Brihatpalayana

• Brihat (Vastness) + Palayana (Moving)

The Brihatpalayanas ruled the Krishna district with their capital as Pithunda near Machilipatnam. The Hathigumpha inscription describes that this city has been destroyed by Kharavela of Kalinga. The city of Pithunda is referred to as metropolis in one of Ptolemy's work.

Jayavarma, the only king known of the dynasty ruled Krishna district with Pithunda as his capital between A.D. 270-285. A copper plate grant issued by Jayavarma was discovered at Kondamudi, near Tenali at around A.D.280. The grant is in the form of an order issued by Jayavarma from his victorious camp at Kudura(Guduru near Machilipatnam) to the governor of Kuduru ahara(district). It pertains to the grant of land in favour of a number of Brahmins. The charter issued in Prakrit describes Jayavarma as the devotee of Maheswara and calls him Raja. Nothing is known about the relations of the Brihatpalayanas with the neighbouring kingdom of the Ikshvakus or Pallavas of Kanchi. Perhaps they had been subdued by the Pallavas. A part of the Brihat palayana territory passed in to the hands of the Salankayanas of Vengi.

The Brihatpalayanas were an ancient Indian Kingdom who were based in the modern state of Andhra Pradesh. They ruled Northern Andhra with Kodur in Krishna District as the Capital after the Ikshvakus around the third century AD. Jaya Varma was the only Brihatpalayana ruler. A princess of his family was married to the Andhra Ikshvaku king. His Kingdom included Musala Taluk as far as Gudivada, Kolleru and northern parts of Guntur. His capital was Koduru near Ghantasala in Krishna District. He gifted the village of Patur in Tenali Taluk to eight Brahmins. After his death the Ananda Gotrikas occupied his territory to the south of the Krishna river and the Salankayanas took his territory north of the river.