It will be interesting to learn that in an inscription dated 1676 A.D. the geneology of Lord Rāma is given from Brahmā onwards. It is inscribed on Raja-sāgara lake in Kankroli village near Rajanagar in Rajasthan.
(6) Canonical literature
The history of India before the 6th century B.C. is shrouded in darkness. Therefore no major events are known. However, some recorded developments at Ayodhyā from the time of the Buddha are presented below:
Ayodhyā is said to have been hallowed by the dust of the holy feet of Lord Buddha. Kālaka, a Śreshthin of Sāketa, gifted a garden to Buddha when he converted to Buddhism on the arrival of the Master of the Law. While staying on the bank of the Sarayū river, he is said to have given the sermon on the transitoriness of the human body to the bhikkhus. His sermon is preserved in Samyutta-nikāya.
On the eve of the Mahāparinirvāna of Lord Buddha, Ānanda requested him in these words:
“Let it not be, Lord, that the Blessed One should pass away in this mean place, this uncivilized township in the midst of the jungle, a mere outpost of the province. There are great cities, Lord, such as Campa, Rajagaha, Savatthi, Saketa, Kosambi, and Benares. Let the Blessed One have his final passing away in one of those. For in those cities dwell many wealthy nobles and brahmans and householders who are devotees of the Tathagata, and they will render due honor to the remains of the Tathagata.” (Dìgha Nikaya. 16, Maha-parinibbana Sutta, translated from the Pãli by Sister Vajira & Francis Story, passage 41)
Thus, from this conversation, it is evident that Sāketa was an important, flourishing town during the days of Buddha.
There is a Sāketa Jātaka (No. 68) which mentions the arrival of Buddha at Añjana-vana adjacent to Sāketa where an old Brahman from Sāketa met him. He asked Buddha whether sons should serve their parents in their old age. Buddha gave him a sermon on this question. From this conversation it is indicated that he had disciples among nobles and Brahmins living at Sāketa.
K.N. Panikkar refers to the attack of Andhavenu-puttas on Ayodhyā from the Ghata Jātaka and admits that Ayodhyā was not altogether insignificant. However, he suggests that since the attackers went to Dvārakā from Ayodhyā, “Ayodhyā might have been located further west from the present location.” But it is just deflecting the factual position. The following is the background of the reference to Ayodhyā in the Ghata Jātaka tradition:
In the Ghata Jātaka there is a mention of Ayodhyā. The ten brothers decided to take over the kingdom of the whole Jambūdvīpa. With this determination they reached Ayodhyā, where the palace of King Kālasena was situated. They encircled the town, damaged the forests and demolished the fort. Thereafter they arrested the king. After capturing the kingdom of Ayodhyā they reached Dvārāvatī i.e. Dvārakā. It is quoted from the 4th volume of the Jātaka translated by the erudite Buddhist scholar Bhadant Anand Kausalyayan. The serial number of this Ghata Jātaka is 454 and the page is 284. The book is published by Hindi Sahitya Sammelana, Prayag. Its Pālī version is produced below from the book ‘The Jātaka Together with its Commentary’ edited by V. Fausboll, London, 1887 (Vol. 4, P. 82)
ते द्वे मातुले मारेत्वा असितरंजन नगरे रज्जं गहेत्वा माता पित्रो तत्थ कत्वा दस पि जना घसकल जम्बूदीपे रज्जं गण्हिस्सामाचति निक्खमित्वा अनुपुब्बेन कालसेन रञ्ञो निवासं अयोज्झानगरं गन्त्वा नगरं परिक्खिपिता ठितरुक्खगहनं विद्धंसेत्वा पाकारं भिन्दित्वा राजानं गहेत्वा तं रज्जं अत्तनो हत्थगतं कत्वा द्वारवतीं संपापुणिंसु।
Since the story starts from Mathurā and goes to Ayodhyā and Dvārakā, there should be no surprise in seeing this sequence. It rather confirms that the story of Rāma and Krishna was known during this ancient period.
According to Aśvaghosha, Śākyas were descendants of Ikshvākus. Some Ikshvāku Princes had gone to jungle for staying there and since they stayed beneath ‘śāka’ trees they were called Śākyas:
अथ तेजस्विसदनं तपःक्षेत्रं तमाश्रमम्।
केचिदिक्ष्वाकवो जग्मू राजपुत्रा विवत्सवः।।18।।
शाकवृक्षप्रतिच्छन्नं वासं यस्मात् स चक्रिरे।
तस्मादिक्ष्वाकुंश्यास्ते भुवि शाक्या इति स्मृता।।24।।
(Saundara-nanda: Canto 1)
Then some descendants of the Ikshvāku dynasty, intent on stay, went to the hermitage which was the abode and place of penance of the illustrious sages.
According to the Jain canon Ayodhyā was sanctified by the visit of two Tīrthankaras-Pārśvanātha and Mahāvīra. Several citizens of Sāketa were converted to Jainism by Mahāvīra and amongst them was Rāmaputra. A number of merchants, noblemen and householders embraced Mahāvīra’s preachings in the 6th century B.C. In the Vividha-tīrtha-kalpa of Āchārya Jinaprabha Sūri Ayodhyā is called synomymous with Sāketa, Kosala, Vinītā, Ikshvāku-bhūmi, Rāmapurī, etc.
In Jain tradition, Ayodhyā has been associated with the first Tīrthankara Rishabhadeva. In fact, Ayodhyā has been the birthplace of five Tīrthankaras, viz. Ādinātha (Rishabhadeva), Ajitanātha Abhinandanātha, Sumatinātha and Anantanātha. Ayodhyā, Sāketa and Kosala have been defined lucidly in the Jain Ādi Purāna.
(7) Allusion to Ayodhyā during the period of the Nandas and the Mauryas
According to Somadeva’s ‘Kathā-sarit-sāgara’, which is based on the Paiśāchī (Prākrita) work of Gunādhya of early Sātavāhana dynasty, Ayodhyā was the army camp (Kataka) of the Nanda kings:
इति निश्चित्य नन्दस्य भूपते कटकं वयम्।
अयोध्यास्थमगच्छामत्रयः सब्रह्मचारिणः।।
(Kathā-sarit-sāgara 1.4.96)
Having decided so, we all three Brahmachārīs went to the army-camp of king Nanda situated at Ayodhyā.
Samprati, the grandson of Aśoka, was a Jain and, in Jainism, he occupies similar status as his grandfather does in Buddhism for the propagation of religion. According to the ‘Brihat-kalpa-bhāshya’ Samprati sent several Sadhus to Sāket and other places for the propagation of Jainism. Although in Kautilya’s Arthaśāstra there is no mention of Ayodhyā or Sāketa, yet the author is well-acquainted with Ramāyana story and advises kings not to kidnap others’ wives, lest they should be doomed like Rāvana. (घमानाद् रावणः परदारानप्रयच्छन्च विनयाधिकारिक, प्रथमाधिकरण)
Bhāsa is a great dramatist who floruished during the Mauryan period. He has written two dramas ‘Pratimā’ and ‘Abhisheka’ in which he has profusely used the word Ayodhyā.
(8) Patañjali’s Mahābhāshya
The great grammarian Patañjali mentions Sāketa in his Mahābhāshya at many places. While explaining Panini’s sūtra अनद्यतने लङ्।। ।। 3 Ð 2 ।।।। (Anadyatane Lan), he points out that Lan is the past tense in which an incident takes place in the past during his life time but not seen by him and not on the day of narration. He cites examples:
अरुणद् यवनः साकेतम÷ i.e. Yavanas besieged Sāketa.
अरुणद् यवनो माध्यमिकाम् i.e. Yavanas besieged Mādhyamika country.
The very fact that Sāketa had been besieged by the Yavanas indicates that it was a fortified city. According to Kaśikā com
mentary on Panini’s Ashtādhyāyī the ‘parikhā’ of Ayodhyā was like that of Pātaliputra. Many historians have opined that fortifications undoubtedly gave the city a metropolitan status. Thus, Ayodhyā had already become a fortified city during the early days of Patañjali.
At Ayodhyā Pushyamitra Sunga, who called himself just a senānī (soldier) throughout his life, even after becoming king, performed two horse sacrifices (Asvamedha Yajña) in the tradition of the great Ikshvāku kings. Patañjali himself was the priest. It is mentioned in the Mahābhāshya, while explaining the sutra वर्तमाने लट् (Vartmāne Lat 3.2.123). Patañjali writes: घइह पुष्यमित्रं याजयाम इति,च i.e. here I perform sacrifice for Pushyamitra.
Again while explaining Pānini’s Sūtra हेतुमति च (3.I.26) he writes –
‘पुष्यमित्रो यजते, याजका याजन्तीति’ तत्र भवितव्यम्।
‘पुष्यमित्रे याजते, याजका याजयन्तीति’ यज्यादिषु चाविर्पयासो वक्तव्यः।
Pushyamitra sacrifices, … Pushyamitra gets sacrifice performed.
Pushyamitra’s reign was from 187 to 151 B.C. and during this period Ayodhyā was the cultural capital of Magadh, i.e. North India, although Pātaliputra continued to be the political capital of Magadh empire.
Patañjali’s following comments on Pānini’s sutras III. 3. 136 indicate a frequented trade route between Sāketa and Pātaliputra:
इह मा भूत् योऽयमध्वा गत आ पाटलिपुत्रात्तस्य यदवरं साकेतादिति।।
इह मा भूत् योऽयमध्वापरिमाणो गन्तव्यस्तस्य यदवरं साकेतादिति।।
इह मा भूत् योऽयमध्वाऽऽपाटलिपुत्राद् गन्तव्यस्तस्य यत् परं साकेतादिति।।
(III. 3. 136)
From Mālavikāgnimitram drama of Kālidāsa it appears that the horse let loose in the Pushyamitra’s Rājasūya-yajña under the leadership of his grandson Vasumitra was captured by Yavanas and thereafter ensued a fierce battle between the army of Vasumitra and the Yavanas in which Vasumitra was victorious. Then one Aśvamedha Yajña was performed in the fashion of the yajña performed by King Sagara after his horse was released by Anśumān.
(9) Yuga-purāna of Gārgī Samahitā
The Yuga-purāna is a part of Gārgī Samhitā or Gārgīya Jyotisha composed around 25 B.C. From the following śloka of the Yuga-purāna it appears that Śāliśuka had an elder pious brother by name Vijaya who was installed at Sāketa. Here the reading ‘साधुं साकेते’ has been preferred to other readings because it carries some definite meaning and it has been endorsed by Hans Bakker.
सा् ज्येष्ठं भातरं साधुं साकेते प्रथितं गुणै।
स्थापयिष्यति मोहात्मा विजयं नाम धार्मिकम्।।46।।
Then that beguiling man will place his elder brother Vijaya, reputed for his virtues and gentleness on the throne of Sāketa.
Thereafter there is a reference to a Greek invasion:
ततः साकेतमाक्रम्य पाञ्चालान् माथुरांस्तथा।
यवना युद्धविक्रान्ताः प्राप्स्यन्ति कुसुमध्वजम्।।47।।
ततः पुष्पपुरे प्राप्ते कर्दमे प्रथिते हि ते।
आकुला विषयाः सर्वे भविष्यन्ति न संशयः।।48।।
(YugaPurāna, 47-48)
Then the valiant Yavanas, after having attacked Sāketa, Pāñchāla and Mathurā will reach Kusumadhvaja Pātaliputra).
After Pātaliputra having been taken over, all provinces will undoubtedly be in disorder.
But this Greek victory was transitory because they had to beat a hasty retreat following an internecine war.
Yuga-purāna then gives futher information in the following verses:
ततो युद्धवशात् तेषां यवनानां परिक्षये।
स्केते सप्त राजानो भविष्यन्ति महाबलाः।।58।।
लोहिताद्रैस्तथा योधैर्योधा युद्धपरीक्षिताः।
करिष्यन्ति पृथिवीं शून्यां रक्तघोरां सुदारुणाम्।।59।।
ततस्ते मागधाः कृत्स्ना गंगासीना सुदारुणाः।
रक्तपातं तथा युं भविष्यति तु पश्चिमम्।।60।।
Then after the decimation at the decay of those Yavanas in battles there will be seven mighty kings at Sāketa. (58) Their soldiers, in like manner, wounded in battle by blood soaked warriors, will make the earth desolate, hideous with blood, and violent. (59) Then all those Magadh-people dwelling by the Ganga (will become) violent: and so there will finally be bloodshed and war. (60)
The war like activities of these seven kings of Ayodhyā are confirmed by the Vāyu Purana and Brahmānda purāna- घकोसलाया तु राजानो भविष्यन्ति महाबलाःच
This invasion took place either during the reign of Sunga, as this śloka comes after the description of him or during the days of Brihadratha who was ultimately overthrown by Pushyamitra Sunga following his igonminious defeat and complete surrender of Pātaliputra to the Greeks whom the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta had so easily vanquished 230 years ago and Aśoka the great had so assiduously kept at bay.
(10) Post-Sunga Period
That Pushyamitra Sunga performed two Aśvamedha Yajñas at Ayodhyā is testified to by the following stone inscription of Dhanadeva.
1 कोसलाधिपेन द्विरश्वमेधयाजिनः सेनापते पुष्यमित्रस्य षष्ठेन कौशिकीपुत्रेण धन (देवेन)
2 धर्मराज्ञा पितु फल्गुदेवस्य केतनं कारितं।
This house was established for his father Phalgudeva by Dharma-rāja (the monarch of religion) Dhana (deva), the son of Kauśikí and the sixth in the descent of Senāpati Pushyamitra, who performed the Aśvamedha sacrifice twice.
This inscription was recovered from Ranopali mutt at Ayodhyā by Jagannath Das Ratnakar who published it in Nāgarī Prachārinī Patrikā. At present it is fixed at the foot of the entrance of the Samādhi of Baba Sangat Baksha.
Fig. 1.3: Dhanadeva’s Ayodhyā inscription.
Though the content of the inscription is not a grammatically correct sentence, yet it conveys the meaning that in the 6th lineage of Senāpati Pushyamitra, who performed two horse-sacrifices, this Ketan (building) was built by Dhanadeva, who was the son of Kauśikī and Phalgudeva, and the King of Kosala.
This dynasty of Phalgudeva comprises the following six kings in the chronological order:
Pushyamitra
1. Mūladeva (vassal of Pushyamitra at Sāketa)
2. Mitradeva (contemporary of Vasumitra Sunga)
3. Vāyu-deva
4Phalgudeva
5. Dhanadeva (c.50 B.C.)
6. Viśākhadeva
The Deva dynasty was replaced by the Datta dynasty at the close of 1st century B.C. Not much is known about the Kings of this dynasty except names
of some kings known from numismatic evidences. Names of Śivadatta, Naradatta and Jyeshthadatta are known from coins which they cast at Ayodhyā which seems to have had a mint right from the days of the Sungas and Guptas upto the reign of Sher Shah and Akbar. During this period Sāketa developed into a military stronghold.
The Mitra dynasty, called ‘rulers of Ayodhyā’, is known only from its coinage and possibly from some seals. These coins have been dated by Allan who places them in the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. Mitra rulers were in Mathurā, Ahichchhatra (Pañchāla) and Kauśāmbī. The names found on coins are those of Sanghamitra, Vijayamitra, Satyamitra, Devamitra and Āryamitra, Kumudasena and Ajaya Varman. They might have been vassals of Kushan rulers but the assumption of the royal title Raja by Kumudasena indicates the complete independence of Ayodhyā from the Kushana rule in the middle of the secondary century. The discovery of a large number of coins proves that Ayodhyā was a living and prosperous city. The continuous autonomy of Ayodhyā rulers belonging to the Deva, Datta and Mitra dynasties testifies to the fact that Ayodhyā was never an abandoned city.
Before concluding the events in the post-Sunga period one has to pause to ponder over a reference to a historical fact mentioned in the Harsha-charitam of Bānabhatta where he furnishes the following information:
व्याजजनितकन्दर्पदर्पा च दर्पणेन क्षुरधारापर्यन्तेनायोध्याधिपतिं परन्तपं रत्नवती जारूथ्यम्।
i.e. Ratnavatī, pretending a frenzy of love, slew the mighty Jārūthya of Ayodhyā with a mirror having a razor edge.
No historical king, Jāruthya by name, is known to us, though a king Jārūthya is said to have been killed by Krishna in the Mahābhārata in the Sabhā-parvan.
जारूथ्य आहृतक्रोधः शिशुपालश्च निर्जितः।
Ayodhya Revisited Page 9