Historical Geography of Ancient India c9.91

c9.91

Dvāravatī (= Dvārakā = Jaina Bāravai).—It is also called Kuśasthali. It is a holy place according to the Skanda Purāṇa (Ch. 1, 19-23). The Yoginitantra (2. 4, pp. 128-129) also refers to it. It is a holy spot according to the Kālikā Purāṇa (Ch. 58. 35). It was originally situated near the mountain Girnar, but in later times it has been recognized as Dvārakā on the sea-shore on the extreme west coast of Kāthiāwād. It is the 'Barake' of the Periplus (p. 389). The Jain Nāyādhammakahāo (V, p. 68) points out that Bāravai or Dvāravatī was the home of Kṛṣṇa Vāsudeva (Kaṇha Vāsudeva). It was built by Revata. Kṛṣṇa performed the Aśvamedha sacrifice here (Bhāgavata, I. 8. 10-27; X. 89. 22). The Antagaḍadasāo (p. 5) also refers to it as the home of Andhaka-Vṛṣṇis (Andhagavaṇhi). According to the Harivaṃśa (Ch. CXV, 45-49) this city was properly protected by doors, adorned with the most excellent walls, girt by ditches, filled with palaces, decorated with pools, streamlets of pure water and with gardens. Ten brothers who were the sons of Andhaka-Veṇhu desired to conquer the whole of India. After conquering Ayodhyā they proceeded to Dvāravatī which had sea on one side and mountains on the other. This city had four gates. At first they failed to take it, but afterwards they succeeded. They lived in the city after dividing it into ten parts (Jātaka, IV, pp. 82-84). Vāsudeva, the eldest of the ten brothers, had a beloved wife named Jambāvatī, who was a Caṇḍāla by caste. One day he went out of Dvāravatī and while going to a park he saw a very beautiful girl on the way. He fell in love with her and made her his chief queen. She gave birth to a son named Śivi who became the ruler of Dvāravatī after his father's death (Jātaka, VI, p. 421). This city contains a very beautiful Hindu temple. The Kukuras seem to have occupied the Dvārakā region which is described as Kukurāndha Vṛṣṇibhiḥ Yuptāḥ. The Bhāgavata¹ and the Vāyu Purāṇas refer to this tribe when it represents Ugrasena, the king of the Yādavas, as originated from the Kukuras (Kukurodbhava). The Kāmbojas had their country on a trade route connecting it with Dvārakā (Petavatthu, p. 23). Vāsudeva's son by a Caṇḍāla woman reigned here (Jātaka, VI, p. 421). Vijaya, king of Dvāravatī, was among a few ancient kings who reached perfection as hermits (Uttarādhyayanasūtra, XVIII). The Andhakaveṇhu youths of Dvāravatī roughly handled Kaṇha-Dīpāyana and ultimately put him to death. For further details, vide B. C. Law, Indological Studies, I, p. 52.