Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c12.2625

v1.c12.2625

**Kuru.**—A country, one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas.¹ Frequent references to it are found in the Pāli Canon. It is said that Kuru was originally the name of the chieftains (*rājakumārā*) of the country and that their territory was later named after them. Buddhaghosa² records a tradition which states that, when Mandhātā returned to Jambudīpa from his sojourn in the four Mahādīpas and in the devalokas, there were in his retinue a large number of the people of Uttarakuru. They settled down in Jambudīpa, and their settlement was known as Kururaṭṭha. It had many towns and villages.