Mod 4: The Later Shungas — Agnimitra and Malavikagnimitram, Vasumitra, Bhagabhadra and Heliodorus, Devabhuti’s End
Concept
10.7 Agnimitra and the later kings
🏫 School level · NCERT Class 6–12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
Ten kings in 112 years
Agnimitra, son of Pushyamitra, had governed Vidisha as viceroy and succeeded his father around 149 BCE, ruling about 8 years. He is the hero of Kalidasa’s comedy Malavikagnimitram, which tells of his love for Malavika, a maid of his chief queen Dharini, and in the background his war with Vidarbha and the Yavana victory of his son Vasumitra on the Sindhu.
- Agnimitra (son, king) vs Vasumitra (grandson, Yavana victor) vs Vasudeva (Kanva founder).
- Bhagabhadra (Shunga king of Heliodorus’ time) vs Bhadrabahu (Jain teacher of Chandragupta).
- Agnimitra (c. 149–141 BCE), viceroy of Vidisha; hero of Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitram.
- 10 kings: … Vasumitra, … Bhagabhadra (Bhagavata), Devabhuti.
- Question: Who is the heroine of Malavikagnimitram? Answer: Malavika.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
Question 1: Kalidasa's classic drama 'Malavikagnimitram' is based on the life of which Shunga ruler?
[BPSC level] Agnimitra succeeded Pushyamitra around:
[BPSC level] Before becoming king, Agnimitra was viceroy at:
[UPSC level] In Malavikagnimitram, Malavika is a maid of queen:
[BSSC pattern] Malavikagnimitram is a:
[UPSC level] According to the Puranas, which Shunga ruled for the longest after Pushyamitra (about 32 years)?
[BPSC level] Vasumitra was Pushyamitra’s:
One-liners
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Who is the heroine of Malavikagnimitram?
Malavika.Concept
10.8 Bhagabhadra, Heliodorus and Devabhuti
🏫 School level · NCERT Class 6–12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
A Greek Bhagavata and the last Shunga
The Heliodorus pillar (Khamba Baba) at Besnagar near Vidisha is a Garuda-topped column. Its Brahmi inscription says that Heliodorus, son of Dion, a native of Taxila and a Bhagavata, came as envoy of the Indo-Greek king Antialcidas to King Kashiputra Bhagabhadra, then in his 14th regnal year, and set up the pillar to Vasudeva, god of gods. Most scholars identify Bhagabhadra with a late Shunga king (the Puranic “Bhagavata”).
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Last king | Devabhuti, the tenth Shunga |
| How he died | The Harshacharita says he, a pleasure-loving king, was killed by a slave girl disguised as a queen, at the instigation of his minister Vasudeva |
| Date | c. 73/72 BCE |
| New dynasty | Kanva (Kanvayana) dynasty of Vasudeva — Chapter 11 |
| Shungas survive? | Some Shunga princes may have continued around Vidisha as local rulers |
- Heliodorus (Taxila), envoy of Antialcidas, to Kashiputra Bhagabhadra; Garuda pillar to Vasudeva.
- Devabhuti killed c. 73/72 BCE through minister Vasudeva Kanva.
- Question: What is the Heliodorus pillar called locally? Answer: Khamba Baba.
MCQs
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[BPSC level] Heliodorus, who set up the Besnagar pillar, was a native of:
[UPSC level] Heliodorus came as envoy of the Indo-Greek king:
[UPSC level] The local king named on the Heliodorus pillar is:
[BSSC pattern] The Heliodorus pillar is topped by an image of:
[BPSC level] Locally the Heliodorus pillar is known as:
Question 2: Who was the tenth and final ruler of the Shunga Dynasty?
[UPSC level] According to the Harshacharita, Devabhuti was killed by:
[BSSC pattern] The minister who ended the Shunga line was:
One-liners
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What is the Heliodorus pillar called locally?
Khamba Baba.Concept
🎯 UPSC · BPSC · BSSC · State PSC level: PYQs and traps
| Exam | What it asks from this module |
|---|---|
| UPSC | Heliodorus pillar; Antialcidas; Bhagavatism |
| BPSC | Malavikagnimitram; last Shunga; 73 BCE |
| BSSC / SSC | Kalidasa’s play hero |
The Garuda pillar at Besnagar was set up by Heliodorus, envoy of which ruler? (a) Menander (b) Antialcidas (c) Demetrius (d) Seleucus
- The inscription names Antialcidas (Amtalikita), the Indo-Greek king of Taxila, and the local king Kashiputra Bhagabhadra.
- Malavikagnimitram hero = Agnimitra; author = Kalidasa.
- Devabhuti was killed in 73 BCE; the Kanvas fell in 28 BCE.
- Agnimitra ≠ Vasumitra ≠ Vasudeva.
- Question: Who founded the Kanva dynasty? Answer: Vasudeva.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[BPSC level] Who wrote the comedy whose hero is Agnimitra?
[UPSC level] The Heliodorus inscription is important because it:
[BSSC pattern] The Shunga dynasty ended in about:
[BPSC level] Which of these was NOT a Shunga king?
[UPSC level] Bhagabhadra is often identified with which name in the Puranic Shunga list?
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
Who founded the Kanva dynasty?
Vasudeva.