Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.643

c6.643

Śalva.—The Gopatha-Brāhmaṇa (1, 2, 9) refers to the country of the Śalvas. In Pāṇini's sūtra (4. 1. 173, 178) it is stated that the Śalvajana-pada consists of Audumvara (Udumvara), Tilakhala, Madrakāra, Yugandhara, Bhūliṅga and Śaradaṇḍa. Pāṇini also refers to a town named Vaidhumāgni built by Vidhumāgni in the Śalva country (4. 2. 76, 4. 2. 133, 4. 1. 169). Patañjali in his Mahābhāṣya mentions it (4. 2. 76). The Śalvas probably occupied the territory now occupied by the native state of Alwar (Cunningham, A.R.A.S.I., XX, p. 120; Matsyapurāṇa, Ch. 113). The Viṣṇupurāṇa (II, Ch. III, śl. 16-18) and the Brahmapurāṇa (Ch. 19, 16-18) place the Śalvas in the west. According to the Mahābhārata the Śalva country was situated near Kurukṣetra (Virāṭaparva, Chap. I). It was the kingdom of the father of Satyavān, husband of Sāvitrī (Vanaparva, Chap. 282). The capital of the Śalvas was Śālvapura, also called Saubhaganagara (Mahābh., Vanaparva, Chap. 14). In the great Bhārata battle, the Śalvas lent their support to Duryodhana against the Pāṇḍavas (Bhīṣmaparva, Chap. 20, 10, 12, 15).