Ikshvaku dynasty
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Ikshvaku dynasty was a dynasty founded by Ikshvaku, grandson of Vivasvan or Surya and son of Vaivasvata Manu. This dynasty is also known as Sūryavaṁśa (the Solar dynasty). The supreme perceptor of the Ikshvaku dynasty is Sage Vashishta. The important kings of this dynasty are Harishchandra, Dileepa, Sagara [1], Raghu and Rama. The word Ikshvaku means "Sugarcane". Some scholars have pointed out that the legends of Ikshvaku and Sumati may have their origin in the Southeast-Asian myth of the birth of humanity from a Sugarcane.[1] The more commonly accepted theory is a transference in the opposite direction, from India to Southeast Asia. [2]
This dynasty also succeeded the Andhras in the Telugu lands in the 3rd century. They were patrons of a Buddhist stupa now on the hill at Nagarjuna Sagar on the Krishna River.[3] Beginning with the Ikshvaku dynasty, the Telugu script was replaced in royal inscriptions with Sanskrit.
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[edit] Ikshvaku dynasty lineage
The lists of kings of Ikṣvāku or Aikṣvāka dynasty are found in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Harivamsha and the Puranas. But the two lists found in the Ramayana vary significantly with all other lists. The Raghuvamsha of Kalidasa also mentions the names of some of the kings of this dynasty.[4][5][6]
[edit] The genealogy
The genealogy of the Ikshvaku dynasty as mentioned in the Ramayana (i.69.17-32 and ii.102.4-29)[7] is as follows:
- Brahma created 10 Prajapatis, one of whom was Marichi.
- Kashyapa is the son of Marichi and Kala. Kashyapa is regarded as the father of humanity.
- Vivasvan or Surya is the son of Kashyapa and Aditi.
- Vaivasvata Manu, originally Satyavrata, the then Emperor of Dravida is the son of Vivasvan. He is regarded as the first ruler belonging to the Ikshvaku dynasty.
- Ikshvaku is the son of Vaivasvata Manu.
- Kukshi is the son of Ikshvaku
- Vikukshi is the son of Kukshi
- Bana is the son of Vikukshi
- Anaranya is the son of Bana
- Prithu is the son of Anaranya
- Trishanku is the son of Prithu
- Dhundhumara is the son of Trishanku
- Yuvanashva is the son of Dhundhumara
- Mandhata is the son of Yuvanashva
- Susandhi is the son of Mandhata
- Dhruvasandhi and Presenajit are the sons of Susandhi
- Bharata is the son of Dhruvasandhi
- Bahu (Asita) is the son of Bharata
- Sagara is the son of Bahu
- Asamanja is the son of Sagara
- Amsumanta (Ansuman) is the son of Asamanja
- Dileepa is the son of Amsumanta
- Bhagiratha is the son of Dilipa
- Kakustha is the son of Bhagiratha
- Raghu is the son of Kakushta. The clan of Raghuvamsha started with Raghu
- Pravriddha is the sone of Raghu
- Shankhana is the son of Pravriddha
- Sudarshana is the son of Shankhana
- Agnivarna is the son of Sudarshana
- Shighra is the son of Agnivarna
- Maru is the son of Shighra
- Prashushruka is the son of Maru
- Ambarisha is the son of Prashushruka
- Nahusha is the son of Ambarisha
- Yayati is the son of Nahusha
- Nabhaga is the son of Yayati
- Aja is the son of Nabhaga
- Dasharatha is the son of Aja
- Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna are the sons of Dasaratha
- Lava and Kusha are the sons of Rama
The Puranas provide a genealogical list from Kusha to Brihadbala, who was killed by Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata war. This list is corroborated by the Raghuvamsha till Agnivarna[8]:
- Atithi, the son of Kusha
- Nishadha, the son of Atithi
- Nala, the son of Nishadha
- Nabhas, the son of Nala
- Pundarika, the son Nabhas
- Kshemadhanvan, the son of Pundarika
- Devanika, the son of Kshemadhanvan
- Ahinagu, the son of Davanika
- Paripatra, the son of Ahinagu
- Dala (or Bala), the son of Ahinagu
- Uktha, the son of Dala
- Vajranabha, the son of Uktha
- Shankhana, the son of Vajranabha
- Vyushitashva, the son of Shankhana
- Vishvasaha, the son of Vyushitashva
- Hiranyanabha, the son of Vishvasaha
- Pushya, the son of Hiranyanabha
- Dhruvasandhi, the son of Pushya
- Agnivarna, the son of Dhruvasandhi
- Shighra, the son of Agnivarna
- Maru, the son of Shighra
- Prasushruta, the son of Maru
- Susandhi, the son of Prasushruta
- Amarsha and Sahasvant, the sons of Susandhi
- Vishrutavant, the son of Amarsha
- Brihadbala, the son of Vishrutavant.
However, the Nepalese and Bauddhists continue the dynasty further.
[edit] Lineage Descrepencies
From the 2 sources listed above, there are differences which needs to be resolved for accuracy of above data. The following is the list of descrepencies:
- Valmiki Ramayana states that Prthu is the son of Anaranya and father of Trisanku. Ramakatha Rasavahini misses Prthu and states that Anaranya fathered Trisanku
- Valmiki Ramayana states that Presenjit is the father of Bharatha while Ramakatha Rasavahini statest Daivasandhi as the father of Bharatha
- Valmiki Ramayana states that Sankhana is the son of Pravardha and Sankhana's son was Sudarsana. Ramakatha Rasavahini misses mentioning Sankhana and attributes Sudarsana as the son of Pravardha
- Seeghraga is mentioned as the son of Agnivarna & father of Maru in Ramakatha Rasavahini. Valmiki Ramayana does not mention Seeghraga and states that Maru's father was Agnivarna
[edit] Ikshvaku dynasty in Jaina tradition
The Ikshvaku dynasty has a significant place in Jaina tradition, as 22 Tirthankaras were born in this royal house. The first Tirthankara Rishavadeva was son of Ikshvaku King Nabhi. The second Tirthankara, Ajitanatha, son of Ikshvaku King Jitashatru was cousin of Sagara
[edit] Andhra Pradesh
The Ikshvakus (Sanskrit इक्श्वाकू) were one of the earliest dynaties of Andhra Pradesh. They ruled the eastern Andhra country along the Krishna river during the later half of the second century CE. Their capital was Vijayapuri (Nagarjunakonda). Some scholars have suggested that this dynasty was related to the ancient Ikshvakus of Hindu mythology. Rama of Ramayana, who is considered as the incarnation of Vishnu belonged to the line of Ikshvaku. According to Hindu mythology, Ikshvaku, who was the Manu and father of Kukshi, was the founder of the Suryavanshi dynasty, reigning from Ayodhya at the commencement of the Treta Yuga. There is however no direct evidence to suggest that the Andhra Ikshvakus were related to the mythological Ikshvakus.
Archaeological evidence has suggested that the Andhra Ikshvakus immediately succeeded the Satavahanas in the Krishna river valley. Ikshvakus have left inscriptions at Nagarjunakonda, Jaggayyapeta, Amaravati and Bhattiprolu.
Although the Ikshvaku rulers practiced the Vedic religion, they were also great sponsors of Buddhism. Most of the kings and their household donated to the Buddhist cause. Buddhism was at its height in the Andhra country during their reign.
[edit] Literary evidence
A Kannada poem Dharmamrita states that the Ikshvakus of Andhra were the descendents of the renowned Ikshvakus of northern India. The oriental scholars like Buhler and Rapson expressed the view that the northern Ikshvakus might have migrated south. According to the Vayu Purana, Manu, the great patriarch of ancient India had nine sons of whom Ikshvaku was the eldest. His capital was Ayodhya. He had one hundred 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.
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 Ikshvaku family came from the Anga kingdom 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.[citation needed] 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
Ikshvakus were originally feudatories of the Satavahanas and bore the title Mahatalavara. Although the Puranas state that seven kings ruled for 100 years in total, the names of only four of them are known from inscriptions.
- Vasithiputa Sri Santamula (Santamula I), the founder of the line, performed the Asvamedha, Agnihotra, Agnistoma and Vajapeya sacrifices. Santamula performed the Asvamedha sacrifices with a view to proclaiming their independent and imperial status. It had become a common practice among the rulers of the subsequent dynasties to perform the Asvamedha sacrifice in token of their declaration of independent status. From this fact, it can be inferred that it was Santamula I who first declared his independence and established the Ikshvaku dynasty. Santamula's mother was Vasisti, as evident from his name.
- Virapurushadatta was the son and successor of Santamula through his wife Madhari. He had a sister named Adavi Santisri. 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 Santamula (Santamula II) 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.
- Ruorapurushadatta was the name of an Ikshvaku ruler found in inscriptions from Gurajala in Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh. He could have been a son of Ehuvula Santamula. Rudrapurushadatta ruled for more than 11 years. He was probably the last important ruler of the Ikshvaku family. After him there were three more unknown rulers according to the Puranas. Around 278 CE, the Abhiras might have put an end to the Ikshvakus.
[edit] Support for Buddhism
Most of the inscriptions of the Ikshvaku period record either the construction of the Buddhist Viharas or the gifts made to them. All the donors and builders of the Viharas were the female members of the Ikshvaku royal family. Although Santamula I is reported to have performed the Vedic sacrifices, nothing is known about the religious leanings of his successors.
This was the period during which Andhra became a flourishing centre of Buddhism and a place of pilgrimage for the Buddhists. The patrons were ladies from the royal household, the merchants and artisans and the people at large. The great stupas of Jaggayyapeta, Nagarjunakonda and Ramireddipalle were built, repaired or extended during their reign. Buddhist pilgrims and scholars visited the Buddhist centre at Nagarjunakonda. The attraction for this Buddhist centre can be accounted for from the sea trade which was carried on between Lanka and the Ikshvakus though the ports situated on the mouths of the Krishna and the Godavari.
[edit] References
- The Andhras Through the Ages by Kandavalli Balendu Sekharam
[edit] Notes
- ^ Ikshaku tribe The Mahabharata translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883 -1896), Book 3: Vana Parva: Tirtha-yatra Parva: Section CVI, p. 228 'There was born in the family of the Ikshaku tribe, a ruler of the earth named Sagara, endued with beauty, and strength...".
- ^ Sergent, Bernard: Genèse de l'Inde, 1997.
- ^ History of the World - South India. anu. Retrieved on 2007-01-25.
- ^ Pargiter, F.E. (1972). Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. New Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass, pp.90-91.
- ^ (2002) Ramakatha Rasavahini. Prasanthi Nilayam: Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust. ISBN 8172081324.
- ^ (1996) The Ramayana. New Delhi: Penguin Books. ISBN 0140298665.
- ^ Vyas, R.T. (ed.) (1992). Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Text as Constituted in its Critical Edition. Vadodara: Oriental Institute, Vadodara, pp.91-2, 255-56.
- ^ Pargiter, F.E. (1972). Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. New Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass, p.149.
