Samacheer Class 6 Social Science - The Post-Mauryan India

Pushyamitra’s son Agnimitra is said to be the hero of Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitra.
This drama also refers to the victory of Vasumitra, Agnimitra’s son, over the
Greeks on the banks of the Sindhu river.

The Satavahana king Hala was himself a great scholar of Sanskrit.
The Kantara school of Sanskrit flourished in the Deccan in Second Century B.C.
Hala is famous as the author of Sattasai (Saptasati), 700 stanzas in Prakrit.

Kadphises I was the first famous military and political leader of the Kushanas.
He overthrew the Indo-Greek and Indo-Parthian rulers.
He established himself as a sovereign ruler of Bactria.
He extended his power in Kabul, Gandhara and up to the Indus.

The break-up of the Mauryan empire resulted in the invasions of Sakas, Scythians, Parthians, Indo-Greeks or Bactria Greeks, and Kushanas from the north-west.
In the South, Satavahanas became independent after Asoka’s death.
There were Sunga and Kanvas in the north before the emergence of the Gupta dynasty.
Chedis (Kalinga) declared their independence.
Though Magadha ceased to be the premier state of India, it continued to be a great center of Buddhist culture.

The last Mauryan emperor, Brihadratha, was assassinated by his own general, Pushyamitra Sunga.
He established his Sunga dynasty in Magadha. His capital was Pataliputra.
Pushyamitra successfully repulsed the invasion of Bactria king Menander. He also conquered Vidarbha.
He was a staunch follower of Vedic religion. He performed two Asvamedbayagnas (horse sacrifices) to assert his imperial authority.

Indo-Parthians came after the Indo-Greeks and the Indo-Scythians who were, in turn, defeated by the Kushanas in the second half of the first century A.D.
Indo-Parthian kingdom or Gondopharid dynasty was founded by Gondophemes.
The domain of Indo-Parthians comprised Kabul and Gandhara.
The name of Gonodophemes is associated with the Christian apostle St. Thomas.
According to Christian tradition, St.Thomas visited the court of Gondophemes and converted him to Christianity.

Menander was one of the best known Indo-Greek kings.
He is said to have ruled a large kingdom in the north-west of the country.
His coins were found over an extensive area ranging from Kabul valley and Indus river to western Uttar Pradesh.
MilindaPanha, a Buddhist text, is a discourse between Bactrian king Milinda and the learned Buddhist scholar Nagasena.
This Milinda is identified with Menander.
Menander is believed to have become a Buddhist and promoted Buddhism.

Kanishka was an ardent Buddhist.
His empire was a Buddhist empire.
He adopted Buddhism under the influence of Asvaghosha, a celebrated monk from Pataliputra.
He was as equal as the exponent and champion of Mahayanism.
He made Buddhism the state religion.
He built many stupas and monasteries in Mathura, Taxila, and many other parts of his kingdom.
He sent Buddhist missionaries to Tibet, China, and many countries of Central Asia for the propagation of Buddha’s gospel.
He organised the fourth Buddhist Council at Kundalavana near Srinagar to sort out the differences between the various schools of Buddhism. It was only in this council that Buddhism was split into Hinayanism and Mahayanism.

The Gandhara School of Indian Art is heavily indebted to Greek influence.
The Greeks were good cave builders.
The Mahay ana Buddhists learnt the art of carving out caves from them.
They became skilled in rock-cut architecture.
This Gandhara art flourished during Kanishka time. The most favourite subject was the carving of Sculptures of Buddha.

Kadphises II maintained a friendly relationship with the emperors of China and Rome.
He encouraged trade and commerce with foreign countries.
His coins contained the inscribed figures of Lord Siva and his imperial titles.
The inscriptions in the coins were in the Kharosthi language.

The last Kanva ruler Susarman was assassinated by his powerful feudatory chief of Andhra named Simuka.
Simuka laid the foundation of the Satavahana dynasty.