According to Mahābhārata (Mahabharata)and Manu, Amvaṣṭha (Amvashtha) is the hybrid child born of the womb of a Vaiśya(vaisya) woman, and sired by a Brāhmaṇa (Brahmana) man – brāhmaṇād vaiśyakanyāyāmvaṣṭho nāma jāyate. They are quite ancient as a jāti (jati), since they are mentioned in Aitareya Brāhmaṇa (Aitareya Brahmana). Maharṣi (Maharshi; Great Sage)Parvata and Devarṣi (Devarshi; […]

In the genealogical line of Turvasu, the second son of Yayāti (Yayati), Marutta was without a son. So he adopts Duṣmanta (Dushmanta) of Puruvaṁśa (the hereditary line of Puru), as his son. According to Vāyupurāṇa (Vayupurana), this adopted son is Duṣkṛta (Dushkrita). According to Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Brahmandapurana), Sarupya is the son of Duṣmanta. Āndīra (Andira) is […]

A mountain called Trikakuda or Traikakuda has been referred to more than once in Atharvaveda and other Vedic literatures. Maybe the name was inspired by a presence of three peaks of the mountain (Sanskrit kakuda means ‘hump’ or ‘projection’). Atharvaveda was the first book to call this Trikakuda Hills Añjanaparvata (Anjanaparvata) —devāñjana traikakudaṃ pari mā […]

In Purāṇa(s) (Purana; Mythological Scripture), while giving description of the royal families of future, the name of Aśoka (Asoka), son of Vindusāra (Vindusara) and grandson of Candragupta (Chandragupta) Maurya – has been mentioned. In Bhāgavatapurāṇa (Bhagavatapurana), he is mentioned as Aśokavardhana (Asokavardhana), son of Vārisāra (Varisara), According to Purāṇa, he ruled for 26 years (in […]

The birthplace of the famous Rāmacandra (Ramacandra), also the place of his many deeds, and the land of Ādikavi (Adikavi) Vālmīki’s conception. In Rāmāyaṇa (Ramayana), Kośala (Kosala) is described as a rich land, situated on the southern bank of Sarayū (Sarayu). The capital of this Kośala was Ayodhyā (Ayodhya). Rāmacandra (Ramachandra) ruled Ayodhyā. Manu, lord of […]

In Vanaparva of of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), Maharṣi (Maharshi; great sage) Aṣṭāvakra (Ashtavakra) has addressed Rājarṣi (Rajarshi) Janaka as Ugrasena. It is to be noted that in Purāṇa (Purana; Mythological Scripture), all kings belonging to the lineage of Nimi , are called ‘Janaka’. Janaka is the family name of this royal dynasty. The name of the […]

In Śāntiparva (Santiparva)of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), while describing the greatness of the grandsire Bhīṣma, Yudhiṣṭhira mentions one Chakravartī (Chakravarti) king named Ugrāyudha (Ugrayudha). Ugrāyudha was defeated and slain by Bhīṣma (Bhishma). But in Mahābhārata, nothing more can be found about his lineage, and the reason of his enmity with Bhīṣma. However in other versions of Mahābhārata, […]

In Sabhāparva (Sabhaparva) of Mahābhārata (Mahabharata), we get the name of a locality and the tribe living there, both called Ulūka (Uluka)  — on the route of Arjuna’s expedition. Arjuna basically won the northern countries, and most of the localities that came under his power, were hilly areas of Himālaya (Himalaya). Ulūku was also a […]