Asmaka

Asmaka (IAST: ) or Assaka (Pali) was a Mahajanapada in ancient India which existed between 700 BCE and 425 or 345 BCE according to the Buddhist text "Anguttara Nikaya" and "Puranas". It was located around and between the Godavari river in present-day Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. Its capital is variously called Potali or Podana, and is identified as present-day Bodhan in Telangana.
History.
Asmaka was located around and between the river Godavari. It included areas in present-day Telangana, and Maharashtra. It was one of the "shodasa" (sixteen) Mahajanapadas in the 6th century BCE, mentioned in the Buddhist text "Anguttara Nikaya". Puranas mention Asmaka as one of the conquered territories of the Nandas in the 5th or 4th century BCE.
The capital is variously called Potali or Podana, which is identified as present-day Bodhan in Telangana. The Buddhist text "Mahagovinda Suttanta" mentions about a ruler of Asmaka, Brahmadatta who ruled from Potali. The Matsya Purana (ch. 272) lists twenty-five rulers of Aśmaka, contemporary to the Shishunaga rulers of Magadha. Panini in his 'Aṣṭādhyāyī' mentions Asmaka Kingdom in connection with Dakshinatya and Kalinga.
Asmaka is also identified as Assaka and Aśvakas in Buddhist literature and Gatha Saptashati of king Hāla.
The Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela (2nd century BCE) mentions Kharavela's threat to a city variously interpreted as "Masika" (Masikanagara), "Musika" (Musikanagara) or "Asika" (Asikanagara). N. K. Sahu identifies Asika as the capital of Asmaka. According to Ajay Mitra Shastri, "Asika-nagara" was located in the present-day village of Adam in Nagpur district (on the Wainganga River). A terracotta seal excavated in the village mentions the Asmaka janapada. Asmaka also included Mulaka area around Paithan known in ancient times as Pratishthana. According to "Sutta Nipata" Saketa or Ayodhya was first halting place on the southward road (Dakshinapatha) from Shravasti to Pratishthana.