Political History Of Ancient India

SR No.: 032292
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hemchandra Raychaudhari
Publisher: University of Calcutta
Publication Year: 1950
Total Pages: 714
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 174

AVANTI
145
Māhismatii usually identified with the rocky island of Māndhātā.
Buddhist and Jain writers mention several other cities of Avanti, viz , Kuraraghara (“osprey's haunt”), Makkarakata, and Sudarśanapura. The Mahāgovinda Suttanta mentions Māhissati as the capital of the Avantis, and refers to their king Vessabhu. The Mahābhārata, however, distinguishes between the kingdoms of Avanti and Māhishmati, but locates Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti near the Narmadā.
The Purānas attribute the foundation of Māhishmati, Avanti, and Vidarbha to scions of the Yadù family. The Aitareya Brāhmana also associates the Satvats and the Bhojas, branches of the Yadu family according to the Purāņas, with the southern realms.5
The Purūnas style the first dynasty of Māhishmati as Haihaya. This family is already known to the Kauțiliya Arthaśāstra' and figures in the Shodaśa-rājika and other episodes of the epic. The Haihayas are said to have overthrown the Nāgas who must have been the aboriginal inhabitants of the Narmadā region. The Matsya Purāņa
1 In J. V. 133 (DPPN. I. 1050) Avanti is placed in Dakshiņāpatha. This
rdly reconcilable with the view that only the southern part is meant by the expression Avanti Dakshināpatha (Bhandarkar, Carm. Lec. 54)
2 Pargiter in Mark þ. Fleet in JRAS, 1910, 444f. There is one difficulty in the way of accepting this fication Mandhātā lay to the south of the Pāriyātra Mts. (W. Vindhyas), whereas Māhismati lay between the Vindhya and the Riksha-to the north of the Vindhya and to the south of the Riksha, according
to the commentator Nilakantha (Harivamsa, II. 38. 7-19). For identification with Maheśvara, once the residence of the Holkar family, see Ind. Ant, 1875. 346ff, For Māndhātā, see ibid, 1876, 53.
3 Lüders Ins. No. 469; Gradual Sayings, V. 31 ; Law, Ancient Mid-Indian Ksatriya Tribes, p. 158; DPPN, I. 193; Kathakośa, 18.
4 Narmadāmabhitah, Mbh., II.31.10. 5 Matsya, 43-44; Vayu, 95-96; Ait. Br., VIII. 14. 6 Matsya, 43. 8-29; Vāyu, 94, 5-26. 7 Arthaśāstra, p. 11; Mbh. vii. 68. 6 etc; Saundara Nanda, VIII. 45.
8 Cf. Nāgpur ; and Ind. Ant. 1884. 85; Bomb. Gaz, I. 2. 313 etc, O. P. 90-19.