Upaplavya

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Upaplavya (उपप्लव्य) was an ancient city near Bairat mentioned in Mahabharata.

Variants

Upaplavya (उपप्लव्य) (AS, p.98)

History

Upaplavya was a notable city of the Matsya kingdom. According to Pargiter it was capital of the Matsya kingdom. Vrika (वृक) = The original meaning of this word is 'wolf'. But in Mahabharata period, Vrika used to be a prominent northwest tribe which lived by the profession of arms. Vrikasthala was one of the five villages demanded by Pandavas (V. 31.19) and lay on Krishna's route from Upaplavya to Hastinapura (V. 82.20). Virk or Wirk gotra of Jats is perhaps a derivative of वृक.

The capital of Matsya was at Viratanagari (present-day Bairat) which is said to have been named after its founder king, Virata. In Pali literature, the Matsya tribe is usually associated with the Surasena. The western Matsya was the hill tract on the north bank of the Chambal River. Matsya kingdom was founded by king Matsya who was the twin brother of Satyavati a who was contemporary to Bhishma.

In the early 6th century BCE, Matsya was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas (great kingdoms) mentioned in the Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya, but its power had greatly dwindled and it was of little political importance by the time of Buddha. The Mahabharata (V.74.16) refers to a King Sahaja, who ruled over both the Chedis and the Matsyas, which implies that Matsya once formed a part of the Chedi Kingdom.

Other than the Matsya kingdom to the south of Kuru Kingdom, which falls in the Hindaun and Alwar, Bharatpur districts of Rajasthan, the epic refers to as many as six other Matsya kingdoms. Upaplavya was a notable city of the kingdom. On the 13th year of Pandava's exile, pandavas and Draupadi stay in Matsya kingdom of King Virata.

उपप्लव्य

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...उपप्लव्य (AS, p.98): महाभारत काल में मत्स्य देश में स्थित नगर जो विराट या बैराट (ज़िला जयपुर, राजस्थान) के निकट ही था। 'उपप्लव्यं सगत्वा तु स्कंधावारं प्रविश्य प्रविश्य च, पांडवानथतान् सर्वान् शल्यस्तत्रददर्श ह'। (उद्योग पर्व महाभारत 8,25) तथा 'ततस्त्रयो-दशे वर्षे निवृत्ते पंचापांडवा:, उपप्लव्यं विरष्टस्य समपद्यन्त सर्वश:'। (विराट पर्व महाभारत 72, 14)

पांडव इस नगर में अपने वनवास काल के बारह वर्ष और अज्ञातवास के तेरह वर्ष समाप्त होने पर आकर रहने लगे थे। यहीं उन्होंने युद्ध की तैयारियाँ की थीं। महाभारत के प्रसिद्ध टीकाकार नीलकंठ ने विराट 72, 14 की टीका करते हुए उपप्लव्य के लिए लिखा है- विराटनगरसमीपस्थनगरान्तरम् अर्थात् यह नगर मत्स्य की राजधानी विराटनगर के पास ही दूसरा नगर था। इसका ठीक-ठीक अभिज्ञान अनिश्चित है। किन्तु यह वर्तमान जयपुर के निकट ही कहीं होगा। विराटनगर की स्थिति वर्तमान वैराट के पास थी। पार्जिटर के अनुसार मत्स्य की राजधानी उपप्लव्य में ही थी।

In Mahabharata

Upaplavya (उपप्लव्य) is mentioned in Mahabharata (V.8.15), (V.82.18),

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Udyoga Parva/Mahabharata Book V Chapter 8 mentions about the journey of Shalya to Pandavas staying at Upaplavya. Upaplavya (उपप्लव्य) is mentioned in Mahabharata verse (V.8.15). ...And Shalya went to inform the sons of Kunti of that proceeding of his meeting with Duryodhana. And having reached Upaplavya, and entered the encampment, Shalya saw there all the sons of Pandu.

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Udyoga Parva/Mahabharata Book V Chapter 82 mentions that Krishna departed for Hastinapura on Yudhishthira's mission and stays at Vrikasthala for night-halt. Upaplavya (उपप्लव्य) is mentioned in Mahabharata (V.82.18). ....Krishna departed for Hastinapura on Yudhishthira's mission. He came upon a delightful forest called Shalibhavana (शालिभवन) (V.82.15) which was filled with every kind of crops, a spot that was delicious and sacred. Many of the citizens of Upaplavya, coming out of their town, stood together on the way, desirous of beholding Krishna. At last stays Krishna at Vrikasthala for night-halt.