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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t3: Mathura

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t3

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Mathura

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Till now it has not been possible to trace an express Vedic reference to Mathurā, the chief city of the country of Śūrasena. But its existence from at least the 5th century B C. appears to rest on firm ground. It is stated in the Anguttaranikāya (I. 167, ekam samayam āyasmā Mahākaccāno Madhurāyam viharati Gundāvane) and Majjhima (II. 84 same words) that Mahākaccāyana, a famous disciple of Buddha, assiduously preached in Mathurā the principles of his Master. Megasthenes appears to have known Mathurā and its connection with Heracles¹⁵⁵⁸ (Hari-Kṛṣṇa ?). The word ‘Māthura’ (meaning a resident of Mathurā, or born in or coming from Mathurā) occurs in Jaimini's Pūrva-mīmāṁsā-sūtra.¹⁵⁵⁹ Though Pāṇini's sūtras do not expressly mention Mathurā, the latter is included in the Varaṇādi-gaṇa (Pāṇ. IV. 2. 82). Pāṇini is, however, aware of Vāsudeva and Arjuna (IV. 3. 98), the Andhaka and Vṛṣṇi clans of Yādavas to which Kṛṣṇa belonged (IV. 1. 114) and probably knew the name Govinda (III. 1. 138 and vārtika ‘gavi ca vindeh sañjñāyām’). Mathurā is several times mentioned by the Mahābhāṣya of Patañjali who¹⁵⁶⁰ in a famous passage refers to dramatic representations, paintings and stories which depict the destruction of Kaṁsa by Vāsudeva. He also cites a quarter of a verse about the killing of Kaṁsa by Vāsudeva as a well-known past event. Whether the town Śaurya mentioned in the Mahābhāṣya on Vārtika 2 on Pāṇini II.

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4.7 (Śauryam ca Ketavatā ca Śaurya-Ketavate) is the same as Mathurā is doubtful, even though the Uttarādhyayanasūtra speaks of Mathurā as Śauryapura (S. B. E. vol. 45 p. 112). The Ādiparva (221. 46) indicates that Mathurā was famed for excellent cows in those days. When Haṁsa and Dimbhaka, brave commanders of Jarāsandha, drowned themselves in the Jumnā and when Jarāsandha sorrowfully went to Magadha Kṛṣṇa says 'we shall again joyfully reside in Mathurā' (Sabhāparva 14. 41-45). Ultimately Kṛṣṇa is said to have left Mathurā owing to the constant attacks of Jarāsandha and established the Yādavas in Dvārakā¹⁵⁶¹ (Sabhāparva, 14. 49-50 and 67). The Brahmapurāṇa, on the other hand, states that the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas on the advice of Kṛṣṇa left Mathurā through the fear of Kālayavana. Vide also Vi. V. 23. 8-15. The Vāyu (88. 185) states that Śatrughna, the brother of Rāma, killed the demon Lavaṇa, son of Madhu and established Mathurā in Madhuvana while the Rāmāyaṇa (Uttara-kāṇḍa 70. 6-9) informs us that Śatrughna took twelve years to make Mathurā a fine and prosperous city. In the Ghaṭa-jātaka (Fausböll, vol. IV. pp. 79-89 No. 454) Mathurā is called Uttara Madhurā (to distinguish it from Madhurā of the Pāṇḍyas in the south) and the story of Kaṁsa and Vāsudeva is narrated, which differs in some material points from the Mahābhārata and the Purāṇas. In the Raghuvamśa XV.28 it is mentioned as Madhurā and as founded by Śatrughna.

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Hiouen Thsang states that in Mathurā there existed in his day three *stūpas* built by Aśokarāja, that there were in Mathurā five Deva temples, 20 *sanghārāmas* (Buddhist convents) with 2000 Buddhist priests (Beal's B. R. W. W. vol. I p 179). James Allan (in 'Catalogue of the coins of Ancient India' 1936, p. CXVI) states that the coins of the Hindu kings of Mathurā cover the period from the beginning of the 2nd century B. C to the middle of the first century B. C. For some ancient coins from Mathurā, the Cambridge History of India, vol. I. p. 538 and plate V (No. 5-10) may be referred to. An interesting and informative work is 'Mathurā' by F S. Growse (2nd ed. 1880). Inscriptions contribute important evidence about the history and antiquity of Mathurā.¹⁵⁶² The famous inscription of Khāravela (E. I. vol. XX. at p. 79) includes among the exploits of that king of Kalinga the retreat of the Yavana king Dimita to Madhurā (i. e. Mathurā). Several Inscriptions of such Kuṣāṇa rulers as Kaniṣka, Huviṣka and others relating to Mathurā have been published of which the following may be mentioned: Inscription on a Nāga image at Mathurā of 'Mahārāja-rājātirāja Kanikkha' in *saṁvat* 8 (E I. vol. 17. p. 10)¹⁵⁶³; the Mathurā pedestal Inscription of Kaniṣka in the 14th year (E. I. vol. 19 p. 96); inscription on the pedestal of the image of a seated Bodhisattva at Mathurā in the reign of Huviṣka in *saṁvat* 33 (E I. vol. 8 pp. 181-182);

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Inscription of a king Vāsu (rest of the name lost) of the year 74 (E. I. vol. 9 p. 241) and of the time of Śoṇḍāsa (E. I. vol. 9 p. 246); seven Brāhmī inscriptions from Mathurā and its vicinity (E. I. vol. 24 pp. 194-210) There is further an interesting inscription recording the dedication of a stone slab in the temple of Nāgendra Dadhikarṇa by Nandibala and other sons of some actor (Śailālaka) brothers of Mathurā (E. I. vol. I. at p. 390). From the Viṣṇu-purāṇa VI. 8. 31 it follows that an image of Hari had been installed in Mathurā before that purāṇa was composed. The Vāyupurāṇa¹⁵⁶⁴ informs us in a prophetic vein that seven Nāga kings will rule over Mathurā, Prayāga, Sāketa and Magadha before the Guptas. Alberuni's India (vol. II. p. 147) states that Māhurā (Mathurā) is crowded with brāhmanas.

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¹⁵⁵⁸ Vide McCrindle's 'Megasthenes and Arrian' p. 201 where it is said that Heracles was held in special honour by the Sourasenoi tribe (Śūrasena) which possessed two large cities, Mathurā and Kleisobora (Kṛṣṇapura ?), while Ptolemy calls it 'Modoura of the gods' (vide McCrindle's 'Ancient India as described by Ptolemy', ed. of 1927, p. 124).

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¹⁵⁵⁹ स्याद्योगाख्या हि माथुरवत्। जै I. 3 21 on which शबर says यतो दृश्यते मथुरायामभिप्रस्थितो माथुर इति मथुरायां वसन् मथुरायां निर्गतश्च The तन्त्रवार्तिक (p. 251) finds fault with the words underlined.

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¹⁵⁶⁰ न ह्येको देवदत्तो युगपत्स्रुघ्ने च भवति मथुरायां च। महाभाष्य vol I. pp. 18, 19 and 244, सप्तम्यर्थेऽपि चै वतिर्भवति तद्यथा। मथुरायामिव मधुरात्रत्। पाटलिपुत्र इव पाटलिपुत्रवत्। महाभाष्य vol I. p. 192 (on पा I. 2. 1) and vol. III p. 299 (on पा VII. 2 62, वार्तिक 3). Vide note 1409 above where माथुर cloth is said to be inferior to काशिक cloth and my paper on 'Ancient cities and towns mentioned in the Mahābhāṣya' JBBRAS vol 27 pp. 39-42 (1951) for other references. ये तावदेते शोभनिका नामैते प्रत्यक्षं कंसं घातयन्ति प्रत्यक्षं च बलिं बन्धयन्तीति। .. केचित्कंसभक्ता भवन्ति केचिद्वासुदेवभक्ताः। महाभाष्य vol II. p. 36 on पा. III 1. 26 and वार्तिक 15, मयोतूर्दर्शनविषये इति किमर्थम्। जघान कंसं किल वासुदेव । महाभाष्य (vol, II, p. 119 on पा. III. 2. 111).

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¹⁵⁶¹ वयं चैव महाराज जरासन्धभयात्तदा । मथुरां सम्परित्यज्य गता द्वारवतीं पुरीम् ॥ सभा 14. 67; ततो वृष्ण्यन्धकाः कृष्णं पुरस्कृत्य महामतिम् । समेता मन्त्रयामासुर्यवनस्य भयात्तदा । कृत्वा विनिश्चयं सर्वे पलायनमरोचयन् । विहाय मथुरां रम्यां मानयन्तः पिनाकिनम् । कुशस्थलीं द्वारवतीं निवेशयितुमीप्सव ॥ ब्रह्म 14 54-56.

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¹⁵⁶² Vide Dr. B. C Law's learned paper on 'Mathurā in Ancient India' in J. A. S. of Bengal, vol. XIII (for 1947) pp. 21-30.

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¹⁵⁶³ The generally accepted date for Kaniṣka is 78 A. D. Vide Journal of the Bihar and Orissa R. Society, vol 23 (1937) pp. 113-117 (by Dr. A Banerji-Sastri).

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¹⁵⁶⁴ नव नाकास्तु (नागास्तु?) भोक्ष्यन्ति पुरीं चम्पावतीं नृपाः । मथुरां च पुरीं रम्यां नागा भोक्ष्यन्ति सप्त वै। अनुगङ्गं प्रयागं च साकेतं मगधांस्तथा। एताञ् जनपदान्सर्वान् भोक्ष्यन्ते गुप्तवंशजाः ॥ वायु 99. 382-83, Br. III. 74 194 Vide Jayaswal, 'History of India' (150-350 A. D.) pp 3-15 for the Nāga dynasty.

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From the above brief historical sketch it would appear that Mathurā was, five or six centuries before Christ, a flourishing city where the epic Hinduism prevailed, that later on Buddhism and Jainism dominated it, that there must have been a revival of Hinduism under the Nāga and Gupta emperors, that in the 7th century A. D., when Hiouen Thsang wrote, Hinduism and Buddhism were equally prominent and that in the 11th century A. D. it was completely dominated by the Brahmanic faith.

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The Agnipurāṇa furnishes the strange information that Bharata at the command of Rāma killed three crores of the sons of Śailūṣa in the city of Mathurā¹⁵⁶⁵. Mathurā has been the centre of Kṛṣṇa worship and of Bhāgavatism for over two thousand years. The Varāha-purāṇa devotes about one thousand verses to the greatness of Mathurā and its sub-tīrthas (chap. 152–178). The Bṛhan-nāradīya, chapters 79–80, Bhāgavata X and Viṣṇu-purāṇa V–VI devote much space to Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā, Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, Govardhana and Kṛṣṇa's exploits there.

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¹⁵⁶⁵ अभूत्पुर्नथुरा काचिद्रामोक्तो भरतोवधीत् । कोटित्रयं तु शैलूषपुत्राणां निशितैः शरैः॥ शैलूषं हतगन्धर्वं सिन्धुतीरनिवासिनम् । अग्नि 11. 8-9 शैलूष also means an (*Continued from the last page*) actor Has this anything to do with a dispute between the followers of Bharata, the reputed author of the Nātyaśāstra, and other actors? The Nāṭyaśāstra chap. 17. 47 (G.O.S) prefers the dialect of Śūrasena for dramas. Vide my 'History of of Sanskrit Poetics' p 40 (1951).

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For want of space only a few verses about Mathurā will be set out here. The Padma (Ādikhaṇḍa 29. 46–47) says 'Yamunā gives mokṣa when united with Mathurā; Yamunā gives rise to great merit in Mathurā and when united to Mathurā it bestows devotion to Viṣṇu'. In the Varāhapurāṇa (152. 8, 11) Viṣṇu says 'There is no place either in the nether regions or on the earth or in mid air as dear to me as Mathurā. Mathurā is a famous kṣetra of mine that confers *mukti*; no place is to me higher than it. It is my birth-place and it is lovely, commendable and dear to me'. The Padma says '*Māthuraka* is a name extremely dear to Viṣṇu'. The *Harivaṁśa* contains a fine description of Mathurā, one verse from which may be quoted here 'Mathurā is the hump (i. e. the most eminent spot) of Madhyadeśa, it is simply the abode of the goddess of wealth, it is the horn (i. e. the most prominent part) of the earth, there is nothing like it and it is endowed with abundant wealth and agricultural produce'.¹⁵⁶⁶

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¹⁵⁶⁶ तस्मान्माथुरकं नाम विष्णोरेकान्तवल्लभम् । पद्म. IV. 69. 12. मध्यदेशस्य ककुद् धाम लक्ष्म्याश्च केवलम् । शृङ्गं पृथिव्याः स्वालक्ष्यं प्रभूतधनधान्यवत् ॥ हरिवंश, विष्णुपर्व 57. 2-3.

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The tract round about Mathurā is said to be 20 yojanas in extent and the city of Mathurā was in its midst¹⁵⁶⁷. The Varāhapurāṇa and the Nāradīya (uttarārdha) chapters 79–80 mention numerous tīrthas in and about Mathurā. It is not possible to enumerate them here. A few important ones will be noticed briefly. Both Varāha (chap. 153 and 161 6–10) and Nāradīya (uttarārdha 79. 10–18) mention twelve forests near Mathurā viz. Madhu, Tāla, Kumuda, Kāmya, Bahula, Bhadra, Khadira, Mahāvana, Lohajangha, Bilva, Bhāndīra and Vṛndāvana. There are also 24 upavanas enumerated by Growse on 'Mathurā' (p. 76) which are not mentioned by the Purāṇas but only by later works. Vṛndāvana ¹⁵⁶⁸ was to the north-west of Mathurā on the Yamunā and was five yojanas in extent (Viṣṇupurāṇa V. 6. 28-40, Nāradīya, uttarārdha 80. 6, 8 and 77). It was the scene of Kṛṣṇa's adventures and love-making The Padma IV. 69 9 speaks of it as a portion of Vaikuṇṭha on the earth. The Matsya (13. 38) identifies Rādhā in Vṛndāvana as Devī Dākṣāyaṇī.¹⁵⁶⁹ In Kālidāsa's day it had great fame. In Raghuvaṁśa VI, while describing Susena of the Nīpa family, king of Śūrasena, Vṛndāvana is said to be no less charming than Caitraratha, the park of Kubera (verse 50). Then there is the Govardhana ¹⁵⁷⁰ hill, which Kṛṣṇa lifted up on his little finger to afford shelter for seven days to the cowherds and their cattle against the heavy rains sent down by Indra (Viṣṇupurāṇa V. 11. 15-25). It is stated in the Varāhapurāṇa (164 1) that Govardhana is about two yojanas from Mathurā to its west. This appears to be tolerably correct as at present it is 18 miles from Vṛndāvana. The Kūrma (I. 14 18) says that the very ancient king Pṛthu performed austerities here. The details given in the Hari-vaṁśa and the Purāṇas are sometimes confused and misleading. For example, in the Harivaṁśa (Viṣṇuparva 13. 3) it is stated that Tālavana is to the north of Govardhana on the Yamunā, while it is south-east of Govardhana Kālidāsa refers to the caverns of Govardhana (Raghuvaṁsa 6. 51). Gokula is the same as Vraja or Mahāvana, where Kṛṣṇa was brought up in his early childhood by Nand-gopa who removed his habitation from Gokula to Vṛndāvana out of fear of what Kaṁsa might do. The great Vaiṣṇavite saint Caitanya visited Vṛndāvana (Caitanya-caritāmṛta canto 19 and 9th Act of the drama Caitanyacandrodaya, both by Kavikarṇapūra or Paramānandadāsa). In the 16th century Vṛndāvana became a centre of Caitanya's *bhakti* movement owing to the strenuous efforts and learned writings of the *Gosvāmins* of Vṛndāvana, particularly Sanātana, Rūpa and Jīva. Vide Prof. S. K. De's 'Vaiṣṇava faith and movement in Bengal' (1942) pp. 83-122. Vallabhācārya, who was a contemporary of Caitanya founded new Gokula, one mile to the south of Mahāvana in imitation of the ancient Gokula. Caitanya and Vallabhācārya met at Vṛndāvana (vide Manilal C. Parekh's work on Vallabhācārya p. 161). The old temples of Mathurā met the same fate at the orders of Aurangzeb as the temples of Banaras.¹⁵⁷¹

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¹⁵⁶⁷ विंशतियोजनानां तु माथुरं परिमण्डलम् । तन्मध्ये मथुरा नाम पुरी सर्वोत्तमोत्तमा ॥ नारदीय (उत्तर) 79. 20-21.

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¹⁵⁶⁸ The पद्म (पाताल 75 8-14) puts an esoteric interpretation on कृष्ण, गोपीs and कालिन्दी. The गोपपत्न्य. are योगिनीs, कालिन्दी is सुषुम्ना, कृष्ण is सर्वव्यापक and so on

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¹⁵⁶⁹ Dey (p. 42) regards the identity of the modern Vṛndāvana which is only 6 miles from Mathurā (in the opposite direction to Gokula) with the ancient Vṛndāvana described in the Purāṇas as extremely doubtful on several grounds, the most cogent being that ancient Vṛndāvana and Mathurā appear to have been situated on opposite sides of the Yamunā, while modern Vṛndāvana and Mathurā are on the same side of the river But the references he gives for this last statement viz Visnupurāṇa 5 18 33 and Bhāgavatapurāṇa X. 39. 34 do not in my opinion bear out what he says. The Nāradīya (II. 80 6-7) appears to say that Vṛndāvana is near Govardhana and along the Yamunā and Nandīgrāma

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¹⁵⁷⁰ यमी पुण्या नदी यत्र पुण्यो गोवर्धनो गिरिः। तत्किं वृन्दावनात्पुण्यमरण्यं भुवि विद्यते ॥ कलिकल्मषभीतानां विषयासक्तचेतसाम् । नान्यद् वृन्दावनात्सेव्यमस्ति लोकेष्वपि त्रिषु ॥ नारदीय (उत्तर) 80. 104-105.

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¹⁵⁷¹ Vide Elliott and Dowson's 'History of India as told by its own historians' vol. VII p. 184, where a passage from the 'Ma-Asir i-Alamgiri' is translated to the effect that "Aurangzeb commanded the destruction of the Hindu temple at Mathurā known by the name of 'Dehra Kesu Rai' (which according to that work had been built at a cost of 33 lakhs of rupees) and soon that stronghold of falsehood was levelled with the ground and on the same spot was laid the foundation of a vast mosque."

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The Sabhāparva (319. 23-25) narrates that Jarāsandha threw his mace from Girivraja (Rājgir in Bihar, the ancient capital of Magadha) and it fell in Mathurā at the distance of 99 yojanas before Kṛṣṇa and the place where it fell was thence called *Gadāvasāna*. I have not come across this name anywhere else.

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Growse describes in chap. IX pp. 222 ff. the temples of Vṛndāvana and in chap. XI Govardhana, Barsān, the birthplace of Rādhā, and Nandgaon. Vide also 'Picturesque India' by W. S Caine pp. 253 ff. for Mathurā and neighbouring holy places.

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