Vashishtiputra Satakarni

Vashishtiputra Satakarni

Vashishtiputra Sri Satakarni, with coin legend in the Brahmi script.
Satavahana King
Reign2nd century CE
SuccessorYajna Sri Satakarni
DynastySatavahana
ReligionVedic religion

Vashishtiputra Sātakarni (Brahmi: 𑀯𑀸𑀲𑀺𑀣𑀺𑀧𑀼𑀢 𑀲𑀸𑀢𑀓𑀁𑀁𑀡𑀺, Vāsiṭhiputa Sātakaṃṇi) was a Satavahana king, who ruled the Deccan region in India, during the 2nd century CE. He was the brother of Yajna Sri Satakarni, his regnal successor and Vasishthiputra Pulumavi, his regnal predecessor. His reign is dated 158-165 CE.[1]

Satavahana kings
100 BCE–2nd c. CE
Simuka100-70 BCE
Kanha70-60 BCE
Satakarni I70-60 BCE
Satakarni II50-25 BCE
Sivasvati1st c. CE
Gautamiputra Satakarni2nd c. CE
Vasishthiputra Pulumavi2nd c. CE
Vashishtiputra Satakarni2nd c. CE
Shivaskanda Satakarni2nd c. CE
Yajna Sri Satakarni2nd c. CE

Vashishtiputra Sātakarni was in great conflict with the Scythian Western Kshatrapas in the West, but he eventually married the daughter of Rudradaman I of the Western Kshatrapas dynasty, in order to forge an alliance.[2] The inscription relating the marriage between Rudradaman I's daughter and Vashishtiputra Satakarni appears in a cave at Kanheri:[2]

"Of the queen ... of the illustrious Vashishtiputra Satakarni, descended from the race of Karddamaka kings, (and) daughter of the Mahakshatrapa Ru(dra)....... .........of the confidential minister Sateraka, a water-cistern, the meritorious gift.

— Kanheri inscription of Rudradaman I's daughter".[3]

Later, however, Vashishtiputra Sātakarni was defeated by his father-in-law in battle, with serious effect on Sātavāhana power and prestige:

"Rudradaman (...) who obtained good report because he, in spite of having twice in fair fight completely defeated Satakarni, the lord of Dakshinapatha, on account of the nearness of their connection did not destroy him."

— Junagadh rock inscription of Rudradaman[4]
  1. ^ Rajesh Kumar Singh (2013). Ajanta Paintings: 86 Panels of Jatakas and Other Themes. Hari Sena. pp. 15–16. ISBN 9788192510750.
  2. ^ a b Alcock, Susan E.; Alcock, John H. D'Arms Collegiate Professor of Classical Archaeology and Classics and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor Susan E.; D'Altroy, Terence N.; Morrison, Kathleen D.; Sinopoli, Carla M. (2001). Empires: Perspectives from Archaeology and History. Cambridge University Press. p. 175. ISBN 9780521770200.
  3. ^ Burgess, James; Bühler, Georg (1883). Report on the Elura cave temples and the Brahmanical and Jaina caves in western India; completing the results of the fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons' operations of the Archaeological survey, 1877-78, 1878-79, 1879-80. Supplementary to the volume on "The cave temples of India.". London, Trübner & Co. p. 78.
  4. ^ "Source". Archived from the original on 23 February 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2008.