Nishada ( niṣāda ) is a tribe mentioned in ancient Indian literature (such as the epic Mahabharata ). The ancient texts mention several kingdoms ruled by this tribe.
67-602: In the Mahabharata, the Nishadas are described as hunters, fishermen, mountaineers or raiders that have the hills and the forests as their abode. Their origin is associated with a king called Vena who became a slave to wrath and malice, and became unrighteous. Sages killed him for his malice and wrongdoings. In the epic Ramayana , a king named Guha of the Nishada clan assists Rama during his period of exile. Ekalavya
134-512: A beast, ruthlessly hunting innocent deer. Seeing his wicked acts, he was named Vena, 'the tormentor'. Unable to disciple his child, Anga lost his peace of mind, and left his kingdom in disgust, retiring to the forest. Fearing anarchy and thieves, the sages and the people crowned Vena as the king, even though they were dissatisfied with the prince. When Vena became the king, the thieves immediately stopped their crimes and hid themselves. However, Vena proclaimed that in his kingdom, no one would perform
201-618: A characteristic of the Nishadas, as attested by Nanda-pandita's commentary on the text and the Katha-sarit-sagara . The Raghuvamsha presents the Nishada as boatmen . The Ayodhya Kanda of the Ramayana , which mentions the Nishada as the name of an occupational caste ( jāti ), states that the Nishada king helped Rama cross the Ganges River . The Harivamsha states that the Nishadas collected gems and jewels from
268-404: A form of Vishnu. He was crowned as the new king, and went on to become a powerful ruler, restoring religious rites and sacrifices. The people sought out Prithu, informing him that during the anarchy before his accession, the world had become so gloomy and dark that the earth-goddess, and incarnation of Lakshmi , Bhumi , had decided that she would not provide crops to humans anymore. She had taken
335-494: A general festival of love (Canto X) and dawn (Canto XI). These cantos, containing exquisite and detailed descriptions that are unrelated to the action, are usually the most popular with Sanskrit critics. The army resumes its march in Canto XII, and Krishna finally enters the city (Canto XIII). The ceremony takes place, and at the end, at Bhishma 's advice, the highest honour ( arghya ) is bestowed on Krishna (Canto XIV). Shishupala
402-526: A long battle, strikes off Shishupala's head with Sudarshana Chakra , his discus. Despite what may appear to be little subject matter, the cantos of this work are in fact longer than those of other epics. The poet seems to have been inspired by the Kirātārjunīya of Bharavi , and intended to emulate and even surpass it. Like the Kirātārjunīya , the poem displays rhetorical and metrical skill more than
469-547: A message from Shishupala to Krishna, is intentionally ambiguous, and can be interpreted in two ways: one favourable and pleasing (a humble apology in courteous words), the other offensive and harsh (a declaration of war). For instance: Devanagari कृतगोपवधूरतेर्घ्नतो वृषमुग्रे नरकेऽपि संप्रति । प्रतिपत्तिरधःकृतैनसो जनताभिस्तव साधु वर्ण्यते ॥ IAST kṛta-gopa-vadhū-rater ghnato vṛṣam ugre narake 'pi saṃprati pratipattir adhaḥkṛtainaso janatābhis tava sādhu varṇyate which can mean either of: You delighted
536-496: A person's varna status determined how the contemporary law treated them. For example: Gradually, the Nishadas were relegated to the status of untouchables in the Indo-Aryan society. The main profession of Nishadas was fishing and hunting. According to one telling, once, a Nishada had killed one bird from a pair, causing the other bird to be aggrieved by its loss and experience the pangs of pain. Observing this deep pain inspired
603-510: A sacrifice, and that they would not spend a single coin on religious acts. He banned religion. The sages visited Vena's court to conciliate the king, offering him wisdom about dharma (duty), moksha (salvation), and his responsibility as a ruler from the Dharmashastras . They asked him to restore the practice of sacrificial offerings and religious ceremonies. Vena declared their devotion towards Yajneshvara to be foolish, for he himself
670-473: A son – Cākṣuṣa Manu , from his wife Ākūti. Manu and his wife Nadvalā had twelve sons. Ulkmuka, one of Manu's sons, and his wife Puṣkariṇī (who had the same name as the wife of Vyuṣṭha) had six sons. Anga, one of Ulmuka's sons, married Sunīthā, who gave birth to Vena. The Padma Purāṇa mentions that Sunīthā is the ugly daughter of Mṛtyu (death), and hence Vena is regarded to have been wicked from birth. The Padma Purana states that Sunitha, Vena's mother,
737-534: A waist-band. Magha is also noted for technique of developing the theme, "stirring intense and conflicting emotions relieved by lighter situations". The work is primarily in the vīra (heroic) rasa (mood). In the 20th stanza of the fourth canto, Māgha describes the simultaneous setting of the sun and the rising of the moon on either side of the Meru mountain as like a mighty elephant with two bells dangling on either side of his body. This striking imagery has earned Māgha
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#1732776198046804-490: A woman. Sunitha boasted of her lineage from Yama to him, but he was unimpressed. When Sunitha met Suśaṅkha again, she struck him with a whip. Furious, and shivering in pain, the youth cursed her thus: You wicked girl! When you become a house-holder and join your husband you will get a son who will be a scoffer of Devas and Brahmins and an all-round sinner. According to the Bhagavata Purana , once, when King Anga
871-514: Is a king in Hinduism , notorious for his wickedness and misrule. A descendant of the first Manu , he bans all worship, offerings, and sacrifices upon his accession. After denying all petitions to restore these practices, Vena is slain by sages with their consecrated blades of grass. He is succeeded by the legendary king Prithu , who springs from his right arm. In the Rigveda ( 10 .123), Vena
938-598: Is a personification of a celestial being, perhaps the rainbow. The name of the hymn is also Vena , as is the name of the author of RV 9 .85. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa traces the origin of Vena as a descendant of Dhruva and Cākṣuṣa Manu . Dhruva 's eldest son, Utkala, did not ascend the throne. So, Dhruva's second son, Vatsara, was made the king. Vatsara married Svarvīthi, who gave birth to Puṣpārṇa, Tigmaketu, Iṣa, Ūrja, Vasu, and Jaya. Puṣpārṇa married Prabhā and Doṣā. Doṣā gave birth to Pradoṣa, Niśitha and Vyuṣṭha. Vyuṣṭha married Puṣkariṇī, and gave birth to Sarvatejas, who had
1005-455: Is considered one of the five Sanskrit mahakavya s, or "great epics". It is also known as the Māgha-kāvya after its author. Like other kavya s, it is admired more for its exquisite descriptions and lyrical quality than for any dramatic development of plot. Its 19th canto is noted for verbal gymnastics and wordplay; see the section on linguistic ingenuity below. As with most Sanskrit kāvya ,
1072-484: Is enraged at this (Canto XV), and makes a long speech on (what he considers) Krishna's bad qualities. He leaves the assembly. In Canto XVI, he sends a messenger to Krishna. Krishna declares war (Canto XVII), and the armies fight (Canto XVIII), with the various complex formations of the armies being matched by the complex forms Māgha adopts for his verses in Canto XIX. Finally, Krishna enters the fight (Canto XX), and after
1139-401: Is known as samudga : सदैव संपन्नवपू रणेषु स दैवसंपन्नवपूरणेषु । महो दधे 'स्तारि महानितान्तं महोदधेस्तारिमहा नितान्तम् ॥ sadaiva saṃpannavapū raṇeṣu sa daivasaṃpannavapūraṇeṣu maho dadhe 'stāri mahānitāntaṃ mahodadhestārimahā nitāntam The canto also includes stanzas which can be arranged into the shape of a sword, zigzags, and other shapes. Finally, it ends with
1206-501: Is required). Instead, he suggests ensuring that Shishupala attends the ceremony as well. Pleased with this plan, Krishna sets out (Canto III) with his army to Indraprastha where the ceremony will be held. On the way, he sees Mount Raivataka (Canto IV), decides to camp there (Canto V), and all seasons simultaneously manifest themselves for his pleasure (Canto VI). His followers' enjoyment (Canto VII) and water sports (Canto VIII) are then described, as are nightfall (Canto IX), drinking and
1273-609: Is said to have accepted all the sins committed by Vena unto himself. Thereafter, the descendants of the man came to be known as the Nishadas , dwelling in the Vindhya mountains. The sages then began to knead the corpse’s right hand, from which a shining man, Prithu , bearing a divine bow, arrows, and armour appeared. The sages observed that Prithu had the mark of the Sudarshana Chakra , after which they identified him as
1340-418: Is stated to be an archer of a Nishada tribe in the text. In the earliest of the Indo-Aryan texts, the term "Nishada" may have been used as a generic term for all indigenous non-Aryan tribes rather than a single tribe. This is suggested by the fact that according to Yaska 's Nirukta , Aupamanyava explains the Rigveda term " pancha-janah " ("five peoples") as the four varnas of the Indo-Aryan society and
1407-648: Is the 33rd stanza written backwards, with a different meaning. Finally, the 27th stanza is an example of what has been called "the most complex and exquisite type of palindrome ever invented". It may also be thought of as a syllabic Sator Square . Sanskrit aestheticians call it sarvatobhadra , "perfect in every direction" — it yields the same text if read forwards, backwards, down, or up: सकारनानारकास- कायसाददसायका । रसाहवा वाहसार- नादवाददवादना ॥ sakāranānārakāsa- kāyasādadasāyakā rasāhavā vāhasāra- nādavādadavādanā. "[That army], which relished battle ( rasāhavā ) contained allies who brought low
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#17327761980461474-585: Is the slaying of the evil Shishupala. Magha also invents a conflict in Krishna's mind, between his duty to destroy Shishupala, and to attend Yudhishthira's ceremony to which he has been invited; this is resolved by attending the ceremony to which Shishupala also arrives and is killed. The following description of the plot of the Shishupala Vadha is drawn from A. K. Warder . The evil Shishupala has previously clashed with Krishna many times, such as when
1541-634: Is very difficult to face this army which is endowed with elephants as big as mountains. This is a very great army and the shouting of frightened people is heard. It has slain its enemies." The 88th stanza is a palindrome as a whole (syllable-for-syllable), with the second half being the first half reversed. This is known as pratiloma (or gatapratyāgata ) and is not found in Bharavi: तं श्रिया घनयानस्तरुचा सारतया तया । यातया तरसा चारुस्तनयानघया श्रितं ॥ taṃ śriyā ghanayānastarucā sāratayā tayā yātayā tarasā cārustanayānaghayā śritaṃ The 34th stanza
1608-587: The Vayu Purana also emphasize the dark skin colour of the Nishadas. The Bhagavata Purana mentions the Nishadas as having copper-coloured hair, high cheekbones , and low-tipped nose. Various ancient texts associate the Nishadas with hunting and fishing . Nishadas are presented as hunters in the Bala Kanda of the Ramayana , Utpala's 8th century commentary on the Brihat Samhita , and
1675-704: The Austroasiatic family , the parent family of the Munda languages. The Nishadas are sometimes confused with the Nisadhas ( IAST : Niṣādha), who were a distinct, Indo-Aryan tribe. The Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata describes the Nishadas having dark skin colour similar to that of charred wood, black hair, blood red -coloured eyes, and short limbs. The later texts such as the Vishnu Purana and
1742-816: The Dandakas ( Aurangabad , Maharashtra ) the Kuru warrior, Sahadeva vanquished and brought under his subjection numberless kings of the Mlechchha tribe living on the sea coast, and the Nishadas and the cannibals and even the Karnapravarnas, and those tribes also called the Kalamukhas (2,30). This Nishada's battled for the sake of Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War : The Dravida , the Andhaka , and
1809-596: The Dharmasutras of Vaikhanasa and Ushanas. The Adi Parva of the Mahabharata describes the Nishada prince Ekalavya as the son of an archer, which suggests that archery was a hereditary trait of the Nishadas. The Manusmriti and the Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata mention fishing as the profession of the Nishadas. The Vishnu Smriti also seems to consider subsistence on fishing
1876-568: The Indo-Aryans in India. Most of the other indigenous tribes find few mentions in the Vedic texts . The Nishadas appear in these texts several times, and as a full-fledged tribe within the Indo-Aryan social framework. Aitareya Brahmana , an early text, describes the Nishadas as raiders operating in the forests. However, the later Shrauta texts suggest that they were gradually assimilated into
1943-509: The Nishada foot-soldiers, urged on by Satyaki , once more rushed towards Karna in that battle ( Kurukshetra War ) (8,49). Manimat had his kingdom to the south of Kosala . This kingdom was visited by Bhima during his military campaign to the east, to collect tribute for Yudhishthira 's Rajasuya sacrifice;- After conquering Vatsabhumi Bhima defeated the king of the Bhargas, as also
2010-752: The Vangas , the Angas , the Nishadas and the Magadhas were mentioned together on the Kaurava side at (8,70). Nishadas were mentioned as battling for the sake of Pandavas along with the Pauravakas and Patachcharas; at(6,50). The southern Nishadas were also mentioned in the army of Pandavas (8,49). Nishada prince Ketumat was mentioned who was slain by Bhima along with the Kalinga heroes (6,54). Nishada army
2077-456: The varnas (see Social status section below). However, such classifications are not indicative of the contemporary occupations of the Nishadas: rather, they appear to be a legal attempt to define the status of the Nishadas relative to the other varnas, so that the varna-specific laws could be applied to them. The Nishadas appear to have been among the first indigenous tribes encountered by
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2144-501: The 15th canto of Kirātārjunīya , contains chitrakavya or decorative composition, with many examples of constrained writing . Its third stanza, for instance, contains only the consonant 'j' in the first line, 't' in the second, 'bh' in the third, and 'r' in the fourth: Devanagari जजौजोजाजिजिज्जाजी तं ततोऽतितताततुत् । भाभोऽभीभाभिभूभाभू- रारारिररिरीररः ॥ IAST jajaujojājijijjājī taṃ tato'titatātatut bhābho'bhībhābhibhūbhābhū- rārārirarirīraraḥ "Then
2211-532: The Indo-Aryan society, and were not considered as untouchable at this time. For example: These references suggest that the Indo-Aryans made efforts to assimilate the Nishadas into their own social order, but the Vedic ritual status granted to the Nishadas was limited in nature. Historian Ramaprasad Chanda speculates that the Nishadas were too numerous and too powerful to be eliminated, enslaved, or expelled by
2278-439: The Indo-Aryan society. The Rudra Adhyaya of the ancient Yajurveda Samhita shows reverence to the Nishadas, among others. Nevertheless, the Nishadas held a low status in the Indo-Aryan society: In what appears to be an attempt to define the status of the Nishadas in the varna system , several ancient texts present them as progeny of parents from different varnas. This appears to have been done for legal purposes, since
2345-460: The Indo-Aryans: this may explain the limited attempts to assimilate them. It is possible that only the high-class among the Nishadas were inducted into the Indo-Aryan society, while the majority of them remained unassimilated. Panini 's Ganapatha mentions a gotra called Nishada, which according to scholar D. D. Kosambi , suggests that some tribal priests were assimilated as Brahmanas in
2412-662: The Nishada king. He could be the son of Manimat the Nishada king, who was defeated formerly by Bhima . Ketumat was slain by Bhima along with the Kalinga heroes (6,54). The Kalinga , the Vanga , and the Nishada heroes, riding on elephants were said to attack Arjuna in Kurukshetra War (8,17). Mekalas (a kingdom close to Dakshina Kosala kingdom , in Chathisgad ) and Utkalas (western Orissa ), and Kalingas , and Nishadas and Tamraliptakas (south of West Bengal ), were mentioned as advancing against Nakula (8,22). The Kalingas,
2479-565: The Nishadas. Linguist S. K. Chatterji notes that the Nishadas appear to be different from the Dasas and the Dasyus, which are the other non-Aryan people mentioned in the Vedic texts. Historian Ramaprasad Chanda identifies the Nishadas as the original speakers of the Munda languages . N. K. Dutt also identifies with them pre- Dravidian peoples of India, who presumably spoke a language belonging to
2546-438: The banks of Sarasvati River is mentioned as the gate to the kingdom of the Nishadas. There the river is completely dried up and exist as a dry river channel (3,130). Pandavas were led to this place by their guide viz sage Lomasa, during their pilgrimage all over India. This kingdom was visited by Sahadeva during his military campaign to the south, to collect tribute for Yudhishthira 's Rajasuya sacrifice;- After defeating
2613-415: The bodes and gaits of their various striving enemies ( sakāranānārakāsakāyasādadasāyakā ), and in it the cries of the best of mounts contended with musical instruments ( vāhasāranādavādadavādanā )." The 29th stanza can be arranged into the shape of a "drum" ( muraja-citra ): सा सेना गमनारम्भे रसेनासीदनारता । तारनादजनामत्त धीरनागमनामया ॥ The first , second , third , and fourth lines give
2680-505: The country of the Nishadas and also the high hill called Gosringa, and that lord of earth called Srenimat (2,30). Nishada and Srenimat were mentioned together again at (5,4). Ekalavya, the king of the Nishadas, always used to challenge Vasudeva Krishna to battle; but he was slain by Krishna in battle (5,48), (7-178,179) (16,6). Arjuna had come to Nishada kingdom of Ekalavya, after the Kurukshetra War , to collect tribute for Yudhishthira 's Ashwamedha sacrifice. Arjuna proceeded to
2747-404: The cowherds and their wives by killing Demon Buffalo and cracking down on crime. Now your action against the formidable demon Naraka is winning the enthusiastic approval of the people. By having sex with the wives of the cowherds you acted criminally and slaughtered justice. Now that your career has hit rock bottom, the people say you got what you deserved. The 19th canto, especially, like
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2814-442: The death of Vena, there was anarchy, since Vena had no sons and heirs. Thieves and evil men begun to plunder and steal from innocent people. Wishing to continue the line of Vena's father, Anga, they kneaded the thigh of Vena, from which a dwarfish man appeared, with black features and blood-red eyes. The man bowed before the sages and asked them of his purpose. The sages told him to sit ( niṣīda ), after which he named himself . The man
2881-422: The dominions of the Nishada king, viz., the son of Ekalavya. The son of Ekalavya received Arjuna in battle. The encounter that took place between the Kuru hero and the Nishadas was furious. Unvanquished in battle, the valiant son of Kunti defeated the Nishada king who proved an obstacle to the sacrifice. Having subjugated the son of Ekalavya, he proceeded towards the southern ocean. (14,83). A spot named Vinasana on
2948-423: The form of a cow and gone into hiding, making the earth empty of any vegetation. Furious, Prithu chased Bhumi through the three worlds , bearing his bow, Ajagava . When he finally cornered her, she pleaded with him to spare her. She allowed him and the sages to milk her, which restored the vegetation and vitality of the earth, as well as its people. Hence, Vishnu was able to make his consort restore her prosperity to
3015-409: The four directions and killed Jarasandha , wish to perform the rajasuya yajña (ceremony) and Krishna has been invited. Unsure what to do (Canto II), Krishna takes the counsel of his brother Balarama and of Uddhava . While Balarama suggests attacking declaring war on Shishupala immediately, Uddhava points out that this would involve many kings and disrupt Yudhishthira's ceremony (where their presence
3082-481: The giver of every boon, the scourge of the evil-minded, the purifier, the one whose arms can annihilate the wicked who cause suffering to others, shot his pain-causing arrow at the enemy." The same canto also contains increasingly ingenious palindromes. The 44th stanza, for instance, has each line a palindrome: वारणागगभीरा सा साराभीगगणारवा । कारितारिवधा सेना नासेधा वारितारिका ॥ vāraṇāgagabhīrā sā sārābhīgagaṇāravā / kāritārivadhā senā nāsedhā vāritārikā "It
3149-473: The growth of the plot and is noted for its intricate wordplay, textual complexity and verbal ingenuity. It has a rich vocabulary, so much so that the (untrue) claim has been made that it contains every word in the Sanskrit language. The narrative also wanders from the main action solely to dwell on elegant descriptions, with almost half the cantos having little to do with the proper story e.g. while describing
3216-416: The hills and the forests for their abode and fishing as their chief occupation. They ruled over the hills, plains, land and dominated over the water. They were linked with a king called Vena (see Saraswata kingdom ) (12,58). Nishadas lived in hamlets (12,328). Aushmikas, and Nishadas , and Romakas were mentioned as bringing tribute to king Yudhishthira during his Rajasuya sacrifice (2,50). Ekalavya
3283-415: The human race, as Prithu. Due to this reason, Bhumi acquired the epithet Prithvi . Shishupala Vadha The Shishupala Vadha ( Sanskrit : शिशुपालवध , IAST : Śiśupāla-vadha , lit. "the slaying of Shishupala") is a work of classical Sanskrit poetry ( kāvya ) composed by Māgha in the 7th or 8th century. It is an epic poem in 20 sarga s ( cantos ) of about 1800 highly ornate stanzas, and
3350-436: The latter eloped with Rukmini who was betrothed to him, and defeated the combined armies of Shishupala and Rukmini's brother Rukmi . When the story begins, Sage Narada reminds Krishna that while he had previously (in the form of Narasimha ) killed Hiranyakashipu , the demon has been reborn as Shishupala and desires to conquer the world, and must be destroyed again. Meanwhile, Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers, having conquered
3417-489: The long-windedness of his descriptions loses the gravity and "weight of meaning" found in Bhāravi's poem. Consequently, Māgha is more admired as a poet than the work is as a whole, and the sections of the work that may be considered digressions from the story have the nature of an anthology and are more popular. His work is also considered to be difficult, and reading it and Meghadūta can easily consume one's lifetime, according to
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#17327761980463484-539: The march of an army, cantos 9 to 11 take a detour to describe nature, sunrise and sunset, the seasons, courtesans preparing to receive men, the bathing of nymphs, and so on. Because of these descriptions, the Śiśupālavadha is an important source on the history of Indian ornaments and costumes, including its different terms for dress as paridhāna , aṃśuka , vasana , vastra and ambara ; upper garments as uttarīya ; female lower garments as nīvī , vasana , aṃśuka , kauśeya , adhivāsa and nitambaravastra ; and kabandha ,
3551-476: The one his reputation rests on) says: Thus, Māgha's attempt to surpass Bharavi appears to have been successful; even his name seems to be derived from this feat: another Sanskrit saying goes tāvat bhā bhāraveḥ bhāti yāvat māghasya nodayaḥ , which can mean "the lustre of the sun lasts until the advent of Maagha (the coldest month of winter)", but also "the lustre of Bharavi lasts until the advent of Māgha". However, Māgha follows Bhāravi's structure too closely, and
3618-452: The plot is drawn from one of the epics, in this case the Mahabharata . In the original story, Shishupala , king of the Chedis in central India, after insulting Krishna several times in an assembly, finally enrages him and has his head struck off. The 10th-century literary critic Kuntaka observes that Magha arranges the story such that the sole purpose of Vishnu 's avatarhood as Krishna
3685-467: The river beds. Maskarin's commentary on Gautama Dharmasutra suggests that elephant-training was another occupation associated with the Nishadas. This is also corroborated the use of the term "Nishadin" to describe an elephant-keeper in Bana 's Harsha-charita and Magha 's Shishupala-vadha . Several ancient texts present the Nishadas as progeny of parents from different occupational classes, called
3752-569: The ruler of the Nishadas viz Manimat and numerous other kings (2,29). This kingdom is possibly the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh . The famous Nishada king named Guha who befriended the Kosala prince Raghava Rama was also the king of this kingdom. A prince named Ketumat is mentioned as battling along with the Kalingas against Bhima , in the Kurukshetra War . He was mentioned as the son of
3819-570: The sage Valmiki to write about the legend of king Rama of Ayodhya and his dutiful wife queen Sita , who lived in separation due to her capture by the rakshasa king Ravana . In the Ramayana, the king of the Nishadas, named Guha, is stated to be an ally of Rama. He helps Rama and Sita to cross the Ganges river near Shringiverapura . The Mahabharata speaks of Nishaada as forest hunters and fishermen. Nishadas were mentioned as tribes that have
3886-433: The same text when read along a "drum" pattern. "That army was very efficient and as it moved, the warrior heroes were very alert and did their duties with great concentration. The soldiers in the army made a loud sound. The army was adorned with intoxicated and restive elephants. No one was there with any thought of pain." In the 118th stanza, each half contains the same pāda twice, but with different meanings. This
3953-528: The saying (sometimes attributed to Mallinātha ) māghe meghe gataṃ vayaḥ . ("In reading Māgha and Megha my life was spent", or also the unrelated meaning "In the month of Magha , a bird flew among the clouds".) Besides its poetry, the poem also revels in wordplay and ingeniously constructed verses. The second canto contains a famous verse with a string of adjectives that can be interpreted differently depending on whether they are referring to politics ( rāja-nīti , king's policy) or grammar. The entire 16th canto,
4020-509: The sobriquet of Ghaṇṭāmāgha , "Bell-Māgha". His similes are also highly original, and many verses from the work are of independent interest, and are quoted for their poetic or moral nature. Whereas Bhāravi glorifies Shiva , Māgha glorifies Krishna; while Bhāravi uses 19 metres Māgha uses 23, like Bhāravi's 15th canto full of contrived verses Māgha introduces even more complicated verses in his 19th. A popular Sanskrit verse about Māgha (and hence about this poem, as it his only known work and
4087-519: The warrior, winner of war, with his heroic valour, the subduer of the extremely arrogant beings, he who has the brilliance of stars, he who has the brilliance of the vanquisher of fearless elephants, the enemy seated on a chariot, began to fight." He progresses to just two consonants in the 66th stanza: भूरिभिर्भारिभिर्भीराभूभारैरभिरेभिरे । भेरीरेभिभिरभ्राभैरभीरुभिरिभैरिभाः ॥ bhūribhirbhāribhirbhīrābhūbhārairabhirebhire bherīrebhibhirabhrābhairabhīrubhiribhairibhāḥ "The fearless elephant, who
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#17327761980464154-428: Was a cruel woman, who enjoyed hurting other people. Once, when she went to the forest to play with her maids, she saw a gandharva named Suśaṅkha. The handsome youth was engaged in a penance to propitiate the goddess of music, Saraswati . Sunitha started to annoy him, but Suśaṅkha resisted her attempts to distract him. Bitter that the youth was ignoring her, she struck him. Suśaṅkha was angered, but did not wish to strike
4221-445: Was like a burden to the earth because of its weight, whose sound was like a kettle-drum, and who was like a dark cloud, attacked the enemy elephant." By the 114th stanza, this is taken to an extreme, with a celebrated example involving just one consonant: दाददो दुद्ददुद्दादी दाददो दूददीददोः । दुद्दादं दददे दुद्दे दादाददददोऽददः ॥ dādado duddaduddādī dādado dūdadīdadoḥ duddādaṃ dadade dudde dādādadadado'dadaḥ "Sri Krishna,
4288-870: Was mentioned to fight for the sake of Kauravas at various instances (6-118), (7,44), (8-17,20,22,60,70). Bhima is said to slay a Nishada prince (other than Ketumat) at (8,60). A mountain range in ancient India is named Nishada , mentioned along with other mountains like Meru, Mahendra, Malaya, Sweta, Sringavat, Mandara, Nila Dardurna, Chitrakuta, Anjanabha, the Gandhamadana mountains and the sacred Somagiri (13,165). Shadaja, Rishabha, together with Gandhara, Madhyama, and likewise Panchama; after this should be known Nishada, and then Dhaivata (14,50). The seven original notes are Shadja, Rishabha, Gandhara, Mahdhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata and Nishada (12,183). Vena (Hindu King) Vena ( Sanskrit : वेन , romanized : Vena , lit. 'tormentor')
4355-481: Was performing the ashvamedha sacrifice, the deities did not accept his oblations, for he did not have a son. On the advice of sages, Anga performed another sacrifice and venerated Vishnu . From the sacrificial fire arose a person with milk-boiled rice ( payasam ). Anga fed the rice to his wife, Sunitha, who gave birth to a son. The son, from his childhood, was attached to his maternal grandfather Mrityu (a portion of Adharma ), and turned to unrighteousness. He acted like
4422-406: Was the embodiment of all the deities. He commanded that all of his subjects worship him rather than any other being. Angered by the insult that the king had made towards their Brahmin birth, and the deity Vishnu , the sages slew him with consecrated blades of grass, while uttering the huṃ sound . A grieving Sunitha preserved her son's corpse by chanting mantras and applying medicines. After
4489-456: Was the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas (1,134). He came to Hastinapura to join the military school of Drona . Ekalavya's kingdom was the most famous Nishada kingdom during the time of the Pandavas . This kingdom was visited by Sahadeva during his military campaign to the south, to collect tribute for Yudhishthira 's Rajasuya sacrifice;- Sahadeva , the Kuru warrior, conquered
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