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Important Information: Key Aspects of the Sunga Empire and Post-Mauryan India

• Political events in India after the Mauryan period became diffuse, involving various kings, eras, and people.
• Evidence is gathered from diverse sources, including Chinese history by Ssu-ma-chien (Sima Qian).
• People in peninsular and south India were defining their polities and engaging in maritime trade.
• Northern India experienced turmoil due to Central Asia events.
• The Mauryas expanded into areas beyond the subcontinent, particularly westward, a trend continued by the successor states.
• Many new states arose, making the post-Mauryan period less clear-cut compared to the Mauryan period.
• Coins and inscriptions serve as primary evidence, with Indo-Greek coins being noted for aesthetic excellence.
• The Shungas, a Brahman family, succeeded the Mauryan Empire. Their founder, Pushyamitra, assassinated the last Maurya king.
• Kalidasa's play Malavika-agnimitram presents a different image of Shunga rule than the Buddhist narrative in the Divyavadana.
• There are claims of persecution of Buddhists, but archaeological evidence of renovations to Buddhist monuments suggests a more complex picture.
• The Shungas focused on wars, including conflicts with southern neighbors, Greek inroads, and Kalinga.
• The Shunga kingdom eventually shrank, and the Kanvas took over in the late first century BC.
• Tribal and clan-based polities reappeared in regions like Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, known from their coins.
• Some of these polities, such as the Yaudheyas, continued to structure themselves around the gana-sangha system.

History of the Sungas: From the Fall of the Mauryas to the Rise of the Kanvas

• The collapse of the Mauryan rule in 187 BCE paved the way for the emergence of several powers in the Indian subcontinent.
• The period from the decline of the Mauryas to the rise of the Guptas (2nd century BCE to 3rd century CE) is known in Indian history as the post-Mauryan period.
• The Sunga Empire (or Shunga Empire) is a Magadha dynasty that controlled North-central and Eastern India as well as parts of the northwest (now Pakistan) from around 185 to 73 B.C.E.
• It was established after the fall of the Indian Mauryan Empire.
• The capital of the Sungas was Pataliputra.

• The Sunga dynasty was established in 185 B.C.E., about 50 years after Ashoka’s death, when the king Brhadrata, the last of the Mauryan rulers, was assassinated by the then commander-in-chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra Sunga.
• Pushyamitra Sunga became the ruler of the Magadha and neighbouring territories.
• He died after ruling for 36 years (187-151 B.C.E.).
• He was succeeded by son Agnimitra.
• The Sungas were succeeded by the Kanva dynasty around 73 B.C.E.
• The kingdom of Pushyamitra was extended up to Narmada in the south, and controlled Jalandhar and Sialkot in the Punjab in the north-western regions, and the city of Ujjain in central India.
• Sunga rule in India according to the Puranas lasted for 112 years. Magadha was the nucleus of the kingdom.
• The last of the Sunga kings was Devabhuti (83-73 B.C.E.).
• He was assassinated by his minister (Vasudeva Kanva).
• The Sunga dynasty was then replaced by the subsequent Kanvas.

Conflicts and Sacrifices During the Sunga Empire: Greek Incursions and Military Campaigns

• According to Patanjali’s Mahabhasya, there were Greek incursions during the rule of the Sungas.
• Also, the Hindu text of the Yuga Purana, describes Indian historical events in the form of a prophecy, and relates the attack of the Indo-Greeks on the capital Pataliputra, a magnificent fortified city.
• Malavikagnimitra refers to the conflict between Pushyamitra and Yajnasena, King of Vidarbha (the eastern Maharashtra area) and the victory of the Sungas.
• Patanjali also mentions sacrifices performed for Pushyamitra.
• The Malavikagnimitra narrates the story of military encounter between prince Vasumitra and Yavana army on the banks of Sindhu.
• According to the play, Pushpamitra (Pushyamitra) sent his grandson Vasumitra (Agnimitra’s son) who escorted the sacrificial horse during its travels through different areas prior to the performance of the Asvamedha yajya.
• Vasumitra defeated the Yavanas on the banks of the Sindhu river.
• The sacrifice was performed after Vasumitra returned victorious along with the horse.

Religious Policy of the Sunga Empire: Brahmanical Orthodoxy and Buddhist Claims

• After Ashoka’s tryst with Dhamma and Buddhism, the Sungas are known for having reverted to Brahmanical orthodoxy.
• Buddhist sources claim that Pushyamitra Sunga persecuted the Buddhists.
• The Divyavadana gives stories of Pushyamitra’s cruelty and his animosity towards Buddhism.
• Later Sunga kings were seen as amenable to Buddhism and as having contributed to the building of the stupa at Bharhut.

Cultural Contributions of the Sunga Dynasty: Art, Philosophy, and Literature

• While there is much debate on the religious policies of the Sunga dynasty, it is recognized for a number of contributions.
• Art, education, philosophy, and other learning flowered during this period.
• Most notably, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and Mahabhasya were composed in this period.
• It is also noted for its subsequent mention in the Malavikaagnimitra – work composed by Kalidasa in the later Gupta period, and romanticized the love of Malavika and King Agnimitra, with a background of court intrigue.
• During the historical Sunga period (185 to 73 B.C.E.), Buddhist activity also managed to survive somewhat in central India (Madhya Pradesh) as suggested by some architectural expansions undertaken at the stupas of Sanchi and Barhut, originally started under King Ashoka.
• However, it remains uncertain whether these works were due to the weakness of the control of the Sungas in these areas, or a sign of tolerance on their part.

Script Used During the Sunga Period: A Variant of Brahmi

• The script used by the Sunga was a variant of Brahmi, and was used to write the Sanskrit language.
• The script is thought to be an intermediary between the Maurya and the Kalinga brahmi scripts.

Legacy of the Sunga Empire: Patronage of Indian Culture and Royal Sponsorship

• The Sunga Empire played an important role in patronizing Indian culture at a time when some of the most important developments in Hindu thought were taking place.
• The richness of India’s spiritual tradition, from which the whole world has gained insight, owes much to this period.
• The Sunga rulers helped to establish the tradition of royal sponsorship of learning and art that would be continued by later dynasties, ensuring that Indian culture remained vital and creative.

Additional Information about Kalinga and Kharavela

• Kalinga was an independent kingdom in the mid-first century BC under Kharavela.
• Kharavela's reign in Kalinga is notable for his patronage of Jainism and the construction of irrigation canals.
• The Hathigumpha inscription is a detailed biographical account of Kharavela's reign and his efforts in governance and warfare.
• Kharavela protected Kalinga's independence through military campaigns against neighboring regions.
• Despite his support for Jainism, Kharavela also promoted the welfare of his people and invested in public infrastructure.
• The Hathigumpha inscription includes various accomplishments, such as the restoration of the city and military expeditions.
• The inscription outlines Kharavela's military conquests, royal patronage, and the promotion of peace and prosperity within his kingdom.
• After Kharavela’s death, Kalinga experienced a period of relative quiescence.