Kampil

Kampil Kampilya
city
UTC+5:30 (IST )

Kampil, historically known as Kampilya, is a town and a

. It is a very important place from a historical point of view.

History

Shraman Era

It is believed to be the birthplace of the 13th Tirthankara Bhagwan Shree Vimalnath. This is a Holy Land where the four Kalyanakas—chayavan, birth, diksa and omniscience—of Tirthankara 1008 Bhagawan Shree Vimalnatha, the thirteenth Tirthnakara took place. This Place was also graced by the visit of Lord Mahavira. Apart from these, there are many old temples, which signify the historical and religious importance of Kampil. During the epic period it was the capital of King Drupada, the father of Draupadi. The sacrificial altar (Yajna Kunda) from which Draupadi is believed to have been born from the fire of knowledge, is situated in Kampil. Near the sacrificial altar, there is a structure, which is the hermitage of a sage Kampila, where he used to perform penance.

Southern Panchala

Southern Panchala kingdom or Panchala-proper, one of the historical

By tradition the temple of Rameshwarnatha Mahadeva is attributed to Shatrughana, brother of Rama. It is said that he had brought the idol (Lingam) of Shiva, which was worshiped by Sita, the wife of Rama in Ashoka Vatika while she was held in captivity in Lanka and installed it in this temple.

Mughal era

Kampil is listed in the Ain-i-Akbari as a pargana under the sarkar of Kannauj, producing a revenue of 1,651,586 dams for the imperial treasury and supplying a force of 200 infantry and 100 cavalry.^[4]

References of Panchala in Mahabharata

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People from Panchala

In Mahabharata many figures were mentioned as the natives of Panchala

• Pandavas
• Dhrishtadyumna : Commander-in-Chief of the Pandavas in Kurukshetra War and brother of Panchali
• Dhristadyumna
• Shikhandi : Another son of Drupada (He married from Dasarna - see Dasarna Kingdom)
• Prishata : Father of Drupada
  (1,131)
• Satyajit : Commander-in-chief of Panchala army under king Drupada
• Sage Dhaumya : Priest of the
  Pandavas
  (1,185).
• Aruni : A Brahmin boy from Panchala and a disciple of sage
  Dhaumya
  (1,3).

Many other sons of Drupada (a total of 10) and other Panchala princes (like Yudhamanyu, Uttamaujas, Janamejaya (8,82) etc.) were mentioned as battling in

.

Origin of Panchala Tribe

• Mahabharata, Book 1, Chapter 94: The lineage extending from
  Santanu
  .

The following passage from Mahabharata, that describes the

and the Panchalas, both branched out from the same line.

When

narrated the lineage of kings in Puru's line.

Lineage of Puru Kings up to the branching of Panchala tribe

Puru

had by his wife Paushti three sons, Pravira, Iswara, and Raudraswa. Amongst them, Pravira was the perpetuator of the dynasty. Pravira had by his wife Suraseni a son named Manasyu. Manasyu had for his wife Sauviri. And he begat upon her three sons called Sakta, Sahana, and Vagmi. Raudraswa begat upon the Apsara Misrakesi ten sons. They all had sons. They are Richeyu, Kaksreyu Vrikeyu, Sthandileyu, Vaneyu, Jaleyu, Tejeyu, Satyeyu, Dharmeyu and Sannateyu the tenth.

Amongst them all, Richeyu became the sole monarch and was known by the name of Anadhrishti. Anadhristi had a son of the name of Matinara who became a famous and virtuous king and performed the

Bharata

gave his name to the race of which he was the founder. It is from him that the fame of that dynasty hath spread so wide. Bharata begat upon his three wives nine sons in all. But none of them were like their father and so Bharata was not at all pleased with them. Their mothers, therefore, became angry and slew them all. The procreation of children by Bharata, therefore, became vain.

The monarch then performed a great sacrifice and through the grace of Bharadwaja obtained a son named Bhumanyu. Then Bharata, the great descendant of

, was the perpetuator of the royal line. And he begat six sons,--Riksha was born of the womb of his wife Dhumini; Dushmanta and Parameshthin, of his wife Nili; Jahnu, Jala and Rupina were born of his wife Kesini. Kushikas are the sons of Jahnu.

All the tribes of the Panchalas are descended from Dushmanta and Parameshthin, two sons of the second wife of Puru king Ajamidha.

War between Panchalas and the forefathers of Kurus

Continuous war between the Kurus and Panchalas led the defeated Kurus to be exiled from their kingdom. They lived in the forests on the banks of

. Later the Kurus retook their capital.

Riksha who was older than both Jala and Rupina became king. Riksha begat Samvarana, the perpetuator of the royal line. While Samvarana, the son of Riksha, was ruling, there happened a great loss of people from famine, pestilence, drought, and disease. The Bharata princes were beaten by the troops of enemies.

And the Panchalas setting out to invade the whole land with their four kinds of troops soon brought the whole land under their sway. And with their ten Akshauhinis the king of the Panchalas defeated the Bharata prince. Samvarana then with his wife and ministers, sons and relatives, fled in fear, and took shelter in the forest on the banks of the

approached the exiled Bharatas.

It hath been heard that Vasishtha (becoming the priest) then installed the Bharata prince in the sovereignty of all the Kshatriyas. The king retook the capital that had been taken away from him and once more made all monarchs pay tribute to him. The powerful Samvarana, was thus installed once more in the actual sovereignty of the whole land.

Samvarana begat upon his wife, Tapati (whose abode was on the banks of river

.

It seems that the Samvarana who retook the capital was another king in the line of the exiled king Samvarana. Another interesting fact is that sages in the line of

) and Vasistha's help in getting the consent of king Surya, her father, to give her in marriage to Samvaran—all these are mentioned at (1-173,174,175,176).

Drupada becomes the king of Panchala

• Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva, Chapter 131: The History of Drona

There was a king named Prishata who was a great friend of

and study in his company. When Prishata was dead, this Drupada became the king of the Northern Panchalas. Once Drupada became the king, he forgot his friendship with Drona. Drupada insulted Drona by telling him that he deserved not to be his friend, because Drona was not a king, but a poor Brahmana.

The partition of the Panchala Kingdom

• Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva, Chapter 140: Arjuna takes Drupada captive

Drona defeated Drupada, by means of his disciple Arjuna, to settle his old scores. Drona spoke as follows to the captive Drupada:-

Thou toldest me before that none who was not a king could be a king's friend. Therefore, is it, O Yajnasena (Drupada), that I retain half thy kingdom. Thou art the king of all the territory lying on the southern side of the Bhagirathi (Ganga), while I become king of all the territory on the north of that river. And, O Panchala, if it pleaseth thee, know me hence for thy friend.

On hearing these words, Drupada answered:-, Thou art of noble soul and great prowess. Therefore, O Brahmana, I am not surprised at what thou doest. I am very much gratified with thee, and I desire thy eternal friendship.

After this, Drona released the king of Panchala, and cheerfully performing the usual offices of regard, bestowed upon him half the kingdom. Thenceforth Drupada began to reside sorrowfully in the city of Kampilya within the province of Makandi on the banks of the Ganges filled with many towns and cities. And after his defeat by Drona, Drupada ruled the Southern Panchalas up to the bank of the

.)

The higher status of Panchalas and Kurus in ancient India

The Kuru-Panchala was considered foremost among the provinces in Bharata Varsha (ancient India), comprising the Kuru and Panchala Kingdoms (6,9).

The Kurus and Panchalas were considered as foremost among the ruling tribes in ancient India, adhering close to the Vedic religion. They were the proponents of the Vedic religion in its dogmatic and purest form. Other tribes imitated the practices of these tribes and thus got accepted into the Vedic religions.

Commencing with the Panchalas, the

, without themselves knowing what virtue is follow the practices of the Kuru-Panchalas (8,45).

The

, are very stupid. The

Yavanas

are omniscient; the Suras are particularly so. The mlecchas are wedded to the creations of their own fancy that other peoples cannot understand (8,45).

The Panchalas observe the duties enjoined in the Vedas; the

who are all highly blessed, know what the eternal religion is (8,45).

Territories and locations within the Panchala Kingdom

Kichaka Kingdom

Capital: Vetrakiya

See Also:- Matsya Kingdom

Kichaka the commander-in-chief of Matsya army

Kichaka Kingdom was a territory lying to the south of (southern) Panchala. It was ruled by Kichaka clan of kings. They belonged to the Suta caste (offspring of

) also known as Suktimati.

The town named Ekachakra

It is believed that the

city).

In the course of their wanderings the

Pandavas

lived for a short time in the abode of a Brahmana, leading an eleemosynary life. (1,159).

During this period, Bhima slew a Rakhsasa named Baka (Vaka), at Vetrakiya. He controlled the affairs of that kingdom (Kichaka Kingdom) making the king of the kingdom, a name-sake king. By slaying the Rakshasa, Bhima freed that kingdom from Baka's the reign of terror. (1-165-166).

Pandavas journey from Ekachakra to Kampilya

Pandavas proceeded towards Panchala with their mother, to attend the self-choice event of princess

) (1,172). After that encounter they went to a place called Utkochaka, where they met sage Dhaumya. They appointed Dhaumya, the younger brother of Devala, as their priest (1,185). Then they proceeded towards the country of the southern Panchalas ruled over by the king Drupada They proceeded by slow stages staying for some time within those beautiful woods and by fine lakes that they beheld along their way and entered the capital of the Panchalas. Beholding the capital (Kampilya), as also the fort, they took up their quarters in the house of a potter. Desirous of beholding the Swayamvara (self-choice ceremony of the princess), the citizens, roaring like the sea, all took their seats on the platforms that were erected around the amphitheatre. The kings from diverse countries entered the grand amphitheatre by the north-eastern gate. And the amphitheatre which itself had been erected on an auspicious and level plain to the north-east of Drupada's capital, was surrounded by beautiful mansions. And it was enclosed on all sides with high walls and a moat with arched doorways here and there. The Pandavas, too, entering that amphitheatre, sat with the Brahmanas and beheld the unequalled affluence of the king of the Panchalas (1,187).

Arjuna won the competition set for winning Draupadi in the self-choice ceremony (1,192).

Kanyakubja Kingdom

This kingdom is identified to be the modern day Kannauj district of Uttar Pradesh. During the reign of King Drupada of southern Panchala, this territory formed a part of the southern Panchala

Gadhi, born in the race of king Kusika and Gadhi's son

also got his excellent chariot, horses and bow from Varuna). The horses reached Kanyakubja capital, crossing the river Ganges. The spot where they crossed the river was known by the name 'horse's landing place' (3,115).

Not far from Kanyakubja, a spot in the sacred bank of the Ganges is still famous among men as Aswatirtha in consequence of the appearance of those horses at that place (13,4).

Both the Kusikas and the Bhargava-Richikas seems to have links with the ancient western-cultures (See Also:

Kshatriyas

Gadhi was mentioned as a sovereign whose military force was exceedingly great (3,115). Viswamitra also was mentioned as possessing a large army and many animals and vehicles. Using those animals and vehicles he used to roam around in the forests in search of deer (1,176). During his wanderings he met the sage

and later adopting the life of an ascetic. Thus both the Kusikas and Bhargava-Richikas were warrior-tribes, who also were a priest-like class of people.

• In the country of Panchala, there is a forest called Utpala, where
  Viswamitra
  of Kusika's race had performed sacrifices with his son (3,87).

Pandavas's route from Dwiata lake to Matsya kingdom

Panchala was one among the countries considered by the

(4,1).

(4,5).

Impact of Magadha Kings on Panchala

Due to the power of

(which was south of these kingdoms) (2,14).

Even though only king Jarasandha is mentioned, this situation could have arisen due to many generations of powerful Magadha kings who were forefathers of Jarasandha. During the reign of Drupada, no shift in the location of southern Panchala is mentioned explicitly. If the situation was created by Jarasandha alone, and no other Magadha kings later or earlier to him, then this shift of southern-Panchala could be temporary.

Dispute of Panchalas with Dasarnas

There arose a dispute between the Dasarna Kingdom lying to the south, and the southern-Panchala king Drupada, upon the matter of the gender of prince Shikhandi, who was married to the princess of Dasarna.

Panchala's alliance with Pandava King Yudhishthira

Bhima during his military campaign to the east, to collect tribute for Yudhishthira's Rajasuya sacrifice, first visited the Panchala Kingdom after leaving his home city Indraprastha (2,28). only two tribes do not pay tribute unto Yudhishthira, viz., the Panchalas in consequence of their relationship by marriage, and the Andhakas and Vrishnis (Anarta Yadavas^{[disambiguation needed]}) in consequence of their friendship (2,51).

When the Pandavas were banished by

during the 13-year-long exile of the Pandavas.

During their pilgrimage all around India, Yudhishthira asked the weak men among his followers to go to king Dhritarashtra of Kuru Kingdom and if he didn't take care of them, then to king Drupada of southern Panchala (3,92).

for the initial peace talks (5-19,20).

Drupada, the king of the Panchalas, surrounded by his ten heroic sons, Satyajit and other headed by

with a full Akshauhini (5,57).

Panchalas in Kurukshetra War

Panchalas were the closest among all the allies of the

they might have sought to regain their lost Panchala territories.

Panchala Heroes

At (1,140) Satyajit is mentioned as the commander-in-chief of the Panchala army under king Drupada who fought against Arjuna who was then a disciple of Drona, the preceptor in warfare, in the Kuru Kingdom. He came to the Kurukshetra War leading the one Akshouhini of Panchala army. The brave warriors among the Panchalas, viz., Jayanta, Amitaujas and the great car-warrior Satyajit were mentioned as great car-warriors (Maharathas) by Bhishma. (5,172)

The Panchala princes (5,57) Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas were protectors of

(7,16). Vyaghradatta was another Panchala prince slain by Drona along with Sinhasena (7,16).

Dhrishtadyumna, Sikhandin, Janamejaya ( the son of Durmuksha), Chandrasen, Madrasen, Kritavarman, Dhruva, Dhara, Vasuchandra and Sutejana were mentioned as Panchala heroes, some of them being the sons of Drupada (7,155). The 10 sons of Drupada were mentioned at (5,57) and his five sons were mentioned at (8,85) as participating in the Kurukshetra War. Suratha and Satrunjaya were mentioned as sons of Drupada slain by Ashwathama (7,153), (9,14). At (7,184) Drupada's three grandsons were also mentioned as battling in the war. Shikhandi's son Khsatradeva was mentioned as battling in the war at (7,23). Dhristadyumna's sons, tender in year, were mentioned as slain by Drona in the war at (11,22).

Valanika, Jayanika, Jaya, Prishdhra, and Chandrasena—these heroes were also is believed to be of Panchala, slain by Ashwathama (7,153).

The Somakas, Srinjayas and the Prabhadrakas

These three names were mentioned frequently in the narration Kurukshetra War either as related to the Panchalas or as synonymous to the Panchalas. Srinjayas and Somakas were tribes allied to the Panchalas by kinship, born off from the various branches of the same royal lineage that brought forth the Panchala-tribe. They dwelled in the various provinces of the Panchala kingdom. Prabhadrakas seems to be an elite group of Panchala army, employed in Kurukshetra War.

The Somakas

Somaka seems to be a name used to denote all the tribes of Panchalas. The word Somaka, means the one who belonged to the

of kings lay to the east of Panchala. So this name could have been coined by the Kosalas to denote the Panchalas. Thus the name could be collective to the whole of the Panchala tribes or specific to the tribes that lie close to Kosala, i.e. the tribes that dwell in the eastern parts of Panchala.

• Pancalas and Srinjayas were mentioned collectively as Somakas at (10,8).
• Somakas and Panchalas were mentioned as different tribes at (5-175), (6-72,89,99,120), (7- 83, 123, 124, 148, 156, 157, 162, *167, 171, 184), (8- 22, 89), (9- 6, 17, 18, 21).
• Somakas and Srinjayas were mentioned as different tribes at (6-15, 119), (8,92), (9,20)
• Somakas and Prabhadrakas were mentioned as different tribes at (9-11).
• The Srinjayas and the Panchalas, the Matsyas and the Somakas were mentioned as separate tribes at (7,158).
• Ashwathama
  not let the Somakas alone. (7,148).
• A Kurukshetra War hero, viz Kshatradharman is mentioned as belonging to the Somaka tribe, where another hero Uttamaujas is mentioned as belonging to the Panchala tribe (7,83).
• A King Somaka is mentioned at (1-2,127,128) along with his son Jantu. King Somaka was the son of Sahadeva, and a most excellent maker of gifts and he performed a sacrifice on the banks of Yamuna. King Somaka is listed among the great kings of ancient India (6,9) (13-76,115).

Somakas were mentioned as synonymous to Panchalas at many places. In some of these references Drupada is mentioned as a Somaka king and Dhristadyumna as a Somaka prince. Refer (1- 123, 133), (5- 5, 22, 48, 50, 130, 141, 152, 161), (6- 1, 43, 52, 59, 75, 77, 90, 98, 104, 108, 109, 117, 119), (7- 7, 23, 92, 107, 115, 122, 143, 152, 161, 166, 170, 188, 191, 198), (8- 24, 74, 78, 82, 89, 90, 91), (9- 7, 8, 30, 56, 57, 59), (10- 8).

The Srinjayas

Srinjaya king Hotravahana is mentioned as the maternal grandfather of

.

At (1,140) the Panchalas and Srinjayas were mentioned as attacking Arjuna when he try to make Drupada captive for the sake of Drona.

• Uttamujas was mentioned as the great Srinjaya car-warrior at (8,75).
• Srinjayas and Panchalas were mentioned as separate tribes at many places. Refer (1- 140), (5- 57), (6- 14, 89, 96, 116), (7- 21, 22, 38, 105, 108, 111, 119, 127, 153, 154, 157, 163, 171, 175, 181, 188, 197), (8- 3, 5, 10, 25, 32, 37, 47, 60, 96), (9- 13, 32, 55, 61), (10,8).
• Chedis the Andhakas, the Vrishnis, the Bhojas, the Kukuras and the Srinjayas were mentioned as separate tribes at (5,28). Here the Andhakas, Vrishinis, Bhojas and the Kukuras were tribes belonging to the Yadava^{[disambiguation needed]} clan.
• The Kasayas (
  Kasis), the Chedis, the Matsyas
  , the Srinjayas, the Panchalas, and the Prabhadrakas were mentioned as separate tribes at (5,57).
• The
  Pandavas
  at (7,122).
• A Srinjaya king is mentioned as great amongst conquerors at (1- 1) . He is also mentioned at (2,8). At (7,53) Srinjaya is mentioned as the son of a king named Switya. Sinjaya's son named Suvarnashthivin was slain by some robber-tribes during his childhood. The sages Narada and Parvata (Narada's sister's son (12,30)) were Srinjaya's friends. Chapters (7- 53 to 69) describes a narration of Narada to Srinjaya, to console him in the death of his son. This is also mentioned at (12-29,30,31).
• Bhishma mentions at (5,164) that he could slay the whole armies of Srinjayas and the Salweyas (Salwa lay to the west of Kuru while Panchala was to its east).

Srinjayas were mentioned as synonymous to Panchalas at many places. Refer (3- 33,35), (5- 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 48, 71, 72, 82, 93, 127, 162, 163, 168), (6- 16, 45, 59, 60, 72, 73, 74, 75, 87, 91, 99, 108, 109, 110, 115, 116, 120), (7- 2, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 33, 76, 92, 94, 107, 122, 148, 151, 152, 180, 184, 190), (8- 21, 24, 31, 35, 51, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 66, 67, 73, 75, 79, 85, 93, 94), (9- 19, 29, 33, 34, 57, 59, 61), (10,8), (11,26).

• A king named Srinjaya is mentioned as an ally of Jayadratha king of Sindhu Kingdom. (3,263).

The Prabhadrakas

Prabhadrakas seems to be an elite army obtained by Panchalas from the

. They could also be a Panchala army-unit or a Panchala tribe, that were trained in cavalry warfare by the Kambojas.

At (7,23) the Prabhadrakas were mentioned as hailing from

slew 770 foremost of warriors among the Prabhadrakas initially (8,48). He then slew 1700 of them (8, 67).

A group of Prabhadrakas is mentioned as battling against

.

The Kasayas (

, the Srinjayas, the Panchalas, and the Prabhadrakas were mentioned as separate armies at (5,57). Prabhadrakas and Panchalas were mentioned as separate armies at (5- 152, 172), (6- 19, 49, 56), (7- 23, 33, 181, 191), (8- 61) and (9,1).

When

woke up and tried to put up some resistance. But Ashwathama and his army slew them all including Shikhandi.

Other References

• Brahmadatta is mentioned as a highly devout king of Panchala at (13,137). Here he is mentioned as donating a conch-shell. At (12,233) he is mentioned as donating two precious jewels called Nidhi and Sankha. He is mentioned at (12,342) also.
• A sage from Panchala is mentioned as Rishi-Panchala (also known as Galava, born in the Vabhravya race) at (12-342,347). He compiled the rules in respect of the division of syllables and words for reading the Vedas and those about emphasis and accent in utterance, and shone as the first scholar who became conversant with those two subjects. He is mentioned to have acquired the science of Krama.

Literary significance of Kampilya

In Kampil there have also been great poets. (1) Mathura Chaubey Mukatimani (Kaviraja). Aurangzeb gave him 500 bigha of free hold land that is still in the possession of the family. A descendant of this poet Ms. Neera Misra Chairperson of Draupadi Trust is working for Restoration of the historical and heritage value of this land. (references- Kampilyamahatmya of Durgadatta Sharma, Information as per the book Dalpati Chandrika)

Jain temple

It is believed to be the birthplace of the 13th tirthankar Brahlan Vimal Nath. This is a Holy Land where the four Kalyanakas—chayavan, birth, diksa and omniscience—of Tirthankar 1008 Bhagawan

ji, the thirteenth Tirthnakara took place. It was also graced by the visit of Lord Mahavir. Two temples dedicated to the 13th Teerthankar one belonging to the Shwetambar Jains and other to the Digambar Jains are situated at this place.

1. Shri Vimalnath Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra: this 1800 year old temple us dedicated to Bhagwan Vimalnatha, thirteenth Tirthankara of Jainism. Temple has about 60 cm high black coloured idol of Bhagawan Vimalanatha in the Padmasana Posture. This Idol is around 2600 years old. It is said^{[by whom?]} that the idol was recovered from the river Ganga. There are many other idols worth to be seen. The spire of temple is very high and vast.

2. Shri Vimalnath Swami Jain Shwetambar Mandir & Dharmashala: The idol of Lord Vimalnath stands in the main hall. This idol is nearly 45 cm high, white coloured idol of Bhagawan Vimalanatha in the Padmasana posture. It was established by Shri Vijaykumar Daga.

Geography

Kampil is located at 27°37′N 79°17′E / 27.62°N 79.28°E / 27.62; 79.28.^[6] It has an average elevation of 145 metres (475 feet).

Rashtrakuta kings

Kampilya was also ruled by

kings and supported Kampliya Vihar having more than 500 monks in the Monastery. [Please add more details with references]

Demographics of Present Day Kampil

As of 2001^[update] India census,^[7] Kampil had a population of 8475. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Kampil has an average literacy rate of 47%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 55%, and female literacy is 37%. In Kampil, 21% of the population is under 6 years of age.

See also

• Panchala

References