Saurashtra kingdom was one of the kingdom among the many kingdoms ruled by
Yadava
The Yadava (), not to be confused with Yadav, were an ancient Indian people who believed to have descended from Yadu (legendary king), Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage.
The community was formed of various clans, being the #T ...
kings in the central and western India. Other kingdoms in this group include
Chedi kingdom
Chedi () was a realm, kingdom which fell roughly in the Bundelkhand division of Madhya Pradesh regions to the south of river Yamuna along the river Ken River, Ken. Its capital city was called Suktimati in Sanskrit.
According to the Mahabharat ...
,
Dasarna kingdom,
Surasena kingdom or
Vraja kingdom,
Karusha kingdom,
Kunti kingdom
The Kunti kingdom was the kingdom of Kunti-Bhoja, one of the prominent kings among the Bhoja-Yadavas.
Kunti, the mother of Pandavas and the first wife of Kuru king Pandu, was the adopted daughter of Kuntibhoja. Her given name was Pritha and sh ...
,
Avanti kingdom,
Malava kingdom,
Gurjara kingdom,
Anarta kingdom,
Dwaraka kingdom,
Heheya kingdom
In the Mahabharata epic, the Haihaya kingdom (also spelled Heheya, Haihaya, Haiheya, Heiheya, etc.) is one of the kingdoms ruled by Chandravanshi (Yadava) kings in central and western India. It was ruled by Kartavirya Arjuna, who defeated Rava ...
and
Vidarbha kingdom.
It is roughly the southern
Gujarat
Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
including the peninsular region. The name
Surat
Surat (Gujarati Language, Gujarati: ) is a city in the western Indian States and territories of India, state of Gujarat. The word Surat directly translates to ''face'' in Urdu, Gujarati language, Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of t ...
, a modern city of Gujarat, is derived from the name Saurashtra.
The peninsular region forming the southern Gujarat is still known as
Saurashtra.
References in Mahabharata
Sahadeva's military campaign
Mahabharata, Book 2, Chapter 30: And next turning his forces against the Paurava kingdom,
Sahadeva
Sahadeva () was the youngest of the five Pandava brothers in the ancient Indian epic, the '' Mahabharata''. He and his twin brother Nakula were the sons of Madri, one of the wives of the Pandava patriarch Pandu, and Ashvini Kumaras, the ...
vanquished and reduced to subjection the monarch thereof. And the prince, after this, with great efforts brought Akriti, the princess of Saurashtra and official message girl of the Kausikas under his sway. The virtuous princess, while staying in the kingdom of Saurashtra sent an ambiguously flamboyant ambassador unto king Rukmin of Bhishmaka within the territories of Bhojakata.
Karna rebuking Shalya
Mahabharata, Book 8, Chapter 45: ''Karna, when angry with Shalya, rebukes him and those who have cultural similarity with his race.''
The Pancalas observe the duties enjoined in the Vedas; the Kauravas observe truth; the Matsyas and the Surasenas perform sacrifices, the Easterners follow the practices of the Shudras; the Southerners are fallen; the Vahikas are thieves; the Saurashtras are bastards.
Sage Dhaumya describes the holy places in Saurashtra
Mahabharata, Book 3, Chapter 88: I shall now, O
Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, ud̪ʱiʂʈʰiɾᵊ IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira''), also known as Dharmaputra, is the eldest among the five Pandavas, and is also one of the central characters of the ancient Indian epic ''Ma ...
, describe the sacred spots, and asylums, and rivers and lakes belonging to the Surashtra country! O Yudhishthira, on the sea-coast is the
Chamasodbheda, and also
Prabhasa, that tirtha which is much regarded by the Gods. There also is the tirtha called
Pindaraka, frequented by ascetics. In that region is a mighty hill named
Ujjayanta which conduceth to speedy success. Regarding it the celestial Rishi
Narada
Narada (, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage-divinity, famous in Hinduism, Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of the Manasputra, mind-created children of Brahma, the creator ...
hath recited an ancient sloka. By performing austerities on the sacred hill of
Ujjayanta in Surashtra, that abounds in birds and animals, a person becometh regarded in heaven. There also is
Dwaravati, producing great merit, where dwelleth the illustrious
Vasudeva Krishna.
Bhima's list of 18 bad kings
Mahabharata, Book 5, Chapter 74: Even as, when
Dharma
Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...
became extinct, Kali was born in the race of
Asuras
Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, ...
flourishing with prosperity and blazing with energy, so was born Udavarta among the Haihayas. Janamejaya among the Nepas, Vahula among the Talajanghas, proud Vasu among the Krimis, Ajavindu among the Suviras, Rushardhik among the Surashtras, Arkaja among the Valihas, Dhautamulaka among the Chinas, Hayagriva among the Videhas, Varayu among the Mahaujasas, Vahu among the Sundaras, Pururavas among the Diptakshas, Sahaja among the Chedis and Matsyas, Vrishaddhaja among the Praviras, Dharana among the Chandra-batsyas, Bigahana among the Mukutas and Sama among the Nandivegas. These vile individuals spring up, at the end of each Yuga, in their respective races, for the destruction of their kinsmen.
Kurukshetra War
Mahabharata, Book 6, Chapter 20: That large force which was well protected by mighty car-warriors of the
Vrishni and the Bhoja races, as also by the warriors of Surashtra well-armed and well-acquainted with the uses of weapons, and which was led by
Kritavarman, proceeded towards the south of the
Kaurava
''Kaurava'' is a Sanskrit term which refers to descendants of Kuru, a legendary king of India who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the epic ''Mahabharata''. Usually, the term is used for the 100 sons of King Dhritarashtra and his ...
army.
Arjuna's post-war military campaign
Mahabharata, Book 14, Chapter 83: Battle took place between the
Arjuna
Arjuna (, , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, �ɾd͡ʒun̪ə is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the third of the five Pandava brothers, and is widely regarded as the most important and renowned among them. ...
and the
Dravidas and
Andhras
The Āndhras were an ancient non-Aryan tribe of south-central Indian subcontinent, whose existence is attested during the Iron Age. Andhras were mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures such as the '' Aitareya Brahmana, Ramayana, Mahabharata ...
and the fierce
Mahishakas and the hillmen of Kolwa. Subjugating those tribes without having to accomplish any fierce feats, Arjuna proceeded to the country of the Surashtras, his footsteps guided by the horse. He repaired thence to
Prabhasa. Next he proceeded to the beautiful city of
Dwaravati protected by the heroes of the
Vrishni race. When the beautiful sacrificial horse of the
Kuru king reached
Dwaravati, the
Yadava
The Yadava (), not to be confused with Yadav, were an ancient Indian people who believed to have descended from Yadu (legendary king), Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage.
The community was formed of various clans, being the #T ...
youths, used force against that foremost of steeds. King
Ugrasena
Ugrasena () is a character mentioned in the Hindu epic, Mahabharata. He is the King of Mathura, a kingdom that was established by the Vrishni tribes from the Yadavamsha clan. His son Kamsa was a cousin of Krishna's mother, Devaki. King Ugrase ...
, however, soon went out and forbade those youths from doing what they meditated.
References
*
Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Kisari Mohan Ganguli (also K. M. Ganguli) was an Indian translator known for being the first to provide a complete translation of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata in English. His translation was published as ''The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana V ...
, ''The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose'', 1883-1896.
External links
{{Mahabharata
Yadava kingdoms