While discussing the situations in which a king may attack another king’s land,  Matsyapurāṇa (Matsyapurana) says that when the king learns that  the enemy or pārṣnigrāha (parshnigraha; one who occupies the backside) has been attacked by a more powerful Ākranda (Akranda), he may proceed to fight — yadā manyeta nṛipatirākrandena valīyasā pārṣnigrāhabhibhuto’ristada yātrāṁ prayojayet. However, this […]

Born in the Vṛṣṇi (Vrishni) clan, Akrūra (Akrura) was one of Kṛṣṇa ‘s (Krishna’s) kinsmen. He has been referred to as a Vṛṣṇi hero in Mahābhārāta (Mahabharata) time and again. In Mahābhārata, several heroes from the Vṛṣṇi clan attended Draupadī’s svayaṃvara (swayamvara) as her suitors. The Pāñcāla (Panchala) prince Dhṛṣtyadyumna (Dhrishtadyumna), while listing the names […]

The Andhaka community is a part of the Yādava (Yadava) community living in the region of Mathurā and Śūrasena. Their relatives belong such such communities as Vṛṣṇi (Vrishni), Bhoja, Kukura and so on. Kroṣṭu (Kroshtu)was the son of Yadu, who was the son of Yayāti and Devayānī.  Sātvata was a descendant of Yadu’s lineage . […]

Most of the time Anuvinda has been mentioned in association with another king called called Vinda; and nearly always they have been mentioned as āvantyau (avantyau), meaning either ‘two kings of Avantī (Avanti) kingdom’ or ‘kings of two Avantī kingdoms’ – vindānuvindāvāvantau. As both of them are mentioned as kings of the kingdom of Avantī, scholars […]

Aparājitā (Aparajita) is one of the Navapīṭhaśakti (Navapithasakti) of the Goddess. She constantly serves Goddess Bhuveneśvarī (Bhuvaneswari). However, in other Purāṇa(s) (Purana; Mythological Scripture), Aparājitā is another name of Durgā-Bhavānī (Durga-Bhavani). In Devīpurāṇa(Devipurana) itself it is said that if one undetakes Durgavrata for one yar, one needs to pray for good favour in front of […]

Aparānta (Aparanta) is an ancient locality. When Paraśurāma destroyed the Kṣatriya(s) (Kshatriya)for twenty one times, and freed the earth of the Kṣatriya clan, Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage) Kaśyapa(kasyapa) asked him to stop. He also told him, ‘You should not live here, rather go to the place across the southern sea. Thus instructed, Paraśurāma came there […]

Today, in the sense we use the term ‘Rāṣtravijñāna’ (Rashtravijnana), was not used in the ancient times. The terms used to mean ‘Rāṣṭravijñāna’, can be listed as follows- Rājaśāstra, Rājadharma, Daṇḍanīti, Arthaśāstra, even Rājanīti. Arthaśāstra is one of the synnonymous words of Rājaśāstra. It should be kept in mind at the outset that Kauṭilya is […]