Historical Geography of Ancient India c5.s5.150

c5.s5.150

Kuru.—There was a janapada named Kuru and its kings used to be called Kurus.³ The ancient literature refers to two Kuru countries, Uttarakuru and Dakṣiṇakuru. The Buddha delivered some profound discourses to the Kurus in one of the Kuru towns named Kammāsadhamma. The thera Raṭṭhapāla was a Kuru noble who is mentioned in the Majjhima Nikāya as holding a religious discussion with king Koravya.⁴ As to the origin of the Kurus a Cakkavattī king of Jambudīpa named Mandhātā conquered Pubba Videha, Aparagoyāna and Uttarakuru. While returning from Uttarakuru a large number of the inhabitants of that country followed Mandhātā to Jambudīpa, and the place in Jambudīpa where they settled became known as Kururaṭṭha.⁵ A large number of people in the Kuru country embraced Buddhism after listening to a number of religious discourses delivered by the Buddha.⁶