Pradyota dynasty is an ancient Indian dynasty, which ruled over Avanti in the present-day Madhya Pradesh state, though most of the Puranas (except a manuscript of the Brahmanda Purana, preserved in the University of Dhaka) say that this dynasty succeeded the Barhadratha dynasty in Magadha. According to the Vayu Purana, Pradyotas of Avanti annexed Magadha and ruled there for 138 years from 799-684 BCE. Palaka, the son of the Avanti king Pradyota, conquered Kaushambi, making the kingdom powerful.
According to both Buddhist texts and Jain texts, one of Pradyota tradition was that king's son would kill his father to become the successor. During their time, it is reported that crimes were commonplace in Magadha. Tired of the dynastic feuds and the crimes, the people of Magadha rose up in civil revolt and elected Haryanka to become the king in 684 BCE. This led to the emergence of the Haryanka dynasty in Magadha.
However, Pradyota dynasty continued to rule in Avanti until it was conquered by Shishunaga who defeated the last Pradyota king Nandivardhana and also destroyed the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha in 413 BCE.
Pradyota dynasty rulers
1.Pradyota Mahasena
2.Palaka
3.Visakhayupa
4.Ajaka or Aryaka
5.Varttivarddhana or Nandivardhana
Avanti was an ancient Indian janapada (realm), roughly corresponded to the present day Malwa region. According to the Buddhist text, the Anguttara Nikaya, Avanti was one of the solasa mahajanapadas (sixteen great realms) of the 6th century BCE. Thejanapada was divided into two parts by the Vindhyas, the northern part had its capital at Ujjayini and the southern part had its centre atMahishmati.
The Avantis, the ancient people belonging to this realm were described as mahavala (very powerful) in the Udyoga Parva (19.24) of theMahabharata. According to the Vishnu Purana (II.3), the Bhagavata Purana (XII.I.36) and the Brahma Purana (XIX.17), the Avantis were associated with the Malavas, the Saurashtras, the Abhiras, the Suras, the Karushas and the Arbudas and were described as dwelling along the Pariyatra (or Paripatra) mountains (a western branch of the Vindhyas).
According to the Puranic accounts, the Haihayas were the earliest rulers of Avanti, who captured the region from the Nagas. Initially, they ruled from Mahishmati. Later the whole janapada was divided into two parts with the capitals at Mahishmati and Ujjayini. The Haihayas were a confederation of five clans, the Vitihotras, the Bhojas, the Avantis, the Tundikeras and the Sharyatas. Later, the Haihayas were better known by their dominant clan - the Vitihotras. Ripunjaya, the last Vitihotra ruler of Ujjayini was overthrown by his amatya (minister) Pulika, who placed his son,Pradyota on the throne.
The Mahagovindasuttanta of the Dighanikaya mentions about an Avanti king Vessabhu (Vishvabhu) and his capital Mahissati (Mahishmati). Probably he was a Vitihotra ruler.
Pradyota was contemporary to Gautama Buddha. He was also known as Chandapradyota Mahasena. Pradyota captured the Vatsa king Udayana but later he married Pradyota’s daughter Vasavadatta. The Mahavagga described him as cruel and according to the Majjhima Nikaya, Ajatashatru, the king of Magadha fortified Rajagriha to protect it from an invasion led by Pradyota. He also waged war on Pushkarasarin, king of Takshashila Pradyota’s chief queen Gopalamata (mother of prince Gopala) was a disciple of Buddhist monk Mahakatyayana and constructed a stupain Ujjayini.
Prodyota had two sons, Gopala and Palaka. He was succeeded by Palaka. According to Jaina accounts Palaka ascended to the throne on the day of passing away of Mahavira. According to theKathasaritsagara and the Avashyaka Kathanaka, the kingdom of Vatsa was already a part of Avanti during the reign of Palaka and a prince of the royal family was the governor of Kaushambi. In the Mricchakatika, Palaka was described as a tyrant who was overthrown by a popular revolt. This revolt placed Aryaka on the throne of Ujjayini. The Puranas place Nadivardhana or Vartivardhana after Aryaka. But these names are probably corruptions of Avantivardhana, the name of the son of Palaka according to the Kathasaritsagara or the son of Gopala according to the NepaliBrihatkatha. He was defeated by Shishunaga, the king of Magadha.
Avanti was a part of the Magadha empire during the rule of the Shaishunaga and the Nanda dynasties. During the Mauryan dynasty rule, Avanti became the Avantirāṭṭha or the western province of the empire, with its capital at Ujjayini. The Junagarh Rock inscription of Rudradaman I(150 CE) mentions Pushyagupta as the governor of the western province during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. During the reign of the next ruler Bindusara, prince Ashoka was the provincial governor. After the fall of the Mauryas, at the time of Pusyamitra Sunga, his son Agnimitrawas the Magadhan viceroy at Vidisha, but he ruled independent of Magadha for all practical purposes.