Assaka was one of the well-known states in historic India that is between 700–and 300 BCE. Assaka was one of the sixteen mahajanapadas during the 6th century BCE and was revealed in the Buddhist manuscript Anguttara Nikaya.

The Assaka part was situated on the sets of the Godavari River and also among the rivers Manjira and Godavari. Assaka was the individual Mahajanapada located in the south direction of the Vindhya Range and Dakshinapatha. Assaka is parallel to districts Nizamabad and portions of Adilabad in Nanded and Telangana.

The Prakrit title of Bodhan is originated from “bhoodaan,” which derived as “Land which is given to the poor people as donations,” recognised as current-day Bodhan.

The capital Assaka Mahajanapada commonly known as Podana or Potali, currently lies under the territory of Nandura Tehsil. Brahmadatta was one of the rulers of Potali, the capital of assaka mahajanapada. Mahagovinda Suttanta, the Buddhist mentioned the rule on Assaka by Brahmadatta. Later, the societies started moving southward to the region of the Rashtrakuta Empire, which is currently known as modern Maharashtra.

Assaka is also recognised as Ashmaka and Asvakas during the Buddhist texts period and during king Hala’s Gatha Saptashati. Assaka is a resultant of the Sanskrit word “Ashma,” which is known as Gem or Stone. Numerous findings and facts have also resulted in the discovery of thousands of stones and hillocks within the region and thus suitably called Assaka. There are many research assumptions that there was a dense Meteoroid fall in the area nearly about 10 to 20 million years ago.

History of Assaka

• Assaka is the ancient Indian region that is situated between and around the Godavari River
• Assaka, in the present time, is geographically composed of regions known as Telangana and Maharashtra
• Assaka was the sixteen (shODasa) Mahajanapadas region during the 6th century BCE, and also stated in the Buddhist manuscript Anguttara Nikaya
• Puranas remark Asmaka as the powerful and dominated territories of the Nandas during the 4th and 5th century BCE
• The capital of Assaka Mahajanapada is known as Podana or Potali, which can be recognised as the existing Telangana Bodhan
• The Buddhist manuscript Mahagovinda Suttanta mentioned Brahmadatta, the king of assaka, and ruled Potali
• The Hathigumpha engraving of Kharavela from the 2nd century BCE mentioned Kharavela’s risk to a town variously known as “Masika” (Masikanagara), “Asika” (Asikanagara), “Musika” (Musikanagara). N. K. Sahu categorises Assaka janapada capital
• On the basis of Ajay Mitra Shastri, “Asika-nagara” was situated in the existing town of Adam, which lies under Nagpur district and on the set of Wainganga River
• A soil seal dug in the town is referred to as the Assaka janapada. Assaka also comprised the Mulaka zone near Paithan, identified in the early period as Pratishthana
• With respect to Ayodhya or Sutta Nipata Saketa, it was the leading hesitant habitation on the Dakshinapatha southward road from Pratishthana or Shravasti

Evolution of Mahajanapada

• Nearly during the 6th century BC, the regions of the 16th Mahajanapadas got evidently clear.

The mahajanapada comprised of the following:

1.   Kasi
2.   Kosala
3.   Anga
4.   Magadha
5.   Vajji or Vriji
6.   Malla
7.   Chedi or Cheti
8.   Vamsa or Vatsa
9.   Kuru
10. Panchala
11. Machcha or Matsya
12. Surasena
13. Assaka or Ashmaka
14. Avanti
15. Gandhara
16. Kamboja

The designations of nearly nine regions between them are derived from the Vedic Literature era.

Magadha, Vatsa, and Kosala were the most important regions of that time and played a key role in the Mahajanapada.

The Janapada

• The janapada is a Sanskrit word which is a tatpurusha complex term, comprising a couple of words Known as Janas and pada
• Jana is derived as “people,” while the term pada is defined as “foot” from its initial confirmation
• The term consists of the double importance of “kingdom, territory” and “people population”
• For the intelligence of the “populace of the land,” padasya Janas, the reversed padajana will be projected. The main meaning of “people’s place,” janasya padam, will not clarify the complexity of mannish gender
• A unique dvandva “people and land” is believable, but a dual variation would be predicted

During the 8th century BC, India might be classified into five huge regions, which are as follows:

• Madhyadesa (the middle country)
• Pratichya (western lands)
• Prachya (Eastern region)
• Uttarapatha (the land in the north of Vindhyas)
• Dakshinapatha (the land south of Vindhyas)

Conclusion

Assaka or Asmaka was part of ancient India and also a mahajanapada between 425 or 345 BCE and 700 BCE, which is located near and around the Godavari River. The mahajanapada is also known as janapada. The Assaka Janapada capital is known by the name of Potali or Podana.

Related Articles: