The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c5.s11.68

c5.s11.68

Māhishmatī—Maheśvara or Mahesh, on the right bank of the Nerbuda, forty miles to the south of Indore. It was the capital of Haihaya or Anūpadeśa, the kingdom of the myriad-handed Kārtya-vīryārjuna of the Purāṇas, who was killed by Paraśurāma, son of Jamadagni and Reṇukā and disciple of Subrahmanya (*JASB.*, 1838, p. 495; *Bhāgavata P.*, IX, ch. 15). It was founded by Mahishmān according to the *Harivaṃśa* (I, ch. 30), and by Mahisha according to the *Padma P.* (Uttara, ch. 75). It is also called Chuli Maheśvara (Garrett’s *Classical Dictionary*). It has been correctly identified by Mr. Pargiter (*Mārkaṇḍeya P.*, p. 333 note) with Māndhātā on the Nerbuda (*JRAS.*, 1910, pp. 445-6); see Oṃkāranātha. It is the Māhissati of the Buddhists. The country, of which Māhishmatī (Māhissati) was the capital, was called during the Buddhist period Avanti-Dakshināpatha (D. R. Bhandarkar’s *Ancient History of India*, pp. 45, 54). Maṇḍana Miśra, afterwards called Viśvarūpa Āchārya, who was born at Rājgir resided here, and it was at this place that he was defeated in controversy by Śaṅkarāchārya (Mādhavāchārya’s *Śaṅkaradigvijaya*, ch. 8). The *Anargharāghava* (Act VII, 115) says that Māhishmatī was the capital of Chedi at the time of the Kalachuris. According to the *Mahā-Govinda Suttanta* (*Dīgha Nikāya*, XIX, 36) Mahissati or Māhishmatī was the capital of Avanti (Malwa).