The Geography of the Puranas c11.s1.29

c11.s1.29

The Sālvas were an important people of ancient India. According to the Mahābhārata, the Sālva country was situated near Kurukṣetra. The Sālvas are nearly always mentioned with Matsyas in ancient literature. Commenting on Salvayayava, the Kasika on Panini's Aṣṭādhyāyī named Udumbara, Tilakhala, Madrakāra (the Bhadrakāra of the Purāṇas), Yugandhara, Bhuliṅga and Śaradanda as the six Avayavas or parts of Śālva janapada. The Vāyu and Matsya Purāṇas locate the Śālvas amongst the people of Madhyadeśa, but the Viṣṇu and Brahma place them in the west. The obvious conclusion is that the Śālva janapada was located somewhere on the boundary of the 'Middle' and 'Western' regions of India.