Page:The Malavikagnimitra, Tawney (2nd edition, 1891).djvu/22

 original Maurya kingdom. We get a hint from another source of the extent of his realm towards the south. In the drama the Narmada is mentioned as its southern limit, for Virasena, tHe brother-in-law of Agnimitra, is represented as in command of a border fortress on this river. In a war which he had with the king of Vidarbha the latter mnnarch was overcome, and compelled to surrender one half of his kingdom to Madhavasena, a friend of the conqueror's, and the Varada was fixed as the boundary of the territories of the two princes. It is however most probable that this territory was not conquered by the founder of the dynasty but by his son after his death. His dominions accordingly extended, if we include those of his vassal, to the table-land of the Deckan. His possession of so wide a territory explains why the Cunga kings are always spoken of as the successors of the Maurya dynasty. The founder of the dynasty reigned 36 years according to the most probable account. The Puranas agree in representing the dynasty as lasting for 112 years, and the lengths of the reigns of Pushpamitra'a successors agree with one exception in both accounts. The discrepancy only amounts to two years, and as there is no antecedent improbability in the numbers, we have no reason for doubting their correctness. If we subtract the years of his successors' reigns, we have only 30 years left for the reign of the founder. The simplest way of reconciling this discrepancy is to suppose that he first established his power in the seventh year, or perhaps was crowned in that year, so that the first six years have been omitted. We know nothing