Satavahanas & Kushan dynasty of India

As the Maurya Empire weakened, the independent and powerful Satavahana Kingdom established in South India. Satavahana kings played an important role in diplomacy, politics, art, literature, culture, state administration, dealing with foreign powers etc. To know the history of the Satavahana Empire we have to rely on Matsya Purana,, Vayu Purana, Ptolemy's Geography, Brihat Katha, Nasik Prashasti, Hatiguka Script, Junagadh Script, Coinage material found at various places.

To know the original abode of the Satavahana kings, one has to rely on the Puranas. According to Puranas the ancestors of the Satavahana kings are referred to as Andha and Andhabhritya. Some historians believe that their original habitat was in present-day Andhra Pradesh region. So they were called Andhra. The forefathers of the Satavahana kingdom worked as servants of the Maurya kings. Hence Satavahana kings are called Andhabhritya. But no inscriptions of the early phase of the Satavahana kings have been found in the Andhra Pradesh region. From this it is believed that the Satavahanas were not originally abode in the Andhra Pradesh region. The primitive capital of the Satavahana empire is Paithan or Pratishthana Is located near Maharashtra. Some of the early coins of the Satavahana kings have been found in the Maharashtra region. The ancestor of Satavahana kings have lived in the Andhra Pradesh region and were worker of the Maurya empire. For the work they go to the western side of South India. Taking advantage of the weakness of the Mauryan empire, they established the independent Satavahana empire.

The Kushans were a nomadic race. They lived in the Kan-su and Ning-china provinces of north-eastern in China. The Kushans were an offshoot of the "Yu-Chi" nomadic race. Around 165 BC a nomadic tribe called Yung-nu drove the Kushans(Yu-Chi) from their homeland. After that they moved towards the west. After some days they appeared in the "Taklamakan" province. At Taklamakan, the fought was between a nomadic group called the Wu-Shun with Yu-Chi(Kushan). The Wu-shun leader was killed during the battle. Then they advanced further and appeared on the banks of Shirdaria river. They lived on the banks of Sardaria river for about 20 years. But Yu-chi was defeated by the joint attack of Wu-shun and Yung-nu and they were driven from Sardaria place and settled in Amudariya. While living in this place they stopped nomadic occupation and started farming.

When "Yu-Chi" was living in Amudariya they divided into five branches. Among these five branches of "Yu-Chi", one branch is called "Kushan". Later these Kushans became powerful. Was combined the other branches of the Yu-Chi clan by The Kushan branch. From this time Yu-Chi became known as Kushan. After the Kushans became powerful, they invaded India and expanded their kingdom.

The material for the historiography of the Kushan Empire is abundant. There is a large amount of literary and archaeological material. Literary material includes domestic and foreign literature. Notable among the material of literature in Kushan Empire.

1. Puran
2. Rajatarangini of Kalhana
3. Buddhacarita of Ashvaghosha
4. Madhyamik-sutra of Nagarjuna
5. Buddhist texts Mahavastu and Divyavadana

1. Si-Chi of Su-ma-Kien
2. Siyen-han-Su of Pan-Ku
3. Description of Hiuen-Sao

1. Kosambi
2. Sarnath
3. Sui Vihar
4. Thaniyala
5. Mathura
6. Kamra

1. Stupas
2. Palaces
3. Statues
4. Coins

One of the 5 branches of the Yu-Chi, one branch is called the Kushan. Kadphises was the first leader of the Kushan branch. First Kadphises had another name Kujula Kadphises. First Kadphises combined the other branches of the Yu-chi nation and established an independent kingdom in Bactria. During this time the Kushan Empire was established. After the establishment of the Kushan empire, First Kadphises focused on conquering the other kingdoms. He expanded the Kushan empire by conquering Parthia, Kabul, Peshawar, Kashmir territories etc. The Kushan empire did not expand into India during the reign of First Kadphises. Reigned from about 15 AD to 65 AD.

After first Kadphises , second Kadphises ascended the throne of the Kushan Empire. His reign was from 65 AD to 75 AD. During the reign of second Kadphises , the Kushan Empire spread over parts of India. According to Chinese authors Benares, Mathura etc. were under the Kushan Empire. Images of Lord Shiva have been found on some coins of this Kushan period. So it is believed that the Kushan emperor second Kadphises was a believer in Shaivism.

What time historians disagree about the First Kanishka ascended the throne of the Kushana Empire. Most historians consider the year 78 AD. The first Kanishka ascended the throne of the Kushan Empire in about 78 AD. He is the greatest emperor of the Kushan dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Kanishka, the Kushan Empire flourished in social, military, economic, industrial, religious, etc.

From various books we can learn about the conquest of the kingdom of the Kushan emperor Kanishka.

1. According to Rajatarangini conquered the kingdom of Kashmir.
2. It can be known from Chinese and Tribbat sources he captured Patliputra.
3. The kings of Saurashtra and Malwa accepted allegiance to the Kushan emperor Kanishka.
4. According to Hiuen Tsang, place like Gandhara and Purushpur were under his empire.
5. According to Al-Biruni's account, the Kushan Empire had influence in Afghanistan and some parts of Central Asia.

The Kushan emperor Kanishka converted to Buddhism. During the reign of this emperor, Buddhism spread abroad and country. He renovated old Buddhist monasteries, Stupas, Chaityas. He build some new Buddhist monasteries, Stupas, Chaityas. He also built a multi-storied "Chaityas" in Puruspur of the capital of the Kushan Empire. He gave freely to the Buddhist monks. The greatest achievement during the reign of the Kushan emperor Kanishka was the ceremony of the Fourth Buddha Council.

Many developed of literature during the reign of the Kushan Emperor Kanishka. A lot of literature was written during this time by many authors. Sanskrit language decline in importance during the Maurya period. Sanskrit language advanced during the reign of Kushan Emperor Kanishka. In the court of the Kushan emperor Kanishka, there was considerable prestige among writers, scholars, philosophers, musicians, dramatists, poets, etc. Important persons like Ashvaghosha, Nagarjuna, Vasumitra, Charaka, Parsva etc raised the prestige of the Raj Sabha of Kanishka. These people wrote various many books.

During the reign of the Kushan emperor Kanishka, the arts flourished greatly. Kanishka had special contribution in the development of architecture, sculpture and painting. He founded several cities in this time. Notable among the cities are Mathura, Taxila, Kanishkapur. Besides, he built numerous stupas, viharas, chaityas, monasteries, Buddhist statues etc. From this we know about the art of the Kushan Empire. During this time, a new art emerged combining Greek and Indian art. This new style of art is called Gandhara art. Gandhara art developed and extension during the reign of the Kushan emperor Kanishka. The renaissance of the art took place during the reign of the Kushan emperor Kanishka.