2402:8100:3088:712A:BD4F:E7E:4581:627E at 16:33, 31 March 2020

2020-03-31T16:33:31Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{unreferenced|date=March 2012}}
'''Danda''' is a frequently featured region in Hindu mythology, as in Dandaka, a kingdom and a forest bearing the same name. It was a colonial state of [[Lanka Kingdom|Lanka]] under the reign of [[Ravana]]. Ravana's governor [[Khara (Ramayana)|Khara]] ruled this province. It was the stronghold of all the [[Rakshasa]] tribes living in the Dandaka Forest. It is roughly the [[Nashik]] District, Maharashtra with ''Janasthana'' ([[Nashik]] city) as its capital. It was from here that the Rakshasa Khara attacked [[Raghava Rama]] of [[Kosala Kingdom|Kosala]], who lived with his wife and brother at [[Panchavati]] (modern day [[Nashik]]), not far away.

With reference to the demon [[Danda]], in the ''[[Ramayana]]'', he was the son of [[Sumali]], thus making him [[Ravana]]'s maternal uncle.

== References in the Mahabharata ==

Though Dandaka was mentioned in the epic [[Ramayana]], with great detail, a few mentions of this kingdom are found in the epic [[Mahabharata]].

=== Sahadeva's conquests ===

[[Sahadeva]], the [[Pandava]] general, and younger brother of [[Pandava]] king [[Yudhishthira]], came to southern regions to collect tribute for the [[Rajasuya]] sacrifice of the king. Having acquired jewels and wealth from king Rukmin (ruling at the second capital of [[vidarbha Kingdom|Vidarbha]], named Bhojakata), he marched further south to [[Surparaka Kingdom|Surparaka]], Talakata, and the Dandakas. The [[Kuru (kingdom)|Kuru]] warrior then vanquished and subjugated numberless kings of the Mlechchha tribe living on the sea coast (2,30).

=== Dandaka Forest ===
{{main article|Dandakaranya}}
The forest of Dandaka was the biggest forest in [[ancient India]], [[Dandakaranya]]. It stretched from [[Vindhya]] ranges in central Indian to the banks of river [[Krishnavenna]] (now known as river Krishna) and [[Tunghabhadra]] in the south. Mention of this forest is found in [[Mahabharata]] at (3-85). The sacred forest of Dandaka is mentioned here along with its possible boundaries and the rivers flowing within it. [[Surparaka Kingdom|Surparaka]] (southern [[Gujarat]]) probably formed its western boundary. [[Mahendra Mountains]] in [[Orissa, India|Orissa]] formed its eastern boundary. The rivers [[Godavari River|Godavari]], and [[Krishnavenna]] run through this forest. the river or lake [[Payoshni]] is mentioned at the northern entrance of this forest. In epic [[Ramayana]] no kingdom except the Dandaka kingdom and [[Kishkindha Kingdom]] is mentioned as lying within this forest. During epic [[Mahabharata]] many regions that was formerly Dandaka forest were found to be habitable kingdoms. Dandaka Kingdom was a kingdom of [[Rakshasa Kingdom|Rakshasas]] in the midst of the Dandaka forests.

[[Raghava Rama]] lived for some time in the forest of Dandaka, from desire of slaying the Rakshasas. At Janasthana (the capital of Dandaka Kingdom ) he cut off the head of a wicked-souled Rakshasa (as per epic [[Ramayana]], his name was Khara) with a razor-headed shaft of great sharpness (9,39). [[Raghava Rama]], that foremost of bowmen, taking his bow and in company with his queen ([[Sita]]) and brother ([[Lakshmana]]), with the view of compassing his father’s welfare, began to reside in the '''Dandaka forest'''. From Janasthana (the capital of Dandaka Kingdom ), that mighty [[Rakshasa Kingdom|Rakshasa]] monarch, the wicked [[Ravana]], carried away Rama’s queen. (3,146). A southern path through the Dandaka woods existed during the time of [[Raghava Rama]]. He travelled through this path in search of his wife, abducted by Ravana. Many uninhabited asylums of ascetics, scattered over with seats of Kusa grass and umbrellas of leaves and broken water-pots, and abounding with hundreds of jackals were seen along that path.(3,277).

=== Other References ===

There was a place (a sacred region) called Dandaparna (also known as Danda) near the city called Champapuri, in [[Anga Kingdom]], on the banks of river [[Ganges River|Ganges]]. (3-85,275). A king by the name Danda ruled the outskirts of [[Magadha Kingdom]] which was close to the [[Anga Kingdom]].

== See also ==
*[[Dandakaranya]]
*[[Kingdoms of Ancient India]]

== References ==

*[[Mahabharata]] of [[Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa]], translated to English by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
*[[Ramayana]] of [[Valmiki]]

==External links==

{{Tribes and kingdoms of the Mahabharata}}

[[Category:Kingdoms in the Ramayana]]
[[Category:Kingdoms in the Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Rakshasa in the Ramayana]]

Danda Kingdom - Revision history

2402:8100:3088:712A:BD4F:E7E:4581:627E at 16:33, 31 March 2020