View source for Biology:Brihadratha dynasty

{{Short description|First dynasty that ruled Magadha}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Brihadratha dynasty
| common_name            = Bṛhadratha
| year_start             = 1700 BCE
| year_end               = 682 BCE
| p1                     = Copper Hoard Culture
| p2                     = Janapada
| s1                     = Pradyota dynasty
| s2                     = Mahajanapada
| image_map = Late Vedic Culture (1100-500 BCE).png
| image_map_caption = Magadha in 1100 BCE ruled by Brihadratha dynasty, in north-eastern region
| capital                = Girivraja
| common_languages       = [[Social:Vedic Sanskrit|Vedic Sanskrit]]
| government_type        = [[Social:Monarchy|Monarchy]]
| title_leader           = King
| year_leader1           = 1700 BCE
| leader1                = [[Biology:Brihadratha|Brihadratha]] (first ruler)
| year_leader2           = {{Circa|732}}–682 BCE
| leader2                = Ripunjaya (last ruler)
| today                  = {{wipe|India}}
| religion               = [[Religion:Hinduism|Hinduism]]
| demonym                = 
| area_km2               = 
| area_rank              = 
| GDP_PPP                = 
| GDP_PPP_year           = 
| HDI                    = 
| HDI_year               = 
}}

The '''Brihadratha dynasty''' ([[Social:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]]: बृहद्रथ; IAST: Bṛhadratha) was the first ruling dynasty of [[Biology:Magadha|Magadha]]. [[Biology:Brihadratha|Brihadratha]] was the founder of the dynasty.<ref name="m">Misra, V.S. (2007). ''Ancient Indian Dynasties'', Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, {{ISBN|81-7276-413-8}}, pp.129–36</ref>According to the Vishnu Purana, Magadha, mentioned in [[Religion:Atharvaveda|Atharvaveda]],<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/80 80]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> was not only the most valuable{{what|richest? most strategically important?|date=May 2023}} kingdom in the Vedic period but was also the center of civilization and power in {{wipe|India}}.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rise of Jarasandha of Brihadratha dynasty|url=https://www.jagran.com/spiritual/religion-story-of-jarasandh-15871132.html|website=jagran|access-date=2020-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007031319/http://www.jagran.com/spiritual/religion-story-of-jarasandh-15871132.html|archive-date=2017-10-07|url-status=live}}</ref>

The name of Brihadratha is found in the [[Religion:Rigveda|Rigveda]] (I.36.18, X.49.6).<ref>Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). ''Political History of Ancient India'', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, p.102</ref> The Puranic sources say that Brihadrath was the eldest son of Uparichara Vasu. According to the [[Biology:Ramayana|Ramayana]], Uparichara Vasu founded Vasumati and Girivraja, the capital of the dynasty.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Jarasandha was a very powerful king of Magadha, and the history of his birth and activities is also very interesting - Vaniquotes|url = http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Jarasandha_was_a_very_powerful_king_of_Magadha,_and_the_history_of_his_birth_and_activities_is_also_very_interesting|website = vaniquotes.org|access-date = 2020-06-23|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181129054415/https://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Jarasandha_was_a_very_powerful_king_of_Magadha,_and_the_history_of_his_birth_and_activities_is_also_very_interesting|archive-date = 29 November 2018|url-status = live}}</ref>{{rs?|date=May 2023}}
== History ==

=== Brihadratha ===
{{main|Biology:Brihadratha}}

Brihadratha (also Maharatha) was the king of Magadha and the founder of the Brihadratha dynasty. According to the [[Religion:Mahabharata|Mahabharata]] and the Puranas, he was the eldest of the five sons of Uparichara Vasu, the Kuru king of Chedi and his queen was Girika.

=== Jarasandha ===

Jarasandha was the son of Brihadratha and the greatest ruler of the dynasty.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gokhale|first=Namita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7DYnAgAAQBAJ&dq=jarasandha+birth&pg=PT62|title=The Puffin Mahabharata|date=2013-01-21|publisher=Penguin UK|isbn=978-93-5118-415-7|language=en}}</ref> According to [[Religion:Sanskrit literature|ancient texts]] there were 24 Brihadratha kings who ruled for many years.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Jarasandha was a very powerful king of Magadha, and the history of his birth and activities is also very interesting - Vaniquotes|url = http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Jarasandha_was_a_very_powerful_king_of_Magadha,_and_the_history_of_his_birth_and_activities_is_also_very_interesting|website = vaniquotes.org|access-date = 2015-12-31}}</ref> However, the Vayu Purana, Matsya Purana and Vishnu Purana disagree regarding the Brihadratha period of rule. The astronomical works based on the Vishnu Purana states that Brihadratha dynasty lasted for 1000 years.<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/80 80]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref>

The name of Jarasandha appears in the Puranas many times. Jarasandha was inimical to Yadava and that is why he is mentioned as a villain in the Mahabharta.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mahabharat Episode 28: Jarasandha – Born Divided |url=https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/wisdom/article/mahabharat-jarasandha-born-divided |website=sadhguru.org |access-date=2020-05-12}}</ref>

[[File: Bhima Slays Jarasandha.jpg|thumb|Bhima slays Jarasandha in a wrestling fight.]]
Bhima, with the help of [[Religion:Krishna|Krishna]], killed Jarasandha.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa |date=1990 |orig-date=1970 |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers |location=New Delhi |isbn=9788121500944 |edition=5th |url=https://www.mahabharataonline.com/translation/index.php}}</ref>

=== Sahadeva ===
{{main|Biology:Sahadeva of Magadha}}

[[Biology:Sahadeva of Magadha|Sahadeva]] was the son of Jarasandha, placed on the throne of Magadha by the Pandavas after the assassination of Jarasandha. Sahadeva fought the Kurukshetra War on the side of the Pandavas. According to the Puranas, he was killed in the Kurukshetra War by [[Biology:Shakuni|Shakuni]] along with his cousin, Jayadeva. He was succeeded by Somadhi.<ref>Misra, V.S. (2007). ''Ancient Indian Dynasties'', Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, {{ISBN|81-7276-413-8}}, p.290</ref>

=== Later rulers ===

Somadhi (or Somphi) was the son of Sahadeva and placed on the throne of Magadha by the Pandavas after he agreed to be their subordinate.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

==End of dynasty==

The last of the Brihadratha dynasty was Ripunjaya, who was killed by a minister named Punika (Pulika). After the death of Ripunjaya, Punika placed his own son Pradyota on throne and founded the [[Biology:Pradyota dynasty|Pradyota dynasty]] in 682&nbsp;BCE.<ref>Misra, V.S. (2007). ''Ancient Indian Dynasties'', Mumbai: Baratiya Vidya Bhavan, {{ISBN|81-7276-413-8}}, p. 300</ref>

==List of rulers==
{| class="wikitable"
|+List of Brihadratha dynasty rulers
!Ruler
!Reign (BCE)
|-
| [[Biology:Brihadratha|Brihadratha]] ||1700–1680 BCE
|-
| Jarasandha || 1680–1665 BCE
|-
| [[Biology:Sahadeva of Magadha|Sahadeva]] || 1665–1661 BCE
|-
| Somadhi || 1661–1603 BCE
|-
| Srutasravas || 1603–1539 BCE
|-
| Ayutayus || 1539–1503 BCE
|-
| Niramitra || 1503–1463 BCE
|-
| Sukshatra || 1463–1405 BCE
|-
| Brihatkarman || 1405–1382 BCE
|-
| Senajit || 1382–1332 BCE
|-
| Srutanjaya || 1332–1292 BCE
|-
| Vipra || 1292–1257 BCE
|-
| Suchi || 1257–1199 BCE
|-
| Kshemya || 1199–1171 BCE
|-
| Subrata || 1171–1107 BCE
|-
| Dharma || 1107–1043 BCE
|-
| Susuma || 1043–970 BCE
|-
| Dridhasena || 970–912 BCE
|-
| Sumati || 912–879 BCE
|-
| Subala || 879–857 BCE
|-
| Sunita || 857–817 BCE
|-
| Satyajit || 817–767 BCE
|-
| Viswajit || 767–732 BCE
|-
| Ripunjaya || 732–682 BCE
|}

==See also==
* [[Biology:Pradyota dynasty|Pradyota dynasty]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
  | title = Brihadratha dynasty
  | years = 1700 BCE 
 – 682 BCE
  | before = Copper Hoard Culture
  | after = [[Biology:Pradyota dynasty|Pradyota dynasty]]
}}
{{s-end}}

[[Category:Magadha]]

{{Sourceattribution|Brihadratha dynasty}}