Malava Kingdom
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Malava kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled by the Yadava kings in the central and western India, corresponding to the Malwa region. Sometimes Avanti and Malava were described to be the same country. They were originally a western tribe, in Punjab province of Pakistan. Later they migrated to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh states of India. In recorded history of India, there were a royal tribe called Malavas. They were believed to be the descendants of the Malavas.
[edit] References in Mahabharata
Malavas were originally a tribe neighbouring the Madra territories in Punjab province of Pakistan.
[edit] The origin of Malavas
Accordiing to the Mahabharata (Book 3, Chapter 295), the Malavas were a small unknown tribe near Madra Kingdom, who later became the powerful Malavas in Madhya Pradesh state in India, near Avanti Kingdom (having Ujjayani or Ujjain as its capital).
Vivaswat’s son, Yama, the dispenser of justice, untied his noose, and with cheerful heart said these words to Savitri, ‘Thus, O auspicious and chaste lady, is thy husband freed by me! Thou wilt be able to take him back free from disease. And he will attain to success! And along with thee, he will attain a life of four hundred years. And celebrating sacrifices with due rites, he will achieve great fame in this world. And upon thee Satyavan will also beget a century of sons. And these Kshatriyas with their sons and grandsons will all be kings, and will always be famous in connection with thy name. And thy father (Aswapati, the king of Madra Kingdom also will beget a hundred sons on thy mother Malavi. And under the name of the Malavas, thy Kshatriya brothers, will be widely known along with their sons and daughters.
[edit] Wife of a Madra King from Malava
- Mahabharata, Book 3, Chapter 291
There was a king among the Madras, named Aswapati, who was virtuous and highly pious. And then, by the grace of goddess Savitri, the embryo in the womb of the princess of Malava (wife of Aswapati) increased like the lord of stars in the heavens during the lighted fortnight. And when the time came, she brought forth a daughter furnished with lotus-like eyes. She was the famous Savitri, who became wife of the prince Satyavan of Salwa Kingdom.
[edit] Military Campaign of Nakula
- Mahabharata, Book 2, Chapter 31
Nakula subjugated the Dasarnas, the Sivis, the Trigartas, the Amvashtas, the Malavas, the five tribes of the Karnatas, and those twice born classes that were called the Madhyamakeyas and Vattadhanas.
[edit] Yudhisthira's Rajasuya Sacrifice
- Mahabharata, Book 2, Chapter 33
.........and the kings of Vanga and Kalinga; and Akastha and Kuntala and the kings of the Malavas and the Andhrakas; and the Dravidas and the Singhalas and the king of Kashmira, and king Kuntibhoja of great energy and king Gauravahana, and all the other heroic kings of Valhika; and Virata with his two sons, and Mavella endued with great might..............
[edit] Tributes received by King Yudhisthira
- Mahabharata, Book 2, Chapter 51
The Kairatas, the Daradas, the Darvas, the Suras, the Vaiamakas, the Audumvaras, the Durvibhagas, the Kumaras, the Paradas along with the Vahlikas, the Kashmiras, the Ghorakas, the Hansakayanas, the Sivis, the Trigartas, the Yauddheyas, the ruler of Madras and the Kaikeyas, the Amvashtas, the Kaukuras, the Tarkshyas, the Vastrapas along with the Palhavas, the Vashatayas, the Mauleyas along with the Kshudrakas, and the Malavas, the Paundrayas, the Kukkuras, the Sakas, the Angas, the Vangas, the Punras, the Sanavatyas, and the Gayas—these good and well-born Kshatriyas distributed into regular clans and trained to the use of arms, brought tribute unto king Yudhishthira by hundreds and thousands.
[edit] Kingdoms under Yudhisthira's sway
- Mahabharata, Book 3, Chapter 51
The words of Vasudeva Krishna to king Yudhisthira
That prosperity which the Pandavas had acquired at Indraprastha, and which, unobtainable by other kings, was beheld by me at the Rajasuya sacrifice, at which, besides, I saw all kings, even those of the Vangas and Angas and Paundras and Odras and Cholas and Dravidas and Andhakas, and the chiefs of many islands and countries on the sea-board as also of frontier states, including the rulers of the Sinhalas, the barbarous mlecchas, the natives of Lanka, and all the kings of the West by hundreds, and all the chiefs of the sea-coast, and the kings of the Pahlavas and the Daradas and the various tribes of the Kiratas and Yavanas and Sakras and the Harahunas and Chinas and Tukharas and the Sindhavas and the Jagudas and the Ramathas and the Mundas and the inhabitants of the kingdom of women and the Tanganas and the Kekayas and the Malavas and the inhabitants of Kasmira, afraid of the prowess of your weapons, present in obedience to your invitation, performing various offices,--that prosperity, O king Yudhisthira, so unstable and waiting at present on the foe, I shall restore to thee.
[edit] Military Campaign of Karna
- Mahabharata, Book 3, Chapter 252
Having conquered the entire earth—east, west, north and south—that hero Karna, without any aid brought under subjection all the nations of the Mlechchhas, the mountaineers, the Bhadras, the Rohitakas, the Agneyas and the Malavas.
[edit] Malavas in Kurukshetra War
- Mahabharata, Book 3, Chapter 295
And those mighty bowmen, the five royal brothers of Kekaya, will put forth their strength in battle, accepting the Kekaya warriors on Duryodhana’s side as antagonists. They will also fight against the Malavas also, and the Salwakas, as also, the two famous warriors of the Trigarta host on the side of Duryodhana.
The above extract indicate that the Malavas allied with Duryodhana.
[edit] Southern Malavas as per the list of Kingdoms in Bharata Varsha (Ancient India)
- Mahabharata, Book 6, Chapter 9
'Two Kingdoms in the south mentioned:- Malavayakas and Malavas.
There are other kingdoms, in the south. They are the Dravidas, the Keralas, the Prachyas, the Mushikas, and the Vanavashikas; the Karanatakas, the Mahishakas, the Vikalpas, and also the Mushakas; the Jhillikas, the Kuntalas, the Saunridas, and the Nalakananas; the Kankutakas, the Cholas, and the Malavayakas; the Samangas, the Kanakas, the Kukkuras, the Angaras, the Marishas: the Dhwajinis, the Utsavas, the Sanketas, the Trigartas, and the Salwasena; the Vakas, the Kokarakas, the Pashtris, and the Lamavegavasas; the Vindhyachulakas, the Pulindas, and the Valkalas; the Malavas, the Vallavas, the further-Vallavas, the Kulindas.
[edit] See also
Other kingdoms in this group include:
- Chedi
- Surasena (also known as Vraja Kingdom)
- Dasarna
- Karusha
- Kunti
- Avanti
- Heheya
- Gurjara
- Anarta
- Saurashtra
- Dwaraka
- Vidarbha
[edit] References
- Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, translated to English by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
