Pusyamitra Sunga

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Pusyamitra Sunga (also Pushyamitra Shunga) was the founder of the Indian Sunga dynasty (185-78 BCE). He reigned from 185 BCE to 151 BCE.

Originally a general and commander-in-chief (Senapati) on the armies of the Mauryan empire, he assassinated the last Mauryan emperor Brhadrata in 185 BCE, and subsequently founded the Sunga dynasty. He then performed the Ashwamedha Yajna, or horse sacrifice, and brought Northern India under his rule. Inscriptions of the Sungas have been found as far as the Jalandhar in the Punjab. The Divyavadana mentions that his writ extended as far as Sakala (Sialkot).

Contents 1 Accounts of Persecution 1.1 Legendary accounts 1.2 Academic debate 2 War history 3 Succession of the Throne 4 Notes 5 References 6 See also 7 External links

[edit] Accounts of Persecution

[edit] Legendary accounts

Pusyamitra Sunga is believed in tradition to have been hostile towards Buddhists and persecuted the Buddhist faith.

According to the 2nd century Ashokavadana:

"Then King Pusyamitra equipped a fourfold army, and intending to destroy the Buddhist religion, he went to the Kukkutarama. (...) Pusyamitra therefore destroyed the sangharama, killed the monks there, and departed.

After some time, he arrived in Sakala, and proclaimed that he would give a hundred dinara reward to whomever brought him the head of a Buddhist monk" (Shramanas) Ashokavadana, 133, trans. John Strong.

A Buddhist tradition holds him as having taken steps to check the spread of Buddhism as "the number one enemy of the sons of the Sakya's^[1] and a most cruel persecutor of the religion".^[2] The Divyavadana ascribes to him the razing of stupas and viharas built by Ashoka, and describes him as one who wanted to undo the work of Ashoka.^[3]

[edit] Academic debate

Some historians have rejected Pushyamitra' s persecution of Buddhists. The traditional narratives are dated to two centuries after Pushyamitra’s death in Asokâvadâna and the Divyâvadâna, Buddhist books of legend. The traditional accounts are often described as exaggerated. The Asokavadana legend is likely a Buddhist version of Pusyamitra's attack of the Mauryas, reflecting the declining influence of Buddhism in the Sunga Imperial court.

Among the detractors is Romila Thapar, who writes that archaeological evidence casts doubt on the claims of Buddhist persecution by Pushyamitra. ^[4]. Koenraad Elst posits that historical facts confirm that Pushyamitra allowed and patronized the construction of monasteries and Buddhist universities in his domains, as well as the still-existent stupa of Sanchi. Etienne Lamotte states: “To judge from the documents, Pushyamitra must be acquitted through lack of proof.” ^[5] Support of the Buddhist faith by the Sungas at some point is suggested by an epigraph on the gateway of Barhut, which mentions its erection "during the supremacy of the Sungas". ^[6]

On the other hand, Sir John Marshall identified that the Sanchi stupa was vandalized during the 2nd century before it was rebuilt later on a larger scale, suggesting the possiblity that the original brick stupa built by Ashoka was destroyed by Pusyamitra and then restored by his successor Agnimitra. ^[7] Similarly, the Deokothar Stupas (geographically located between Sanchi and Barhut) suffered destruction during the same period, also suggesting some kind of involvement of Sunga rule.^[8] Proponents also point to the proclamations and claim that the Manu Smriti was propagated.

Overall, archaelogical evidence is scarce and uncertain, and a definitive answer is still lacking.

[edit] War history

Pushyamitra's rule is colored by warfare, which characterized this age in India. He and his descendants warred with the Andhras, Kalingas, Indo Greeks, and possibly the kingdoms of Panchala and Mathura (which may not have been under his rule).

Following his assassination of Brhadratha during an army review, the first Sunga ruler responded to the advance of Bactrian Greeks.

Northwestern India was attacked around 180 BCE by the Greek rulers of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, and they eventually conquered much of the Punjab, perhaps ruled Mathura for a time, and may have campaigned as far as Pataliputra. However, the net result is unknown, as Pushyamitra's army may have repelled the Indo Greeks,^{[citation needed]} with the Ashvamedha terminating at the Indus late in his reign (Kulke?^{[citation needed]}).

If it was taken by the Indo-Greeks, Mathura was regained either by the Sungas or other Indian kings towards the end of the second century BCE.

Pusyamitra himself may have been attacked by king Kharavela of Kalinga, now known as Orissa. Kharavela claims he made a king of Magadha,"Bahasatimita", (thought to be a Sunga king Brhaspatimitra, or Pusyamitra himself) bow at his feet. However, this has not been confirmed as dates for Kharavela range several centuries.

[edit] Succession of the Throne

Pusyamitra Sunga was succeeded in 151 BCE by his son Agnimitra.

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• "The Legend of King Asoka, A study and translation of the Asokavadana", John Strong, Princeton Library of Asian translations, 1983, ISBN 0-691-01459-0

[edit] See also

• History of Buddhism

[edit] External links

• Was Pusyamitra more secular than Ashoka? Article on the alleged Hindu persecution of Buddhism by Pushyamitra

Preceded by Brhadrata (Mauryan dynasty)

Sunga ruler

Succeeded by Agnimitra