Lion was one of the motifs used in Ashokan pillars. Lion is a solar symbol and it also represents the Buddha, as he is referred to as Sakyasimha which also means a lion among the Sakyas.
The Ikshavakus rose in the Krishna-Guntur region on the ruins of Satvahanas. The Ikshavakus were a local tribe. They started the practice of land grants in the Krishna-Guntur region. They also built many monuments.