Ishwarsena

Ishwarsena was the founder of the Abhira dynasty and he started an era which later became known as the Kalchuri-Chedi era. He and his descendants whose names do not occur in the Puranas seem to have ruled over a large territory comprising Gujarat, Konkan and Western Maharashtra.^[1] His descendants ruled for nine generations.^[2]

Early life and ascension to the throne

Ishwarsena was the son of Abhira Sivadatta and his wife Mathari.^[3] Another king claiming to be a son of Mathari is Sakasena. He is identified with Saka Satakarni, whose coins have been found over Andhra Pradesh and is taken to be a Satavahana king and successor of Yajna Sri Satakarni.^[3][4] However, K.Gopalchari thinks that Sakasena was a Abhira king. Reasons:

• The name of Sakasena or Saka Satakarni does not occur in the Puranic genealogies of the Andhra-Satavahana kings. He claimed to be th son of Mathari, the wife of Abhira Sivadatta, as indicated by his epithet Mathariputra.^[3]

• The traditional title of Siri which is found on most coins and inscriptions of the Satavahanas is significantly absent in the case of this ruler.^[3]

• Considering the dynastic rivalry between the Saka Kshatrapas, the naming of a Satavahana prince with its main content as Saka is very unnatural and unlikely.^[3]

• The Abhiras were earlier in the service of the Saka rulers of Ujjaini, and in those days, feudatory chiefs used to name their sons after the names of their overlords. The name of Sakasena was probably a result of this practice. The suffix of Sena in his name also suggests that he was an Abhira king and related to Ishwarsena.^[3][5]

So this concludes that Ishwarsena's predecessor was his elder brother Sakasena, and he ascended the throne after his death.^[3][6] However, historian Ashvini Agrawal thinks he was a general in the service of Rudrasimha I who deposed his master in 188 A.D and ascended the throne. Ashvini Agrawal further says that Rudrasimha I soon deposed him and regained the throne in 190 A.D.^[7]

Reign

Ishwarsena is the only confirmed ruler of his dynasty. He is mentioned in the Nasik cave inscription dated in his ninth regnal year. In the inscription, he is referred to have made two investments of 1,000 and 500 Karshapanas in trade guilds at Govardhana (Old Nasik), for the purpose of providing medicines for the sick monks living in the monasteries of the Nasik hills.^[8][9][10] The areas which he controlled included Lata, Aparanta, Khandesh, Ashmaka (Andhra), with Nasik and its adjoining areas as the core territory.^{[11][12][13][10][9]}

Ishwarsena started an era to commemorate his ascension in 284 or 249 AD,^[3] which later became known as the Kalachuri -Chedi era.^[1][3]

Numismatics and epigraphics

Coins of Ishwarsena are dated only in the first and second years of his reign and are found only in Saurashtra and Southern Rajasthan.^[14][15]

A number of feudatories of the Abhiras ruled in various parts of Maharashtra. One such dynasty founded by Ishwarsena is known from an inscription in cave XVII at Ajanta which mentions Ashmaka in verse 10.^[12][16]

References

1. Arun Kumar Sharma (2004). Heritage of Tansa Valley. Bharatiya Kala Prakashan. pp. 33, 92. ISBN 9788180900297. Ishwarsena was the founder of the Abhira dynasty and he started an era which later became known as the Kalchuri-Chedi era. He and his descendants whose names do not occur in the Puranas seem to have ruled over a large territory comprising Gujrat, Konkan and Western Maharastra.
2. Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Department (1976). Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Buldhana. Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State, 1976. p. 52. About A.D. 250 the Satavahanas were supplanted by the Abhiras in Western Maharashtra and by the Vakatakas in Vidarbha. The founder of the Abhira Dynasty was Rajan Ishvarasena, the son of Shivadatta, who has left an inscription in Cave IX at Nasik.
3. Thosar, H.S. (1990). "The Abhiras in Indian History". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 51. Indian History Congress: 56–65. JSTOR 44148188. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
4. Proceedings Volume 51. Indian History Congress. 1990.
5. Proceedings Volume 51. Indian History Congress. 1990.
6. Proceedings Volume 51. Indian History Congress. 1990.
7. Ashvini Agrawal (1989). Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas (Hardcover). Motilal Banarsidass. p. 58. ISBN 9788120805927.
8. Singh Nijjar, Bakhshish (2008). Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. p. 434. ISBN 9788126909087.
9. "5 Post Maurya Dynasties (In South India)". History discussion. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
10. Chattopadhyaya, Sudhakar (1974). Some Early Dynasties of South India. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 216. ISBN 9788120829411. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
11. Sudhakar Chattopadhyaya (1974). Some Early Dynasties of South India. Motilal. p. 129. ISBN 9788120829411. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
12. Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept (1977). Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Sholapur Gazetteer of India Volume 24 of Maharashtra State Gazetteers, Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept. Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State. p. 40.
13. Subodh Kapoor (2002). Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography, Volume 1. Cosmo Publications. p. 2. ISBN 9788177552980. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
14. Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi contributor-India. Dept. of Archaeology (1955). Inscriptions of the Kalachuri-Chedi Era, Part 1. Government Epigraphist for India Original from the University of Michigan. pp. xxx. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
15. Inscriptions of the Kalachuri-Chedi era, Part 1
16. Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Sholapur-page-40