1. Mahakshatrapa

2. Victory over the Satavahana

3. Other facts

4. Notes

5. References

6. External links

Rudradaman I (r. 130–150) was a Saka ruler from the Western Kshatrapas dynasty. He was the grandson of the king Chastana.^[1] Rudradaman I was instrumental in the decline of the Satavahana Empire.

Mahakshatrapa

Rudradaman I took up the title of Maha-kshtrapa ("Great Satrap"), after he became the king and then strengthened his kingdom. During his reign he married a Hindu woman and converted to Hinduism^[2] In his book Buddhist critical spirituality: Prajñā and Śūnyatā, the author Shōhei Ichimura speaks thus about him,^[3]

As mentioned before, Rudradama did not mention his religious affiliation with the Buddhist Sangha, perhaps because the House of Chastana had been affiliated with the Jaina religion for generations. But, in the matter of religion, neither did he mention his affiliation with Jaina at all."^[3]}}

Victory over the Satavahana

He maintained matrimonial relationships with Satavahanas and conceded the country of Aparanta to Vashishtiputra Satakarni, his son-in-law and younger son of Gautamiputra Satakarni, as dowry. In spite of the matrimonial link, at least two wars took place between them wherein he defeated Satavahanas but spared the life of Satakarni (probably, Vashishtiputra Satakarni), essentially because of their relationship. However, it is not known who was the aggressor in either of the wars and whether there were more wars between them.

As a result of his victories, Rudradaman regained all the former territories previously held by Nahapana, except for the southern territory of Poona and Nasik.^[6] Satavahana dominions were limited to their original base in the Deccan and eastern central India around Amaravati:

While most of the scholars, following Rapson believe that Rudradaman ruled from Ujjain, there is no such evidence to support this. In fact, there is evidence to prove the contrary:{{cn|date=July 2016}}

1. Jain sources mention that after Nahapana (40 years) and Gardabhilas (15 years), Sakas will rule Ujjain but for only four years. Chastana no doubt has ruled Ujjain but he must have ruled it only for four years. His son Jayadaman (a Kshatrapa as against Castana being a Mahaksatrapa) was an ineffectual king and lost most of the territory won by Castana. This must have included all important Ujjain as well.
2. Natural History of Claudius Ptolemy in 160 CE record Castana as the king of Avanti while it is known that it is Rudradaman who was ruling between 130 and 150 CE. Ptolemy was obviously referring only to the last best known ruler and if Rudradaman was ruling Avanti, he would have mentioned him, since he was certainly well known through his conquests.
3. Truly speaking, Rudradaman made no reference to Avanti. He said he conquered Eastern and Western Akaravanti (Eastern Malwa) - Western Akaravanti being land lying east to Bhopal, which does not include any western part of Malwa or Avanti. Akaravanti, earlier called as Sudarsana, comprised only Eastern Malwa. Western Akaravanti does not refer to Avanti.

Other facts

The Sanskrit Junagadh inscription dated 150 CE^[8] credits Rudradaman I with supporting the cultural arts and Sanskrit literature and repairing the dam built by the Mauryans. He in fact repaired the embankments of the lake Sudarshana, which was constructed by the Mauryas for checking floods.

Rudradaman fought many a battle against the Satavahanas (or the Andhras) and Vashishtiputra Satakarni, the son of the Andhra king Pulamayi, in an effort to end the hostilities, married the daughter of Rudradaman. The inscription relating the marriage between Rudradaman's daughter and Vashishtiputra Satakarni appears in a cave at Kanheri:

Rudradaman also conquered the Yaudheya tribes in Haryana, as described in the Girnar inscription:^[10]

However, in the next century the warlike Yaudheyas became more powerful. The indigenous Nagas also were aggressive toward Saka kshatrapas in the 3rd century.

Rudradaman is also known as the king who was ruling when the Greek writer Yavanesvara translated the Yavanajataka from Greek to Sanskrit, which influenced astrology in India.^[8]

Notes

References

• Todd, James - The Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, Rajputana Publications, 1942
• Michell, George - PRINCELY RAJASTHAN - Rajput Palaces and Mansions, Oriental Books, 1992
• Rosenfield, "The dynastic art of the Kushans"
• {{cite book |last= Divatia |first= N. B. |coauthors= |title= Gujarati Language and Literature |publisher= Asian Educational Services |year= 1993 |month= |isbn= 81-206-0648-5 }}
• Buddhist critical spirituality: Prajñā and Śūnyatā, by Shōhei Ichimura, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers (2001), {{ISBN|81-208-1798-2}}

External links

• Coins of the Western Satraps
• Coins of Rudradaman I

• Res Humanit Med Educ
• Res. Humanit. Soc. Sci.
• Res Humanit Soc Sci
• Res. Hum. Dev.
• Res Hum Dev
• Reshumot (journal)
• Reshwan
• Resia gens
• Reside
• Reside Bayar
• Residence, 12 Cedar Street, Yungaburra
• Residence, 4 Oak Street, Yungaburra
• Residence halls at the University of Notre Dame
• Residence Le Mirabeau
• Residence Lopez
• Residence of Aguas Ferreas
• Residence of Beco dos Redemoinhos
• Residence of Gurun Princess Kejing
• Residence of Princess Gurun Kejing
• Residence of Princess Heshuo Kejing
• Residence of the Maias
• Residence of the Philippine Ambassador to Japan
• Residence of the Philippine Ambassador to Tokyo
• Residence of the United States Ambassador to the United Nations
• Residence Permit for Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Residents