Who was the Last Ruler of the Shishunaga Dynasty?

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

According to the Puranas, the last ruler of the Shishunaga dynasty was Mahanandin. He was killed by his illegitimate son from a Shudra wife, Mahapadma. The Shishunaga dynasty ruled the Magadha kingdom in ancient India from 413 BC to 345 BC. It is the second ruling dynasty of Magadha, succeeding Nagadashak of the Haryanka dynasty.

Table of content

1. Last Ruler of the Shishunaga Dynasty
2. Who was the Last Ruler of the Shishunaga Dynasty?

Last Ruler of the Shishunaga Dynasty

The first ruler was Shishunaga, who got power when the people revolted against the Haryanka Dynasty in the 5th century BCE. The last ruler was Mahanandin.

The monarchs succeeded Bimbisara and Ajatashatru, the Buddha’s contemporaries.
Shishunaga inherited the area of Magadha, which is now Bihar, which was rich in natural riches, iron ores for weapon manufacture, and jungles with woodlands and elephants to aid the army.
Shishunaga bolstered the army throughout his reign. He defeated Avantivardhana and seized the Avanti kingdom.
Shishunaga’s son Kalashoka is most known for convening the Second Buddhist Council at Vaishali and relocating the Magadhan capital to Pataliputra.
According to Hinduism’s Puranas, Mahanandin was the final Shishunaga monarch.
Mahanandin was most likely Kalashoka’s grandson and Nandivardhan’s son.
Mahanandin was brutally murdered by his illegitimate son from a Shudra wife named Mahapadma, who formed the dynasty of the Nandas and became its first ruler by the name of Mahapadma Nanda.

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