इंद्रप्रस्थ

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Indraprastha : nt.: Name of a city, the capital of the Pāṇḍavas; earlier called Khāṇḍavaprastha; occasionally referred to also as Śakraprastha (1. 213. 5{??}; 2. 25. 20; 16. 8. 10, 11, 68; 17. 1. 9), Śatakratuprastha (3. 24. 11), Śakrapura (5. 30. 47); designated variously as pura (1. 199. 27; 3. 24. 11, also purottama and puraśreṣṭha see below Description), nagara (1. 55. 25; 1. 199. 28, 39; 1. 213. 57), rāṣṭra 1. 199. 47 (besides prastha as in its name).


A. Location: Near the river Yamunā (vyacarad yamunākūle pārthena saha) 1. 213. 57; (gacchāmo yamunāṁ prati) 1. 214. 14.


B. Description: Delightful (ramya) 1. 213. 57; best city (purottama) 1. 199. 33; 1. 213. 22; 2. 25. 20; 2. 65. 17; (puraśreṣṭha) 1. 199. 30, 49; unrivalled (apratima) 3. 24. 11; large (mahant) 1. 199. 47; 3. 24. 11; looking like the city of gods (devapuraprakāśa) 3. 24. 11; city of the righteous people (puṇyajanopeta) 1. 199. 47; it had well distributed large roads (suvibhaktamahāpatha) 1. 55. 24; full of clean people and adorned by merchants (susaṁmṛṣṭajanākīrṇaṁ vaṇigbhir upaśobhitam) 1. 213. 33, full of communities (janapadopeta) 1. 55. 24; (also see the next section).


C. Founding of the city: Dhṛtarāṣṭra gave half of the Kuru kingdom to the Pāṇḍavas and asked them to settle down at Khāṇḍavaprastha (ardhaṁ rājyasya saṁprāpya khāṇḍavaprastham āviśa); the Pāṇḍavas had to pass through a dense forest to reach Khāṇḍavaprastha from Hāstinapura (pratasthire tato ghoraṁ vanaṁ tat…khāṇḍavaprastham āviśan) 1. 199. 25-26; led by Kṛṣṇa, the Pāṇḍavas renovated the city so that it looked like heaven (kṛṣṇapurogamāḥ/maṇḍayāṁ cakrire tad vai puraṁ svargavat) 1. 199. 27; they performed śānti on a holy and auspicious spot and then measured out the town under the guidance of Vyāsa (tataḥ puṇye śive deśe śāntiṁ kṛtvā mahārathāḥ/nagaraṁ māpayām āsur dvaipāyanapurogamāḥ) 1. 199. 28; 3. 24. 11; its protective deep and tall walls, wide gates, tall gopuras, different weapons stored in it, and its palatial buildings described in 1. 199. 29-36; it had gardens all around filled with trees of different kinds and birds (vividhair drumaiḥ/…nānādvijagaṇāyutam; the trees are listed); the gardens were filled with the notes of excited peacocks and cuckoos (mattabarhiṇasaṁghuṣṭaṁ kokilaiś ca sadāmadaiḥ) 1. 199. 39-43; it had clean, residential houses, creeper houses (latāgṛha), houses displaying pictures on their walls (citragṛha) and artificial mountains for the sport of kings (jagatiparvata; Nī. who reads ajagatiparvataiḥ (Bom. Ed. 1. 207. 46) says: nṛpalīlāyātrārthaiḥ kṛtrimaiḥ parvataiḥ) 1. 199. 44; it had ponds (vāpī) filled with water, lakes (saras), fragrant with lotuses and adorned with swans, kāraṇḍava and cakravāka birds, varied and delightful lotus ponds covered with clusters of lotus plants (ramyāś ca vividhās tatra puṣkariṇyo vanāvṛtāḥ), and other beautiful ponds, large and wide (taḍāgāni ca ramyāṇi bṛhanti ca mahānti ca) 1. 199. 44-46; Brāhmaṇas learned in all the Vedas came to settle down there, as also men who knew different languages (sarvabhāṣāvidas tathā), merchants from all directions seeking to make money (vaṇijaś cābhyayus tatra deśe digbhyo dhanārthinaḥ), and artisans who were skilled in different crafts (sarvaśilpavidaś caiva vāsāyābhyagamaṁs tadā) 1. 199. 37-38; Indraprastha, shining with its various white, excellent palatial buildings, shone like heaven (virocamānaṁ vividhaiḥ pāṇḍurair bhavanottamaiḥ//tat triviṣṭapasaṁkāśam indraprasthaṁ vyarocata/) 1. 199. 34-35; there Yudhiṣṭhira had his residence on a beautiful, auspicious spot; filled with wealth it shone like the residence of Kubera (tatra ramye śubhe deśe kauravyasya niveśanam/ śuśubhe dhanasaṁpūrṇaṁ dhanādhyakṣakṣayopamam) 1. 199. 36; the Pāṇḍavas, as they settled down there, developed a liking for the town (teṣāṁ…rāṣṭram āvasatāṁ… pāṇḍavānāṁ…śaśvat prītir avardhata) 1. 199. 47; the excellent town, with those five Indra-like archers, shone like Bhogavatī with the Nāgas (śuśubhe tat puraśreṣṭhaṁ nāgair bhogavatī yathā) 1. 199. 49; the Pāṇḍavas thus became the inhabitants of Khāṇḍavaprastha (samapadyanta khāṇḍavaprasthavāsinaḥ) 1. 199. 48; they thus got the kingdom of Indraprastha (evaṁ saṁprāpya rājyaṁ tad indraprasthe) 1. 200. 1; Pāṇḍavas' settling down at Khāṇḍavaprastha and ruling from there half of the (Kuru) kingdom is referred to in the Parvasaṁgrahaparvan (khāṇḍavaprasthavāsaś ca tathā rājyārdhaśāsanam) 1. 2. 89; also mentioned briefly in the summary of the Mahābhārata (asmābhiḥ khāṇḍavaprasthe yuṣmadvāso 'nucintitaḥ) 1. 55. 23-27; while describing the Pāṇḍavas' rule at Indraprastha Draupadī told Satyabhāmā that a hundred thousand horses and ten ayutas of elephants were in regular attendance of Yudhiṣṭhira (śatam aśvasahasrāṇi daśanāgāyutāni ca/yudhiṣṭhirasyānuyātram indraprasthanivāsinaḥ) 3. 222. 48 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 3. 233. 50; anuyātraṁ svairayātrāyām api parivārabhūtam); Pāṇḍavas' going to Khāṇḍavaprastha alluded to by Draupadī when she introduced herself to Koṭikāśya 3. 250. 5; Draupadī, while lamenting over the condition of the Pāṇḍavas during their stay in the Virāṭanagara remembered Yudhiṣṭhira's glory while living in Indraprastha 4. 17. 1521, 23-26, 28.


D. Epic events:

(1) When the cows of a Brāhmaṇa were stolen by thieves he came to Khāṇḍavaprastha and blamed the Pāṇḍavas 1. 205. 6;

(2) While ruling from Indraprastha the Pāṇḍavas subjugated other kings at the instance of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Bhīṣma (apparently even before the Rājasūya) (indraprasthe vasantas te jaghnur anyān narādhipān/ śāsanād dhṛtarāṣṭrasya rājñaḥ śāntanavasya ca//) 1. 214. 1;

(3) Dharmarāja, who was at Indpraprastha, was informed of Arjuna's plan to abduct Subhadrā and his permission was obtained 1. 211. 25;

(4) Arjuna, along with Subhadrā, returned to Khāṇḍavaprastha when he completed his period of exile of twelve years 1. 213. 13, 22;

(5) The Yādavas went to Khāṇḍavaprastha to offer marriage gifts to Arjuna 1. 213. 29; (this is referred to in the Anukramaṇīparvan 1. 1. 103); when Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and other Yādavas arrived, the city of Khāṇḍavaprastha was gaily decorated with flags and banners, its roads were swept and sprinkled with water, flowers scattered all around, cool and fragrant sandalwood juice was abundantly used, and fragrant aguru burnt at every place (viveśa khāṇḍavaprasthaṁ patākādhvajaśobhitam/siktasaṁmṛṣṭapanthānaṁ puṣpaprakaraśobhitam/candanasya rasaiḥ śītaiḥ puṇyagandhair niṣevitam// dahyatāguruṇā caiva deśe deśe sugandhinā) 1. 213. 31-33;

(6) When the Yādavas left, after giving gifts to Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa stayed behind at Śakraprastha (uvāsa nagare ramye śrakraprasthe mahāmanāḥ) 1. 213. 57;

(7) Sairandhrī told Uttara that Bṛhannaḍā was the charioteer of Arjuna when he defeated all kinds of beings at Khāṇḍavaprastha (ajayat khāṇḍavaprasthe) 4. 34. 15 (here Khāṇḍavaprastha stands for Khāṇḍava forest); this feat of Arjuna at Khāṇḍavaprastha (= Khāṇḍava forest) also referred to by Kṛṣṇa in his address to Duryodhana (ajayat khāṇḍavaprasthe) 5. 122. 52, and by Karṇa when he spoke to Śalya (prasthe 'jayat khāṇḍave savyasācī) 8. 29. 18;

(8) After a comfortable stay (sukhavāsa) at Khāṇḍavaprastha Kṛṣṇa wished to leave for Dvārakā 2. 2. 1;

(9) Kṛṣṇa went again to Indraprastha when invited by Yudhiṣṭhira for consultation regarding his wish to perform a Rājasūya 2. 12. 30-31;

(10) After the death of Jarāsandha, Kṛṣṇa returned to Indraprastha with Bhīma and Arjuna 2. 22. 44;

(11) When the four younger Pāṇḍavas went for the conquest of the four directions before the Rājasūya, Yudhiṣṭhira stayed back at Khāṇḍavaprastha 2. 30. 10;

(12) After completing successfully his expedition to the north Arjuna returned to Śakraprastha with all kinds of tributes (śakraprasthaṁ purottamam) 2. 25. 20;

(13) When Bhīma returned to Indraprastha after his expedition to the east he reported to Yudhiṣṭhira the great wealth brought by him 2. 27. 28;

(14) Nakula went to the west from Khāṇḍavaprastha 2. 29. 2; when he came back to Yudhiṣṭhira at Indraprastha he too reported to him the wealth brought by him 2. 29. 18;

(15) After the Rājasūya, when Duryodhana visited the Mayasabhā in Indraprastha, the Pāṇḍavas laughed at Duryodhana (Bhīṣma told this to Yudhiṣṭhira) 12. 124. 5 (reference to 2. 43. 7, 9);

(16) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Vidura to go to Khāṇḍavaprastha to invite Yudhiṣṭhira for a game of dice 2. 45. 56;

(17) At the end of the first game of dice, Dhṛtarāṣṭra permitted Yudhiṣṭhira to return to Khāṇḍvaprastha 2. 65. 15; accordingly Yudhiṣṭhira, with his brothers and Draupadī, left for Indraprastha 2. 65. 17;

(18) The bright prosperity (at the time of Rājasūya) of Yudhiṣṭhira while he was ruling at Indraprastha (indraprasthagate…yudhiṣṭhire) was snatched away from him by Duryodhana in the game of dice (Karṇa told Duryodhana) 3. 226. 5-6;

(19) People lamented when Yudhiṣṭhira had to leave for the forest leaving behind the great city Śatakratuprastha founded by himself (svayaṁ niveśya …puraṁ mahat…śatakratuprastham… hitvā prayātaḥ kva nu dharmarājaḥ) 3. 24. 11;

(20) Kṛṣṇa had assured Yudhiṣṭhira when he met him in the forest that he (Kṛṣṇa) could kill the Kauravas and get back for him his prosperity which he had seen at Indraprastha at the time of Rājasūya (and of which he was now deprived) 3. 48. 17, 23;

(21) Duryodhana reminded Dhṛtarāṣṭra that when Kṛṣṇa and the other kings met the Pāṇḍavas in the forest, at a place not far from Indraprastha (vanaṁ pravrājitān pārthān…indraprasthasya cādūrāt samājagmuḥ), they blamed Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the other Kauravas 5. 54. 2, 4;

(22) Aśvatthāman asked Karṇa in derision in which battle did he (Karṇa) win Indraprastha from the Pāṇḍavas; now Karṇa should fight with Arjuna (at the time of the cowraid at Virāṭanagara) since he was responsible for the game of dice and for winning Indraprastha 4. 45. 10, 21;

(23) Yudhiṣṭhira told Saṁjaya “Let Suyodhana recognize my kingship at Indraprastha and I shall be at peace with the Kauravas” (śāntiṁ gamiṣyāmi yathā tvam āttha/indraprasthe bhavatu mamaiva rājyaṁ suyodhano yacchatu bhāratāgryaḥ//) 5. 26. 28; he again asked Saṁjaya to tell Duryodhana: “Hand over Śakrapura to me or get ready for battle” (dadasva vā śakrapuraṁ mamaiva yudhyasva vā bhāratamukhya vīra//) 5. 30. 47; Bhīṣma, after he fell on the battefield, also advised to hand over half of the kingdom to the Pāṇḍavas and let Yudhiṣṭhira rule at Indraprastha (rājyasyārdhaṁ dīyatāṁ pāṇḍavānām indraprasthaṁ dharmarājo 'nuśāstu) 6. 116; 48.

(24) Kṛṣṇa reminded Dhṛtarāṣṭra that he himself and his sons had sent away Yudhiṣṭhira to Indraprastha (indraprasthaṁ tvayaivāsau saputreṇa vivāsitaḥ), where he (Yudhiṣṭhira) brought under control other kings and made them subservient to Dhṛtarāṣṭra 5. 93. 55-56 (reference to 1. 199. 24-25; 1. 214. 1);

(25) After the Pāṇḍavas won the war, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna rejoiced at Indraprastha 14. 15. 5;

(26) Arjuna told Vasudeva that he would take with him women folk, as also the young and the old, of the Vṛṣṇis, to Indraprastha 16. 8. 5; He told the Brāhmaṇas and the merchants of Dvārakā (naigamāḥ), who had gathered around him, that he would take with him the Vṛṣṇis and the Andhakas to Śakraprastha since Dvārakā would be merged in the ocean (śakraprastham ahaṁ neṣye vṛṣṇyandhakajanaṁ svayam/idaṁ tu nagaraṁ sarvaṁ samudraḥ plāvayiṣyati) 16. 8. 10; he also told them that Vajra would be their king at Śakraprastha (vajro 'yaṁ bhavatāṁ rājā śakraprasthe bhavīṣyati) 16. 8. 11; Arjuna rehabilitated the old, the young and the women of the Vṛṣṇis and the Andhakas at Śakraprastha (śakraprasthe nyaveśayat) 16. 8. 68; Arjuna gave the kingdom of Indraprastha to Vajra 16. 8. 70;

(27) Yudhiṣṭhira told Subhadrā, when he decided to abandon the kingdom, that Parikṣit would be the king of Hāstinapura and Vajra, the Yādava, of Śakraprastha (parikṣid dhāstinapure śakraprasthe tu yādavaḥ/vajro rājā) 17. 1. 9.


E. Similes:

(1) Khāṇḍavaprastha compared with Bhogavatī, the city of the Nāgas (suśubhe tat puraśreṣṭhaṁ nāgair bhogavatī yathā) 1. 1. 9. 30; 1. 199. 49;

(2) Compared with heaven (tat triviṣṭapasaṁkāśaṁ indraprasthaṁ vyarocata) 1. 199. 35; (devapuraprakāśam) 3. 24. 11. [See Udayendu ]


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Indraprastha : nt.: Name of a city, the capital of the Pāṇḍavas; earlier called Khāṇḍavaprastha; occasionally referred to also as Śakraprastha (1. 213. 5{??}; 2. 25. 20; 16. 8. 10, 11, 68; 17. 1. 9), Śatakratuprastha (3. 24. 11), Śakrapura (5. 30. 47); designated variously as pura (1. 199. 27; 3. 24. 11, also purottama and puraśreṣṭha see below Description), nagara (1. 55. 25; 1. 199. 28, 39; 1. 213. 57), rāṣṭra 1. 199. 47 (besides prastha as in its name).


A. Location: Near the river Yamunā (vyacarad yamunākūle pārthena saha) 1. 213. 57; (gacchāmo yamunāṁ prati) 1. 214. 14.


B. Description: Delightful (ramya) 1. 213. 57; best city (purottama) 1. 199. 33; 1. 213. 22; 2. 25. 20; 2. 65. 17; (puraśreṣṭha) 1. 199. 30, 49; unrivalled (apratima) 3. 24. 11; large (mahant) 1. 199. 47; 3. 24. 11; looking like the city of gods (devapuraprakāśa) 3. 24. 11; city of the righteous people (puṇyajanopeta) 1. 199. 47; it had well distributed large roads (suvibhaktamahāpatha) 1. 55. 24; full of clean people and adorned by merchants (susaṁmṛṣṭajanākīrṇaṁ vaṇigbhir upaśobhitam) 1. 213. 33, full of communities (janapadopeta) 1. 55. 24; (also see the next section).


C. Founding of the city: Dhṛtarāṣṭra gave half of the Kuru kingdom to the Pāṇḍavas and asked them to settle down at Khāṇḍavaprastha (ardhaṁ rājyasya saṁprāpya khāṇḍavaprastham āviśa); the Pāṇḍavas had to pass through a dense forest to reach Khāṇḍavaprastha from Hāstinapura (pratasthire tato ghoraṁ vanaṁ tat…khāṇḍavaprastham āviśan) 1. 199. 25-26; led by Kṛṣṇa, the Pāṇḍavas renovated the city so that it looked like heaven (kṛṣṇapurogamāḥ/maṇḍayāṁ cakrire tad vai puraṁ svargavat) 1. 199. 27; they performed śānti on a holy and auspicious spot and then measured out the town under the guidance of Vyāsa (tataḥ puṇye śive deśe śāntiṁ kṛtvā mahārathāḥ/nagaraṁ māpayām āsur dvaipāyanapurogamāḥ) 1. 199. 28; 3. 24. 11; its protective deep and tall walls, wide gates, tall gopuras, different weapons stored in it, and its palatial buildings described in 1. 199. 29-36; it had gardens all around filled with trees of different kinds and birds (vividhair drumaiḥ/…nānādvijagaṇāyutam; the trees are listed); the gardens were filled with the notes of excited peacocks and cuckoos (mattabarhiṇasaṁghuṣṭaṁ kokilaiś ca sadāmadaiḥ) 1. 199. 39-43; it had clean, residential houses, creeper houses (latāgṛha), houses displaying pictures on their walls (citragṛha) and artificial mountains for the sport of kings (jagatiparvata; Nī. who reads ajagatiparvataiḥ (Bom. Ed. 1. 207. 46) says: nṛpalīlāyātrārthaiḥ kṛtrimaiḥ parvataiḥ) 1. 199. 44; it had ponds (vāpī) filled with water, lakes (saras), fragrant with lotuses and adorned with swans, kāraṇḍava and cakravāka birds, varied and delightful lotus ponds covered with clusters of lotus plants (ramyāś ca vividhās tatra puṣkariṇyo vanāvṛtāḥ), and other beautiful ponds, large and wide (taḍāgāni ca ramyāṇi bṛhanti ca mahānti ca) 1. 199. 44-46; Brāhmaṇas learned in all the Vedas came to settle down there, as also men who knew different languages (sarvabhāṣāvidas tathā), merchants from all directions seeking to make money (vaṇijaś cābhyayus tatra deśe digbhyo dhanārthinaḥ), and artisans who were skilled in different crafts (sarvaśilpavidaś caiva vāsāyābhyagamaṁs tadā) 1. 199. 37-38; Indraprastha, shining with its various white, excellent palatial buildings, shone like heaven (virocamānaṁ vividhaiḥ pāṇḍurair bhavanottamaiḥ//tat triviṣṭapasaṁkāśam indraprasthaṁ vyarocata/) 1. 199. 34-35; there Yudhiṣṭhira had his residence on a beautiful, auspicious spot; filled with wealth it shone like the residence of Kubera (tatra ramye śubhe deśe kauravyasya niveśanam/ śuśubhe dhanasaṁpūrṇaṁ dhanādhyakṣakṣayopamam) 1. 199. 36; the Pāṇḍavas, as they settled down there, developed a liking for the town (teṣāṁ…rāṣṭram āvasatāṁ… pāṇḍavānāṁ…śaśvat prītir avardhata) 1. 199. 47; the excellent town, with those five Indra-like archers, shone like Bhogavatī with the Nāgas (śuśubhe tat puraśreṣṭhaṁ nāgair bhogavatī yathā) 1. 199. 49; the Pāṇḍavas thus became the inhabitants of Khāṇḍavaprastha (samapadyanta khāṇḍavaprasthavāsinaḥ) 1. 199. 48; they thus got the kingdom of Indraprastha (evaṁ saṁprāpya rājyaṁ tad indraprasthe) 1. 200. 1; Pāṇḍavas' settling down at Khāṇḍavaprastha and ruling from there half of the (Kuru) kingdom is referred to in the Parvasaṁgrahaparvan (khāṇḍavaprasthavāsaś ca tathā rājyārdhaśāsanam) 1. 2. 89; also mentioned briefly in the summary of the Mahābhārata (asmābhiḥ khāṇḍavaprasthe yuṣmadvāso 'nucintitaḥ) 1. 55. 23-27; while describing the Pāṇḍavas' rule at Indraprastha Draupadī told Satyabhāmā that a hundred thousand horses and ten ayutas of elephants were in regular attendance of Yudhiṣṭhira (śatam aśvasahasrāṇi daśanāgāyutāni ca/yudhiṣṭhirasyānuyātram indraprasthanivāsinaḥ) 3. 222. 48 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 3. 233. 50; anuyātraṁ svairayātrāyām api parivārabhūtam); Pāṇḍavas' going to Khāṇḍavaprastha alluded to by Draupadī when she introduced herself to Koṭikāśya 3. 250. 5; Draupadī, while lamenting over the condition of the Pāṇḍavas during their stay in the Virāṭanagara remembered Yudhiṣṭhira's glory while living in Indraprastha 4. 17. 1521, 23-26, 28.


D. Epic events:

(1) When the cows of a Brāhmaṇa were stolen by thieves he came to Khāṇḍavaprastha and blamed the Pāṇḍavas 1. 205. 6;

(2) While ruling from Indraprastha the Pāṇḍavas subjugated other kings at the instance of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Bhīṣma (apparently even before the Rājasūya) (indraprasthe vasantas te jaghnur anyān narādhipān/ śāsanād dhṛtarāṣṭrasya rājñaḥ śāntanavasya ca//) 1. 214. 1;

(3) Dharmarāja, who was at Indpraprastha, was informed of Arjuna's plan to abduct Subhadrā and his permission was obtained 1. 211. 25;

(4) Arjuna, along with Subhadrā, returned to Khāṇḍavaprastha when he completed his period of exile of twelve years 1. 213. 13, 22;

(5) The Yādavas went to Khāṇḍavaprastha to offer marriage gifts to Arjuna 1. 213. 29; (this is referred to in the Anukramaṇīparvan 1. 1. 103); when Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and other Yādavas arrived, the city of Khāṇḍavaprastha was gaily decorated with flags and banners, its roads were swept and sprinkled with water, flowers scattered all around, cool and fragrant sandalwood juice was abundantly used, and fragrant aguru burnt at every place (viveśa khāṇḍavaprasthaṁ patākādhvajaśobhitam/siktasaṁmṛṣṭapanthānaṁ puṣpaprakaraśobhitam/candanasya rasaiḥ śītaiḥ puṇyagandhair niṣevitam// dahyatāguruṇā caiva deśe deśe sugandhinā) 1. 213. 31-33;

(6) When the Yādavas left, after giving gifts to Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa stayed behind at Śakraprastha (uvāsa nagare ramye śrakraprasthe mahāmanāḥ) 1. 213. 57;

(7) Sairandhrī told Uttara that Bṛhannaḍā was the charioteer of Arjuna when he defeated all kinds of beings at Khāṇḍavaprastha (ajayat khāṇḍavaprasthe) 4. 34. 15 (here Khāṇḍavaprastha stands for Khāṇḍava forest); this feat of Arjuna at Khāṇḍavaprastha (= Khāṇḍava forest) also referred to by Kṛṣṇa in his address to Duryodhana (ajayat khāṇḍavaprasthe) 5. 122. 52, and by Karṇa when he spoke to Śalya (prasthe 'jayat khāṇḍave savyasācī) 8. 29. 18;

(8) After a comfortable stay (sukhavāsa) at Khāṇḍavaprastha Kṛṣṇa wished to leave for Dvārakā 2. 2. 1;

(9) Kṛṣṇa went again to Indraprastha when invited by Yudhiṣṭhira for consultation regarding his wish to perform a Rājasūya 2. 12. 30-31;

(10) After the death of Jarāsandha, Kṛṣṇa returned to Indraprastha with Bhīma and Arjuna 2. 22. 44;

(11) When the four younger Pāṇḍavas went for the conquest of the four directions before the Rājasūya, Yudhiṣṭhira stayed back at Khāṇḍavaprastha 2. 30. 10;

(12) After completing successfully his expedition to the north Arjuna returned to Śakraprastha with all kinds of tributes (śakraprasthaṁ purottamam) 2. 25. 20;

(13) When Bhīma returned to Indraprastha after his expedition to the east he reported to Yudhiṣṭhira the great wealth brought by him 2. 27. 28;

(14) Nakula went to the west from Khāṇḍavaprastha 2. 29. 2; when he came back to Yudhiṣṭhira at Indraprastha he too reported to him the wealth brought by him 2. 29. 18;

(15) After the Rājasūya, when Duryodhana visited the Mayasabhā in Indraprastha, the Pāṇḍavas laughed at Duryodhana (Bhīṣma told this to Yudhiṣṭhira) 12. 124. 5 (reference to 2. 43. 7, 9);

(16) Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Vidura to go to Khāṇḍavaprastha to invite Yudhiṣṭhira for a game of dice 2. 45. 56;

(17) At the end of the first game of dice, Dhṛtarāṣṭra permitted Yudhiṣṭhira to return to Khāṇḍvaprastha 2. 65. 15; accordingly Yudhiṣṭhira, with his brothers and Draupadī, left for Indraprastha 2. 65. 17;

(18) The bright prosperity (at the time of Rājasūya) of Yudhiṣṭhira while he was ruling at Indraprastha (indraprasthagate…yudhiṣṭhire) was snatched away from him by Duryodhana in the game of dice (Karṇa told Duryodhana) 3. 226. 5-6;

(19) People lamented when Yudhiṣṭhira had to leave for the forest leaving behind the great city Śatakratuprastha founded by himself (svayaṁ niveśya …puraṁ mahat…śatakratuprastham… hitvā prayātaḥ kva nu dharmarājaḥ) 3. 24. 11;

(20) Kṛṣṇa had assured Yudhiṣṭhira when he met him in the forest that he (Kṛṣṇa) could kill the Kauravas and get back for him his prosperity which he had seen at Indraprastha at the time of Rājasūya (and of which he was now deprived) 3. 48. 17, 23;

(21) Duryodhana reminded Dhṛtarāṣṭra that when Kṛṣṇa and the other kings met the Pāṇḍavas in the forest, at a place not far from Indraprastha (vanaṁ pravrājitān pārthān…indraprasthasya cādūrāt samājagmuḥ), they blamed Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the other Kauravas 5. 54. 2, 4;

(22) Aśvatthāman asked Karṇa in derision in which battle did he (Karṇa) win Indraprastha from the Pāṇḍavas; now Karṇa should fight with Arjuna (at the time of the cowraid at Virāṭanagara) since he was responsible for the game of dice and for winning Indraprastha 4. 45. 10, 21;

(23) Yudhiṣṭhira told Saṁjaya “Let Suyodhana recognize my kingship at Indraprastha and I shall be at peace with the Kauravas” (śāntiṁ gamiṣyāmi yathā tvam āttha/indraprasthe bhavatu mamaiva rājyaṁ suyodhano yacchatu bhāratāgryaḥ//) 5. 26. 28; he again asked Saṁjaya to tell Duryodhana: “Hand over Śakrapura to me or get ready for battle” (dadasva vā śakrapuraṁ mamaiva yudhyasva vā bhāratamukhya vīra//) 5. 30. 47; Bhīṣma, after he fell on the battefield, also advised to hand over half of the kingdom to the Pāṇḍavas and let Yudhiṣṭhira rule at Indraprastha (rājyasyārdhaṁ dīyatāṁ pāṇḍavānām indraprasthaṁ dharmarājo 'nuśāstu) 6. 116; 48.

(24) Kṛṣṇa reminded Dhṛtarāṣṭra that he himself and his sons had sent away Yudhiṣṭhira to Indraprastha (indraprasthaṁ tvayaivāsau saputreṇa vivāsitaḥ), where he (Yudhiṣṭhira) brought under control other kings and made them subservient to Dhṛtarāṣṭra 5. 93. 55-56 (reference to 1. 199. 24-25; 1. 214. 1);

(25) After the Pāṇḍavas won the war, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna rejoiced at Indraprastha 14. 15. 5;

(26) Arjuna told Vasudeva that he would take with him women folk, as also the young and the old, of the Vṛṣṇis, to Indraprastha 16. 8. 5; He told the Brāhmaṇas and the merchants of Dvārakā (naigamāḥ), who had gathered around him, that he would take with him the Vṛṣṇis and the Andhakas to Śakraprastha since Dvārakā would be merged in the ocean (śakraprastham ahaṁ neṣye vṛṣṇyandhakajanaṁ svayam/idaṁ tu nagaraṁ sarvaṁ samudraḥ plāvayiṣyati) 16. 8. 10; he also told them that Vajra would be their king at Śakraprastha (vajro 'yaṁ bhavatāṁ rājā śakraprasthe bhavīṣyati) 16. 8. 11; Arjuna rehabilitated the old, the young and the women of the Vṛṣṇis and the Andhakas at Śakraprastha (śakraprasthe nyaveśayat) 16. 8. 68; Arjuna gave the kingdom of Indraprastha to Vajra 16. 8. 70;

(27) Yudhiṣṭhira told Subhadrā, when he decided to abandon the kingdom, that Parikṣit would be the king of Hāstinapura and Vajra, the Yādava, of Śakraprastha (parikṣid dhāstinapure śakraprasthe tu yādavaḥ/vajro rājā) 17. 1. 9.


E. Similes:

(1) Khāṇḍavaprastha compared with Bhogavatī, the city of the Nāgas (suśubhe tat puraśreṣṭhaṁ nāgair bhogavatī yathā) 1. 1. 9. 30; 1. 199. 49;

(2) Compared with heaven (tat triviṣṭapasaṁkāśaṁ indraprasthaṁ vyarocata) 1. 199. 35; (devapuraprakāśam) 3. 24. 11. [See Udayendu ]


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