Shishunaga Dynasty | |||||||||
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413 BCE–345 BCE | |||||||||
Capital | Rajgir (primary) Vaishali (secondary) later Pataliputra | ||||||||
Common languages | Sanskrit Magadhi Prakrit Other Prakrits | ||||||||
Religion | Hinduism[2] Buddhism Jainism | ||||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
King | |||||||||
• 413–395 BCE | Shishunaga | ||||||||
• 395–367 BCE | Kalashoka | ||||||||
• 367–355 BCE | Nandivardhana | ||||||||
• 355–345 BCE | Mahanandin | ||||||||
History | |||||||||
• Established | 413 BCE | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 345 BCE | ||||||||
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The Shishunaga dynasty (IAST: Śaiśunāga, literally "of Shishunaga") was the second ruling dynasty of Magadha, an empire in ancient India. According to the Hindu Puranas, this dynasty was the second ruling dynasty of Magadha, succeeding Nagadashaka of the Haryanka dynasty.
Shishunaga, the founder of the dynasty, was initially an amatya or "minister" of the last Haryanka dynasty ruler Nāgadāsaka and ascended to the throne after a popular rebellion in c. 413 BCE.[3] The capital of this dynasty initially was Vaishali; but later shifted to Pataliputra, near the present day Patna, during the reign of Kalashoka. According to tradition, Kalashoka was succeeded by his ten sons.[4] This dynasty was succeeded by the Nanda dynasty in c. 345 BCE.[5]