Tribes in Ancient India c70.34

c70.34

The capital of the country is generally called Virāṭanagara in the Virāṭaparvan and elsewhere in the *Mahābhārata*²; but occasionally it is called Matsyanagara,³ and also sometimes Matsyasyanagara.⁴ Evidently it was this Virāṭanagara which afterwards became known as Vairāṭ. This city was the royal seat of the Epic king Virāṭa, the friend of the Pāṇḍavas. The fourth book of the *Mahābhārata* refers to an attempt made by the Trigarttas to plunder the cows of Virāṭa. Virāṭa heard that the Trigarttas were taking away thousands of his kine. He thereupon collected his army; kings and princes put on their armour. Dreadful, infuriated elephants appeared like rain-bearing clouds, and were driven to battle by trained and skilled heroes. The leading heroes of Matsya, who followed their king, had 8,000 chariots, 1,000 elephants, and 60,000 horses. Nevertheless King Virāṭa was taken captive by the Trigarttas, but was rescued by Bhīma, the second Pāṇḍava.⁵ The period of exile of the Pāṇḍava brothers concluded with a year's living incognito in the kingdom of Matsya. They then disclosed their identity, and a marriage between Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna, and Uttarā, daughter of King Virāṭa, was arranged and celebrated with great pomp.⁶