BarneyMoh54: created basic post first draft

2023-12-25T00:40:40Z

created basic post first draft

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{{Short description|5th century dynasty of eastern India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
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The '''Vasishtha''' ([[IAST]]: Vāsiṣṭha) dynasty ruled in the [[Kalinga (historical kingdom)|Kalinga]] region of eastern India in the fifth century CE. Their territory included parts of the present-day northern [[Andhra Pradesh]]. They were one of the three minor dynasties that emerged after the decline of the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] power in the area, the other two being the [[Mathara dynasty|Matharas]] and the [[Pitrbhakta dynasty|Pitrbhakta]]s.

== Genealogy ==

The Vasishtha king Anantavarman is known from his Siripuram and [[Srungavarapukota]] copper-plate inscriptions. These epigraphs describe him as a son of [[Maharaja]] Prabhanjanavarman, and a grandson of Maharaja Gunavarman.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=9}}

Thus, three rulers of the dynasty are known:{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1975|p=219}}

* ''Maharaja'' Gunavarman
* ''Maharaja'' Prabhanjanavarman
* ''Parameshvara'' Anantavarman

== Territory ==

The Siripuram and Srungavarapukota inscriptions of Anantavarman were issued from Devapura and [[Pishtapura]] respectively. In Siripuram inscription, his grandfather Gunavarman is described as the lord of Devapura. The city was presumably the capital of a region called Devarashtra (within Kalinga), which Anantavarman inherited from his ancestors.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=9}} Devarashtra is identified as the present-day [[Yelamanchili]] [[taluka]].{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=10}}

According to the [[Allahabad Pillar]] inscription, the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] emperor [[Samudragupta]] defeated the kings of Devarashtra and Pishtapura during his southern invasion. It appears that Gunavarman became a sovereign of Devarashtra after the decline of the Gupta rule in the region.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=10}}

== Religion ==

Unlike the [[Vaishnavite]] [[Mathara dynasty|Mathara]]s, Anantavarman was a [[Shaivite]]. His inscriptions describe him as ''parama-maheshvara'' (devotee of Shiva).{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=10}}

== Inscriptions ==

The following copper-plate inscriptions of the Vasishtha kings are known:{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=xi, 11-14}}{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1975|p=227}}

{| class="wikitable"
! Find spot !! Issued by !! Issued from !! Purpose
|-
| [[Siripuram, Srikakulam district|Siripuram, Srikakulam]] || Anantavarman || Devapura || Grant of village Tontapara (possibly modern Totada)
|-
| [[Srungavarapukota]] || Anantavarman || Pishtapura || Grant of the village Kindeppa
|}

All the records are in [[Sanskrit]] language, written in a southern variety of the [[Brahmi script]].{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|pp=17-18}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

=== Bibliography ===

{{ref begin}}
* {{cite book |author=Dilip Kumar Ganguly |title=Historical Geography and Dynastic History of Orissa, Up to the Rise of the Imperial Gaṅgas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kcgBAAAAMAAJ |year=1975 |publisher=Punthi Pustak |oclc=2376032 }}
* {{cite book |author=Snigdha Tripathy |title=Inscriptions of Orissa |volume=I - Circa 5th-8th centuries A.D |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XUiYu3XByNgC&pg=PR3 |year=1997 |publisher=[[Indian Council of Historical Research]] and [[Motilal Banarsidass]] |isbn=978-81-208-1077-8 }}
{{ref end}}

== External links ==
* [http://indepigr.narod.ru/orissa/menulisting27.htm Vasishtha inscriptions]

[[Category:Dynasties of India]]
[[Category:Kalinga (India)]]

Vasishtha dynasty - Revision history

BarneyMoh54: created basic post first draft