Pusyamitra Sunga was the founder of the Sunga dynasty in India, who ended the Mauryan dynasty. He reigned from 185 BC to 151 BC.

Pusyamitra Sunga was originally the General and commander-in-chief or the Senapati of the Mauryan army. He assassinated the last Mauryan emperor Brhadratha in 185 BC and himself became the king with the initialization of Sunga dynasty in Indian history. Pusyamitra Sunga then performed the Ashwamedha Yajna or the horse sacrifice following the tradition of the ancient kings. He brought whole northern India under his rule. His kingdom was spread as far as Jalandhar in Punjab as inscriptions of the Shungas have been found from Jalandhar. The Divyavadana stated that his rule extended as far as Sagala (Sialcoat).

Pusyamitra Shunga was the follower of Hindu tradition and hostile towards Buddhists and had oppressed Buddhist faith. In Ashokavardana of second century it is written: "Then King Pusyamitra equipped a fourfold army, and intending to destroy the Buddhist religion, he went to the Kukkutarama …. Pusyamitra therefore destroyed the sangharama, killed the monks there, and departed. After some time, he arrived in Sakala, and proclaimed that he would give a hundred dinara reward to whomever brought him the head of a Buddhist monk."

A Buddhist tradition consider Pusyamitra as the person who had taken measures to stop the spread of Buddhism as "the number one enemy of the sons of Shakyas and the most cruel prosecutor of the religion." In Divyavadana it is mentioned that Pusyamitra Sunga destroyed many buddhist stupas and viharas built by Emperor Ashoka. He had a tendency to demolish the works of Ashoka.

Some historians reject the possibility of Pusyamitra Sunga`s being anti-Buddhist. The narrations of Ashokavadana and Divyavadana are said to be exaggerated. The Ashokavadana legend more likely describes Pusyamitra`s attack on Maurya dynasty and thereby depicting him as an enemy of Buddhism, who had reduced Buddhist influence on his imperial court.

Historical evidences show that buddhist faith was supported by Pusyamitra Sunga as is found from an epigraph on the gateway of Barhut which was erected during the supremacy of the Sungas. Sir John Marshall suggested that Sanchi Stupa was vandalized by Pusyamitra Sunga before its rebuilt by his successor Agnimitra. Similarly, the Deokothar Stupa, located between sanchi and barhut was demolished during the same period. But archaeological evidences are always very uncertain. So Pusyamitras persecution against Buddhism remained unanswered.

The reign of Pusyamitra was full of warfares, which was characteristic feature of that era.Pusyamitra had fight with the Andhras, Kalingas, Indo Greeks and probably by kingdoms of Panchala and Mathura. After killing Brhadratha during an army review, Pusyamitra Sunga prevented the advance of Bactrian Greeks.

The Greek rulers of Greco-Bactrian Kingdom attacked northwestern India during 180 BC and subsequently conquered most of the Punjab. They had ruled in Mathura for sometime and might have campaigned towards east as far as Pataliputra. However, Pusyamitra`s army had repelled Indo Greeks. Mathura was taken from the Greeks and was ruled by the Sungas towards the end of the second century BC.

Kharavela, the king of Kalinga, who claimed that he had made king of Magadha Brahaspatimitra to bow down at his feet, attacked Pusyamitra Shunga. Some historians` think that this Brahaspatimitra was Pusyamitra himself but the fact was not confirmed.

Pushyamitra Shunga died in 151 BC and his son Agnimitra ascended the throne.