Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 134

112
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JUNE, 1931
but very often the name appears to have been applied to designate a much wider region from Malabar to Sindh " (p. 87).
II. Asmaka. According to Apto, Asmaks is the name of a country in the south "probably an old name of Travancore." Herr Meyer and Dr. Shamasastry have both taken it to be Maharastra. 13
III. Avanti. This is the well known country of Malwa, with its capital at Ujjain.
IV. Jangala. Desert countries, probably the tracts adjacent to Malwa on the north and north-west.
V. Anúpa dosa. Marshy countries. Possibly the name refers to the janapadas settled along the banks of the Narmada. The country was full of marshes and swamps. According to N. L. Dey it referred to the lower part of Malwa, with its capital at Mhow near Indore, or to the country of the Haihayas. (See Geographical Dictionary, ed. 1899.)
If we take all these countries into consideration together, we find that they would form a political unit including Korkana, Kaccha, Suråstra, Sindh (Aparanta), some parts of Raj. pûtâna (J&ngala), Malwa, with its capital at Ujjain (Avanti), the tracts along the banks of the Narmada and Tapti (Anûpa-desa) and Maharastra (Asmaka). 8. Historical ovidence about the existence of the political unit referred to by Kautalya.
According to V. A. Smith, "The so-called Western Satraps' comprise two distinct dynasties, ruling in widely separated territories. The Kshaharata satraps of Mah&rashtra, with their capital probably at Nasik in the Western Ghate, who had established their power at some time in the first century after Christ, were destroyed by Gautamiputra, an Andhra king, in or about 126 A.D., their dominions being annexed to the Andhra monarchy. The second satrapy of the west, founded by the Saka Chashtana at Ujjain in Malwa, late in the first century after Christ, was immensely extended by Chashtana's grandson, Ivudradaman I who at some date between 128 and 150 A.D., and probably before 130 A.D., conquered from Gautamiputra's son, Pulumayi II, all or nearly all the territory which Gautamiputra had taken from the Kshaharatas a few years earlier. The power of Rudrad&man I was thus esta. blished not only over the peninsula of Surashtra, but also over Malwa, Cutch, Sind, the Kon. kan, and other districts-in short, over Western India. The capital of Chashtana and his successors was Ujjain, one of the most ancient cities of India, the principal depôt for the commerce between the ports of the west and the interior, famous as a seat of learning and oivilization, and also notable as the Indian Greenwich from which longitudes were reckoned."14
The small empire of Ujjain continued to be governed by Saka satraps up to the time of Chandragupta II. The satrap Rudrasena sent an embassy to the emperor of Magadha. However, the latter was not satisfied: he annexed the kingdom of Ujjain. "The greatest military achievement of Chandragupta Vikramaditya was his advance to the Arabian Ses through MAlwA and Gujarât, and his subjugation of the peninsula of Surashtra or Kathichwår, which had been ruled for centuries by the Saka dynasty, of foreign origin, known to European scholars as the Western Satraps."15 After the death of Samudragupta the history of the Ujjain kingdom is not known. There is no doubt that in 458 A.D. Skandagupta defeated the Hûnas and took possession of the peninsula of Suråshtra (Kathiâwar)." 16 " About 465 A.D., a fresh swarm of nomads poured across the frontier, and occupied Gan. dhára, or the north-western Panjab, where & cruel and vindictive' chieftain usurped tho throne of the Kushåns, and practised the most barbarous atrocities." 17 But the province of MAlwê continued from 484 to 510 to be governed by Budhagupta and Bhånugupta, who occupied a dependent position and were afraid of the Hana chieftains.18
From the above description it is clear that the Malwa empire continued as a political unit from 126 A.D. to 510 A.D. Kautalya's Artha-sastra must fall within this period.
(To be continued.) 13 E.T., p. 127 n.; Meyer, p. 178, n. 3. 14 Smith, E.H.I., p. 308. 15 Smith, E.H.I., p. 307, 18 Ibid., p. 327.
17 Ibid., p. 328.
19 Ibid., p. 332.