Ekachakra

Ekachakra (एकचक्र) is a town mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi and in Mahabharata (I.59.25), (I.61.22), (I.90.79-80), (I.144.12).

Variants

• Ekachakkhu (एकचक्खु) (AS, p.109)
• Ekachakshu (एकचक्षु) (AS, p.109)
• Ekachakra (एकचक्रा) (AS, p.109)
• Ekachakranagari (एकचक्रा नगरी) (AS, p.109)
• Ekanagari (एकनगरी) (AS, p.109)
• Chakranagari (चक्रनगरी) = Chakrata

Mention by Panini

Ekachakra (एकचक्रा) is a term mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.

History

V. S. Agrawala writes that the Kashika gives the following examples of towns Paṭaliputra (पाटलिपुत्र) and Ekachakra (एकचक्र) (VII.3.14, IV.2.123) in the east.

एकचक्रा

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...एकचक्रा नगरी को महाभारत में पंचालदेश में स्थित बताया गया है। द्रौपदी के स्वयंवर के लिए जाते समय पांडव एकचक्रा नगरी में पहुँचे थे- 'एवं स तान् समाश्वास्य व्यास: सत्यवती सुत:, एकचक्रामभिगत: कुंतीमाश्वासयत् प्रभु:' (आदि पर्व 155,11)

बकासुर का वध भीम ने इसी नगरी में कहते हुए किया था। (आदि पर्व 156) संभव है एकचक्रा क्षेत्र का ही दूसरा नाम अहिच्छत्र हो। परिवक्रा या परिचक्रा शतपथ ब्राह्मण (13; 5, 4, 7) में पंचाल को एकनगरी कहा गया है, वह एकचक्रा ही जान पड़ती है। (वैदिक इंडेक्स 1,494)

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महाभारत में दुर्योधन ने लाक्षा के बने हुए घर में पाण्डवों को रखकर आग लगाकर, उन्हें जलाने का प्रयत्न किया, किन्तु पाँचों पाण्डव अपनी माता के साथ उस जलते हुए घर से बाहर निकल गये। वहाँ से एकचक्रा नगरी में जाकर वे मुनि के वेष में एक ब्राह्मण के घर में निवास करने लगे। फिर वहाँ बकासुर नामक एक राक्षस का वध किया। कुछ समय पश्चात् पाण्डव पांचाल राज्य में, जहाँ द्रौपदी का स्वयंवर होने वाला था, गये। वहाँ अर्जुन के बाहुबल से मत्स्यभेद होने पर पाँचों पाण्डवों ने द्रौपदी को पत्नी रूप में प्राप्त किया। पाण्डवों ने अपनी माता कुन्ती सहित एकचक्रा नगरी में कई दिन व्यतीत किए थे।

एकचक्खु

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...एकचक्खु (AS, p.109): एकचक्खु, एकचक्षु या एकचक्रा का तद्भव रूप है। सिंहल के बौद्ध इतिहास ग्रंथ (3,14) में दी हुई वंशावली के अनुसार यहाँ का अंतिम राजा पुरिंदद था।

परिचक्रा

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...परिचक्रा (AS, p.532) शतपथ ब्राह्मण 13,5,4,7 में पंचाल देश की नगरी का नाम उल्लेख है. बेवर ने इसका अभिज्ञान महाभारत की एकचक्रा (=अहिछात्र) से किया है-- (देखें वैदिक इंडेक्स 1,494) परिचक्रा नाम से शायद यह व्यंजित होता है कि इस नगरी का आकार चक्र के समान वर्तुल रहा होगा यह संभव है अहिच्छत्र के 'छत्र' से संबंध परंपरा से इसका नामकरण (चक्र-छत्र के समान गोल आकृति) हुआ हो-- (देखें एकचक्र,अहिछत्र). कई जगह परिचक्रा का रूपांतर परिवक्रा भी मिलता है.

Stay of Pandavas at Ekachakra

Sister Nivedita and Anand K. Coomaraswamy write that after escape from The House of Lac, the Pandavas, with their mother, fled on from forest to forest and town to town. Now they went in one disguise and again in another, till; at last they came to the town of Ekachakra, and being there received in the outer rooms of a Brahman and his family, they settled down to live as learned men by begging. With their tall forms, their deer-skin garments, their sacred threads, and their matted locks, all men took them for Brahmans. They lived for many months in simplicity and much happiness in the town of Ekachakra.

Now while the Pandavas were living with their mother disguised as Brahmans in the town of Ekachakra, there came one staunch friend and another out of their past life to visit them quietly. And from one of these they heard that Drupada, king of the Panchalas, had announced the Swayamvara of his beautiful daughter Draupadi. A few more words passed regarding the extraordinary charms and accomplishments of the princess of the Panchalas, and in the evening, when their guest had gone, Kunti noticed that her sons had fallen silent and listless. Then, guessing the cause of their changed spirits better than they could have done themselves, she said, with gentle tact, that she was tired of Ekachakra and would be glad to renew their wanderings, if her sons would, in the country of the Panchalas.

The very next day all said good-bye to their host the Brahman of Ekachakra and set out for Kampilya, the capital of Drupada.

In Mahabharata

Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Mahabharata Book I Chapter 59 mentions that Danu had forty sons, Ekachakra was one of them mentioned in verse (I.59.25).

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Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Mahabharata Book I Chapter 90 mentions that Duryodhana became exceedingly jealous of Pandavas. All Duryodhana's efforts proved futile. Then Dhritarashtra sent them, by an act of deception to Varanavata, and they went there willingly. There an endeavour was made to burn them to death; but it proved abortive owing to the warning counsels of Vidura. After that the Pandavas slew Hidimva, and then they went to a town called Ekachakra. There also they slew a Rakshasa of the name of Vaka and then went to Panchala. And there obtaining Draupadi for a wife they returned to Hastinapura. And there they dwelt for some time in peace and begat children.

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Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Mahabharata Book I Chapter 61 mentions ..The great Asura who was known as Ekachakra (I.61.22) became noted on earth as Pritivindhya.

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Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Mahabharata Book I Chapter 144 mentions.... Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, thus comforting the Pandavas, led them into the town of Ekachakra (I.144.12). And the master also comforted Kunti.

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Shalya Parva, Mahabharata/Book IX Chapter 45 mentions the List of the mothers who became the companions when Skanda was installed. Ekachakra एकचक्रा is in verse (IX.45.28).

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