Andhra Ikshvaku

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Ikshvaku

Ikshu (Sea of sugar cane) Ikshvaku (Son of Manu and father of Kukshi; the founder of the Suryavanshi dynasty, reigning at Ayodhya at the commencement of the Treta Yuga. (B.G. 30) He was the first king of Ayodhya and ancestor of Rama)

1 Origins
- 1.1 Literary evidence
- 1.2 History
2 References

[edit] Origins

The Ikshvakus (225-325 AD) were one of the earliest dynaties of Andhra Pradesh. They were a family of illustrious Kshatriyas who migrated from northern India in the remote pre-historic age in the regions south of the Vindhyas. In the Telugu language there is a curious expression. It it is intended to say that an occurrence is of a very remote past, we say that it “belongs to the age of Ishvakus”. That is about the antiquity of this line of Princes. The annals of pre-historic India can show no line of royal personages nobler that the Ikshvakus. Sri Rama of Ayodhya and of Ramayana fame, who is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu sheds undying luster on this dynasty.

[edit] Literary evidence

A Kannada poem called “Dharmamrita” avers that the Ikshvakus of Andhra were the descendents of the renowned Ikshvakus of Northern India. Historians like Buhler and Rapson are in agreement with this view. According to the Vayu Purana, Manu, the great patriarch of ancient India had nine sons of whom Ikshvaku was the eldest. Iskhvaku was the reputed founder of the Solar dynasty of monarches. His capital was Ayodhya. He had a houndred sons, and the eldest Vikushi succeeded his father as the ruler of Ayodhya. Of the rest, fifty sons founded small principalities in Northern India. Forty eight of his sons migrated to the south and carved out kingdoms for themselves. According to the Vishnupurana, the founder of the Dakshina Kosala Kingdom was Kusa. His capital was Kusasthali. Several northern Indian Kshatriya scions came down to the south and founded the Matsya, Pandya and Kekaya principalities there.

Buddhist literature refers to the penetration of the Ikshvakus into South India and declares that they founded the Asmaka, Mulaka and other principalities. These Kshatriyas settled down in the south and became merged with the races there. Jain literature also refers to the exodus of northern Indian princes to the south. In Dharmamrita a reference was made that during the lifetime of the 12th Tirthankara, a prince named Yasodhara hailing from the Iskvaku family came from the “Anga” province to Vengi in the south. We are informed that the prince was so impressed with beauty of the region, and the fertility of the soil that he made it his permanent home and founded a city called “Pratipalpura”. It is believed that Pratipalapura is the modern Bhattiprolu, a town in Guntur District. Inscriptions have also been discovered in the Nagarjunakonda valley and at Jaggayapeta and Ramireddipalli alluding to this.

The Puranas mention them as the Sriparvatiyas (Foresters), Rulers of Sriparvata (Forests) and Andhrabhrityas (Servants of the Andhras). The Satavahanas were also known as Andhras.

[edit] History

They were originally feudatories of the Brahmin Satavahanas and bore the title Mahatalavara. They ousted the Satavahanas and from 180-624 AD, they and the Brihatpalayanas, Salankayanas, Vishnukundinas, Vakatakas, Pallavas, Ananda Gotrikas, Kalingas and others ruled over Andhra with their small kingdoms. Though seven kings are said to have ruled for 100 years in all, only a few are known from Inscriptions. They were eventually overthrown by the Brahmin Salankayanas and Kshatriya Brihatpalayanas

Vasithiputa Siri Chantamula, the founder of the line, performed the Asvamedha, Agnihotra, Agnistoma and Vajpayee sacrifices.

His son, Virapurisadata's reign formed a glorious epoch in the history of Buddhism and in diplomatic relations. He took a queen from the Saka family of Ujjain and gave his daughter in marriage to a Chutu prince.

Almost all the royal ladies were Buddhists. An aunt of Virapurisadata built a big Stupa at Nagarjunikonda. Her example was followed by other women of the royal family.

Virapurisadata's son Ehuvula Chantamula ruled after a short Abhira interregnum. His reign witnessed the completion of a Devi Vihara, the Sihala Vihara, a convent founded for the accommodation of Sinhalese monks, and the Chaitya-ghara (Chaitya hall) dedicated to the fraternities (Theriyas) of Tambapanni (Ceylon). Ceylonese Buddhism was in close touch with Andhra. The sculptures of Nagarjunakonda, which include large figures of Buddha, show decided traces of Greek influence and Mahayana tendencies.

The Ikshvakus extended their kingdom to the Krishna and Godavari valleys with their capital in Vijayapuri (Nagarjunakonda). His sister became the Queen of Vanavasi (Karnataka). Though they followed Vedic ritualism they patronized Buddhism. The Brihatpalayanas and Pallavas took over parts of their Kingdom.