southern Bihar. Magadha was ruled by the Pradyota dynasty, Barhadratha dynasty, Haryanka dynasty, and the Shaishunaga dynasty. Villages had their own assemblies under their local chiefs called Gramakas. Their administrations were divided into executive, judicial, and military functions.
Bimbisāra or Shrenika and Seniya in the Jain histories was a King of Magadha and belonged to the Haryanka dynasty. he was the son of Bhattiya. His expansion of the kingdom, especially his annexation of the kingdom of Anga to the east, is considered to have laid the foundations for the later expansion of the Mauryan Empire.
The Nanda dynasty ruled in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent during the 4th century BCE, and possibly during the 5th century BCE. The Nandas overthrew the Shaishunaga dynasty in the Magadha region of eastern India, and expanded their empire to include a larger part of northern India. Ancient sources differ considerably regarding the names of the Nanda kings, and the duration of their rule, but based on the Buddhist tradition recorded in the Mahavamsa, they appear to have ruled during c. 345–322 BCE, although some theories date the start of their rule to 5th century BCE.
The Shaishunaga dynasty is believed to have been the second ruling dynasty of Magadha, an empire of ancient India. According to the Hindu Puranas, this dynasty was the second ruling dynasty of Magadha, succeeding Nagadashaka of the Haryanka dynasty.
Brihadratha, also known as Maharatha, was the initiator of the Barhadratha dynasty, the earliest ruling dynasty of Magadha. According to the Mahabharata and the Puranas, he was the eldest of the five sons of Vasu, the Kuru king of Chedi and his queen Girika. The name of Brihadratha is also found in the Rigveda.
Kingdom of Kosala was an ancient Indian kingdom with a rich culure, corresponding the area with the region of Awadh in present-day Uttar Pradesh to Western Odisha. It emerged as a small state during the late Vedic period, with connections to the neighbouring realm of Videha. Kosala belonged to the Northern Black Polished Ware culture, and the Kosala region gave rise to the Sramana movements, including Jainism and Buddhism. It was culturally distinct from the Painted Grey Ware culture of the Vedic period of Kuru-Panchala west of it, following independent development toward urbanisation and the use of iron.
Vatsa or Vamsa was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas of Uttarapatha of ancient India mentioned in the Anguttara Nikaya. Vatsa or Vamsa country corresponded with the territory of modern Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers.
Avanti was an ancient Indian Mahajanapada, roughly corresponded to the present day Malwa region. According to the Buddhist texts, the Anguttara Nikaya, Avanti was one of the solasa mahajanapadas of the 6th century BCE. The janapada was divided into two parts by the Vindhyas, the northern part had its capital at Ujjayini and the southern part had its centre at Mahishmati.
Shishunaga was the founder of the Shishunaga dynasty of the Magadha Empire in the present day northern India. Initially, he was an amatya (official) of the Magadha empire under the Haryanka dynasty. He was placed on the throne by the people who revolted against the Haryanka dynasty rule. The Puranas tell us that he placed his son at Varanasi and himself ruled from Girivraja (Rajagriha). He was succeeded by his son Kalashoka (Kakavarna).
According to the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Jarasandha was a powerful king of Magadha. He was son of king Brihadratha, the creator of the Barhadratha dynasty of Magadha. According to Vayu Purana, the descendants of Brihadratha ruled Magadha for 2600 years followed by Pradyota Dynasty and the great Haryanka dynasty. He is ninth pratinarayana according to the Jain text Harivamsa Purana.
The Haryanka dynasty was the third ruling dynasty of Magadha, an empire of ancient India, which succeeded the Pradyota dynasty and Barhadratha dynasty. Initially, the capital was Rajagriha. Later, it was shifted to Pataliputra, near the present-day Patna in India during the reign of Udayin. Thus Bimbisara is considered as the main founder of the dynasty. They belong to Mahabharat Era Lineage.
Pradyota dynasty, also called Prthivim Bhoksyanti, is an ancient Indian dynasty, which ruled over Avanti and Magadha, though most of the Puranas (except a manuscript of the Brahmanda Purana, preserved in the University of Dhaka) say that this dynasty succeeded the Brihadratha dynasty in Magadha. The dynasty ruled for 138 years.
Udayin also known as Udayabhadra was a king of Magadha in ancient India. According to the Buddhist and Jain accounts, he was the son and successor of the Haryanka king Ajatashatru. Udayin laid the foundation of the city of Pataliputra at the confluence of two rivers, the Son and the Ganges. He shifted his capital from Rajgriha to Patliputra due to the latter's central location in the empire.
Pradyota was the founder of the Pradyota dynasty and a ruler of Avanti. His father was Punika or Pulika, a minister in Ujjain, who is said to have killed the ruler and appointed Pradyota as king. He is said to have ruled for around 23 years. Pradyota is mentioned in Mahavagga, a Buddhist text, as a great soldier.
Udayana was a king of Vatsa in India, a contemporary of Gautama Buddha.
In Hindu texts, the Puru and Yadu Dynasties are the descendants of legendary King Pururavas who was a famous Hindu ruler in the Treta Yuga. Pururavas was the son of Ila and Budha. Some of the dynasties' important members were Yayati, Yadu, King Puru, Turvasu, Druhyu, Nishant Chandravanshi and Anu. According to Hindu religious books, Yayāti was one of the ancestors of Pandavas and Yaduvanshis.
The Avanti-Magadhan wars were fought between the ancient Indian empires of Magadha and Avanti for domination over much of North India.
References
- ↑ Sen, Sailendra Nath (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. ISBN 978-81-224-1198-0.