Historical Geography of Ancient India c10.241

c10.241

Virāṭanagara is also called Matsyanagara (*Mahābhārata*, IV, 13, 1). It was the royal seat of the epic king Virāṭa, the friend of the Pāṇḍavas. There was a fight between king Virāṭa and the Trigarttas with the result that the king was captured by them, but was rescued by Bhīma, the second Pāṇḍava (M. N. Dutt, *Mahābhārata*, Virāṭaparva, Chs. X, XXII, XXXI). It was in the Matsya kingdom that the Pāṇḍava brothers remained incognito for a year. They then disclosed their identity and a marriage was celebrated between Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna, and Uttarā, daughter of king Virāṭa (*Mahābhārata*, Ch. LXXII).