Wars of Magadha: Magadha - Avanti War

Two kingdoms with similar interests and equal military might be constantly at odds until one of them triumphed and inscribed its name in the annals of time.

Geographical extent of Magadha and Avanti Image source: Wikipedia

Throughout history, conquest for power has always resulted in wars. The desire to protect one's sovereignty and territory while also expanding it has frequently led kingdoms to fight each other. The Indian subcontinent has always been a hotbed of power struggles. It has given birth to vast kingdoms and empires while also witnessing their demise.

One such empire, located on the eastern side of the subcontinent, was expanding its scope and horizons. The empire in question was the Magadha empire, which had been establishing itself as a major power since 600 BCE. Magadha, surrounded on all sides by hills and rivers, has always had a geographical advantage over its neighbors. However, its desire to gain the territorial grip of surrounding regions led to several conflicts. Magadha was bounded to the north by Vrji, to the north west by Kosala and Kasi, and to the south west by Avanti.

The Magadha empire began to expand significantly during the reign of Bimbisara, the first legitimate ruler of the Haryanka dynasty. He gained sovereignty from neighboring kingdoms through annexation and matrimonial alliances. For example, he married the Princess of Kosala to improve relations between the two kingdoms. Meanwhile, he fortified his eastern border by annexing Anga.

The kingdom of Avanti was the major adversary of the Magadha empire throughout the Haryanka dynasty. Both kingdoms were constantly at odds over establishing their supremacy in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.

Avanti's territory included the modern-day Malwa region of western-central India. The Vindhyas range divided the kingdom into the north and south. Bimbisara, a capable ruler, pursued an expansionist policy with the Avanti kingdom. He was aware of Avanti's formidable military and strategy, but chose to maintain cordial relations with him. In fact, when Pradyota, King of Avanti, became ill with jaundice, Bimbisara dispatched one of his best physicians, Jivak, to treat him. As a result of Bimbisara's defensive and cordial strategy, the conflict between Magadha and Avanti was quelled during his reign.

After Bimbisara, his son Ajatashatru was seated on the throne of the Magadha empire. Ajatashatru was a ferocious king who relentlessly conquered Kosala and Vaishali. His aggressive strategy led to a conflict with Avanti's ruler, Pradyota. In the puranas, Pradyota is known as 'Chanda,' which means cruel. After defeating the Vatsas of Kaushambi, Pradyota threatened to invade Magadha. Ajatashatru knew that the war with Avanti would cost him a lot of resources and possibly his kingdom. He then adopted a defensive strategy and began fortifying Rajgir, Magadha's capital city. This was done to create a secure border in case the king of Avanti attacked, but there is no record of any war between them during his reign.

It's worth noting that Ajatashatru means "the one without enemies." Perhaps Ajatashatru's goal was to create a kingdom without enemies.

Udayin was Ajatashatru's son, and after killing his father, he inherited the kingdom of Magadha. Udayin's relationship with Avanti was strained. Udayin's adversary was Palaka, Pradyota's son. Udayin is said to have defeated Palaka several times before being killed by him.

During and after Udayin's reign, the rivalry between Magadha and Avanti intensified. The two kingdoms were constantly involved in military maneuvers. All of this changed during the reign of the Shishunaga dynasty, which succeeded the Haryankas as the rulers of the Magadha empire.

Sishuganga, the founder of the Shishunaga dynasty, continued with the forward expansionist policy of the Magadha empire. His greatest and most significant achievement was defeating the kingdom of Avanti. The kingdom of Avanti was then at last absorbed into the Magadha empire.

Taking over the kingdom of Avanti was a significant step forward in the Magadha empire's expansion. It aided Magadha in securing its western frontier and leveraging Avanti's vast resources. The conflict between Magadha and Avanti lasted nearly 100 years, demonstrating both sides' equal militaristic capabilities and well-thought-out strategy. However, Magadha emerged victorious and paved the way to leave its mark as the most powerful kingdom in the Indian subcontinent in the coming years.

The Magadha region, which is now popularly known as Bihar, has always been a land with rich natural resources, including iron ores for weapons, forests with woodlands, and the production of enough grains to feed the vast army, along with elephants to aid the troops. During the reign of Shishunaga, the Magadhan army was more energetic and strengthened, and his greatest military triumph, which even surpassed that of his predecessors, finally gave the taste of defeat to the Avanti kingdom, which was known to be one of the greatest threats of Magadha.

Shishunaga's son Kalashoka took his place, and though little is known about his military exploits, he ruled for the next 28 years. He is credited with permanently relocating the Magadhan capital from Vaishali to Pataliputra. He also helped to organize the Second Buddhist Council in Vaishali.

He must have primarily reveled in his father's victories. Kalashoka was succeeded by eleven sons, but records are scarce. Instead of appointing one capable brother to the throne, they were supposed to have divided the country amongst themselves. Thus the empire started getting weak and quickly crumbled, giving rise to other rulers.

The map of Shishunaga Dynasty; Image source- nyk daily