South Asia circa 500 BCE, with location of the Madra kingdom[1][2]
Madra kingdom (IAST:Mādra;[maːd̪ɽɐ]) was a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in theancient Indian epicMahabharata. Its capital wasSagala in theMadra region. TheKuru kingPandu's (Pāṇḍu) second wife was from Madra kingdom and was calledMadri (Sanskrit:माद्री;IAST:Mādrī;IPA/Sanskrit:[maːd̪ɽiː]). The Pandava twins,Nakula andSahadeva, were her sons. Madri's brotherShalya was the king of Madra. Though affectionate to thePandavas, he was tricked to give support toDuryodhana and fought against the Pandavas during theKurukshetra War. He was killed byYudhishthira, the eldest Pandava. Other than the Madra kingdom (Eastern Madra or Purva Madra) with Sagala as its capital, it is believed that there was a Western Madra (Apara Madra) and a Northern Madra (Uttara Madra).
Bahlika people were considered as "outsiders" of the Vedic culture, as being a foreign tribe ofBharatvarsha. The name Bahlika is also used to denote a kingdom different from Madra, Sindhu, Kekeya, Gandhāra & Kamboja. TheKuru kingShantanu, a forefather ofKauravas andPandavas, had a brother who ruled theBahlika kingdom.
Bahlika or western countries were cold countries and people used blankets. They also reared sheep and dranksheep milk. They had good knowledge of camels. They had horses of excellent quality. Their horses and evenhorsemen were used in the wars between kings ofAryavarta (North Indian kingdoms where Vedic culture of the norm, prevailed).
Their soldiers used to aid both the parties engaged in a battle on a payment basis. Probably this was the reason why Shalya, the Madra king, has to side with Duryodhana in theKurukshetra War, since he was tricked to accept the payment for siding with Duryodhana.
Another collective name denoting the western kingdoms is Arashtra orAratta, meaning a kingless country. This raises the doubt, whether these countries were a republic ruled by elected chiefs, if we take the positive sense of the word. In a negative sense the word Arashtra can mean a kingdom with no control or with utter disorder.
Origin of Madra tribe (Pandu's second wife Madri's kingdom)
The Andrakas, Guhas, Pulindas, Savaras, Chuchukas, Madrakas, the Yamas,Kamvojas,Kiratas and Barbaras were mentioned as unknown tribes. In theKrita age, they were nowhere on earth (meaning Ancient India). It is from theTreta age that they have had their origin and began to multiply. When the terrible period came, joiningTreta Yuga and theDvapara Yuga, theKshatriyas, approaching one another, engaged themselves in battle (12,206).
The Madra tribe andSalwa tribe had a common origin as hinted by a myth at (1,121). Here the origin of these two tribes were attributed to a king in the race ofPuru, known by the name of Vyushitaswa. His wife was Bhadra, the daughter of Kakshivat (Kakshivat was the son of Gautama-Dirghatamas, begotten upon the servant-maid of the queen of a king named Vali who ruled in the outskirts ofMagadha. (See alsoAnga andMagadha). Seven sons were born to Bhadra, after the death of Vyushitaswa. Later they all became kings. Three of them became the three kings ofSalwa and four of them became the four kings of Madra.
The myth describes that these seven kings were born of the dead-body of her husband!
Bhishma, the fatherlike guardian ofKuru kingPandu went to the capital of Madra, to ask forShalya's sister as a bride to Pandu. Upon whichShalya replies:- "There is a custom in our family observed by our ancestors, which, be it good or bad, I am incapable of transgressing it. It is well-known, and therefore is known to thee as well, I doubt not." The custom was that the groom had to give dowry to the kinsmen of the bride. Bhishma gave much wealth to Shalya and took Madri as the bride forPandu (1,113).
PandavaSahadeva married Vijaya, the daughter of Dyutimat, the king of Madra, obtaining her in a self-choice ceremony and begat upon her a son named Suhotra. (1,95)
Aswapati was the son ofMadra (the founder of Madra kingdom) and grandson of KingShibi. He was the father ofSavitri the famous princess of Madra, who became the lover (and later, wife) of the famousSalwa princeSatyavan. Aswapati's wife was from a minor tribe known asMalava. She was known as Malavi (3,291). The sons of Aswapati and Malavi, later became the powerful Malava kings. They spread their kingdom as far asAvanti (Ujjain,Madhya Pradesh). Thus the royal line of Malavas originated from the Madra (Punjab province of Pakistan) king Aswapati (3,297).
Shalya was the most famous king from Madra. He became the generalissimo of theKaurava army on the last day of theKurukshetra War. He was the oldest spear-fighter battled inKurukshetra War.Bhima had defeatedShalya in mace-fight without knowing each other during the self-choice ceremony ofDraupadi (1,192). He was slain byPandava kingYudhishthira during the last day (18th day) ofKurukshetra War.Shalya was rated byBhishma as anAthiratha( a great chariot-warrior) (5,166). Shalya was also skilled in knowledge of steeds and in driving the chariot on the battlefield (8,31). For this reason, Shalya was forced to be the charioteer ofKarna for one day during the war.Shalya had two sons named Rukmangada and Rukmaratha (1,188). Rukmaratha was mentioned as participating in the war. Similarly, many brothers of Shalya also participated in the war. His younger brother was slain byAbhimanyu (8,5). He is also called as Mukappan.
There were other Madra kings like Dyutimat mentioned at (1,95) as the father-in-law ofPandavaSahadeva.
Nakula, during his military campaign to the west, to collect tribute forYudhishthira'sRajasuya sacrifice came to the Madra kingdom also
Nakula the son ofPandu, by sheer force, reduced to subjection the Ramathas, theHarahunas, and various kings of the west. And while staying there Nakula sent, messengers untoVasudeva Krishna. And Vasudeva with all theYadavas accepted his sway. And the mighty hero, proceeding thence toSakala, the city of the Madras, made his uncleShalya accept from affection the sway of thePandavas. The illustrious prince deserving the hospitality and entertainment at his uncle's hands, was well entertained by his uncle.Nakula obtained from Shalya a large quantity of jewels and gems and left his kingdom.
Madra kingShalya, came with an Akshouhini of troops to join the army ofPandavas, since his nephews viz the twinsNakula andSahadeva were none other than the youngest Pandavas. His troops marched slowly on every day from Madra (Punjab province of Pakistan) toUpaplavya (somewhere on the border ofRajasthan andHaryana), theMatsya city, where thePandavas were camped. When his army reached Kurujangala (the kingdom of the Pandavas, the modern-dayHaryana),Duryodhana's men intercepted the army. They, without revealing their identity, received Shalya and his men, made tents for them and refreshed them with all comforts. The Madra soldiers also received payment from Duryodhana's officers for taking part in theKurukshetra War.Shalya became indebted to battle for the sake ofDuryodhana, by the time he learned the truth. (5,8).
The main antagonist ofShalya in bow-fight was, kingYudhishthira (5,57). Both of them engaged many times in battle. (6-45 etc.). He also made many battles withNakula andSahadeva. He defeated many likeVirata andDrupada.Shalya became the driver ofKarna's chariot on the 17th day (8,36). On the last dayYudhishthira slew his uncleShalya, who was then the generalissimo of the Kaurava army (9,17).
On the day whenShalya was forced to become the driver ofKarna's chariot, a dispute arose between them (8-40,44). The passages that describe this dispute give light to the cultural differences that existed between these warriors. (SeeBahlika Culture for more details).
During the time of theGupta Empire, the Indian emperorSamudragupta (ruled 350-375 CE) recorded Madraka as a "frontier kingdom" which paid an annual tribute. This was recorded by Samudragupta'sAllahabad Pillar inscription, which states the following in lines 22–23.
"Samudragupta, whose formidable rule was propitiated with the payment of all tributes, execution of orders and visits (to his court) for obeisance by such frontier rulers as those of Samataṭa,Ḍavāka,Kāmarūpa,Nēpāla, andKartṛipura, and, by theMālavas,Ārjunāyanas,Yaudhēyas,Mādrakas,Ābhīras, Prārjunas, Sanakānīkas, Kākas, Kharaparikas , Karna and other nations"
Madrabhujingas were mentioned as a kingdom of ancient India (Bharata Varsha) (6,9)
Karna is mentioned as subjugating the Madras, along with the Gandharas, the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Tanganas, the Khasas, the Pancalas, the Videhas, the Kulindas, the Kasi-kosalas, the Suhmas, the Angas, the Nishadhas, the Pundras, the Kichakas, the Vatsas, the Kalingas, the Taralas, the Asmakas, and the Rishikas (8,8)
Trained elephants were mentioned as brought from the country of Madra byVasudeva Krishna. These were given as present to thePandavas on the occasion of their marriage withDraupadi (1,201). It is not clear how elephant could naturally exist in Madra (Punjab province ofPakistan). However, a training center to make them war-elephants could exist there.
From the Nishadas sprang up the Madranabha caste whose members are seen to ride on cars drawn by asses. (13,48).
Madra kings were equated to a clan ofAsuras called Krodhaveshas. (1,67)
In Vichitra Natak, a part of Dasam Granth authored by Guru Gobind Singh, there are numerous references to Madra.
.png){kind=link}