Historical Geography of Ancient India c10.30

c10.30

The Avantīs were one of the most powerful of the Kṣatriya clans in ancient India. They occupied the territory which lay north of the Vindhya mountains. They were one of the four chief monarchies in India when Buddhism arose and were later absorbed into the Moriyan empire.⁴ They were an ancient people as the *Mahābhārata* points out. Their dual monarchs, Vinda and Anuvinda, led Duryodhana’s army in the battle of Kurukṣetra, and really speaking the Avantīs made up one-fifth of the entire Kuru host.⁵ They were great warriors accomplished in battles, of firm strength and prowess, and were two of the best chariot-warriors.¹ They figured very prominently in the course of the whole war and performed many glorious and heroic deeds. They rendered great and useful service to the Kaurava cause both by their individual prowess and generalship, as well as by the numerous army consisting of forces of all descriptions that they led to battle. They supported Bhīṣma in the early stage of the battle.² They led an attack against the mighty Arjuna.³ They fought very bravely with the mighty Irāvat, son of Arjuna. They attacked Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the generalissimo of the Pāṇḍavas. They surrounded Arjuna and fought Bhīmasena.⁴ Thus they fought bravely in the field until they laid down their lives at the hands of Arjuna according to some⁵ or at the hands of Bhīma according to others.⁶