About the Salankayanas, we are told by the Kasika that they were in the Vahika country and that they were Brāhmaṇas. The Sage namely Salankayana, was the founder of this ancient Hindu Brahmin tribe. According to Matsyapurana and Pravaramanjari of Purushottama, ‘Salankayana’ was the name of a rishi. He was a descendent of Salanka, who was one of the sons of Visvamitran. In the Pravarakanda, there are two gotras named after ‘Salankya’. One belongs to the Angirasa gana and the other is the Visvamitra gana. In the Ganapatha of Panini, the work ‘Salankayana’ occurs twice. In one instance, the name Salankayana was derived from a gotra descendant. In another case, the name was given after the name of a certain rulers of a territory namely, ‘Salankayanaka’. The reference to the Salankayanas and their territory as Salankayanaka in Panini’s work, indicates that the Salankayanas were an ancient tribe. This statement is supported by the Ganapatha, which associates them with the Rajanyas and Audumbaras, They had the śastropajivi constitution. According to Patañjali, they were composed of three sections, He calls them Trikah Salankayanḥ. These three sections very likely represent an amalgamation of three small state units. Panjabi Brahmiņas of Trikha caste appear to be their descendants. Dr. V.S. Agrawala notes that Salankayanas came to be known as Trikaḥ. The Salankayanas ruled Andhra Pradesh from 300 to 440 CE. Their territory was located between the Godavari and the Krishna rivers. Their capital was located at Vengi, modern Pedavegi near Eluru in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Salankayanas succeeded the Ikshvaku dynasty and they were also vassals of the Pallava kings of southern India. In the late 5th century, the Salankayanas were conquered by Madhava Varma II, of the Vishnukumdinas.
