Sri DwarakaNath Temple |
Address : Dwarka, dwarka Gujarat, India |
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Dwaraka Kingdom
According to ancient Hindu mythology, Dwaraka was a new country founded by the Yadava clan of chiefs who fled from the Surasena Kingdom due to fear from the king Jarasandha of Magadha. It was the brainchild of Vasudeva Krishna the great personality of the Dwapara Yuga. The territory of Dwaraka includes the Dwaraka Island, many neighbouring islands like the Antar Dwipa and the mainland area neighbouring the Anarta Kingdom, making it similar to Greece having many islands and mainland forming its territory. The kingdom of Dwaraka is roughly the north-western Gujarat. Its capital was Dwaravati (near Dwarka, Gujarat).
Dwaraka city state
Mahabharata do not mention Dwaraka as a kingdom but mentions it as a capital city of Yadavas who ruled the Anarta Kingdom. It was also known as Dwaravati. It was also a port-city, having trade relations with many sea-faring nations. The name Dwaraka, in Sanskrit means a gate or a gateway. It could be that, this ancient port-city was a gateway for the sea-faring foreign kingdoms into ancient Indian mainland. Similarly it served as a gateway for the kingdoms of ancient India into sea-trade.
The ruins of Dwaraka city was found under the sea following the oceanographic studies conducted near the modern temple-city named Dwarka in Gujarat coast.
Dwaraka was a federation of many republics rather than a kingdom under a single king. Ugrasena was respected as the king of Dwaraka-confederation but as a namesake, who was rather like a head-of-the-state. Within the Federation of Dwaraka, included the states of Andhakas, Vrishnis and Bhojas. The Yadavas ruling Dwaraka were also known as Dasarhas and Madhus.
1. Vasudeva Krishna
2. Bala Rama
3. Satyaki
4. Kritavarma
5. Uddhava
6. Akrura
7. Ugrasena
were some of the prominent Yadava Chiefs.
References in Mahabharata
There are many references of Dwaraka (alias Dwaravati) as the capital city of Yadavas and as the city of Vasudeva Krishna.
Dwaraka and Kusasthali
Kusasthali was the older city, upon which the city of Dwaraka was bulit during the time of Vasudeva Krishna.
Arjuna's visit to Dwaraka
Pandava Arjuna, made a visit to Dwaraka, at the end of his 12 year pilgrimage of holy places of ancient India (Bharata Varsha). From Indraprastha (Delhi) the Pandava capital, he went to the Himalayas, then to east and reached the eastern sea. Then he travelled along the coast to the south and then reached southern ocean. From there he went north along the western shore of India, to reach the area known as Prabhasa (Southern shore of Gujarat). From there Vasudeva Krishna, his friend, accompanied him and took him to the Raivataka mountains and to Dwaraka, which was not far away.
The Raivataka Mountain
Raivataka seems to be a hill resort in the mainland, close to the city of Dwaraka.
Krishna and Arjuna having sported as they liked, for some time at Prabhasa, went to the Raivataka mountain to pass some days there. Before they arrived at Raivataka, that mountain had, at the command of Krishna been well-adorned by many artificers. Much food also had, at Krishna’s command, been collected there. Enjoying everything that had been collected there for him, Arjuna sat with Vasudeva to see the performances of the actors and the dancers. Then the high-souled Pandava, dismissing them all with proper respect, laid himself down on a well-adorned and excellent bed. He rose in the morning, awakened, by sweet songs and melodious notes of the Vina (guitar) and the panegyrics and benedictions of the bards. (1,220)
The reception at Dwaraka
The following passage gives a glimpse of the tradition prevailed in Dwaraka, while receiving guests
Riding upon a golden car, Arjuna then set out for Dwaraka, the capital of the Yadavas. For honouring him, the city of Dwaraka, was well-adorned, even all the gardens and houses within it. The citizens of Dwaraka, desirous of beholding the son of Kunti, began to pour eagerly into the public thoroughfares by hundreds of thousands. In the public squares and thoroughfares, hundreds and thousands of women, mixing with the men, swelled the great crowd of the Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas, that had collected there. Arjuna was welcomed with respect by all the sons of Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas. And he, in his turn, worshipped those that deserved his worship, receiving their blessings. The hero was welcomed with affectionate reception by all the young men of the Yadava tribe. He repeatedly embraced all that were equal to him in age. Wending then to the delightful mansion of Krishna that was filled with gems and every article of enjoyment, he took up his abode there with Krishna for many days. (1,220)
The mountain-festival at Raivataka
Mountain worship, was a common feature of the religion of Yadavas. When they were at Surasena Kingdom, they worshipped the Govardhana Mountain, which is detailed in the Purana named Bhagavata Purana
Within a few days of this, there commenced on the Raivataka Mountain, a grand festival of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas. It was the mountain-festival of the Bhojas, the Vrishnis and the Andhakas. The region around that hill was adorned with many a mansion decked with gems and many an artificial tree of gaudy hue. The musicians struck up in concert and the dancers began to dance and the vocalists to sing. And the youth of the Vrishni race, endued with great energy, adorned with every ornament, and riding in their gold-decked cars, looked extremely handsome. The citizens, some on foot and some in excellent cars, with their wives and followers were there by hundreds and thousands.
Abduction of Subhadra by Arjuna
During Raivataka festival, Arjuna fell in love with Vasudeva Krishna's sister Subhadra. He took away the maiden with the secret consent of Krishna, but provoked the anger of other Yadava heroes. This passage described the preparedness of the citizens of Dwaraka for an emergency
The armed attendants of Subhadra, beholding her thus seized and taken away, all ran, crying towards the city of Dwaraka. Reaching all together the Yadava court called by the name of Sudharma, they represented everything about the prowess of Arjuna unto the chief officer of the court. The chief officer of the court blew his gold-decked trumpet calling all to arms. Stirred up by that sound, the Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas began to pour in from all sides. Those that were eating left their food, and those that were drinking left their drink. Those tigers among men, those great warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka tribes, took their seats upon their thousand thrones. The chief officer of the court, assisted by those that stood at his back, spoke of the conduct of Arjuna. The proud Vrishni heroes, of eyes red with wine rose up from their seats, unable to brook what Arjuna had done. Some amongst them said, ‘Yoke our cars’, and some, ‘Bring our weapons’ and some said, ‘Bring our costly bows and strong coats of mail; and some loudly called upon their charioteers to harness their cars, and some, from impatience, themselves yoked their horses decked with gold unto their cars.
Arjuna was later called back to Dwaraka, and Subhadra was married to him. He stayed there for one year. He spent the last year of his 12-year pilgrimage at Pushkara (Pushkar in Rajasthan) and then went back to Indraprastha.
Sisupala's assault on Dwaraka and Raivataka
Sisupala was the son of Srutasravas, a sister of Vasudeva Krishna's father, similar to his relation to the Pandavas. But unlike the Pandavas, this king of Chedi was his enemy.
Sisupala came and burnt Dwaraka, while Krishna and his army was at Pragjyotisha Kingdom. While king Bhoja was sporting on the Raivataka hill, he fell upon the attendants of that king and slew and led away many of them in chains to his own city.
Salwa's attack on Dwaraka
The attack by Salwa on Dwaraka is a much-debated topic, since it undoubtedly has the signs of an aerial-warfare. Historians are of the opinion that it could be a naval attack, described in the fashion of an aerial attack. For example the flying car or combat aircraft of Salwa, named Saubha could actually be a navy ship. This explanation suits well since Dwaraka was a city in a small island, surrounded by sea.
Salwa king, burning with fierce anger, upon the death of Sisupala by Vasudeva Krishna during the Rajasuya sacrifice of Yudhisthira at Indraprastha, came to Dwaraka. Krihsna was then at Indraprastha. He arrived there on a car made of precious metals and hence called the Souva (some times called Saubha, though a city also have the same name). He slew many young Vrishni heroes and destroyed many gardens of the city. He addressed all the Anarttas (clearly indicating that Anarta was the greater-country while Dwaraka was its capital), asking them to reveal where is Krishna. He rose into the sky on his car of precious metals capable of going anywhere at will. Salwa king's capital was mentioned here as Maticka. Salwa considered Sisupala as his brother. When Krishna came back to the city he saw the destroyed Dwaraka and the slain heroes. Krishna went in search of Salwa, and found him in an island in the midst of the ocean.
Dwaraka sinks into the ocean
Dwaraka Island sank into the ocean, during the epic age. Mahabharata had an entire dedicated to this phenomenal geographical change witnessed by many inhabitants of the region
Day by day strong winds blew. Earthen pots showed cracks or broke from no apparent cause. Society became corrupt. The day of the new moon coincided with the thirteenth (and the fourteenth) lunation. The fourteenth lunation has been made the fifteenth by Rahu once more. Such a day had happened at the time of the great battle of Bharatas. (Kurukshetra War). It has once more appeared. After that war 36 years had passed. The messengers proclaimed at the command of Vasudeva Krishna that the Vrishnis should make a journey to the seacoast for bathing in the sacred waters of the ocean.
The Yadavas, then, with their wives, proceeded to Prabhasa and took up their residence there, each in the (temporary) habitation that was assigned to him, and all having an abundance of provisions consisting of edibles and drink. The Vrishnis, mixing with wine the food that had been cooked for high-souled Brahmanas, gave it away unto monkeys and apes. Those heroes of fierce energy then began their high revels, of which drinking formed the chief feature, at Prabhasa. Then a dispute arose between Satyaki and Kritavarman on the wrongs they did in the Kurukshetra War. This dispute turned into a great massacre, in which all the Yadava heroes were slain.
Arjuna arrived at Dwaraka and addressed the chief officers, to prepare to leave Dwaraka within 7 days, as Dwaraka is going to sink in the ocean. Krishna's grandson Vajra was chosen as their king to be ruled at Indraprastha. Arjuna then proceeded to the place where the Vrishnis were slaughtered. Searching out the bodies then of Bala Rama and Vasudeva Krishna, Arjuna caused them to be burnt by persons skilled in that act. On the seventh day, Arjuna evacuated Dwaraka Island. After all the people had set out, the ocean flooded Dvaraka, which still teemed with wealth of every kind, with its waters. Whatever portion of the ground was passed over, ocean immediately flooded over with his waters. Beholding this wonderful sight, the inhabitants of Dvaraka walked faster and faster.
· Pandavas on their last journey before death, saw Dwaraka covered by ocean
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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