Which of the following rulers was called "Sarvakshatrantak" in the Puranas?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:

Mahapadma Nanda is correctly identified as the ruler called "Sarvakshatrantak" (Destroyer of all Kshatriyas) in the Puranas. Mahapadma Nanda was the founder of the Nanda Dynasty, which succeeded the Shishunaga Dynasty around the middle of the 4th century BCE in Magadha. The title "Sarvakshatrantak" is an acknowledgment of his immense military power and his aggressive policy of conquering and annexing many smaller kingdoms that were ruled by Kshatriya dynasties, thus asserting the absolute power of the Magadhan empire over northern India. This title reflects his role in centralizing political authority and establishing one of the earliest large-scale empires in Indian history, effectively sweeping away competing hereditary ruling classes.

The incorrect option is 1:
Bimbisara was the founder of the Haryanka Dynasty and an early ruler of Magadha, preceding the Nanda Dynasty by a significant period. He is known for his strategic use of diplomacy, matrimonial alliances, and limited conquest to consolidate Magadhan power, particularly acquiring Anga. His policies were aimed at expansion and stability, but the Puranas do not associate him with the specific, aggressive title of "Sarvakshatrantak," which marks a much more complete subjugation of Kshatriya principalities later accomplished by the Nandas.

The incorrect option is 2:
Ajatashatru, the son of Bimbisara, was also a powerful ruler of the Haryanka Dynasty. He is famous for his protracted wars against the Kosala and Vajji confederacies, eventually leading to the massive expansion of Magadha. However, like his father, Ajatashatru's reign precedes the Nandas. While he was a formidable conqueror, the specific epithet "Sarvakshatrantak" is reserved in Puranic literature for Mahapadma Nanda, who is believed to have eradicated the remaining independent Kshatriya rulers on an unprecedented scale.

The incorrect option is 3:
Shishunaga was the founder of the dynasty that succeeded the Haryanka Dynasty, ruling before the Nandas. His primary accomplishment was the destruction of the powerful Avanti kingdom, bringing an end to a century-long rivalry and integrating western India into the Magadhan realm. While his conquests were significant for the expansion of Magadha, the Puranic texts clearly ascribe the title of "Sarvakshatrantak" not to him, but to the more radical and powerful conqueror, Mahapadma Nanda, who initiated a new level of military and political dominance.