Political History Of Ancient India

SR No.: 032292
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hemchandra Raychaudhari
Publisher: University of Calcutta
Publication Year: 1950
Total Pages: 714
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 400

THE DOMINIONS OF PUSHYAMITRA
371
ancient India. 1 The fact that officers of this class found employment under the Later Mauryas proves conclusively that the latter could not have pursued an antiBrāhmaṇic policy.
3
The Dominions of Pushyamitra extended to the river Narmada, and included the cities of Pațaliputra, Ayodhya, Vidiśā, and, if the author of the Divyavadāna and Tāranātha are to be believed, Jalandhara and Sakala.2 It appears from the Divyavadana, that the Emperor himself continued to reside in Pataliputra. The Malavikāgnimitram tells us that Vidiśa (Besnagar in Eastern Malwa) was governed by Prince Agnimitra, probably as his father's viceroy (Goptri). Another viceroy, also a relation of the emperor, may have governed Kosala. 5 Agnimitra's queen had a brother of inferior caste, named Virasena. He was placed in command of a frontier fortress on the banks of the Narmada (Atthi devie vannavaro
4
1 Cf. the cases of Drona, Kripa and Asvatthaman in the Mahabharata, of Ravideva in the Indian Antiquary, VIII. 20, of Kholeśvara, the commander of Yadava kings, and of Someśvara, the Brāhmaṇa general of the Pala kings.
2 Jaina writers, e.g., Merutunga, include Avanti within the dominions of Pushyamitra. This province was lost to the Satavahanas, and Śakala to the Greeks.
3 P. 434.
4 Malavikagnimitram, Act V, pp. 370, 391 of G. Vidyanidhi's ed. esp. verse 20. Sampadyate na khalu Goptari na Agnimitre.
5 The possible existence of this viceroyalty is disclosed by an inscription discovered at the door of a temple at Ayodhya, which records the erection of a "ketana" (abode) by a Kosaladhipa who was the sixth (brother, son or descendant?) of Senapati Pushyamitra, the performer of two horse-sacrifices (Nagari Pracharini Patrika, Vaisakha, Sam. 1981; JBORS, X (1924) 203; XIII (1927) facing 247. Mod. Review, 1924, October, p. 431 IHQ, 1929, 602f.; Ep. Ind. XX. 54ff.). It is interesting to note that the title, 'Senapati' clung to the deva (king) Pushyamitra even after the performance of the Aśvamedha. Cf. the epithet Vähinipati applied to king Virata in the Mahabharata and the title Yavuga applied to Kushan emperors besides other epithets. Cf. also the style Maharaja Mahasenapati in CII., Vol. 3, p. 252, and the title Mahamandaleśvara applied to Bijjala and others even after the assumption of the full royal style (Bomb. Gaz., II. ii. 474ff).