Inscription number 172.
Nagarjunikonda Pillar Inscription of Gautamiputra- Vijaya Satakarni
Regnal year: 6,
Provenance: Nagarjunikonda. Guntur District. Andara Pradesh.
Script: Middle brahmi of the Southern class of 3 rd century AD.
Language: Prakit.
References: H Sarkar,. Ep.Ind, XXXVI, pp.273-74, D.C. Sircar, I,
select Inss, -. pp. 521.
English Translation of the inscription
Adoration to the lord, the best of beings, The pillar is the gift made on the Vaisakha -Purnima day of the 4th fortnight of summer during the 6th regnal year of king Gautamiputra Vijaya Satakarni.
Footnote
The date shows that the summer season began on Chaitra- badi 1 and that the months were purnimanta as
in North India. The mention of the month is interesting.
The date Valsakha Purnima, is traditionally associated with the day of the Buddha’s birth and Nirvana.
Footnote 2
It is the only inscription, known of Gautami putra Vijaya
Satakarni and is the solitary record of the Satavahanas from Nagarjunikanda.
This king may be identified with the Andhra king, who according to the Puranas, ruled only for six years. The present record, therefore belongs
to his last regnal year. The Tarhala board includes some of
his coins bearing the name vijaya Satakarni (See V.V. Mirashi, A Large board of Satavahana coins, I.H.Q XVI,
pp-505 & also see J.N.S.I, II, pp.83-84). Two more kings, namely,
Chandasri and Palomavi, of the Satavahana dynasty ruled after Vijaya.
according to the Puranas, and are known from Inscriptions also (Kodavali Inscription of Chandasati.
Z.D.M.G XVIII, pp-316 ff, and Plate, and LXlI, pp-592) and Myakadoni rock inscription of Pulumavi, (Ep.Ind.XIV,. pp.153 also infra number 173). Myakadoni inscription shows that Andhra desa undoubtedly formed part of Pulomavas
dominions. Thus the last three Satavahana kings had effective sway over the Andhra country.
It appears that the city of Vijayapur, the
ancient name of Nagarjunikonda, was founded by Vijaya Satakarni. 1t subsequently became the capital of the
Ishvakus. This is proved by the discovery there of
two hoards of coins, exclusively belonging to Satavahana
kings, besides stray occurrences of the coins of Yajna Satakarni, Pulumavi etc.. as also by the presence
of pre-ishvaku deposits at many a site in that area including the one below the Ishvaku rampart.
After the rule of Yajna Satakarni, there was a decline and the dynasity soon got extinguished consequent to the rise of its feudatories, while, the Western Satraps continued to prosper till rise of Gupta empire.
Vijaya Satakarni ruled for 6 years consequent to rule of Yajna Satakarni. Thereafter his son Vasishthiputra Sri Chadha Satakarni ruled for 10 years. Pulumavi IV, the last king of the main line, ruled until c. 225 CE. During his reign, several Buddhist monuments were constructed at Nagarjunakonda and Amaravati.
After the death of Pulumavi IV, the Satavahana empire fragmented into five smaller kingdoms:
Northern part, ruled by a collateral branch of the Satavahanas (which ended in early 4th century
Western part around Nasik was, ruled by Abhiras.
Eastern part was ruled by Ikshavakus. (
South-western parts were ruled by th chutus.
South-eastern part, ruled by the pallavas
It is understood from Matsya Purana
that the Andhra dynasty had ruled for around 450 years. Satavahana rule ended in the early 3rd century.
The indica of megasthenes (350 – 290 BCE) mentions a powerful tribe named “Andhrae”, whose king maintained an army of 100,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and 1,000 elephants. If Andhrae is identified with the Andhras, this can be considered additional evidence of Satavahana rule starting in the 3rd century BCE.
Satavahanas rule began immediately after Maurya rule, followed by a Kanva’s, and thereafter, a revival of the Satavahana rule. According to one version of the theory Simuka succeeded the Mauryans. Rather Simuka was the person who had restored the Satavahana rule by overthrowing the Kanvas.
Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana ruler began in the first century BCE and lasted until the second century CE. This theory is based on Puranic records as well as archaeological and numismatic evidences.