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'''Dravida''' is mentioned as one of the kingdoms in the southern part of present-day mainland India during the time of the [[Mahabharata]]. Sometimes the name Dravida was used to denote all the southern kingdoms (like the [[Chera Dynasty|Chera]], [[Pandya Kingdom|Pandya]] and [[Chola Kingdom|Chola]] kingdoms) collectively{{citation needed|date=September 2017}} and sometimes as a separate kingdom.

== Dravida in the Mahabharata ==
Dravida is listed among the ancient Indian (Bharata Varsha) kingdoms:

"In the south, are the Dravidas, the Keralas, the Kanndigas, the Mushikas, and the Vanavashikas; the Karanatakas, the Mahishakas, the Vikalpas, and also the Mushakas; the Jhillikas, the Kuntalas. (6,9)"

=== The origin of Dravida ===
The [[Mahabharata]] links the origin of Dravidas with sage [[Vasistha]]. Viswamitra, a king in the Chandravanshi Amavasu clan, attacked the cow of Vasistha. Then many armies emerged for the protection of that cow and they attacked the armies of Viswamitra.

Other kingdoms that were mentioned along with the Dravidas in this incident were [[Scythians in the Mahabharata|Sakas]], [[Yavana Kingdom|Yavanas]], [[Sora people|Savaras]], [[Kanchi Kingdom|Kanchis]], [[Pundra Kingdom|Paundras]] and [[Kirata Kingdom|Kiratas]], [[Nishada Kingdom|Nishada]], [[Yavana Kingdom|Yavanas]] and [[Sinhala Kingdom|Sinhalas]], and the barbarous kingdoms of [[Khasas (Mahabharata)|Khasas]], Chivukas, Pulindas, [[China in the Mahābhārata|Chinas]] [[Huna Kingdom|Hunas]] with [[Kerala Kingdom|Keralas]], [[Mleccha|Mleecchas]] etc.

=== Sahadeva's conquests ===
''[[Pandava]] [[Sahadeva]] reached the Dravida country during his southern military campaign.''

Sahadeva brought under his subjection and exacted tributes from the Paundrayas, the Dravidas along with the [[Kerala Kingdom|Udrakeralas]] and the [[Andhra Kingdom|Andhras]] and the Talavanas. He also vanquished the [[Karnata Kingdom|Karanatakas]], Pashandas, the town of Sanjayanti, the [[Kalinga (Mahabharata)|Kalinga]], the Ustrakarnikas, the city of Atavi and the city of Yavanas. (2,30)

=== Yudhishthira's Rajasuya ===
Dravidas are mentioned along with other kings who attended [[Pandava]] king [[Yudhishthira]]'s [[Rajasuya]] sacrifice.

The kings of the Dravidas and the [[Sinhala Kingdom|Singhalas]] were present in the sacrifice (2,33). On another occasion, the [[Chera Dynasty|Cheras]], [[Chola Kingdom|Cholas]] and Dravidas (3,51).

=== Pandavas visited Dravida land during their pilgrimage ===
[[Pandavas]] reached the sea in the '''Dravida land''', and visited the holy spot passing under [[Agastya]]’s name, which was exceedingly sacred and exceptionally pure. And the valiant king visited the feminine sacred spots. They visited one by one those holy places on the coast of the sea and many other sacred spots and came to the holiest of all known by the name of [[Surparaka Kingdom|Suparaka]]. (3,118)

=== Arjuna's conquests ===
''Arjuna in his military campaign after the [[Kurukshetra War]], visited Dravida country''

[[Arjuna]] proceeded towards the southern ocean. In those regions battle took place between him and the Dravidas and Andhras and the fierce Mahishakas and the hillmen of Kolwa. (14,83)

=== Dravidas in Kurukshetra War ===

====On the side of Pandavas ====
{{see also|Akshauhini}}
*[[Arjuna]] converted the people of the Dravida land to be a portion of his own army (5,22)
*The Kuntalas, the Andhras, and the Talacharas, and the Shuchupas, and the Venupas were described as allies of [[Pandavas]] (5,140)
*The Pandyas, the Cholas, the Keralas and the Andhras supported [[Dhristadyumna]], [[Sikhandi]] and [[Satyaki]]. (8,12)
*The Andhaka, and the Nishada foot-soldiers, urged on by [[Satyaki]], once more rushed towards Karna in that battle (8,49)

====On the side of Kauravas ====
*The Kamvojas, the Sakas, the Khasas, the Salwas, the Mlechchhas, the Pulindas, the Dravidas, the Andhras, and the Kanchis were described as allied to the [[Kauravas]] (5-161,162)
*The Kaikeyas, the Malavas, the Madrakas the Dravidas of fierce prowess, the Yaudheyas, the Lalittyas, the chander, the Usinaras, the Tundikeras, the Savitriputras who supported [[Karna]] were slain by [[Arjuna]] (8,5)

==Dravida Kingdom in the Pallava Era==
Dravida was conquered twice during the [[Pallava dynasty]], first by [[Dhruvaniti]] around 400 CE, and again by [[Kongani-varma]] III in the late 6th and early 7th Century.<ref>Foulkes, Thomas. “The Pallavas.” The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 17, no. 2, 1885, pp. 183–220. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25197020. Accessed 27 May 2020.</ref><ref>Charles Philip Brown, 1863, [https://books.google.com/books?id=maDsA5MagHgC&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=Dhruvaniti&source=bl&ots=8-piwXrIaN&sig=ACfU3U2WXL8JHNmfv_A25wGo61PHsaEhqw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2t_KKm9PpAhXrY98KHUEVCUwQ6AEwAXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=Dhruvaniti&f=false Carnatic Chronology: The Hindu and Mahomedan methods of reckoning time explained: with essays on the systems; symbols used for numerals, a new titular method of memory, etc.], London, Bernard Quaritch, pg.41</ref>

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

== References ==
<references />

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

[[Category:Kingdoms in the Mahabharata]]

Dravida Kingdom - Revision history

>DMacks at 10:37, 22 May 2021