important

7.13 Sungas and Kanvas

Updated 23 Sept 2026·2 min read·0 linked PYQs

The Sungas

Sources are : Harshacharita , Ayodhya inscription of Dhanadeva, Buddhist sources viz Divyadana and Puranas.
Pushyamitra was founder in 180 BC after killing Brihadratha.
ruled from 180 BCE - 216 BCE and was a vehement support of Brahmanism.
Oppressed the Buddhists and destroyed viharas that Ashoka built
said to have performed 2 ashvamedha sacrifices indicating a large territory under him
reign lasted for 36 years and was succeeded by Agnimitra
Disintegration started after Muladeva's reign.
Dhanadeva and Devabhuti were the last kings.
Brihadranyaka Upanishad, Panini's writings and Kalidasa's Malvikaagnimitra give genealogical information of the Shungas

of Shungas is in prakrit and in Brahmi script
made by Heliodorus who was the ambassador of the greek king Antialkidas/Bhagabhadra.
Heliodorus called himself a worshipper of Vishnu in this.

They put their viceroys at various parts of the empire.
Patanjali and Malvikaagnimitra mentions about conflict b/w Pushyamitra and the Bactrian Greeks possibly Demetrius.
Devabhumi was the last of the emperors who was supplanted by his minister Vasudeva who founded the Kanva dynasty.

Vasudeva started the Kanva dynasty after this but it lasted for a small time after displacing Devabhuti of the Shungas in
They were Brahmans and considered themselves descendents from Rishi Kanva.
Details about them are available mostly form Numismatics.
The 4 kings of the dynasty known to us are Vasudeva, Bhumimitra. Narayana and Susharman.
Puranic literature mentions that they ruled from Patliputra but most of their coins have been found from Vidisha.
They were displaced by the Satavahanas.
However some sources say that their capital was Patliputra that was overran by the Mitras and then the Shakas displacing the Kanvas.

7.13 Sungas and Kanvas

Updated 23 Sept 2026·2 min read·0 linked PYQs

Sources are : Harshacharita , Ayodhya inscription of Dhanadeva, Buddhist sources viz Divyadana and Puranas.
Pushyamitra was founder in 180 BC after killing Brihadratha.
ruled from 180 BCE - 216 BCE and was a vehement support of Brahmanism.
Oppressed the Buddhists and destroyed viharas that Ashoka built
said to have performed 2 ashvamedha sacrifices indicating a large territory under him
reign lasted for 36 years and was succeeded by Agnimitra
Disintegration started after Muladeva's reign.
Dhanadeva and Devabhuti were the last kings.
Brihadranyaka Upanishad, Panini's writings and Kalidasa's Malvikaagnimitra give genealogical information of the Shungas

of Shungas is in prakrit and in Brahmi script
made by Heliodorus who was the ambassador of the greek king Antialkidas/Bhagabhadra.
Heliodorus called himself a worshipper of Vishnu in this.

They put their viceroys at various parts of the empire.
Patanjali and Malvikaagnimitra mentions about conflict b/w Pushyamitra and the Bactrian Greeks possibly Demetrius.
Devabhumi was the last of the emperors who was supplanted by his minister Vasudeva who founded the Kanva dynasty.

Vasudeva started the Kanva dynasty after this but it lasted for a small time after displacing Devabhuti of the Shungas in
They were Brahmans and considered themselves descendents from Rishi Kanva.
Details about them are available mostly form Numismatics.
The 4 kings of the dynasty known to us are Vasudeva, Bhumimitra. Narayana and Susharman.
Puranic literature mentions that they ruled from Patliputra but most of their coins have been found from Vidisha.
They were displaced by the Satavahanas.
However some sources say that their capital was Patliputra that was overran by the Mitras and then the Shakas displacing the Kanvas.