Sunga Dynasty (BC 187 – BC 75)

The Sunga were a Brahmin sect of Ujjain who served as officials under the Mauryans. Pushyamitra Sunga, the commander of the last Mauryan king, assassinated his master,  Brihadratha and seized power in 183 BC. He is often described as a strong advocate of Brahmanism. Pushyamitra Sunga is said to have performed two horse sacrifices. Buddhist literature portrays him as a persecutor of Buddhism. These texts accuse Pushyamitra of destroying many Buddhist monasteries and stupas.

Nine people ruled the Sunga kingdom after Pushyamitra. His son and successor, Agnimitra, is the protagonist of Kalidasa's Malavika Agnimitra. Another notable ruler of the Sunga dynasty is Bhagavata. Heliodorus was sent to the court of the Greek king as an ambassador. This shows that the Sungas had friendly relations with the Indo-Greeks. Heliodorus later converted to the Bhagavata religion. The last Sungas ruler, Devabhuti, was a weak ruler. Vasudevakanvan assassinated him and seized power through a conspiracy. This ended the Sungas rule.

The Sungas period witnessed the revival of Brahmanism. The importance of Bhagavata religion also increased during this period. The famous grammarian Patanjali was a contemporary of Pushyamitra. The Sungas period also witnessed the growth of a new art form, completely different from the Mauryan art. The carvings and stupas at Bharhat reflect contemporary Indian life.

Sungas (BC 184-75)

■ Pushyamitra Sunga (BC 184-151)

■ Agnimitra (BC 151-141)

■ Vasujyeshtha (BC 141-131)

■ Vasumitra (BC 131-124)

■ Bhadraka (BC 124-122)

■ Pulindaka (BC 122-119)

■ Ghosha (BC 119-108)

■ Vajramitra (BC 108-94)

■ Bhagavata (BC 94-83)

■ Devabhuti (BC 83-75)