Reinstating Brahmanical leadership – By Cdr Alok Mohan
“A Study of the Sunga Dynasty through Epigraphy, Art, and Political Strategy”
The Sunga dynasty, established in the mid-2nd century BCE, marks a transformative chapter in the post-Mauryan era of Indian history. Emerging from the political vacuum that followed the decline of the mighty Mauryan Empire, the Sungas not only revived indigenous political authority but also spearheaded a resurgence of Brahmanical ideology, Vedic ritualism, and Sanskrit culture. At the heart of this transformation stood Pushyamitra Sunga, a formidable general of the Mauryan army who seized power in 185 BCE by overthrowing the last Mauryan emperor, Brihadratha, in a dramatic courtly coup.
Pushyamitra’s ascendancy was more than a mere change of rulers—it was symbolic of a broader civilizational shift. Under his leadership, the Indian subcontinent witnessed a revival of Sanatana Dharma, reassertion of Brahminical traditions, and reintroduction of ancient Vedic sacrifices such as the Ashvamedha, which had fallen into disuse during the more Buddhist-oriented Mauryan regime. His reign, while often misrepresented through selective Buddhist chronicles as intolerant, was in fact marked by a complex interplay of religious revivalism and artistic patronage. The Sunga era nurtured early stone architecture and sculpture, evidenced by the enhancement of Buddhist sites like Bharhut and Sanchi, showcasing the dynasty’s nuanced relationship with diverse faiths.
The figure of Pushyamitra Sunga thus stands as both a restorer of ancient dharmic authority and a political visionary who adapted statecraft to the demands of a changing age. His legacy—political, cultural, and religious—continues to echo through the stone railings of stupas, the lines of Sanskrit inscriptions, and the resilient memory of a kingdom that upheld tradition while navigating transformation. The Sunga dynasty, beginning with Pushyamitra, helped lay the groundwork for centuries of Hindu kingship, ritual power, and cultural synthesis in classical India.
Abstract
This paper investigates the Sunga dynasty (c. 185–73 BCE), founded by Pushyamitra Sunga, focusing on its political origins, religious policy, cultural achievements, and the epigraphic heritage that illuminates its history. Based on ancient inscriptions and archaeological sources, this study examines how the Sunga regime reasserted Brahminical traditions, navigated intra‐Indian and external threats, and patronized monumental art under a broadly tolerant religious system.
1. Introduction and Historical Background
Emergence and founder: Pushyamitra Sunga, formerly a Mauryan general, assassinated the last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha, around 185 BCE and established the Sunga dynasty in Magadha.
Extent of rule: Although smaller than the Mauryan Empire, Sunga authority encompassed Pataliputra, Vidisha, Ayodhya, the Gangetic valley, and parts of Punjab including Sialkot (Sagala) and Jalandhar.
2. Political Strategies and Military Engagements
Wars against Indo‑Greeks: Pushyamitra repelled invasions led by Greek rulers such as Menander and Demetrius; Vasumitra, his grandson, further defeated Greek forces near the Sindhu or Kali Sindh river—often linked to Ashvamedha ritual traditions in Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitram.
Conflict with Vidarbha: Agnimitra, Pushyamitra’s son, quelled the independence bid by Yajnasena and mediated division of Vidarbha, reaffirming Sunga overlordship.
3. Religious Policy: Revival and Controversy
Brahmanical resurgence: Pushyamitra performed two Ashvamedha sacrifices (as recorded in the Ayodhya inscription) and engaged in other Vedic rituals (Rajasuya and Vajapeya), signaling a deliberate resurgence of orthodox Brahminic practices and Sanskrit as the court language.
Buddhist accounts of persecution: Buddhist texts like Divyavadana and Ashokavadana allege Pushyamitra’s destruction of monasteries and killing of monks. However, modern scholarship finds these claims exaggerated and inconsistent with archaeological evidence, noting the renovation of major Buddhist sites during his era.
4. Epigraphic Evidence from the Sunga Period
Bharhut pillar inscription: Commissioned by Vatsiputra Dhanabhuti, the inscription cites “during the rule of the Sugas” (Sungas), referring to the erection of the Bharhut torana and railings. While Dhanabhuti may not have been a Sunga king, the dedication underscores royal-era Buddhist patronage preserved by local rulers.
Ayodhya Inscription of Dhanadeva: A ruler claiming to be a sixth‑generation descendant of Pushyamitra, Dhanadeva built a shrine honoring his father, and the inscription explicitly acknowledges Pushyamitra’s performance of two Ashvamedha sacrifices.
Barli and other inscriptions: Inscriptions attributed to Bhagavata rulers (e.g. Barli and Ghosundi) reflect continuation of Vedic tradition into the late Sunga period, with construction of halls, pillars, and temple enclosures dedicated to Bhagavata (Vishnu‑Krishna) worship (supplemented by prompt‐provided inscriptions).
5. Art and Architectural Heritage
Monumental expansion: The Sunga era witnessed significant additions at Buddhist stupas like Bharhut and Sanchi, notably stone toranas and railings with elaborate carvings depicting Jataka tales. These contributions mark a transitional phase from Mauryan brick to stone architecture.
Stylistic innovations: The sculptural style of Bharhut, while preserving Mauryan brahmi script, exhibits distinct local artistic idioms in friezes and iconography that later influenced Mathura, Sarnath, and other Buddhist centers.
6. Dynastic Succession and Decline
Line of rulership: The dynasty persisted through nine or ten rulers appended after Pushyamitra, including Agnimitra, Vasumitra, Bhagabhadra, culminating in Devabhuti (c. 87–73 BCE) who was assassinated by his minister Vasudeva, leading to the rise of the Kanva dynasty.
End of Sunga power: The final phase saw weakening control, internal dissension, and pressure from Indo‑Greeks and Satavahanas, culminating in dynastic overthrow by the Kanvas around 73 BCE.
7. Synthesis and Significance
The Sunga dynasty represented a Brahminical revival in response to the Mauryan embrace of Buddhism; yet its architectural and epigraphic evidence indicates continuity and patronage of Buddhism, revealing deep religious pluralism.
Through military defense, ritual sovereignty, and literary patronage—such as sponsorship of the Sanskrit grammarian Patanjali—the Sungas navigated political turbulence, preserving unity in a fragmenting subcontinent.
The inscriptions—from Bharhut, Ayodhya, Barli, Ghosundi and others—constitute primary sources that significantly fill gaps in textual history, enabling reconstruction of genealogy, religious practice, and public building activity.
Conclusion
This study demonstrates how the Sunga dynasty functioned at the crossroads of religious resurgence and cultural synthesis. By anchoring their rule in Vedic symbolism while continuing to foster Buddhist art and architecture, the Sungas shaped the early post‑Mauryan landscape in a way that balanced orthodoxy with eclecticism. Their inscriptions remain invaluable windows into the dynamics of power, piety, and public works in late 2nd‑century BCE India.
References
https://ancientindia.co.in
https://www.ancientempires.in
Sources such a Wikipedia
Scholarly discussion on epigraphy and art history.