Mains questionaire for Satavahanas

Discuss the religious conditions during Satavahana period.

The rise of Satavahanas coincided with the progress of Brahmanism, Buddhism, and Jainism into the Deccan. Each of these religious sects compromised with local cults and also contended with each other to gain popularity.

The inscriptions of Satavahanas kings refer to them as they followers of Brahmanical religion. This is known from the performance of various vedic sacrifices an pleasing Brahmans by rich gifts, including villages, cattle, gold vessels and thousands of Karsapanas(Nanaghat inscription). Brahmanism itself was undergoing change incorporating the local cults. The new system of religion is characterized by belief in Purusharthas, the caste system, good acts like vrata, dana and teertha an devotion to personal god. Gautamiputra Satakarni followed these aspects of neo-brahmanism.

Jainism could not make a headway in Telangana during this time. But Buddhism was able to recieve strong foothold in Telangana, not because of the Satavahana kings but mainly because of the support it received from gahapathis,kamaras and vanijas an their women folk. The magnificent Buddhist monuments at Nagarjuna konda, Phanigiri(Nalgonda district), Kotilingala, Dhulikatta, Peddabankur (knr district), Kondapur (Medak) of Telangana were the popular Buddhist centres during this period. The Prajnaparamita literature, which formed the basis for Mahayanism, was produced in the viharas of the Krishna valley by Acharya Nagarjuna in 160 CE.

The Satavahanas

Built 30 fortified towns by texts of Pliny and Megasthenes

Considerable autonomy under Mauryans

Subordinates of Mauryans

Kotilingala first capital of Satavahanas founded by Simukha

Roman coins found at Nastulapur in Karimnagar shows the maritime trade

Dhulikatta, Peddabankur and Kotilingala excavations throw ample light on Satavahana history

Mastya purana and Vayu purana provides a long list of thirty kings known as 'Andhrabrityas'

Malavikagnimitra of Kalidasa and Gathasptasathi of Hala gives some account of Satavahanas

Inscriptions in Buddhist caves at Nasik, Kanheri, Nanaghat etc.

Geographically, Satavahana kingdom include Malwa, Kutch, Surashtra, Telangana, Andhra and Southern plains of Gangetic Valley.

Simukha shifted capital Kotilingala to Pratisthanapura now Paithan in Aurangabad district of Maharshtra.

The rulers of the family eulogized themselves as Dhanakada swamins (lords of Dhanakada)

Simukha was succeeded by brother Krishna (Kanha by Inscriptions).

Krishna was first to issue inscriptions.Nanaghat was as such.He appointed Mahamatra in-charge of monks at Nasik.

Kanha was succeeded by Satakarni I son of Simukha.He is contemporary of Pushyamitra Sunga, King Kharavela of Kalinga, and Demitrius, the Graeco-Bactrian king.

Satakarni I with the help of Maharati Tranakayiro of the Amgiya family, conquered western and eastern Malwa.
While Satakarni was busy in northern conquests, Kharavela occupied the eastern coast of Andhra of satavahanas.This was referred to in the Hatigumpha inscription of Kharavela

The achievements of Satakarni I are known from the 'Naneghat'  inscription of Naganika, the wife of Satakarni I and daughter of Maharati Tranakayiro.

Satakarni I obtained the titles of Samrajyadhipati, Dakshinapathapati, Samrat etc.

Pulomavi I

The glory of the Satavahana regime was renewed from the time of Pulomavi I.He put an end to the Kanwa power by killing Susarma and occupied Magadha.This incident laid the foundation for an independent imperial regime of the Satavahanas.

After Pulomavi I weak rulers succeeded him and they were driven away from Maharashtra to Andhra by the Saka-Pahlava king Nahapana.

The only notable king during the intervening period was Hala, who composed Gathasapthasati.

Satakarni II

Occupied the Magadha and Kalinga kingdoms. He was the foremost South Indian ruler who successfully contested the sovereignty of the Magadha rulers.

Gautamiputra Satakarni

The 23rd ruler, ascended the throne in 62 CE.

The Nasik and Karle grants mention that he regained the lost territories of Maharastra region from the successors of Nahapana.

The Nasik inscription was issued by his mother Gautamibalasri.

Satavahanakula-yasa-Puthanakara, Ekabrahmana, Agama Nilaya, Kshatriya darpamana and Trisamudratoya pithavahana are few of his titles.

Succeeded by son Pulomavi II

Pulomavi II

Known as Vashisthaputra Pulomavi.
Ruled for 28 yrs. Inherited a vast kingdom from his father and assumed the title Dakshinapathapati.

8 inscriptions issued by him at Nasik, Karle, Amaravati and Dharanikota.

During his time the Satavahana kingdom had to confront with the Saka chieftain Chastana who occupied Malwa and founded an Independent kingdom at Ujjain. Consequently, he was forced to shift his capital from Prathisthana to Dhanyakataka ( Amaravati).

The later Satavahanas ruled for only for a brief period.
The notable incidents during the interrugnum was marriage of Vasisthaputra Satakarni to Saka ruler Rudradaman's daughter.

And the support extended by Yagnasri Satakarni to Buddhism and patronisation of Buddhist scholar Acharya Nagarjuna and construction of Mahachaitya at Sriparvata( Nagarjuna konda) in his honour .