ancient indian history

Kanva dynasty

The Kanva dynasty or Kanvayana had overthrown shunga dynasity had ruled parts of eastern and central India from 73 BCE to 28 BCE. The capital of this kingdom had been either patliputra or vidisha.
The Kanva dynasty was established by Vasudev Kanva in 73 BCE. Vasudeva was initially a minister of Shunga , who then assassinated the former shunga emperor Devabhuti and usurped the throne.
The Kanva ruler however allowed the kings of the Shunga dynasty to continue to rule in obscurity in a corner of their few former dominions”

English Translation of the Inscription is

“This enclosing wall, round the stone (object) of worship (or the stone enclosure for the place of worship}, called Narayana-vataka (compound) for the divinities Sankarshana and Vasudeva. who are infallible (or unconquered) and are the Lords of all, has been caused to be made by the King Bhagavata, a Gajayana and the son of a lady of Paragara Gotra, and who is like a father-to all, a devotee of Bhagavat” (i.e. Vishnu and the performer of Asvamedha sacrifice)

(Sankarshana and Vasudeva were being worshipped as divinities)

English translation of the ninth inscription is:
“By Ashadasena, the son of Gopalikr vaihidari and maternal uncle of king brihaspatimitra, who is son of gopali, this cave dwelling has been constructed in the 10th regnal year of udaka for the acceptance of kasyapiya Arhats”

Brhaspatimitra also known as Brihaspatimitra was a king of Kosambi & belonged to Mitra dynasity of kosambi. He was also a king of Magadha. This dynasity held a considerable influence in the region surrounding Kosambi.
It is worth to note that most of the rulers of the Mitra dynasty of Kosambi, have the symbol known as the tree-in-railing in their coins.
(Tree in railing symbol can be connected to Buddha, as in the ancient period, the homage to the Buddha was paid by worshipping Bodhi. The Bodhi tree is a tree under which Buddha sat and have gain enlighten)
Another common symbol is the ujjain symbol. Bull is a common animal, which appear on the coinage of Kosambi of the era.
Bull is a symbol of wealth and abundance, the bull was often sacrificed during ancient rituals, people hoping to secure the gods’ goodwill. The bull also stands as a symbol of stubbornness, ferocity, tyranny & brutality.
This cave-dwelling was made by Aehüdhasena, tha Son of Vaihidari and of Bhagavata who was the son of Tevani (Traivarni) and of Vangapala the son of Eaunakéyana and king of Adhichhatra.
Another king named Devamitya is also known from a solitary coins, who had earlier flourished among the rulers of Ayodhya, who issued the Bull and Goose (or Cock) type of coins during end of the second Century BC.
(Of the 30 inscribed coins, out of 394 found by Cunningham at Kausambi Sixteen bore the name of Bahasatimitra, two of Devamitra, one of Asyaghosha and three of Jysshthamitra. Unfortunately Cunningham neither described nor illustrated any of Devamitra’s coins.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top