Pradyota Dynasty

Founder of Pradyota Dynasty

The Pradyota dynasty may be identified with the Paunika family said in the Harshacharita(trans. Cowell and Thomas, p. 193). As indicated by the Puranas, the founder, Punika(Pulika), slew his master, Ripunjaya, the remainder of the Brihadrathas, and blessed his own particular child in his stead. After five rules, the span of which is given by a few forms as 52 years and by others as 138 years, the Pradyota administration is supplanted by sisunaga, who subsequent to putting his child on the royal position of kasi(benares), himself claims Girivraja.

Pradyota Dynasty (2102 BC to 1964BC)

The Pradyota dynasty ruled for 138 years from 2102BC to 1964 BC. His pedigree and the years they reigned are as under

1. Pulaka (Guardian)  -2102 BC to 2082BC     -20 years

2. Pradyota                  -2082 BC to 2059BC    -23 years
3. Palaka 1                  -2059BC to 2035 BC    -24 years


4. Visakhayupa           -2035 BC to 2005 BC   -30 years 
5. Suryaka                   -2005BC to 1984 BC    -21 years 

6. Nandi Vardhana 1   -1984BC to 1964 BC    -20 years

     Total 138 years

Background of Pradyota Dynasty

The history is contorted. Some editor has obviously set autonomous records in a false grouping and provided suitable connections of association. This is clear from the confirmation of Buddhist writing. The Pradyotas were kings of Avanti and their capital was Ujjain.

The Kingdom of Avanthi was divided into two kingdoms. The southern kingdom was ruled by Visvabhu, having Mahishmati as its capital. The northern part has Ujjayini as its capital. It is said that Pulika, a minister of Ujjaiyini have killed his master. Then he appointed his son Pradyota as king. Thus the Pradyota dynasty started in history. Pradyota is said to be the most powerful monarchs of North India in the times of Buddha. He was a great soldier. He ruled his kingdom with high standards and raised Avanti to a high position. According to the Puranas, he reduced many of the contemporary rulers into subjection.

Diplomatic relations with Magadha

The Puranas wrongly mention Pradyota and Bimbisara as ruling over Magadha, separated by interval of over a hundred and fifty years. They were, in fact, contemporaries, ruling over Avanti and Magadha respectively, as known us from Buddhist, Jaina, and other Sanskrit works. The mistake of including the Avanti rulers in the Magadha list probably arose on account of the sovereignty established by Avanti over Magadha.

The relations of Pradyota with Bimbisara were welcoming. Bimbisara sent his acclaimed doctor Jivaka to cure Pradyota when he fell sick. Then again, the Jaina legends say that Pradyota went forward to assault Rajagriha, notwithstanding amid the lifetime of Bimbisara, however the endeavor was thwarted by the guile ruler Abhaya.

It is, in any case, clear that the relations of Pradyota wound up plainly stressed with Bimbisara child Ajatasatru. Ajatasatru is said to have killed his own father. He received a forceful strategy of assaulting and vanquishing Vaisali. Pradyota was related to Chetaka, the king of Vaishali, by some matrimonial alliance. He was himself a goal-oriented ruler and he couldn't endure the forceful arrangement of triumph propelled by Ajatasatru. Both of them wanted to set up their matchless quality in Northern India. Pradyota was arranging an attack upon his capital at Rajagriha. As Ajatasatru secured an attack by Pradyota, he braced his capital Rajagriha.

Vatsaraja of kausambi

Pradyota needed to solidify and expand his kingdom. In his neighborhood, there was the effective kingdom of Kausambi led by his opponent named Udayana Vatsaraja, of the observed Bharata family. Pradyota needed to attach his kingdom yet for this he didn't take after an arrangement of open and direct crusade against such a kingdom. There are unbelievable customs about Pradyota and his neighbor Udayana. After basic examination of these legends, we may derove some verifiable certainties. Lord Pradyota of Avanti and lord Udayana of Kosambi were accepted to have been contemporary leaders of adjoining kingdoms, and to have been associated by marriage and to have occupied with war. It appears that later on, welcoming relations were set up between Pradyota and Udayana.

Pradyota is said to have ruled for a long time. He ruled for 23 years. He was merciless as known from his designation, "Chanda" and he lacked good policy. His younger brother Kumarasena was murdered when he attempted to put a stop to the pracrtise of offering human substance in the Mahakala sanctuary.

Cultural History of Pradyota Dynasty

This was a time of progress in the thoughts of man, which drove him to dispose of old esteems and receive new ones. The old Vedic religion started to blur, offering ascend to new and capable religious developments. The religious exercises gave a stimulus to craftsmanship, which expected a shape and magnificence not known some time recently. Exchange and business created as a result of the start of the coinage. The serious utilization of iron prompted the foundation of numerous enterprises. All these prompted the flourishing of this area which is bore witness to both by literature and monuments.

Religions in Pradyota Empire

From the epical sources, it is confirmed that Brahmanism, Buddhism were the main religions prevailing during the Pradyota period.

Brahmanism:

Brahmanism was the predominant religion during Pradyota period. It was represented by Brahmana priests, who were considered as custodians of Vedic lore. The Brahmanism believed that they were superior of all castes and they considered themselves to be capable of reciting the vedic mantras. They used to perform sacrifices and rituals. The Kings, nobles and rich people performs sacrifices and rituals by using priests. The priests were paid for doing such sacrifices and rituals. The Pali canon mentions some of the Vedic sacrifices by name such as Asvamedha, Naramedha, Sammapasa, Vajapeya and Niragalam.

Buddhism:

At first there was no Buddhism in Pradyota. Mahakachchayana was the individual who spread Buddhism in Pradyota tradition. He used to disclose lessons of Buddhism to the ruler Pradyota and effectively changed over him to Buddhism. Many individuals were pulled in to Buddhism and it began spreading fastly. As many Buddha’s disciples were from Avanti (a religious place in Pradyota dynasty), it is possible that even before Asoka, there might be some Buddhist monastic establishments at Ujjain and Sanchi.

Pradyota’s successors

Pradyota had two sons, Gopala and Palada. Gopala surrendered the throne on favour of Palaka. It appears that Palaka attached Kausambi to his kingdom and represented it through a ruler of the illustrious blood. He turned out to be powerful by this success. Therefore Magadha and Avanti were conveyed up close and personal with each other. The preparations of war for supremacy in North India which started between Pradyota and Ajatasatru, continued even among their respective successors. In spite of the fact that Palaka had been already crushed commonly by Udayin or Udayabhadra, he was effective in conceiving a plot for killing his opponent.

Palaka is presumed to have been a tyrant. The masses, headed by the leader of the dealer society of the capital, dismissed him, and having brought of Gopala out of jail, put him on the honored position. Visakhayupa, child of Palaka administered over some outlaying locale of Mahishmati. He was put aside for Aryaka who possessed the position of authority, because of a famous break, very quickly after the fall of Palaka. The Puranas put after Aryaka or Ajaka a lord named Nandivardhana or Vartivardhana or Avantivardhana. There is a contention of feeling among researchers about the recognizable proof of Ajaka and Namdivardhana.

Downfall of Pradyota’s rule

After Pradyota the four rulers, Palaka, Visakhayupa, Suryaka and Nandivardhana, administered separately for 24, 30, 21 and 20 years. The rule time of 138 years (including Pulaka 20 years and pradyota 23 years) credit by the Puranas to the five Pradyota rulers of Avanti, who were counterparts of the five Bimbisariyans of Magadha, in this manner seems to have fallen roughly in the period 546-396 BC. Notwithstanding amid the rule of Nandivardhana, the customary threatening vibe proceeded amongst Avanti and Magadha. As of now, Magadha was led by Sisunaga.

Nandivardhana was vanquished by Sisunaga and Avanti was fused with the developing kingdom of Magadha. It was the most imperative accomplishment of Sisunaga. The Magadhan triumph was without a doubt encouraged by the insurgency of the subjects of Ujjain against the tyrannical of their rulers.