Vishnukundina dynasty

TheVishnukundina dynasty(IAST:Viṣṇukuṇḍina, sometimes Viṣukuṇḍin) was an Indian dynasty that ruled over parts of present-dayAndhra Pradesh,Telangana,Odisha,and other parts of southern India between the 5th and 7th centuries. They emerged as an independent power during the reign of Madhava Varma, who conquered coastal Andhra from theSalankayanasand established their capital atDendulurunearEluru.Their rule significantly shaped the history of theDeccanregion. However, their reign ended with the conquest of eastern Deccan by theChalukyakingPulakeshin II,who appointed his brother,Kubja Vishnuvardhana,as viceroy. Vishnuvardhana later declared independence, founding theEastern Chalukyadynasty.

Vishnukundina dynasty
420–624
Vishnukundina Empire, 420–674 AD, cast copper, 4.65g,Vidarbha(Maharashtra), Bull type.
South Asia 500 CE LICCHAVIS ZHANGZHUNG GAUDA KAMARUPA KALABHRAS WESTERN GANGAS AULIKARAS TOCHARIANS NEZAKS KADAMBAS PALLAVAS ALCHON HUNS RAIS VAKATAKAS KALINGA VISHNU- KUNDINAS SHARABHAPURIYAS NALAS SAMATATAS GUPTA EMPIRE HEPHTHALITES MAITRAKAS SASANIAN EMPIRE class=notpageimage| The Vishnukundinas and neighbouring South Asian politiesc. 500 CE.
Capital	Denduluru Amaravati
Common languages	Sanskrit Prakrit Telugu
Religion	Hinduism Jainism
Government	Monarchy
Janasraya
Historical era	Classical India
• Established	420
• Disestablished	624
Preceded by Succeeded by Vakataka dynasty Eastern Chalukyas Pallava Dynasty

Name of the Dynasty

The dynasty is usually referred to as the Viṣṇukuṇḍins, but the question was reviewed by S. Sankaranarayanan who closely examined the philogical evidence and concluded that Vishṇukuṇḍi was the gramattically correct form of the name.Although this is technically correct, historians continue to use Viṣukuṇḍin because it is well established in the literature, having been used byK. A. Nilakanta SastriandDineshchandra Sircar.

Origin

The early rulers of the dynasty migrated from eastern Deccan to the west Deccan in search of employment and under theVakatakasthey might have attained feudatory status.

During the reign of Madhava Varma, they became independent and conquered coastalAndhrafrom theSalankayanasand established their capital at DendulurunearEluru,West Godavari district.Some modern historians from Telangana suggest that the dynasty initially ruled from Indrapalanagara (in present dayNalgonda districtof Telangana), and later shifted toDenduluru,andAmaravathi.

Chronology

The Vishnukundina reign might be fixed between the end of theSalankayanaand the rise of theEastern Chalukyanpower in 624. Some historians mention Vishnukundinas' reign was from 420 to 624, while some other historians say their reign was from the early 5th century to the 7th century.

Govinda Varma I

Govinda Varma I took the princely title of Maharaja and his son Madhava Varma I was the founder of the power based on grants from Sriparvata (Nagarjunakonda) and Indrapalagutta.

Madhava Varma I

The reign of Madhava Varma (c. 420 – c. 455). He was the founder of the Vishnukundina power.

Madhava Varma II

Madhava Varma IIwas the most powerful ruler of Vishnukundina dynasty. The reign ofMadhava Varma II(c. 440– c. 460) was a golden age in the history of the Vishnukundinas. The Vishnukundina dynasty reached its greatest territorial extent under Madhava Varma II. He defeated Prithvishena II, the powerful ruler ofVakataka dynasty.Vakataka Mahadevi, the daughter of Prithvishena II, was given in marriage to him.

By the middle of the 5th century, the dynasty rose to imperial heights. A princess of the then powerful ruling family of theDeccantheVakatakaswas given in marriage to Madhava Varma's son, Vikramendra Varma.

This alliance enabled them to extend their influence to the east coast and vanquish the petty chieftains lingering on in that area. Madhava Varma II led his arms againstAnanda Gotrikaswho were ruling overGuntur,TenaliandOngole,probably enjoying subordinate position under thePallavasofKanchipuram.

After occupying these areas from the Ananda Gotrikas, Madhava Varma II made Amarapura (modernAmaravati) his capital. Keeping in view the constant threat from thePallavas,he created an outpost to check their activities and appointed his son, Deva Varma and after his death the grandson Madhava Varma III as itsViceroy.

Undavalli Caves, Vijayawada, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

Madhava Varma II next turned his attention against theVengikingdom which was under theSalankayanas.The Vengi region was annexed. TheGodavaritract became part of the Vishnukundina territory. After these conquests the capital might have been shifted toBezwada(Vijayawada), a more central location than Amarapura. These extensive conquests made him the lord ofDakshinapatha(southern country). After these various conquests Madhava Varma performed manyAsvamedha,Rajasuyaand otherVedic sacrifices.

Successors of Madhava Varma II

The fortunes of the Vishnukundinas were at a low point during the reign of the next ruler Vikramendra Varma I (508–528). The next two and half decades also experienced the constant strife and dynastic struggles during the reign of Indra Bhattaraka Varma (528–555). Though Indra Bhattaraka could not withstand the hostile Kalinga subordinate, Indra Varma and lost his life in battle. The Vishnukundinas lost their Kalinga possessions north of the Godavari.

Vikramendra Varma II

With the accession of Vikramendra Varma II (555–569), the fortunes of the Vishnukundina family were restored. To have immediate access to the Kalinga region, he shifted his capital from Bezwada to Lenduluru (modemDenduluruin theWest Godavari district). He repulsed the attack of thePallavaruler Simhavarman. He was successful enough to restore the fortunes of the Vishnukundinas in the Kalinga region. His son Govinda Varma II enjoyed a comparatively short period of rule (569–573).

Janassraya Madhava Varma IV

The Vishnukundina empire set about again to imperial expansion and cultural prosperity under its able ruler Janassraya Madhava Varma IV (573–621). This prudent king spent his early years of rule in consolidating his position in Vengi. The later part of his reign is marked by wars and annexations. In his 37th regnal year, he suppressed the revolt of his subordinate chief the Durjaya Pruthvi Maharaja in Guddadivishya (modernRamachandrapuramin theEast Godavaridistrict).

Madhava Varma IV had to face theChalukyanonslaught in his last years of rule. By about 616,Pulakeshin IIand his brotherKubja Vishnuvardhanaconquered Vengi from the Vishnukundinas and thePithapuramarea from their subordinate Durjayas. In 621 in his 48th regnal year, Madhava crossed the Godavari probably to oust the Chalukyas from his territories. However, he lost his life on the battlefield. His son Manchana Bhattaraka also might have been expelled by the Chalukyas. Thus the Vishnukundina rule was brought to a close by 624.

Greatly reduced Vishnukundina territory in 600 AD, along with theChalukyasadvancing at their border

Vishnukundina country

They had three important cities, Indrapalanagara,Denduluru,andAmaravati.

Administration

For administrative convenience, the empire was divided into a number ofRashtrasandVishayas.Inscriptions refer to Palki Rashtra, Karma Rashtra, Guddadi Vishaya, etc.

Madhava Varma III appointed members of the royal family asViceroysfor various areas of the kingdom.

The king was the highest court of appeal in the administrator of justice. The Vishnukundina rulers established various kinds of punishments for various crimes. They were known for their impartial judgment and high sense of justice.

Army

Their army consisted of traditional fourfold divisions:

• Elephants
• Chariots
• Cavalry
• Infantry

The Hastikosa was the officer-in-charge of elephant forces and the Virakosa was the officer-in-charge of land forces. These officers also issued grants on behalf of their monarchs.

Taxes

Vishnukundina Empire, 420–674 AD, Cast Copper, 7.80g, Vidarbha (Maharashtra), Lion type.

There may have been well-organized administrative machinery for the collection of land revenue. Agrahara villages enjoyed tax exemptions. Sixteen types of coins of the Vishnukundina rulers have been found by archaeologists.

Religion

All the records of the Vishnukundinas and the kings prior to the Madhava Varma II seem to be patrons ofHinduism.

From the time of the accession of Madhava Varma II, an aggressive self-assertionof theVedic Hinduismoccurred. Elaborate Vedic ceremonies likeRajasuya,Sarvamedha,andAswamedhawere undertaken. The celebration of all these sacrifices represents the traditional spirit of the Brahmanical revival.Some of the rulers referred to themselves as 'Parama Mahesvaras'. The inscriptions refer to their family deity Sri Parvata Swami.

The names of rulers like Madhava Varma and Govinda Varma show theirVaishnaviteleanings. Thus both theHindusects ofSaivismandVaishnavismmight have received equal patronage from them.

Literature

Old Telugu Script – Vishnukundina Indra Varma Sasanam 6th century

The Vishnukundinas were also great patrons of learning. They established colleges for Vedic learning. LearnedBrahminswere encouraged by gifts of lands and colleges were established for the propagation ofVedicstudies. Indra Bhattaraka established many schools for imparting education on Vedic literature. The performance of several elaborate Vedic ceremonies by Madhava Varma is evidence of the faith of the rulers inVedic Hinduismand the popularity of Vedic learning with the people during this period.

Some of the Vishnukundina kings were credited with authorship of several books. Vikramendra Varma I was described asMahakavi– a great poet in a record. Further, an incomplete work on Sanskrit poetics called 'Janasraya Chando Vichiti' was attributed to Madhava Varma IV who bore the title of 'Janasraya'.Sanskritenjoyed royal patronage.

Art and Architecture

Being great devotees ofSiva,the Vishnukundinas seem to have been responsible for the construction of a number of cave temples dedicated to Siva. The cave structures at Bezwada (Vijayawada), Mogalrajapuram,Undavalli caves,and Bhairavakonda were dated to this period. Though some of these cave temples were attributed to thePallavaMahendra Varman I, the emblems found on the caves and the areas being under the rule of the Vishnukundinas during this period clearly show that these were contributions of the Vishnukundinas. The big four-storeyed cave at Undavalli and the 8 cave temples in Bhairavakonda inNellore districtshow however clear resemblances with the architecture of Pallava Mahendra Varman's period.

See also

• Vakataka
• Salankayana
• Eastern Chalukya
• History of India

References

Bibliography

• Durga Prasad, History of the Andhras up to 1565 A. D., P. G. PUBLISHERS, GUNTUR (1988)
• South Indian Inscriptions[1]
• Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).

External links

• Map of find-spots of inscriptionsissued by Vishnukundinas and other neighbouring dynasties
• Media related toVishnukundina Empireat Wikimedia Commons