Mahishaka
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Mahishaka (महिषक) or Mahisha (महिष) was a kingdom in ancient India, ruled by the Asura king Mahisha. His capital, Mahisha City, is currently known as Mysore, a city in Karnataka. This kingdom is mentioned in Mahabharata, though Puranas (especially Markandeya Purana) gives more information. The Sanskrit word Mahisha means a buffalo (Bhains in Hindi).
Variants
- Mahisha (महिष) (AS, p.726)
- Mahisha Parvata महिष (AS, p.726)
- Mahisha माहिष = Mahishaka माहिषक, (AS, p.742)
- Mahishasura महिषासुर, दे. मैसूर, (AS, p.727)
- Mahinsak/Mahinsaka (In Pali)
Jat Gotras Namesake
- Bains (Jat clan) = Mahishaka (महिषक) or Mahishasura (महिषासुर). Bains (बैंस) Jat Gotra is said to be originated from The Mahabharata Tribe - Mahishaka (महिषक). The sanskrit word Mahisha (महिष) is same as Bhains (भैंस) in Hindi which changes to Bains (बैंस) in prakrut which is a Jat clan.
- Bains (Jat clan) = Mahishaka (महिषक) or Mahishasura (महिषासुर). Bains (बैंस) Jat Gotra is said to be originated from The Mahabharata Tribe - Mahishaka (महिषक). The sanskrit word Mahisha (महिष) is same as Bhains (भैंस) in Hindi which changes to Bains (बैंस) in prakrut which is a Jat clan. Mahishasura (महिषासुर) (L.13-14) is mentioned in Pujaripali Stone Inscription of Gopaladeva......(V. 26) - Having seen that the buffalo-demon (Mahishasura: महिषासुर) (L.13-14) was killed (by the goddess) by planting (on him) the big toe of her foot, that brave Gôpâla praised (the goddess) Ambikā (अम्बिका). [1] Pujaripali (पुजारीपली) is village in Sarangarh tahsil in Raigarh district in Chhattisgarh.
Mention by Panini
Mahisha (माहिष), allowances of Mahishi (महिषी), 404 is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [2]
History
Sandhya Jain[3] writes that Mahishaka (महिषक), mentioned in 'geography' Mahabharata (VI.10.57), may be identified with the people of Mysore.
Jat History
Bhim Singh Dahiya[4] writes with reference to Heornle and Cunningham that Harshavardhana belonged to this clan. He is connected with Shrimalpur which is a village on the border of Hoshiarpur and Jullundhar districts in Punjab and is nowadays called Māhalpur. Even today it is inhabited by Bains clan of Jats. Bains people are mentioned in Mahabharata along with Khatkal, Karaskar, Mahishaka, Karkana and Viraka, by their Sanskrit name Mahisha which becomes or Bhains or Bains in Indian languages of English word buffalo. [5] Bains is one of 36 royal clans in India along with Salar, Dahima etc.[6]
महिष पर्वत
विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर[7] ने लेख किया है ...महिष पर्वत (AS, p.726) विष्णु पुराण 2,4,26-27 में उल्लिखित शाल्मल द्वीप का एक पर्वत '‘कुमुदश्चोन्नतश्चैव तृतीयश्च बलाहक:, द्रोणो यत्र महौषध्य: स चतुर्थो महीधर:। कंकस्तू पंचम: षष्ठो महिष: सप्तमस्तथा, कुकुदमान् पर्वतवर: सरिन्नामानि मे श्रुणु'। शाल्मल द्वीप के सात पर्वत हैं - कुमुद, उन्नत, बलाहक, द्रोणाचल, कंक, महिष, कुकुद्मान।
माहिष = माहिषक
विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर[8] ने लेख किया है ...माहिषक (AS, p.742) मैसूर का प्राचीन नाम. 'कारस्करान् महिष्कान कुरंडान् केरलांस्तथा, कर्कॊटकान् वीरकांश च दुर्धर्मांश च विवर्जयेत' महा. कर्ण.44,33. माहिषक देश को महाभारत काल में विवर्जनीय समझा जाता था. विष्णु पुराण 4,24,65 में माहिष देश का उल्लेख है--'कलिंगमाहिषमहेंद्रभौमान गुहा भोक्ष्यन्ति'. यह देश माहिष्मती भी हो सकता है. (दे. मैसूर)
मैसूर
विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर[9] ने लेख किया है ... मैसूर (AS, p.762) का नाम महिषासुर दैत्य के नाम पर प्रसिद्ध है. किवदंती है कि देवी चंडी ने महिषासुर का वध इसी स्थान पर किया था. मैसूर के प्रांत का महत्व अति प्राचीन काल से चला आ रहा है क्योंकि मौर्य सम्राट अशोक (तीसरी सदीई.पू.) के दो शिलालेख मैसूर राज्य में प्राप्त हुए हैं (देखें ब्रह्मगिरि, मासकी). मैसूर नगर इस प्रांत की पुरानी राजधानी है. नगर के पास चामुंडी की पहाड़ी पर चामुंडेश्वरी देवी का मंदिर उसी स्थान पर है जहां देवी ने महिषासुर का वध किया था. 12 वीं सदी में होयसल नरेश के समय मैसूर राज्य में वास्तुकला उन्नति के शिखर पर पहुंच गई थी जिसका उदाहरण बेलूर का प्रसिद्ध मंदिर है. मैसूर का प्राचीन नाम महीशूर भी कहा जाता है. महाभारत में संभवत मैसूर के जनपद का नाम माहिष या माहिषक है (देखें माहिष).
In Mahabharata
- Mahisha (महिष) in Mahabharata (IX.44.77),
- Mahisha (माहिष) (Province) in Mahabharata (VI.10.45),
- Mahishaka (माहिषक) in Mahabharata (VI.10.57),(VIII.30.45),
Shalya Parva, Mahabharata (IX.44.77) describes the Kings and clans who joined the ceremony for investing Kartikeya with the status of generalissimo. Mahisha (महिष) is mentioned in Mahabharata (IX.44.77). [10]
Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 10 describes geography and provinces of Bharatavarsha. Mahisha (माहिष) (Province) is mentioned in Mahabharata (VI.10.45).[11] ....the Mallas, the Sudeshnas, the Prahutas, the Mahishas, the Karshikas; the Vahikas, the Vatadhanas, the Abhiras, the Kalatoyakas;...
Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 10 describes geography and provinces of Bharatavarsha. Mahishaka (माहिषक) country is mentioned in the south in Mahabharata (VI.10.57).[12].... "There are other kingdoms in the south. They are the Dravidas, the Keralas, the Prachyas, the Mushikas, and the Vanavashikas; the Mahishakas, the Vikalpas, the Mushakas....."
Karna Parva/Mahabharata Book VIII Chapter 30 mentions the tribes who are not followers of Brahmanism. Mahishaka (महिषक) are mentioned in Mahabharata (VIII.30.45). [13].... "The Karasakaras, the Mahishakas, the Kalingas, the Kikatas, the Atavis, the Karkotakas, the Virakas, and other peoples of no religion, one should always avoid."
External links
References
- ↑ Corpus Inscriptionium Indicarium Vol IV Part 2 Inscriptions of the Kalachuri-Chedi Era, Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi, 1905. pp. 588-594
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.67
- ↑ Sandhya Jain: Adi Deo Arya Devata - A Panoramic View of Tribal-Hindu Cultural Interface, Rupa & Co, 7/16, Ansari Road Daryaganj, New Delhi, 2004 p.139, S.No.168.
- ↑ Bhim Singh Dahiya: Jats the Ancient Rulers (A clan study)/Jat Clan in India, p. 247
- ↑ Bhim Singh Dahiya: Jats the Ancient Rulers (A clan study)/Jat Clan in India, p. 261
- ↑ Bhim Singh Dahiya: Jats the Ancient Rulers (A clan study)/Jat Clan in India, p. 281
- ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.726-727)
- ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.742
- ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.762
- ↑ आखु बभ्रुक वक्त्रश च मयूरवदनास तदा, मत्स्यमेषाननाश चान्ये अजावि महिषाननाः (IX.44.77)
- ↑ मल्लाः सुदेष्णाः पराहूतास तदा माहिष कार्षिकाः, वाहीका वाटधानाश च आभीराः कालतॊयकाः (VI.10.45)
- ↑ द्रविडाः केरलाः प्राच्या मूषिका वनवासिनः, उन्नत्यका माहिषका विकल्पा मूषकास तदा (VI.10.57)
- ↑ कारः करान महिषकान कलिङ्गान कीकटाटवीन, कर्कॊटकान वीरकांश च दुर्धर्मांश च विवर्जयेत (VIII.30.45)
Back to The Ancient Jats