Simuka, Satakarni, Satavahana

Summary

Through a critical examination of Puranic lists, inscriptions and coins, this article clarifies the identities of the early Śātavāhana rulers—Simuka, Śātakarṇi and Sātavāhana. The author questions earlier assumptions that these names referred to the same person, using the Naneghat and Nasik inscriptions to demonstrate that Simuka founded the dynasty while his brother or son, Śātakarṇi, expanded it. The paper interprets the titles ‘Śrī Satakani’ and ‘Sri Sata’ on coins and contrasts them with the Naneghat relief inscription, arguing that Simuka was distinct from Nāyakiṇī’s husband and that the later coin legends represent independent rulers. Further, it discusses the role of Queen Nāyakiṇī, whose inscriptions shed light on succession. The study reviews views of earlier scholars, including D.R. Bhandarkar and V.V. Mirashi, and examines the evidence for dating the dynasty to the first centuries B.C. and A.D. By synthesising epigraphic and numismatic data, it proposes a revised chronology: Simuka should be placed after the fall of the Mauryas but before the Sakas, and Śātakarṇi’s reign likely lasted into the early first century A.D. The article thus contributes to a clearer understanding of the origin and early development of the Śātavāhana dynasty.