Pradyota dynasty

Pradyota dynasty, also called prthivim bhoksyanti (lit. enjoying the earth),[1] is an ancient Indian dynasty, which ruled over Avanti in the present-day Madhya Pradesh state, though most of the Puranas (except a manuscript of the Brahmanda Purana, preserved in the University of Dhaka) say that this dynasty succeeded the Barhadratha dynasty in Magadha.[2] The dynasty ruled for 138 years.[1]

Rulers

• Pradyota Mahasena or Chanda (541-518 BCE)
• Palaka (518-494 BCE)
• Visakhayupa (494-444 BCE)
• Ajaka or Aryaka (444-423 BCE)
• Varttivarddhana or Nandivardhana (423-403 BCE)

Pradyota is the founder of the dynasty and ruler of Avanti. He is said to be the son of Pulika (Punika), who is said to have killed his master at Ujjain, to make his son the king. Pradyota was a contemporary of Buddha and Bimbisara and finds his name mentions in Mahavagga and Puranas.[3] He is said to have ruled for 23 years.[4]

Palaka's reign started in 518 BC according to Visarasreni of Merutunga.[5] He was the son of Chanda Pradyota of Ujjayini.[6] He is said to have conquered Kosambi.[4] Udayin defeated him multiple times but was ultimately killed by him in 444 BC.[7] Palaka is said to have ruled for 25 years.[7]

Visakhayupa, Ajaka, Nandivardhana is said to have ruled for 50, 21 and 20 years respectively.[7] Nandivardhana is said to have been defeated by Sisunaga thereby leading to Magadha annexing Avanti.[8][9]

References

Citations

1. Thapar 2013, p. 295.
2. Misra, V.S. (2007). Ancient Indian Dynasties, Mumbai: Baratiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-413-8, p. 300
3. Kailash Chand Jain 1972, pp. 98-99.
4. Kailash Chand Jain 1972, p. 101.
5. Kailash Chand Jain 1991, p. 85.
6. Kailash Chand Jain 1991, p. 81.
7. Kailash Chand Jain 1972, p. 102.
8. Kailash Chand Jain 1972, p. 103.
9. Upinder Singh 2016, p. 272.

Sources

• Jain, Kailash Chand (1972), Malwa Through the Ages (First ed.), Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0805-8
• Jain, Kailash Chand (1991), Lord Mahāvīra and His Times, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0805-8
• Singh, Upinder (2016), A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century, Pearson PLC, ISBN 978-81-317-1677-9
• Thapar, Romila (2013), The Past Before Us, Harvard University Press, ISBN 978-0-674-72651-2

Preceded by Vitihotra dynasty	Avanti dynasties	Succeeded by Haryanka dynasty