Chedi Kingdom

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Chedi (

IAST: Cedī) was a kingdom which fell roughly in the Bundelkhand division of Madhya Pradesh regions to the south of river Yamuna along the river Ken. Its capital city was called Suktimati
in Sanskrit.

Chedi among the kingdoms of Epic Indian literature

According to the

Dhrishtaketu, Suketu, Sarabha , Nakula's wife Karenumati, Dhrishtaketu's sons. Other Chedis included King Uparichara Vasu, his children, King Suvahu, King Sahaja. It was ruled during early periods by Paurava kings and later by Yadava
kings in the central part of the country.

In the Puranas

The Chedi clan and kingdom was founded by Chidi, the son of Vidarbha and belonging to the Yadava dynasty. Chedi was later conquered and ruled by the Pururava King Vasu Uparichara, upon the order of Indra. Uparichara's descendant is Shishupala.[citation needed]

Chedi mentioned as a Kingdom of Ancient India (Bharata Varsha)

The Kuru-Panchalas, the Salwas, the Madreyas, the Jangalas, the Surasenas, the Kalingas, the Vodhas, the Mallas, the Matsyas, the Sauvalyas, the Kuntalas, the Kasi-Kosalas, the Chedis, the Karushas, the Bhojas...(6,9)

Chedi was one among the kingdoms chosen for spending the 13th year of exile by the

Pandavas
.

Surrounding the kingdom of the

Surasena, Pattachchara, Dasarna, Navarashtra, Malla, Salva, Yugandhara, Saurashtra, Avanti, and the spacious Kuntirashtra
. (4,1)

King Uparichara Vasu and the festival of bamboo pole

Magadha, who later fathered Emperor Jarasandha
. His other sons, viz., Pratyagraha, Kusamva (Manivahana), Mavella and Yadu also became governors at various places. Thus the Chedi king attained the status of an emperor and his kingdom became a vast empire. He diverted the waters of river Suktimati from the locks of the Mountain Kolahala, for irrigating his capital-city which he named Suktimati. (1,63)

  • This beautiful city of the Chedis was called after the Oyster. (14,83)

His wife Girika, was from the valley of Kolahala. Girika's brother was installed as the generalissimo of Vasu's army. Apart from his five royal sons, he had a son and a daughter born of a woman of fisherman community. The male child, in due course established the

Kauravas
were the grandsons of Vichitravirya.(1,63)

King Shishupala of Chedi

Vasudeva Krishna. However Shishupala developed enmity with Krishna (2,44), though he was affectionate to the Pandava Bhima. During his military campaign to collect tribute for Pandava king Yudhishthira's Rajasuya sacrifice, Bhima stayed at the palace of Shishupala for a month as a guest. He also accepted Yudhishthira's sway over his kingdom and gave Bhima tribute (2,28). During the midst of Yudhishthira's Rajasuya ceremony, a dispute arose between Shishupala and Vasudeva Krishna. Pandavas tried to mediate. He also rebuked the Pandavas and Kuru grandsire Bhishma
along with Krishna. Then Krishna, extremely provoked, decapitated Shishupala. (2,44).

Shishupala's hostilities to Krishna were many. He burned the city of

Krishna was in Pragjyotisha with his army. He attacked king Bhoja, sporting at Raivataka hill close to Dwaraka. He stole the horse of Krishna's father Prince Vasudeva of Mathura, during his horse-sacrifice. He insulted the wife of Akrura (Vabhru – the friend of Krishna), on her way from Dwaraka to Sauvira Kingdom. He kidnapped the princess of Visala, viz Bhadra, the fiancé of Karusha
king. (2,44)

King Dhrishtaketu of Chedi

Dhrishtaketu, the king of Chedi (3,12), was described as the elder son of King

Kasis, and the Karushas (5,199). He was a Maharatha (a great chariot-warrior) as per the rating of Bhishma (5,172). One of his sons also took part in the war (5,57). He was slain by Drona
(7,128), (11,25). Dhrishtaketu was also slain in battle by Drona.

  • Chedi Princess, Karenumati, was wedded to the Pandava Nakula, and prince Narimitra was their son. (1,95). It is not clear if she was Dhrishtaketu's sister. However, it was mentioned that his sister was the wife of one of the Pandavas (3,22) (15,1).
  • Sarabha, the middle son of Shishupala became the king of Chedi after the death of Dhrishtaketu. He was killed in battle by Arjuna during his military campaign, after the Kurukshetra War. (14,83)
  • Mahipala, the youngest son of Shishupala, was killed by
    Dussasana with an exploding arrow on the 9th day of the Kurukshetra War
    .

Other Kings of Chedi

Chedis in Kurukshetra War

King of Chedi Kingdom, Dhrishtaketu, the son of Shishupala (who was killed by Krishna on the day of Yudhishthira's Rajasuya Yagna) and his sons (at least 3) took part in the Kurukshetra War from the Pandavas' side. Dhrishtaketu was killed by Guru Dronacharya on the 14th day of the war. Prince of Chedi kingdom (Son of Dhrishaketu) was killed by Ashwatthama on the 15th day of the war.

Chedi King Dhrishtaketu and his sons

  • The powerful chief of the Chedis, Dhrishtaketu, accompanied by an Akshauhini, came to the sons of Pandu. (5–19,57)
  • The assembled kings of the Chedi and the Karusha tribes have all taken the part of the Pandavas with all their resources. (5,22)
  • Chedi King Dhrishtaketu employed Kamboja steeds of variegated hue in the battle (7,23)
  • Drona slew Dhrishtaketu and his son (7,122)
  • Another Chedi prince was slain by Ashwatthama, the son of Drona (7,198)
  • Another son of Shishupala, brother of Dhrishtaketu, named Suketu also was slain by Drona (8,6)

In popular culture

In the 2012 anthropological thriller The Krishna Key, the origin of the Chedi clan is linked to the Yadavas. Dr. Devendra Chedi is one of the main characters of the novel who is the genetic expert.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Mahabharata". sacred-texts.com.
  2. ^ The Krishna Key, Chapter, 46,The Krishna Key , Sanghi, Ashwin, Westland Publishers 2012