Shishunaga (
IAST: Śiśunāga, or Shusunaga) (c. 413 – 395 BCE) was the founder of the
Shishunaga dynasty of the
Magadha Empire in the present day northern
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
. Initially, he was an ''amatya'' (official) of the Magadha empire under the
Haryanka dynasty. He was placed on the throne by the people who revolted against the Haryanka dynasty rule. The
Puranas
Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
tell us that he placed his son at
Varanasi
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
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* The city has a syncretic t ...
and himself ruled from Girivraja (
Rajagriha). He was succeeded by his son Kalashoka (Kakavarna).
Early life
According to the ''Mahavamsatika'', Shishunaga was a son of a
Licchavi ruler of
Vaishali. He was conceived by a ''nagara-shobhini'' and brought up an officer of state. At the time of the revolt, he was a viceroy at
Varanasi
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
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* The city has a syncretic t ...
of king
Nagadasaka, the last ruler of the Haryanka dynasty.
Reign
Shishunaga ruled from 413 BCE to 395 BCE. Initially, his capital was Rajagriha and
Vaishali was his second royal residence. Later he shifted his capital to Vaishali. He conquered
Avanti kingdom by defeating Nandivardhana or Avantivardhana, the last king of
Pradyota dynasty. The Magadhan victory must have been helped by the revolution that placed Aryaka on the throne of
Ujjayini.
The
Puranas
Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
tell us that he placed his son at
Varanasi
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
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* The city has a syncretic t ...
and himself ruled from Girivraja (
Rajagriha).
Expansion
He destroyed
Pradyota dynasty of
Avanti and conquered kingdoms of
Kosala
The Kingdom of Kosala (Sanskrit: ) was an ancient Indian kingdom with a rich culture, corresponding to the area within the region of Awadh in present-day Uttar Pradesh to Western Odisha. It emerged as a small state during the late Vedic per ...
and
Vatsa.
Successor
He was succeeded by his son
Kalashoka (
Kakavarna).
See also
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Avanti-Magadhan Wars
References
Citations
Sources
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4th-century BC Indian monarchs
Kings of Magadha
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