Hinglish

A New Map: The Śhungas

Class 7 Social Science · Chapter 6: The Age of Reorganisation · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 6.1

Learn

At the museum, Zoya finds a gallery of objects that look nothing alike: a carved stone railing, a coin with a ship, a grey Buddha with Greek-style robes, a red sandstone figure with a big moustache. "Did all these come from one kingdom?" she asks. "No," says the curator. "They come from many kingdoms that rose after the Mauryas."

Around 185 BCE the last Maurya emperor was killed by his commander-in-chief Puṣhyamitra Śhunga, and the empire broke up. Many new kingdoms emerged, often former tributaries, and the weakened northwest was open to invasions. Scholars call this the Age of Reorganisation: regions were reorganised into competing kingdoms, which gained ground through war or peaceful matrimonial alliances (royal marriages sealing friendship). Some dynasties arose within the subcontinent (Śhungas, Sātavāhanas, Chedis, Cholas, Cheras, Pāṇḍyas), others came from outside (Indo-Greeks, Śhakas, Kuṣhāṇas).

Puṣhyamitra founded the Śhunga dynasty in north and central India and performed the aśhvamedha yajña, a Vedic ritual in which a horse wandered freely and any land it crossed unchallenged was claimed by the king. Vedic rituals revived, though other schools of thought flourished too. Sanskrit became a favoured language for philosophy and literature, and Patañjali compiled the Yoga Sūtras. The Śhungas added beautifully carved railings to the Bharhut stūpa, among the earliest Buddhist art. Their dynasty lasted about a century.

Explore: within or outside?

  1. Sort each dynasty.

Remember

  • After about 185 BCE the Maurya Empire broke into many competing kingdoms: the Age of Reorganisation.
  • The Śhungas revived Vedic rituals, patronised Sanskrit and art (Bharhut), and Patañjali compiled the Yoga Sūtras.

Quick check

Who founded the Śhunga dynasty?

  1. Puṣhyamitra Śhunga
  2. Kaṇiṣhka
  3. Khāravela
  4. Aśhoka
Answer

Puṣhyamitra Śhunga. He had been the Maurya commander-in-chief.

Think about it

Why might kings choose marriage alliances instead of war?

One answer

Alliances cost no lives or money, secure borders and trade, and bind families together; war is risky and expensive.

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.