The Matsya Purana (critical study)
by Kushal Kalita | 2018 | 74,766 words | ISBN-13: 9788171103058
This page relates ‘Magadha Dynasty’ of the English study on the Matsya-purana: a Sanskrit text preserving ancient Indian traditions and legends written in over 14,000 metrical verses. In this study, the background and content of the Matsyapurana is outlined against the cultural history of ancient India in terms of religion, politics, geography and architectural aspects. It shows how the encyclopedic character causes the text to deal with almost all the aspects of human civilization.
Part 2.2a - The Magadha Dynasty
After Sahadeva was killed in the Mahābhārata war Somādhi became the king of Girivraja, the ancient capital of Magadha. He was the first successor of Magadha kingdom in the Post Mahābhārata period. The Matsyapurāṇa has referred to almost twenty (20) Magadha kings that reigned for almost one thousand years in the Post- Mahābhārata War period.
The names and ruling terms as recorded in the Matsyapurāṇa are as follows:
- Somādhi (ruled for fifty eight years),
- Śrutaśravā (ruled for sixty four years),
- Apratīpā (ruled for thirty six years),
- Niramitra(forty years),
- Surakṣā (fifty six years),
- Bṛhatkarmā (twenty three years),
- Senājit (fifty years),
- Śrutañjaya (forty years),
- Vibhu (twenty eight years),
- Śuci (sixty four years),
- Kṣema (twenty eight years),
- Anuvrata (six four years),
- Sunetra (thirty five years),
- Nirvṛti (fifty eight years),
- Trinetra (twenty eight years),
- Dyumatsena (reigned for forty eight years),
- Mahīnetra (reigned for thirty three years),
- Acala (thirty two years),
- Ripuñjaya (fifty years).[1]
The present text of the Matsyapurāṇa has lost some names of kings which are added by F. E. Pargiter.
Added portion includes:
- King Sunetra (forty years) and
- King Satyajit (eighty three years) and
- Viśvajit (ruled for twenty five years).
The kingdom continued till the one thousand years.[2] Of this Ripuñjaya was the last King of the dynasty who was dethroned and assassinated by his own minister Pulaka.
After killing the Magadha king Ripuñjaya, Pulaka declared his son Pradyota as the king in place of Ripuñjaya. Pradyota is the founder of the Pradyota dynasty. Five kings of this dynasty ruled for more than one hundred and fifty years. Pradyota, Viśākhayupa, Sūryaka, Nandīvardhana are among the rulers of the Pradyota dynasty.[3]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., 271.19-29
[2]:
M. Krishnamachariar, History of Classical Sanskrit Literature, Introduction, p.xliv
[3]:
Matsyapurāṇa, 272.1-5