• The disturbed condition of the Andhra Empire during the reign of the weak successors of Śrī Yajña Śātakarṇi provided an opportunity for the powerful Ikṣvāku prince, Vāsisthīputra Śrī Śāntamūla, to end the degenerate rule of the weak and warring Śātavāhana kings.

• The last Śātavāhana rulers were weakened by domestic conflicts and other disintegrating causes, making them vulnerable to the powerful Ikṣvāku king.

• Śrī Śāntamūla was able to strike effectively at the root of the Śātavāhana Empire, benefiting from the internal turmoil of the dynasty.

• Śrī Śāntamūla likely had the support of other feudatory families, which helped him in his task.

• The imperial capital, Dhānyakataka (or Dhanakataka), was within a short distance from Vijayapuri, Śrī Śāntamūla’s seat, allowing him to easily launch attacks on it.

• This proximity gave Śrī Śāntamūla the advantage to usurp the sovereignty of the Śātavāhanas, consolidate his power, and extend his dominion through vigorous conquest and annexation.

Rise of Maharaja Vasisthiputra Sri Santamula the Great; 200 AD

• It is probable that the ancestors of Śrī Śāntamūla were rulers of provinces in the Andhra Empire and possibly controlled a large territory in the heart of Andhra.

• These ancestors likely rose to great power and influence over time, and may have had blood ties to the Imperial family.

• The surnames or matronymic epithets suggest a hidden relationship between the Ikṣvākus and the Śātavāhanas.

• The rulership of the home provinces of the Śātavāhanas and their close relationship with the Imperial dynasty likely contributed to the prestige and military strength of the Ikṣvākus.

• These factors, combined with the political events of the last quarter of the 2nd century A.D., likely led to the decline and fall of the Andhra Empire in the early 3rd century.

• According to the Puranas, Candra Śrī is likely the last of the Śātavāhanas in the direct male line, and his successor Pulumāvi IV appears to be a usurper.

• The usurpation of Pulumāvi IV may have created the opportunity for the ambitious Ikṣvāku prince to claim the imperial throne.

• While it is difficult to trace the exact events, it is clear that Vāsisthīputra Śrī Śāntamūla, the leader of the Ikṣvāku family, became the paramount sovereign of Andhradeśa after the fall of the Andhra Empire.

• Vāsisthīputra Śrī Śāntamūla became a dominant power early in the 3rd century through military conquests and unimpeded aggression.

• He carved out a mighty empire and later celebrated the Aśvamedha and Vājapeya sacrifices, rituals that had been abeyant for over a century.

• By performing the Aśvamedha, Vāsisthīputra Śrī Śāntamūla became the cakravartin (paramount overlord) of Dakṣiṇāpatha.