Sisunaga and His Successors

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(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.

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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.

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

The Magadha Imperialism

The history of India assumes a more or less definite shape towards the end of the seventh century B.C.

During this period, the whole country was divided into a number of independent states. North India was split into sixteen “Mahajanapadas.” Some of these states were monarchial others were either republicans or oligarchics. Out of these sixteen some of the prominent ones were Anga, Magadha, Vatsa, Vriji, Kasi, Kosala and Avanti.

The four important dynasties who tired to establish their supremacy at the cost of the minor states were Magadha, Kosala, Vatsa and Avanti. There was no political unity at all in Northern India.

Very little is known about the political fortunes of these republics but information about the method of their administrations is available.

These republics or Sanghas were governed on democratic lines. Elected chief acted as the President of the administrative council. The matters of justice and administration were discussed in an assembly hall.

The assembly of the people could also be called on special occasions. The President of the Council was called a Raja. It is not known as to how he was elected and for how long he rules but it appears that the office was not hereditary. He was more or less like a Mayor of the area. The local administration was carried on by local assemblies which played an important part in the administration of the State.

In some of these republics villages were organized on professional bases, e.g., the potters and smiths of the clan used to have separate villages of their own. The small republics were gradually losing their importance and were being over-shadowed by kingdoms like Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala, Magadha, etc.

Avanti

It was an important state of western India and included the territories of modern Malwa, Nirmar and the adjoining parts of Madhya Pradesh. Ujjayni and Mahishwati were the respective capitals of is northern and southern territories. Its ruler Pradyota was in constant rivalry with the neighbouring states of Vatsa, Kosala and Magadha.

Its last ruler was defeated by Sisunaga who included it in the state of Magadha.

Vatsa

Kausambi was capital of Vatsa and its ruler was Udayana. Udayana was not only a powerful king who was also well-versed in many fine arts, particularly, music. Once he was captured by Pradyota of Avanti by treachery but he eloped with Pradyota’s daughter Vasavadatta and married her. One of his other queens was the sister of king Darsaka of Magadha.

He was not inclined to Buddhism in the beginning but later on accepted it.

Kosala

Its boundaries corresponded roughly with modern Avadh. It was divided into north and south by the river Sarayu; Sravasti and Kusavati were its respective capitals. Its ruler, a contemporary of the Buddha, was Prasenajit who had accepted Buddhism and had matrimonial relations with the state of Magadha.

He had extended its supremacy over the Sakyas of Kapilvastu.

Magadha

Magadha was one of the most important states of North India in the sixth century B.C.

Later on, it became the most powerful state, stood out as the supreme power in North India and ushered in the age of big empires in India.

Administration of different states at that time differed from each other.

There were five types of administrative politics, viz. Samarajya, Bhojya, Swarajya, Vairajya and Rajya.

In Samarajyapolity, the head of the state was called Samrat, his coronation was a necessity and his position was hereditary.

In Bhojya polity, the head of the state was called Bhoja, his status was not hereditary rather, he was assigned administrative authority for a fixed period.

In Swaraja polity, the head of the state was called Swarata and its administration was carried on by some respected Kulas which were regarded equal to each other.

In Vairajya polity, the head of the state was called as the king, the representatives of the people.

In Rajya polity, tribal administration continued as before. The Janapadas of Kuru and Panchala in Madya-desh pursued this system.

Most of the contemporary texts have referred to the Samarajya polity where the head of the state was called the Samrat whose office was hereditary. Such states got better opportunities for their territorial expansion. The use of the iron increased the area under cultivation and agricultural production.

The monarch drew maximum advantage from it as his share from the produce was fixed and he alone had the right to permit clearance of forests. Increased agricultural production led to increased trade and commerce which again benefited the monarch.

All this resulted in the material prosperity of the emperor which helped him in increasing his military strength which he could fruitfully utilize for the expansion of the territories of his empire. The rise of Magadha in the 6th century B.C. was also because of the fact that it had hereditary monarchical rule, viz., Samarajya polity.

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Tags: avanti, bhoja, buddhist, imperialism, jainism, kosala, magadha, mahajanapadas, purans, rajya polity, republic, tribal administration, vatsa, vedic literature