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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox royalty
| title = Rajan<br>Mathariputra<br>Mahaksatrapa
| image = File:Map of the Abhira Empire.png
| caption = Map of the Abhira Empire
| succession = 2nd or 3rd [[Abhira dynasty|Abhira king]]
| reign =
| predecessor = Sakasena ''alias'' Saka Satakarni
| successor = Abhira Vashishthiputra Vasusena
| father = Abhira Sivadatta
| mother = Mathari
| issue = Abhira Vashishthiputra Vasusena?
| dynasty = [[Abhira dynasty|Abhira]]
}}

'''Mathariputra''' '''Ishwarsena''' or '''Mahaksatrapa''' '''Ishwarsena'''<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref> was the founder of the [[Abhira dynasty]]. He and his descendants, whose names occur in the [[Puranas]], seem to have ruled over a large territory in the Deccan.<ref name="Arun Kumar Sharma">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sDluAAAAMAAJ&q=Ishwarsena | title=Heritage of Tansa Valley | publisher=Bharatiya Kala Prakashan | author=Arun Kumar Sharma | year=2004 | pages=33, 92 | isbn=9788180900297}}</ref> He took the title of [[Raja]]n and an era was named after him. His descendants ruled for nine generations.<ref>{{cite book|title=Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Buldhana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w1EbAAAAIAAJ |year=1976 |publisher=Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State, 1976 | author=Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Department |page=52 |quote=About A.D. 250 the Satavahanas were supplanted by the Abhiras in Western Maharashtra and by the Vakatakas in Vidarbha. The founder of the Abhira Dynasty was Rajan Ishvarasena, the son of Shivadatta, who has left an inscription in Cave IX at Nasik.}}</ref>

==Early life and ascension to the throne==
Ishwarsena was the son of Abhira Sivadatta and his wife Mathari.<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref> Another king claiming to be a son of Mathari is Sakasena. He is identified with Saka Satakarni, whose coins have been found over [[Andhra Pradesh]] and is taken to be a [[Satavahana dynasty|Satavahana king]] and successor of [[Yajna Sri Satakarni]].<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Proceedings Volume 51 |date=1990 |publisher=Indian History Congress}}</ref> However, K.Gopalchari thinks that Sakasena was a Abhira king. Reasons:
* The name of Sakasena or Saka Satakarni does not occur in the Puranic genealogies of the Andhra-[[Satavahana dynasty|Satavahana]] kings. He claimed to be th son of Mathari, the wife of Abhira Sivadatta, as indicated by his epithet ''Mathariputra''.<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref>

* The traditional title of ''Siri'' which is found on most coins and inscriptions of the [[Satavahana dynasty|Satavahanas]] is significantly absent in the case of this ruler.<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref>

* Considering the dynastic rivalry between the [[western Satraps|Saka Kshatrapas]], the naming of a Satavahana prince with its main content as ''Saka'' is very unnatural and unlikely.<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref>

* The Abhiras were earlier in the service of the [[Western Satraps|Saka rulers of Ujjaini]], and in those days, [[Vassal|feudatory chiefs]] used to name their sons after the names of their overlords. The name of Sakasena was probably a result of this practice. The suffix of ''Sena'' in his name also suggests that he was an Abhira king and related to Ishwarsena.<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Proceedings Volume 51 |date=1990 |publisher=Indian History Congress}}</ref>

So this concludes that Ishwarsena's predecessor was his elder brother Sakasena, and he ascended the throne after his death.<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Proceedings Volume 51 |date=1990 |publisher=Indian History Congress}}</ref> However, historian Ashvini Agrawal thinks he was a general in the service of [[Rudrasimha I]] who deposed his master in 188 A.D and ascended the throne. Ashvini Agrawal further says that [[Rudrasimha I]] soon deposed him and regained the throne in 190 A.D.<ref name="imperial">{{cite book |author1=Ashvini Agrawal |title=Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas |date=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=9788120805927 |page=58 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Rise_and_Fall_of_the_Imperial_Guptas/hRjC5IaJ2zcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Rishabhdatta&pg=PA58&printsec=frontcover |language=English |format=Hardcover}}</ref>

==Reign==
Ishwarsena is the only confirmed ruler [[Abhira dynasty|of his dynasty]]. He is mentioned in the Nasik cave inscription dated in his ninth regnal year. In the inscription, he is referred to have made two investments of 1,000 and 500 [[Karshapana|Karshapanas]] in trade guilds at [[Nashik|Govardhana]] (Old [[Nashik|Nasik]]), for the purpose of providing medicines for the sick monks living in the monasteries of the Nasik hills.<ref name="Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India">{{cite book |last1=Singh Nijjar |first1=Bakhshish |title=Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India |date=2008 |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distributors |isbn=9788126909087 |pages=434 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Origins_and_History_of_Jats_and_Other_Al/xQM9voN21ekC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Abhira+dynasty&pg=PA171&printsec=frontcover}}</ref><ref name="5 Post Maurya Dynasties (In South India)">{{cite web |title=5 Post Maurya Dynasties (In South India) |url=https://www.historydiscussion.net/history-of-india/mauryas/5-post-maurya-dynasties-in-southern-india/5718 |website=History discussion |date=7 August 2015 |access-date=13 January 2021}}</ref><ref name="Sudhakar Chattopadhyaya: Some Early Dynasties of South India">{{cite book |last1=Chattopadhyaya |first1=Sudhakar |title=Some Early Dynasties of South India |date=1974 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=9788120829411 |pages=216 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78I5lDHU2jQC&pg=PA128 |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref> The areas which he controlled included [[Lata]], [[Aparanta]], [[Khandesh]], [[Ashmaka]] ([[History of Andhra Pradesh|Andhra]]), with [[Nashik|Nasik]] and its adjoining areas as the core territory.<ref name="auto">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78I5lDHU2jQC&pg=PA129| title= Some Early Dynasties of South India| publisher= Motilal| work= History | date= 1974 | author= Sudhakar Chattopadhyaya| pages=129| isbn= 9788120829411}}</ref><ref name="Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yScbAAAAIAAJ&q=Ishwarsena | title=Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Sholapur Gazetteer of India Volume 24 of Maharashtra State Gazetteers, Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept | publisher=Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State | author=Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept | year=1977 | pages=40}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JggZAQAAIAAJ&q=Khandesa| title= Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography, Volume 1 | publisher= Cosmo Publications | work= Geography | author= Subodh Kapoor | pages=2| isbn= 9788177552980 | year= 2002 }}</ref><ref name="Sudhakar Chattopadhyaya: Some Early Dynasties of South India"/><ref name="5 Post Maurya Dynasties (In South India)"/>

Ishwarsena started an era to commemorate his ascension in 284 or 249 AD,<ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref> which later became known as the [[Kalachuri Era|Kalachuri -Chedi era]].<ref name="Arun Kumar Sharma"/><ref name="H.S. Thosar: The Abhiras in Indian History">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref>

===Numismatics and epigraphics===

Coins of Ishwarsena are dated only in the first and second years of his reign and are found only in [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]] and Southern [[Rajasthan]].<ref name="India. Dept. of Archaeology">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mB4LAQAAMAAJ&q=abhiras+of+rajputana | title=Inscriptions of the Kalachuri-Chedi Era, Part 1 | publisher=Government Epigraphist for India Original from the University of Michigan | author=Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi contributor-India. Dept. of Archaeology | year=1955 | pages=xxx}}</ref><ref>Inscriptions of the Kalachuri-Chedi era, Part 1</ref>

A number of feudatories of the Abhiras ruled in various parts of [[Maharashtra]]. One such dynasty founded by Ishwarsena is known from an inscription in cave XVII at Ajanta which mentions Ashmaka in verse 10.<ref name="Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yScbAAAAIAAJ&q=Ishwarsena | title=Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Sholapur Gazetteer of India Volume 24 of Maharashtra State Gazetteers, Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept | publisher=Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State | author=Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept | year=1977 | pages=40}}</ref><ref>Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Sholapur-page-40</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:People from Maharashtra]]

Ishwarsena - Revision history

UDsportHD at 12:10, 26 February 2026