Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology

by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words

This page relates ‘Dhanyakataka and other names of Amaravati’ of the study on Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology, including museum exhibitions of the major archeological antiquities. These pages show how the Buddhist establishment of Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) survived from 4th century BCE to 14th century CE. It includes references and translations of episodes of Buddha’s life drawn from the Avadanas and Jatakas which are illustrated in Amaravati art.

Dhānyakaṭaka and other names of Amarāvatī

The present geographical location of Amarāvatī is identical to Dhānyakaṭaka frequently mentioned in several literary and epigraphical records[1]. In fact the stupa site is an adjunct of the city site of Dhānyakaṭaka which is only half a kilometre from it[2]. Sometimes in inscription the name Dhānyakaṭaka appears with its varied transcriptions, that is, Dhānnakaṭaka in Pali form, Dhāmnakaṭaka, Dhāmnakaḍa and Dhanakadaka in Prakrit form[3] and Dhānyakaṭaka in Sanskrit form. Most of the scholars agree that the name Dhānyakaṭaka might have originated from the paddy cultivation in the area[4]. The Tibetan historian Tārānatha refers to Dpal-dan-brass-spun meaning ‘accumulation of grain’[5].

The earliest name of the place as recorded in an inscription on the sculptural stele is Dhāmnaka and Dhāmnakaṭaka. Xuan Zang called it To-na-kie-tse-ki/Te-naka-che-ka (Dhānyakaṭaka). In later inscriptions the place is called Dhānyakaṭaka, Dhānyakara and Dhānyakapura. The Manjuśrīmūlatantra calls the place Śrī Dhānyakaṭaka. Narapa, the famous tāntrika writer of 9th Century C.E called it Śrī Dhānya. In Buddhist literature it is mentioned as Śrī Dhānyakaṭaka denoting plenitude of wealth (Śrī) and paddy(Dhānya) and prosperity as a marketing town (Kaṭaka) as well as a camping site for armed forces[6]. In addition to it Sri Dhānyakaṭaka is considered to be ‘the city of Gods’ or ‘the abode of immortals’ or ‘the city of bliss’-‘Chaityam atyunnatam Yatra nānācitrasu-citritam’[7]. Amarāvatī has been traditionally believed to be the capital city of Indra, that is, the king of Gods[8]. In Viṣṇukuṇḍin epigraph there is reference to Indrapālanagara, another toponym of Amarāvatī. In addition to it, the Viṣṇukuṇḍin record also mention Amarapura, that is Amarāvatī. Tārānatha beautifully defines Dhānyakaṭaka. He states ‘to write this place, the name of which should be known even to the foolish Tibetans...was called Saddharma megha viśālaganja’ (In Tibetan Chos–bzamsprin-gyi yam-rdsom) that is, the castle of the cloud of faith[9].

Another nomenclature associated with the area is Dharaṇikoṭa. While mentioning about Dhānyakaṭaka in Andhradeśa Xuan Zang in his Si-Yu-Ki referred to the subsects of Mahāsaṅghikā and the whole piṭaka of spells or dhāranīs which were preserved in Dhānyakaṭaka[10]. It is believed that when the region experienced Tantrayāna phase of Buddhism it came to be referred as Dharaṇikoṭa. The Kaifiyats, that is, the administrative records of the Kṛṣṇā and Guṇṭur districts attests that Dharaṇikoṭa was the other name of Dhānyakaṭaka[11]. In Sanskrit and Telegu inscriptions it is mentioned as Śrīdhānya, Śrīdhāna, Dhāna, Dhānakaṭaka, Dhānyakaṭaka, Dhānyankapuri, Dhānyavaṭika, Dhannāde, Dāṃnalakoṭa, Dharaṇikoṭa etc. Śakoddeśāṭikā, a medieval tāntrik work mentions it as Śrīdhānya and in Tibetan Blue Annals it is mentioned as Śrīsthāna[12]. Later on the place came to be known as Amareśvarapuram, anglicized form Amresbury in the British records after the foundation of the Amareśvara Temple (Pl 30a). It is also suggested that Amarāvatī is a corrupt form of Aramavati which originated from Amrārāma, one of the five arāma kṣetra of Andhradeśa[13]. Thus it appears that Dhānyakaṭaka and Dharaṇikoṭa was the probably the ancient name of Amarāvatī.

There is continuous mention of Dhānyakaṭaka, Dharaṇikoṭa and Amarāvatī in various literary and archaeological sources as an eminent religious centre and a megacity over many centuries. These records undoubtedly prove the significance of the place. In fact several benefits prompted royal dynasties to choose it as their capital or mega city. These records are significant as it indicates association of various dynasties with this region and the survival of the monument till 14th Century CE.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ramachandran A, 1996, The Cultural History of Lower Kṛṣṇā Valley, its contacts with South East Asia, Jaipur, p 39.

[2]:

Chakrabarty Dilip.K, 2006, Oxford companion to Indian Archaeology, The Archaeological Foundations of Ancient India, Stone Age to A.D 13th century,, New Delhi, p 393.

[3]:

, p 281 Lüders H, Op.cit, No. 1273, pp 151-152.

[4]:

Ramachandran A, Op.cit, p 40.

[5]:

Chattopadhyaya Debiprasad, 1970, Tārānatha’s History of Buddha, Simla, pp 301-303.

[6]:

Prasad P.R.K,1991, ‘Pre-Sātavāhana Phase at Amarāvatī-Dharaṇikoṭa in Shastri Ajay Mitra (ed), The Age of the Sātavāhanas, vol II, New Delhi, p 328.

[7]:

Ramachandran A, Op.Cit, p 41.

[8]:

Ibid, p 41.

[9]:

Ibid, p 41.

[10]:

Sankarnarayan K, 2009, ‘Dhāraṇī, the protective spell and Dhāraṇī Pillar’ in Pande Anupa (ed), The Art of Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent in cross-cultural perspective, New Delhi, p 24.

[11]:

Ramachandran A, Op.Cit, p 41.

[12]:

Prasad P.R.K, 1991, ‘Pre-Sātavāhana Phase at Amarāvatī Dharaṇikoṭa’ Op.Cit, p 328.

[13]:

Gupta S.S, 2008, Sculptures and Antiquities in the Archaeological Museum, Amarāvatī, New Delhi, p 1.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: