Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1930

c7.1930

(ii) Kaṃsa was a fierce bow-man. All the kings hated him. Kaṃsa kept under him a crore of fighting men. He had eight lakhs of charioteers and an equal number of elephants. His army contained thirtytwo lakhs of horses. (Dākṣiṇātyapāṭha; M.B., Sabhā Parva, Chapter 38). KAMSA II. Mahābhārata mentions another Kaṃsa who was also killed by Kṛṣṇa. But he was not the son of Ugrasena. (M.B. Sabhā Parva, Dākṣiṇātyapāṭha, Page 325). KĀMYĀ. A celestial woman. In Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 122, it is said that she took part in the celebrations at the birth of Arjuna. KĀMYAKAVANA. The Pāṇḍavas lived in this forest for a long time, during their forest life. At that time, several sages were performing penance in Kāmyakavana. Vidura who went out in search of the Pāṇḍavas met them in this forest. After that Sañjaya went to Kāmyakavana and took Vidura with him. It was in this forest that the Pāṇḍavas met sages Mārkaṇḍeya and Nārada. (M.B. Vana Parva). KAN. Dakṣa. (See under DAKṢA). KĀṆABHŪTI. A devil. His name in the previous life was "Supratīka". Once he made friends with the devil Sthūlaśiras. Kubera who became angry at this, cursed Supratīka and turned him into a devil. Supratīka settled down in the Vindhya mountain, assuming the new name "Kāṇabhūti". After narrating Bṛhatkathā to Guṇāḍhya, Kāṇabhūti assumed his former form. (For further details, see under the word GUṆĀḌHYA). KAṆĀDA. A famous sage of ancient India. He was the founder of the Vaiśeṣika system. The word means one who eats Kaṇa (atom). His foes gave this name to ridicule him. He is also called Kaṇabhakṣaka. Kaṇāda is known as Pippalāda (He got that name because he used to eat Pippali (long pepper) in large quantities). (See under PIPPALĀDA). KANAKA. A big forest on the southern base of Mahāmeru. Añjanādevī gave birth to Hanūmān in this forest. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa). KANAKADHVAJA. (KANAKĀṄGADA). A son of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He was slain by Bhīmasena). (Śloka 27, Chapter 96, Bhīṣma Parva). KANAKĀKṢA. A soldier of Skandadeva. (Śloka 74, Chapter 45, Śalya Parva). KANAKĀṄGADA. See under KANAKADHVAJA. KANAKAREKHĀ. Daughter of the King of the island of Kanakapuri. By a curse she was born as the daughter of Paropakāri, King of the city of Vardhamāna. A brahmin named Śaktideva married her. (Caturdārīkālambaka, Kathāsaritsāgara, Taraṅga 1). KANAKAVARṢA. A King who ruled the country of Kanakapuri on the banks of the river Gaṅgā. (Kathāsaritsāgara). KANAKĀVATĪ. A follower of Skandadeva. (Chapter 618) Śalya Parva). KANAKĀYUS. A son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He had another name, Karakāyus. This prince was present at the svayaṃvara of Draupadī. (Śloka 185, Chapter 67, Ādi Parva). KANAKHALA I. The place where the Dakṣayāga was conducted. (Chapter 4, Vāmana Purāṇa). KANAKHALA II. A holy place on the shores of the river Gaṅgā. If one bathes in this river one gets the benefit of performing an Aśvamedha sacrifice. (Śloka 30, Chapter 84, Vana Parva). Kālidāsa speaks about this place in his famous work ‘Meghadūta’. At the behest of Vasiṣṭha, Takṣaka, son of Lakṣmaṇa, conquered the foresters of Kanakhala and then established a city there called Agati. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa).