- Dakshina Kosala Kingdom
-
Places Related to Ramayana
Dakshina Kosala or Southern Kosala was a colony of Kosala kings identified to be the Chhattisgarh state and western orissa region of India. Raghava Rama's mother " Kausalya " was from this kingdom.
Contents
History
In ancient Indian literatures like “Ramayan”, “Mahabharat” and “Puranas” one can find many references about the ancient Kosala Kingdom of northern India. Surya Vanshi Ikshvaku dynasty kings were ruling over Kosala with Ayodhya as their capital. “Sri Ram Chandra” was a great king of that clan, based on whose character and activities, the great epic “Ramayan” was written. In this great epic, it is mentioned that after Sri Ram, the kingdom was divided among his two sons, Lav and Kush. North Kosala went to Lav as his share with “Shravasti Nagari” as his capital and Kush got south Kosala in his share. He established his new capital “Kushasthalipura” at the bank of river “Kushavratee” nearby to the “ Vindhya ” mountain range, which divides north and south India. This “Kushasthalipura” is identified near “Malhar” in present day’s Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh state. South Kosal was spread across present day’s Chhattisgarh state and Western Orissa region. In the course of time, Dakshin (south) Kosal developed as a mighty empire and for various reasons, mainly because of the rise of the kingdoms of Magadha and Kashi; North Kosal became weaker and lost its existence.
References in Ramayana & Mahabharata
In “Purans”, Kosal, Mekhal and Utkal are described as “Vindhyaprustha nivasinaha”, means these places were located near Vindhya mountain range. In epic Mahabharat’s Vanaparba, Kosal is described as a mighty kingdom. Rissava, Kala and Badrika were the famous religious places. They are presently located in the new state of Chhattisgarh. Now also, many ashrams are found in "Gunja" hills. In a rock inscription written in Brahmi Lipi in Gunja parbat, describes about the Rissava Khetra.
It is believed that in 1500 BC, between Ram and Ravan and in 950 BC, between the Kaurava and Pandava, wars took place. So, about 3500 years ago Kusha would have formed the state of South Kosal. As per the Puran, chronologically Aatithhi, Nissadha, Nala, Nabha, Pandurika, Sudhanba, Devarika and Aahinaru had ruled over Dakhin Kosal. In “Harivamsha purana” and “Bhagavata Purana”, there are twenty five kings’ names given chronologically. Considering the names and based on many other incidences, historian Parzitor has described Shrutayu as the king of Dakshin kosal at the era of Mahabharata war. He was also known as Vruhadbala , 36th in descent from Lord Ramchandra. This king was the contemporary of Dirghajagyan, the Ikshvaku king of Ayodhya. It is mentioned in Mahabharat that Bhima defeated these two kings and forced them to accept dominion of Yudhisthir and to attain the Rajasuyan yajna of king Yudhisthir.[1]
Sahadeva's Military Campaign
Sahadeva targeted the kingdoms in the regions south to the Gangatic Plain
Sahadeva, vanquishing the invincible Bhismaka, then defeated in battle the king of Kosala and the ruler of the territories lying on the banks of the Venwa, as also the "Kantarakas" and the kings of the eastern Kosalas.[2]
See also
Kingdoms of Ancient India
References
- Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, translated to English by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
- Ramayana of Valmiki
Categories:- Ancient Indian kingdoms
- Main kingdoms of Ikshwaku clan
- Kingdoms in the Mahabharata
- Kingdoms in the Ramayana
- Kosala
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
