Dakshina Kosala Kingdom

Dakshina Kosala (in west-central India), c. 375 CE

Dakshina Kosala or Southern Kosala was a colony of Kosala kings identified as ruling Chhattisgarh state and the Western Odisha region of India. According to the mythological epics, the Hindu avatar Rama's mother Kausalya came from this kingdom.

Description in epics

In ancient Indian literature as well as the epic Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas there are many references to the ancient Kosala Kingdom of northern India. Surya Vanshi Ikshvaku dynasty kings ruled Kosala with Ayodhya as their capital. Sri Ram Chandra was a king of that clan, based on whose character and activities, the Ramayana was written. This work mentions that after Rama, the kingdom was divided among his two sons, Lava and Kusha. North Kosala went to Lava as his share with Shravasti Nagari as his capital while Kusha received South Kosala. He established his new capital, Kushasthalipura on the riverKushavrate near the Vindhya mountain range, which divides north and south India. Kushasthalipura is identified as near Malhar in the present-day Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh state.

Sahadeva's military campaigns

Sahadeva targeted the kingdoms in the regions south of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Vanquishing the invincible Bhismaka, Sahadeva then defeated the king of Kosala in battle and the ruler of the territories lying on the banks of the Venwa, as well as the Kantarakas and the kings of the eastern Kosalas.[1]

History

South Kosala was spread across present day Chhattisgarh state and the Western Odisha region. In the course of time, Dakshin (South) Kosala developed as a mighty empire and for various reasons, mainly because of the rise of the kingdoms of Magadha and Kashi, North Kosala became weaker and eventually disappeared.

See also

References

  1. Mahabharata, Book 2, Chapter 30

External links

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