Pushyamitra Shunga was the Brahmin army chief of Brihadratha, the last king of the Mauryas.
He was not happy with his king Brihadratha, who failed in containing the Yavanas and attacks.
During a military parade, he killed Brihadratha and established himself on the throne in 185 or 186 BC.
He was credited to repulse the two Greeks' attacks and conquest over Vidarbha.
Pushyamitra is also known to have repelled the Kalinga’s king Kharvela conquest.
The drama Malavikaagnimitram mentions the conflict between Pushyamitra and Yajnasena, the king of Vidarbha.
The Divyavadana gives an account of Pushyamitra’s cruelty towards Buddhists and his hatred towards Buddhism.
But there are also evidences that Barhut Stupa was built during the Shunga Empire.
He performed Vedic sacrifices such as Ashvamedha, Rajasuya, and Vajapeya.
During his reign, the Stupas at Sanchi and Barhut were renovated. He built the sculptured stone gateway at Sanchi.
Pushyamitra Sunga patronized the Sanskrit grammarian Patanjali.
According to the Puranas, his reign lasted for 36 years. He died in 151 BC.