The correct option is
1 only
Explanation
The Satavahanas were a dominant power in the Deccan region during the early historic period. Information regarding their rulers, particularly Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani, is primarily derived from inscriptions such as the Nashik prashasti composed by his mother, Gautami Balashri.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Correct.
In the Nashik inscription, Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani is eulogized as eka bamhana (the unique Brahmana) and the destroyer of the pride of Kshatriyas. He is explicitly credited with stopping the contamination of the four varnas (vinivatita-chaturvarna-sankara). This claim implies that he enforced strict social norms to prevent intermarriage amongst members of the different varnas. - Statement 2 is Incorrect.
Despite the theoretical claim of upholding varna purity and being the destroyer of the Shakas (Scythians), historical evidence suggests a contradiction in practice. The Junagadh rock inscription of the Shaka ruler Rudradaman states that he defeated the Satavahana ruler (often identified as Gotami-puta or his immediate successor) but spared him on account of the "nearness of connection." This phrase implies the existence of a marriage alliance between the Satavahanas and the Shakas. Therefore, the Satavahanas did not refuse all marriage alliances with the Shakas; they engaged in them for political stability.
Key Takeaway:
Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani is known for his claim to have restored the four-fold varna order and prevented caste mixing, yet the Satavahana dynasty pragmatically entered into matrimonial alliances with foreign rulers like the Shakas.