Sisunaga and His Successors

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

(430-364 B.C.)

Sisunaga had gained respect under the weak successors of Ajatasatru and, probably, became the ruler of Magadha with the consent of the people.

He proved to be a capable ruler and extended the territories of Magadha. He defeated the neighbouring rival state of Avanti, Vatsa and Kosala annexed theri territories to Magadha.

Sisunaga was succeeded by his son Kalasoka or Kakavarna. He made Pataliputra the capital of Magadha.

Kalasoka was murdered because of a palace conspiracy and, probably, his murderer was the founder of Nanda dynasty.

The ten sons of Kalasoka ruled for ten years after him. The princes were allowed to rule nominally for these years to cover the guilt of the murder of their father. But, ultimately, all of them were killed and a new dynasty of kings started its rule over Magadha.

Regarding the first Nanda ruler, there is a difference of opinion. Puranas called him Mohapadma whereas the Mahabodhivamsa gives his name as Ugrasena. Jain-texts describe him as the son of a barber while Puranas say that the founder of the Nanda dynasty was a Sudra.

Mahapadma Nanda according to Puranas destroyed all Kshatriya rulers. The kingdoms of Aikshvakus, Panchalas, Kasis, Haihayas, Kalingas, Asmakas, Kurus, Maithilas, Sursenas etc., were defeated and their territories were annexed to Magadha. Nandas rules over the southern part of Bombay and north-western part of Mysore.

Nandas succeeded in establishing a great empire which covered the greater part of northern India and part of the South. The credit for it goes primarily to the first ruler of this dynasty.

Nine rulers of Nanda dynasty ruled over Magadha. Little is known about the history of Nandas after Mahapadma Nanda except the last ruler, nicknamed Dhana Nanda.

He was a contemporary of Alexander and his empire seems to have extended up to the frontiers of Punjab. He was a powerful king and kept a large army. But he was cruel and miserly. He accumulated fabulous wealth at the expense of his subjects by means of excessive taxation and extractions. Therefore, he was unpopular among his subjects.

Chandra Gupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan dynasty took advantage of his unpopularity and succeeded in killing him and captured the throne of Magadha.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Tags: ajatasatru, avanti, kakavarna, kosala, magadha, mohapadma, nanda dynasty, pataliputra, puranas, sisunaga, successors, vaisali, vatsa

Ajatasatru and His Successors

Ajatasatru(493-462 B.C.) continued his father’s policy of expansion through military conquests. First, a fierce struggle started between Magadha and Kosala. Prasenajit’s sister who was the wife of Bimbisara died of grief at the death of her husband. Prasenajit could not tolerate it and asked Ajatasatru to return Kasi which was given in dowry to Bimbisara.

Ajatasatru, refused and thus a protracted war began between Magadha and Kosala. The war remained indecisive for a long time but ultimately Prasenajit agreed to give Kasi to Ajatasatru and also gave his daughter Vajira in marriage to him, which proves that the outcome of war, finally, went in favour of Magadha.

The foundation of the political supremacy of Magadha was laid by Ajatasatru by defeating the strong confederacy of Vriji. The confederacy which dominated Eastern India included 36 republican states. The bone of contention between the two powers was a newfound jewel-mine.

The two powers had agreed to share equally the jewels of the mine but the Lichchhavi violated this agreement and so the war was declared by Magadha.

The real issue was that Magadha could not be the supreme power in Eastern India without defeating the powerful Lichchhavi confederacy. This was realized by both sides. That is why not only the Lichchhavi but the entire Vriji confederacy including the chiefs of Kasi and Kosala united themselves against Magadha.

The conflict between Magadha and the confederacy continued for sixteen years (484-468). Ajatasatru made all sorts of preparations for it. To be near the theatre of war, a new fort was built near the bank of the Ganges, which later grew to be the famous city of Pataliputra and future capital of Magadha.

Ajatasatru also realized that to gain victory against such a powerful confederacy its inner unity had to destroyed.

Therefore, he sent his minister, Vassakara, to sow of dissension amongst the members of the confederacy. Vassakara remained there for three years and proved successful in his mission. The political and social unity of the Vrijis was broken. Moreover Magadha was able to produce two new weapons of war.

One was the Mahasilakantaka which was used to throw heavy pieces of stone on the enemy from a distance.

The other was the Rathamusala, a chariot with knives and cutting edges fixed on to it and a place under cover for the charioteer.

Thus after preparing himself diplomatically and militarily, Ajatasatru attacked the Vrijis and finally won. Magadha became an unchallenged supreme power in east India.

The success of Ajatasatru aroused the hostility of king Chanda Pradyota of Avanti who started making preparations to attack Magadha. But it was Ajatasatru who strengthened his fortifications and took various other measures to defend his boundaries and succeeded. Pradyota could not attack Magadha. Ajatasatru was successful in further extending the boundaries of his kingdom and in laying the foundations of the greatness of Magadha.

Ajatasatru was of liberal religious opinions. Ajatasatru, probably, was first inclined to Jainism but later on he became a devotee of the Buddha. The first General Council of the Buddhists was held under his patronage near Rajagriha. He built several Buddhist Chaityas.

Ajatasatru died in 461 B.C. Five kings succeeded him.All of them ascended the throne after killing their fathers.

Ajatasatru was succeeded by his son Udayabhadra. The rivalry between Magadha and Avanti continued during his time but Udayabhadra succeeded in defeating Palaka, the then ruler of Avanti several times. It is believed that Palaka then engaged a hired assassin to kill Udayabhadra who murdered him when he was listening to the discourse of a religious teacher. Udayabhadra was a Jain. He built a town called Kusumapura and a Jain Chaityagriha inside it.

Udayabhadra was succeeded by Anurudha, Munda and Nagadasaka respectively. None of them proved himself capable of ruling and ach of them was a parricide. It created dissatisfaction among their subjects and, therefore, one of the ministers of the last king, Sisunaga succeeded in overthrowing his rule and established the rule of a new dynasty.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Tags: ajatasatru, avanti, bimbisara, eastern india, kingdom, kosala, kusumapura, magadha, palaka, pradyota prasenajit, rajagriha, sisunaga, udayabhadra