<P> According to one theory, the word "Satavahana" is a Prakrit form of the Sanskrit Sapta - Vahana ("driven by seven"; in Hindu mythology, the chariot of the sun god is drawn by seven horses). This would indicate that the Satavahanas originally claimed association with the legendary solar dynasty, as was common in ancient India . According to Inguva Kartikeya Sarma, the dynasty's name is derived from the words sata ("sharpened", "nimble" or "swift") and vahana ("vehicle"); the expression thus means "one who rides a nimble horse". </P> <P> Another theory connects their name to the earlier Satiyaputa dynasty . Yet another theory derives their name from the Munda words Sadam ("horse") and Harpan ("son"), implying "son of the performer of a horse sacrifice". Several rulers of the dynasty bear the name or title "Satakarni". Satavahana, Satakarni, Satakani and Shalivahana appear to be variations of the same word . Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi theorized that the word "Satakarni" is derived from the Munda words sada ("horse") and kon ("son"). </P> <P> The Puranas use the name "Andhra" or "Andhra - Bhritya" for the Satavahanas . The term "Andhra" may refer to ethnicity or territory of the dynasty (see Original homeland below). It does not appear in the dynasty's own records . </P> <P> The use of the name "Andhra" in the Puranas has led some scholars to believe that the dynasty originated in the eastern Deccan region (the historic Andhra region, present - day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana). At Kotilingala in Telangana, coins bearing the legend "Rano Siri Chimuka Satavahanasa" were found . Epigraphist and numismastist P.V.P. Sastry initially identified Chimuka with the dynasty's founder Simuka, because of which Kotilingala came to be known as the only place where coins attributed to Simuka were found . Coins attributed to Simuka's successors Kanha and Satakarni I were also discovered at Kotilingla . Based on these discoveries, historians such as D.R. Reddy, S. Reddy and Shankar R. Goyal theorized that Kotlingala was the original home of the Satavahanas . However, the coin samples from Kotlingala are small, and it is not certain if these coins were minted there or reached there from somewhere else . Moreover, the identification of Chimuka of Kotilingala with the dynasty's founder Simuka has been contested by several scholars including P.L. Gupta and I.K. Sarma, who identified Chimuka as a later ruler . P.V.P. Sastry also later changed his view, and stated that the two kings were different . As for the Puranas, these texts were compiled much later, during the Gupta period, and it is not certain if the Satavahanas were referred to as Andhras during their time . </P>

Who were the satavahanas where was their kingdom located