The rulers of which of the following dynasty have been called as 'Shriparvatiya' in Puranas ?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — B, Ikshvakus. The Matsya Purana refers to the Ikshvakus of Vijayapuri as the 'Shriparvatiya Andhras' — 'those of Shriparvata' (the Srisailam / Nagarjunakonda hill tract). These Andhra Ikshvakus rose in the eastern Krishna valley after the decline of the Satavahanas (c. 3rd-4th century CE), ruled from Vijayapuri (modern Nagarjunakonda), and were noted patrons of Buddhism, with several queens funding stupas and monasteries.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) The Vakatakas were a Deccan power (Vidarbha/central India) who also rose after the Satavahanas and had matrimonial ties with the Guptas; the Puranas do not call them 'Shriparvatiya'.  (c) The Shakas (Western Kshatrapas/Indo-Scythians) were foreign rulers of western India centred on Ujjain — not associated with Shriparvata.  (d) This points to Kharavela of Kalinga (Mahameghavahana/Chedi line of Odisha, Hathigumpha inscription) — a different region and dynasty, not the Shriparvatiya rulers.

Concept: The Andhra Ikshvakus were an early-medieval dynasty of the Krishna-Guntur region of Andhra that succeeded the Satavahanas. Their capital Vijayapuri lay at Nagarjunakonda, near the sacred hill of Sriparvata (Srisailam), from which the Puranas derive the epithet 'Shriparvatiya Andhras'. The Nagarjunakonda excavations made them famous for Buddhist architecture.

State PCS 2020 Q2 — History PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2020 Q2 — History PYQ with Answer