The Shishunaga dynasty is believed to have been the third ruling dynasty of Magadha, a kingdom in ancient India. But according to thePuranas, this dynasty is the second ruling dynasty of Magadha, which succeeded the Barhadratha dynasty.
Shishunaga, the founder of this dynasty was initially an amatya (minister) of the last Haryanka dynasty ruler Nagadasaka and ascended to the thone after a popular rebellion in c. 413 BCE. The capital of this dynasty initially was Rajagriha, but later shifted to Pataliputra, near the present day Patna during the reign of Kakavarna. According to tradition, Kakavarna was succeeded by his ten sons. This dynasty was succeeded by the Nanda dynasty in c.345 BCE.
Shishunaga (or Shusunaga) (c. 413 – 395 BCE ) was the founder of the Shishunaga dynasty of the Magadha Empire in the present day northern India. Initially, he was an amatya (official) of the Magadha empire under the Haryanka dynasty. He was placed on the throne by the people who revolted against the Haryanka dynasty rule. The Puranas tell us that he placed his son atVaranasi and himself ruled from Girivraja (Rajagriha). He was succeeded by his son Kakavarna Kalashoka
According to the Mahavamsatika, Shishunaga was the son of a Licchavi raja of Vaishali. He was conceived by a nagara-shobhini and brought up an officer of state. At the time of the revolt, he was a viceroy at Varanasi of king Nagadasaka, the last ruler of the Haryanka dynasty.
Initially, his capital was Rajagriha and Vaishali was his second royal residence. Later he shifted his capital to Vaishali. His most significant achievement was the destruction of the 'glory' of thePradyota dynasty of the Avanti kingdom. Most probably the king of Avanti whom Shishunaga humbled was Avantivardhana. The Magadhan victory must have been helped by the revolution that placed Aryaka on the thone of Ujjayini.
During Shishunag's rule practically whole India (present day India excluding the regions of Tamil Nadu south of Madurai,Pakistan,Nepal, Bhutan,Afghanistan and Bangladesh)was under his rule.In 407th BC he annexed jaipur to his empire. By 405th BC he subdued the last of mahajanapadas. From period of 404th BC to 397th BC he annexed Sindh,Multan,Lahore,Kabul,Herat,Chagcharan,Anjuri,Kandahar,Karachi and Vellore. His Territories spread up to Kochi and Madurai in the South to Shardu and Danyor in the North,Murshidabad and Dakhinpara and Hamren in the East to Mand and Herat in the West in 395th BC.
According to the Puranas, Shishunaga was succeeded by his son Kakavarna and according to the Sinhala chronicles by his son Kalashoka. On the basis of the evidence of the Ashokavadana, Hermann Jacobi, Wilhelm Geiger and Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar concluded that both are same. During Shishunaga's reign, he was the governor of Varanasi. Two most significant events of his reign are the Second Buddhist council atVaishali and the final transfer of capital to Pataliputra. According to the Harshacharita, he was killed by a dagger thrust in to his throat in the vicinity of his capital.
Later rulers
According to tradition, ten sons of Kalashoka ruled simultaneously. The Mahabodhivamsa states their names as Bhadrasena, Korandavarna, Mangura, Sarvanjaha, Jalika, Ubhaka, Sanjaya, Koravya, Nandivardhana and Panchamaka. Only one of them mentioned in the Puranic lists, Nandivardhana. Nandivardhana or Mahanandin was probably the last ruler of this dynasty, his empire was inherited by his illegitimate son Mahapadma Nanda.