A kingdom mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata Not to be confused with Manipuri Mahabharata , the Manipuri language adaptation of the Mahabharata. A folio from Razmnama depicting the battle between Babruvahana and Arjuna Manipura ( Sanskrit : मणिपुर , romanized : maṇipura , lit. 'city of jewels'), also known as Manalura , is a kingdom mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata . According to the epic, it was located near a sea-shore , the Mahendra Mountains (present day Eastern Ghats ) and the Kalinga Kingdom (present day Odisha ). Arjuna —one of the five Pandava brothers—visited Manipura and married Chitrangada , the princess of the kingdom. They had a son named Babruvahana who later ruled it. Manipur shares its name with a modern-day state of India , located in the North-Eastern part of the country. Some past rulers of the state had claimed themselves to be the descendants of Arjuna. While some scholars support the identification of the state with the kingdom, others oppose this idea and based on the geographical description given in the epic, they state that Manipura kingdom was in present-day Odisha or Andhra Pradesh . Legend [ edit ] In the Mahabharata , Arjuna was one of the Pandava brothers and they shared a common wife named Draupadi . To prevent jealousy among the brothers and identify the paternity of Draupadi's children, the Pandavas followed a condition in which one brother was given a year with her and others were forbidden to enter her chamber. If the condition was violated, the brother, who entered the room, had to go on a pilgrimage for 12 years. Once, when Yudhishthira—the eldest brother—was spending time with Draupadi, Arjuna entered the room to take his weapon. As a result, Arjuna was exiled and he spent his time roaming around the subcontinent. During this period, he married a Naga lady named Ulupi , with whom he spent a night and continued his journey. He reached the kingdom of Manipur, which was then reigned by King Chitravahana. According to the Adi Parva of the epic, Arjuna reached Manipur after crossing the kingdom of Kalinga , the Mahendra Mountains and the sea-shore. Chitravahana had only a daughter, Chitrangada, who was very beautiful and was trained as a warrior. Arjuna fell in love with her and asked her hand in marriage to her father. Chitravahana agreed but stated that the heir must inherit the throne of Manipur. After a son was born, Arjuna left the kingdom and continued his journey. His son was named Babruvahana and he became the king of Manipur after he reached maturity. The next appearance of Manipur is in the Ashvamedhika Parva of the epic. After coming victorious in the Kurukshetra War , Yudhishthira performed Ashvamedha Yajna to expand his kingdom. A horse was loose free and the royal soldiers, led by Arjuna, followed it. When the horse reached Manipur, it was stopped was King Babruvahana . Arjuna and Babruvahana were not aware of each other's identity and a battle between them began. Chitrangada heard about it and rushed to stop it; however Babruvahana killed many warriors, including Arjuna. Ulupi, who was present there, revived Arjuna using a gem and revealed that Arjuna was killed because of the curse of celestial Vasus . Chitrangada told her husband about his son and all were happy to be reunited. Identification [ edit ] Further information: Adi Parva , Kalinga (historical kingdom) , Kalinga (Mahabharata) , Mahendra Mountains , and Mahendragiri (Odisha) South Asia 500 BCE ACHAEMENID EMPIRE AŚMAKA AVANTĪ CEDI PUṆḌRA VAṄGA RĀḌHA SUHMA KALIṄGA SAVARA ANDHRA KUNTALA APARĀNTA DAṆḌAKA MŪLAKA VIDARBHA DAŚARṆA PULINDA KACCHA SAURAṢṬRA SAUVĪRA SINDHU ŚIVI KEKEYA MADRA AUDUMBARA YAUDHEYA TRIGARTA ŚĀKYA KURU PAÑCĀLA KOSALA VATSA MALLA VṚJI ŚŪRASENA KĀŚĪ BĀHLIKA KAMBOJA GANDHĀRA MATSYA AṄGA MAGADHA class=notpageimage| South Asia circa 500 BCE, with location of Kalinga (Mahabharata) . The "Vijay Panchali" (also spelled as "Bijoy Panchali" ), a work written by Shantidas Goswami , a Hindu Saint, presented northeast India 's Manipur as the "Manipur" mentioned in the Mahabharata , also claimed Babruvahana ( Arjuna 's son) as the father of Meitei King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba (33 AD). Moreover, the work gives King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba of northeast India 's Manipur an Indo-Aryan name "Yavistha". The identification of the kingdom with the modern day state has been controversial and not generally accepted by historians and scholars. "A Short History of Manipur" , a book by Rajkumar Jhalajit Singh , was banned from publishing or selling by the author's own family members, because according to them, the book misleads the readers that the Manipuris are the descendants of Arjuna of the Mahabharata . The Chapter 217 of the "Arjuna-vanavasa Parva" of the Adi Parva section of the Mahabharata describes the landmarks of the location of the "Manipura" kingdom as situated near the Kalinga (Mahabharata) (present day Odisha ), the Mahendra Mountains (present day Eastern Ghats ) and in the coastal area. Crossing the country of the Kalingas , the mighty one proceeded, seeing on his way diverse countries and sacred spots and diverse delightful mansions and houses. Beholding the Mahendra mountain adorned with the ascetics (residing there), he went to Manipura, proceeding slowly along the sea-shore . Beholding all the sacred waters and other holy places in that province, the strong-armed son of Pandu at last went, O king, to the virtuous Chitravahana, the ruler of Manipura. — Chapter 217 of the "Arjuna-vanavasa Parva" of the Adi Parva "Manipura" in the Mahabharata is located in a sea-shore region near the Kalinga (Mahabharata) (present day Odisha ). According to one theory, if it was the present day Northeast Indian state of Manipur , then the Mahabharata will absolutely mention the Vanga Kingdom regarding the journey of Arjuna as it was on the way to Northeast India. But the Vanga kingdom wasn't mentioned in the Mahabharata's narratives of Arjuna's journey to "Manipura". Another identification of the kingdom is with a place named "Manipura" (20°33'48"N, 86°22'17"E) in Kendrapara district of present day Odisha , near the River Gobari, that discharges its waters directly into the Bay of Bengal . "Manipura" is located 10 km westward to the Kendrapara town. It is situated 50 km westward to the Manipura dis-tributary of the Brahmani River . Notes [ edit ] References [ edit ] ^ Mani 1975 . ^ Debroy, Bibek. The Mahabharata (Version 2) . p. 886. ^ "Manipura - AncientVoice" . ancientvoice.wikidot.com . Retrieved 2022-11-09 . ^ "Definition of maṇipūra - Sanskritdictionary.com" . Sanskritdictionary.com . ^ Valmiki; Vyasa (2018-05-19). Delphi Collected Sanskrit Epics (Illustrated) . Delphi Classics. p. 2627. ISBN 978-1-78656-128-2 . ^ Vyasa, Krishna-Dwaipayana. THE MAHABHARATHA . Victoria Institutions. p. 357. ^ Roy 1973 . ^ Devi 2002 . ^ Mani 1975 , p. 185. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Arjuna-vanavasa Parva: Section CCXVII" . www.sacred-texts.com . Retrieved 2021-06-13 . ^ Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 145, map XIV.1 (d). ISBN 0226742210 . ^ Content mirrored from this map ^ The Oxford anthology of writings from North-East India. Volume 2, Poetry and essays . Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press . 2011. pp. 148–149. ISBN 978-0-19-806749-8 – via Internet Archive. ^ Northeast India A Reader . Routledge . 2018-01-01. pp. 315–316. ^ "Family bans Jhalajit's book 'A Short History of Manipur' " . Imphal Free Press . Retrieved 2022-08-28 . ^ "Family Bans Manipuri Author's Book 'A Short History Of Manipur' | East Turn Recommended" . East Turn . 2020-10-09 . Retrieved 2022-08-28 . ^ Vyasa, Krishna-Dwaipayana. THE MAHABHARATHA . Victoria Institutions. p. 357. ^ Valmiki; Vyasa (2018-05-19). Delphi Collected Sanskrit Epics (Illustrated) . Delphi Classics. p. 2627. ISBN 978-1-78656-128-2 . ^ "Mahabharata Adi Parva Chapter 217" . en.krishnakosh.org . Retrieved 2022-11-09 . ^ "Arjuna goes on a twelve-year exile – Vyasa Mahabharata" . Retrieved 2022-11-09 . ^ Valmiki; Vyasa (2018-05-19). Delphi Collected Sanskrit Epics (Illustrated) . Delphi Classics. p. 2627. ISBN 978-1-78656-128-2 . ^ Vyasa, Krishna-Dwaipayana. THE MAHABHARATHA . Victoria Institutions. p. 357. ^ "Mahabharata Adi Parva Chapter 217" . en.krishnakosh.org . Retrieved 2022-11-09 . ^ "Manipura - AncientVoice" . ancientvoice.wikidot.com . Retrieved 2022-11-09 . ^ "Manipura - AncientVoice" . ancientvoice.wikidot.com . Retrieved 2022-11-09 . Bibliography [ edit ] Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary With Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature . Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass . ISBN 0-8426-0822-2 . Roy, Jyotirmoy (1973). History of Manipur . Eastlight Book House. Devi, Lairenlakpam Bino (2002). The Lois of Manipur: Andro, Khurkhul, Phayeng and Sekmai . Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-849-5 . v t e Mahabharata Traditional author and narrators Vyasa Vaisampayana Ugrashrava Sauti Books ( parva s) Adi Sabha Vana Virata Udyoga Bhishma Bhagavad Gita Drona Karna Shalya Sauptika Stri Shanti Anushasana Ashvamedhika Ashramavasika Mausala Mahaprasthanika Svargarohana Harivamsha Tribes Main tribes Bharata Kauravas Pandavas Yadu Kunti Gandhara Matsya List of tribes Janapadas Mahajanapadas Places Capitals Hastinapur Indraprastha 48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra Kurukshetra Jyotisar Panchagrama Indraprastha Pranaprastha Swarnaprastha Tilaprastha Vyagaprastha Events Svayamvara Kurukshetra War Vishvarupa Chakravyūha Characters Abhimanyu Amba Ambika Ambalika Arjuna Ashwatthama Babruvahana Bahlika Balarama Bhagadatta Bharata Bhima Bhishma Bhurishravas Chitrāngada Chitrāngadā Damayanti Dhrishtadyumna Dhritarashtra Draupadi Drona Drupada Duhsala Durvasa Duryodhana Dushasana Dushyanta Ekalavya Gandhari Ganga Ghatotkacha Hidimba Hidimbi Iravan Janamejaya Jarasandha Jayadratha Karna Kichaka Kindama Kripa Krishna Role in the Mahabharata Kritavarma Kunti Lomasha Madri Nahusha Nakula Nala Pandu Parashurama Parikshit Purochana Pururavas Rukmi Rukmini Sahadeva Sanjaya Satyaki Satyavati Savitri Shantanu Shakuni Shakuntala Shalya Shikhandi Shishupala Subhadra Sudeshna Ulupi Upapandavas Uttara Uttarā Vichitravirya Vidura Vikarna Virata Vrishaketu Vrishasena Vyasa Yayati Yudhishthira Yuyutsu Related Avatars Kingdoms Vedic era Epic-Puranic chronology Sarasvati River Category Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Manipura_(Mahabharata)&oldid=1241313714 "