Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c9.s8: Section II. An Epic Account of the Mahājanapadas

Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c9.s8

Language: English

Section II. An Epic Account of the Mahājanapadas

c9.s8.1

An interesting account of the characteristics of the peoples of most of the *Mahājanapadas* described above is to be found in the *Karṇa parva* of the *Mahābhārata*.¹

c9.s8.2

¹ *Mahābhārata*, VIII. 40. 29; 45. 14-16; 28; 34; 40.

c9.s8.3

The Kurus, Pañchālas, Matsyas, Kosalas, Kāśis, Magadhas, Chedis and Sūrasenas receive praise. Patriots hailing from Aṅga include their country in this list:

*Kuravaḥ saha Pañchālāḥ Śālvā Matsyāḥ sa-Naimishāḥ*²
*Kosalāḥ Kāśayo’ ṅgāścha Kaliṅgā Māgadhāstathā*
*Chedayaścha mahābhāgā dharmaṁ jānanti śāśvatam*
*brāhmaṁ Pañchālāḥ Kauraveyāstu dharmaṁ*
*Satyaṁ Matsyāḥ Sūrasenāścha yajñam.*

c9.s8.5

² The Naimishas occupied Nimsār, 20 miles from Sītāpur, on the left bank of the Gumti river (Ayyar, *Origin and Early History of Śaivism in South India*, 91).

c9.s8.6

"The Kauravas with the Pañchālas, the Sālvas, the Matsyas, the Naimishas, the Kosalas, the Kāśis, the Aṅgas the Kaliṅgas, the Magadhas, and the Chedis who are all highly blessed, know what the eternal Law of Righteousness is. The Pañchālas observe the Vedic code, the Kauravas the law of right conduct, the Matsyas truth, and the Sūrasenas sacrificial rites."

c9.s8.7

The Magadhas comprehend hints, the Kosalas understand from what they see,—the Kurus and Pañchālas gather the sense from half-expressed words, while the Sālvas need full instruction.

c9.s8.8

*Iṅgitajñāścha Magadhāḥ prekshitajñāścha Kośalāḥ.*
*arddhoktāḥ Kuru-Pañchālāḥ Sālvāḥ kṛitsnānuśāsanāḥ.*

c9.s8.9

The Aṅgas had their detractors and come in for a good deal of condemnation along with the Madras and the Gandhāras :

c9.s8.10

*Āturāṇāṁ parityāgaḥ sadāra-suta-vikrayaḥ*
*Aṅgeshu vartate Karṇa yeshāṁ adhipatir bhavān.*

c9.s8.11

"The abandonment of the afflicted and the sale of wives and children are, O Karṇa, prevalent among the Aṅgas whose overlord thou art."

c9.s8.12

*Madrakeshu cha saṁsṛishṭaṁ*
*śauchaṁ Gāndhārakeshu cha,*
*rāja-yājaka-yājye cha*
*nashṭaṁ dattaṁ havir bhavet.*

c9.s8.13

"Amongst the Madrakas all acts of friendship are lost as purity among the Gāndhārakas, and the libations poured in a sacrifice in which the king is himself the sacrificer and priest."

c9.s8.14

The verses quoted above give a fair idea of the attitude, mainly of poets of the western part of the *Madhyadeśa* towards most of the *Mahājanapadas* of Northern India.