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THE KĀŚīs
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son of Mahişmān 1 and king of the Yadu dynasty, acquired Benares. His sons were defeated by King Divodāsa who recovered the city, sparing the life of Bhadraśrenya's youngest son, Durdama. Later, however, this Durdama again took Benares which was then recovered by Pratardana, son of Divodāsa. Elsewhere, we read that Alarka Saunati (grandson of Pratardana) re-established the city of Benares, after killing the Raksasa Kşemaka.
We return to the Mahābhārata references to Kāśi. A certain king of Kāśi gave his daughter Sārvasenī in marriage to Bharata, son of Dusmanta (Dusyanta), king of the Kuru dynasty, and Sakuntalā, daughter of Viśvāmitra.3 Kāśya, another king of Kāśi, had three daughters, Ambā, Ambikā and Ambālikā, who were won by Bhīşma for his brother Vicitravīrya in a Svayamvara.4 Suvāhu, a king of Kāśi, was conquered by Bhīşma. On the occasion of the marriage ceremony of Abhimanyu, the king of Kāśi and others were invited by Yudhisthira to a city named Upaplavya near Virāta. The king of Kāśī was an ally of Yudhisthira, and helped the Pāņdavas in the Kuruksetra war. In battle he rode horses decorated with gold and garlands 8; Saivya and he guarded the centre of the Pāņdava army with 30,000 chariots. The king of Kāśi is mentioned as the best archer.10 Kāśī, Karūșa and Cedi armies were under the leadership of Dhrstaketu.11
The Purāņas contain several stories about kings of Kāśī. We have mentioned the account of Divodāsa. Another king mentioned in the Vāyupurāna 12 is Kāśa who was the son of Dharmavrddha of the Nahusa family. The sons of Kāśa were Kāśara, Rāstra and Dirghatapas, and Dirghatapas' son was the learned Dharma. According to the Harivamśa (Chap. 29), the sons of Kāśa, a king of the Anenāh dynasty, were known as Kāśis. Dirghatamas (=Dirghatapas ?) was the eldest son.
Benares, the capital of Kāśi, figures in the story of Krsna's quarrel with Puņdva. King Pundva, aided by the king of Benares, fought with Krsņa Vāsudeva who defeated and killed Pundva, and burnt the city of Benares. 13
According to the Jainas, Pārsvanātha was born in Benares about 817 B.C. His father Aśvasena was the king of Benares, and
1 Padmapurāna, Srsti, Chap. 12.
2 Vāyupurāna, Chap. 92. 3 Ādiparvan. Chap. 05, p. 105. 4 Udyogaparvan, Chaps. 172-94, PP. 791-806. 5 Sabhāparvan, Chap. 30, pp. 241-2.
6 Virāțaparvan, Chap. 72, śl. 16. 7 Udyoga parvan, Chap. 72, p. 714.
8 Dronaparvan, Chap. 22, śl. 38. 9 Bhīşmaparvan, Chap. 50, p. 924.
10 Ibid., Chap. 25, p. 834. 11 Udyogaparvan, Chap. 198, p. 807.
12 Chap. 92. 13 Visnu purāna, 5th Amśa, Chap. 34.
