365betÓéÀÖ

Purana Bulletin

710,357 words

The “Purana Bulletin� is an academic journal published by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in India. The journal focuses on the study of Puranas, which are a genre of ancient Indian literature encompassing mythological stories, traditions, and philosophical teachings. The Puranas are an important part of Hindu scriptures in Sa...

Ancient History of the City of the Delhi in the Epics and the Puranas

itihasapuranadisu dillinagarasya pracinam rupam [Ancient History of the City of the Delhi (dilli-nagar) in the Epics and the Puranas] / By Dr. N. N. Chaudhury (नरेनà¥à¤¦à¥à¤°à¤¨à¤¾à¤� शरà¥à¤®à¤� चौधà¥à¤°à¥€); Head of the Sanskrit Department, Delhi University / 174-180

Warning! Page nr. 91 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

[In this article the learned writer has traced the origin and history of Delhi from the Mahabharata and the Kalika - Puran. In the times of the Mahabharata and the Puranas Delhi was known as Indra-prastha or Khandava-prastha. The city of Indra-prastha was founded by the Pandavas after burning the Khandava forest. After the death of Sri Krsna the city was given to his grandson, Vajra. In course of time Indra-prastha became known as Dilli, Dhilli or Dhillika. The name Dhillika is found recorded in the Bijolia Rock Inscription of Somesvara. From the stone-inscription in the Prithiviraja Museum, Delhi, we find that the city Dhillika or Dhilli was built by the Tomara-Kings, after whom it was ruled by the Chohan-Kings. In the times of the Muslim rule the name Dhilli was changed to Dilli. The writer cites some other traditions also for the origin of the name 'Dilli'. The name inay be due to the name of a king, Dilu who ruled in Indra-prastha in 1st century B.C., the name Dhilli may be due to the predominance of the Dhillon Jatas, a branch of the Yadavas, in Indra-prastha. In the times of the Muslim rule it began to be pronounced as Dilli accord ing to the Persian pronunciation. Then in the times of the English rule in India Dilli became Delhi. This Delhi is now the capital of Independent India also. ] "sarve ksayanta nicayah patanantah samucchrayah | " ( ramayanam 7 . 52 .12 ) iha khala bharate varse dillinagaramativa prasiddhamasti | idam hi nagaram samra- jyalaksmyah pradhanam lilaksetramiva vartate | nalinidalagata jalamiva atitarala raja Jan., 1964] itihasapuranadisu dillimnagarasya pracinam rupam 175 laksmiriti nagarametat sutaram pratipadayati | idam tavannagaram bahunam narapatinam, bahunam rajavamsananca samutthanasya patanasya ca cihnanatam vaksasi dharayati, prabalam kalavilasanca darsayati | atra khalu samsthapitanam rajabhavananam dhvamsavasesat jananam manasi satyametat samudeti yat dillinagaram hi samrddhanam samrajyanam bhaya- nkaram mahasmasanamiva vartate | dillinagarasya pracinam namadheyam 'indraprastham ' 'sakraprastham ', 'khandavaprastha ' ncasit | atra srimahabharatam - (ka) indraprasthe dadau rajyam vajaya paraviraha | ( 17 . 8. 72 ) (kha) virairvihinan sarvamstan sakraprasthe nyavesayat | ( 17 .8.70 ) (ga) nagaram khandavaprastham ratnanyadaya sarvasah | tatra te nyavasan parthah samvatsaraganan bahun || ( 1. 61 . 35 ) atha khandavaprasthasyetivrttam kalikapuranat spastataya'vagamyate | kalika- puranokta katha evam pracinatara pratibhati | tatha hi-candravamsiyah kascidrana sudarsanah tadindraprastha vanasthalamekada sampurna bhagnamakarot, mahannagaranca tatra sthapa- yamasa | itthanca tatra sthitam tad ghoram vanam khandam khandam bhutva nanasa, vanakhanda- nacca tasya sthanasya khandavaprasthamiti yuktam namadheyam jatam | khandavaprasthasya karta raja sudarsanastu prayatnena tannagaram samrddham samunnatancakarot | tatha coktam srikalikapurane ( pancananatarkaratnasampadite bangiye ) ekonanavatitame'dhyaye ( 89 . 44-46 ) - somavamse'bhavadraja mahatma sa mahabalah | dhirah sudarsano nama carurupah pratapavan || savai himavato natidure bhaktva mahavanam | simhan vyaghran samutsarya kaciccapi tapodhanan || khandavim nama nagarimakarottatra sobhanam | trimsadyojanavistirnamayatam satayojanam || ityadi |

Warning! Page nr. 92 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

176 puranam- PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 parantu mahabalo'pi nrpah sudarsanah khalu hathakari, devamanavadrohi ca natah | satasca varanasipatermahabalasya narapatervinayasya tasyopari mahan krodho babhuva | atha kadacid rajnah sudarsanasya rajyam khandavaprastham rurodha, rane sudarsananca jadhana | atha hate tasmin sudarsane, devendrah samagatya nrpam vinayamuvaca - 'bho rajan, pura sthane'smin mahad vanamasit | tacca vanamasmakamanandamavardhayat | | parantu sudarsanena mamapriyena hathailacca tadvanam bhagnam vidhaya mahad rajyamekam sthapitam | mam tu vanamevatra nitaram rocate | ato'tra punareva mahad vanam jayatam | tena caham mama mitrena taksakena sahatra yathasukham vihartum samartho bhavisyami | atha raja vijeta vijayah khalu devendrasya tadvacanamakarnya, devendram prati gauravat, tatsthanam punarvanameva vidhatum mano dadhe | tadarthanca sa sarvastatratyah prajah sambodhya provaca - bhoh prajah, yuyam yusmakam purvam sthanam gacchata, punaryesamiccha syat te mama rajadhani varanasim gatva tatrapi nivasam kartum parayeyuh | tato rajno vija- yasya tad vacanam srutva prajah kascana purvam sthanam ; kascana ca varanasim jagmuh | khandavaprasthanca punareva mahad vanam jatam | tatha coktam srikalikapurane (bangiye ) (ekonanavatitame'dhyaye 55 tamaslokatah ) -- indra uvaca -- asahisnustato nisnurnrpati tam sudarsanam | krtapacaram bahudha devananca tatha nrnam || vinayo vivaram prapya mahabalaparakramah | sudarsanasya nrpateravaskandamathakarot || tatah sudarsano raja darito gadaya'patat | nastesu tasya sainyesu vijayah khandavim purim || pravisya dadrse tatra rasibhutan giriniva | suvarnananca ratnanam sancayan bahusah purah | tam viksantam narapatim nagari tam suresvarah | sametya vijayam praha santvayan slaksnaya gira || rajan, mahad vanamidamasid devaganavrtam | naragandharvayaksanam muninam ca manoharam || Jan., 1964] itihasapuranadisu dillinagarasya pracinam rupam sarvanutsarya devadin mama capyapriye ratah | bhaktva vanamidam guhyam samutsadya tapodhanan || khandavim nagarim cakre ksanad rana sudarsanah | tadidam punareva tvam vanam kuru narottama || tatraham viharisyami taksakena samam rahah | etacchrutva vacastasya sakrasya vijayastada || banamevakarot tam tu khandavim sakagauravat | trimsadyojanavistirnam satayojanamayatam | tam purim vijayascakre na ciradeva vai vanam || ityadi | 177 tatasca tasmadeva kalat tadvanasthalam bhagavata indrasyadhinam jatam | tena ca khandavaprasthasya indraprasthamiti sakraprasthamiti ca pracinam namadvayam susangatameva- bhut | atha gacchati kale tasmin bane indrasuhrdam daityanamevadhipatyamabhavat | tatasca lokahitartham visvasantyarthanca devah tadvanam bhasmibhutam krtva daityan tasmat sthanat vitadayamasuh | atra srimahabharatam --- pura devaniyogena yattvaya bhasmasatkrtam | alayam devasatrunam sughoram khandavam vanam || tatra sarvani sattvani nivasanti vibhavaso | tesam tvam medasa trptah prakrtistho bhavisyasi || ( 1. 223 . 75-76 ) atha punarbahutithakalatparam dvapare yuge, yada dhrtarastraputranam panduputrananca madhye mahad vaimanasyam jatam tada raja dhrtarastrastavat santisamsthapanarthamupayameka- mudbhavya bhratusputran pandavanuvaca - 'he pandavah, aham yusmaddbhyah ardharajyam prayacchami | yuyamasmat sthanat gatva khandavaprasthe nagaram sthapayata, susukhasva nivasata ' iti | pandavasca tatha cakruh | tatha cokta srimahabharate adiparvani ( 1. 207, 24-99 )- 23

Warning! Page nr. 93 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

178 puranam- PURANA bhratrbhih saha kaunteya nibodha gadato mama | punarno vigraho ma bhut, khandavaprasthamavisa || pratigrhya tu tadvakyam nrpam sarve pranamya ca | pratasthire tato ghoram vanam tanmanujarsabhah || ardham rajyasya samprapya khandavaprasthamavisan | tatah punye sive dese santi krtva maharathah || nagaram sthapayamasudvaipayanapurogamah | ityadi | [Vol. VI., No. 1 atha khandavaprasthanagaram punah parikhabhih prakaraih rathyabhirbhavanaisca samalanku- tama, tiksnankusasataghnibhiryantrajalaisca supariraksitam babhuva | sarvabhasavidah, sarvasilpavidasca samagamya tasminnagare nivasam cakruh | athaikada rajyavistarartham panduputro'rjunastavat srikrsnasya sahayyena khandavam vanam dagdhumarebhe, vanaraksartham vimanayanena samagatam saganam svapitaramindram mahata mahavirajanocitena ca yuddhena santosya pancadasabhirdinairnikhilam tat khandavam vanam bhasmasadakarot, tatratyan asuramdha hatva jagato hitam rajyasya ca vistaram vidadhau ( mahabharatam 1, khandavadahaparva, adhyayah 222-227 ) | tasmin bhayankare khandavadahe namucerasurasya bhratuh, silponam varasya, sarana- magatasya mayasya prana arjunena krpaya raksita asan danavavaro mayo'pi pratyu- pakaram kartumicchamscaturdasadhikairmasairindraprasthe pandavanam krte mahatimanupamam sabhamekam cakara | asyameva sabhayam pandavajyestho yudhisthiro bhratrnam bahubalena, bhumandalasthan sarvan nrpan karadan vidhaya rajasuyam mahayajnam cakara ( mahabhara- tam, adiparva, mayadarsanaparva, sabhaparva, adhyayah 1-68 ) | E ittham pracinamindraprastham punah susamrddham supratisthitam ca nagaram jatam | atha dyutanirjitesu vanam gatesu pandavesu indraprasthasya ramaniya divya sobhapi punah sanaih sanairastamagat | tatah kuruksetramahasamarat param jayasrisamudbhasitah khalu pandavah pracinam gangatirasthitam kururajadhani ( samprati miratpradese vidyamanam ) hasti- napurameva samalancakruh | ittham punaryamunatirasthamindraprastham kramena sadharanameva nagaram | Jan., 1963] itihasapuranadisu dillinagarasya pracinam rupam 179 babhuva | atha mahakalaprabhavannasamupagate yaduvamse, svargam prati prasthite ca bhaga- vati srikrsne, mahaduhkhadagdha mahaprasthanaya krtaniscayah khalu pandavah pautraya balakaya pariksite hastinapuram srikrsnasya pautraya balakaya, vajaya ca indraprastham daduh | etadeva pracinendraprasthasya, sakraprasthasya, khandavaprasthasya va duhkhavaha mahabharate varnitam mahaditivrttam vartate | atha gacchati kale pracinendraprasthasya dilliti dhilliketi ca nama samajayata | dhilliketi namnah samullekhah khalu-- pratolyam ca valabhyam ca yena visramitam yasah | dhillikagrahanasrantamasikalabhalambhitam || ( yena = cahamananrpena visaladevena vigraharajen ) iti bijoliyagirilekhe (Bijolia Rock Inscription of Somesvara, History of Medieval Hindu India, Vol. III., by C. V. Vaidya, pp. 149, 479). deso'sti hariyanakhyah prthivyam svargasannibhah | dhillikakhya puri tatra tomarairasti nirmita || tomaranantaram tasyam rajyam nihatakantakam | cahamananrpascakruh prajapalanatatparah || iti dilliprthvirajacitrasalasilalekhe (Delhi Prthviraja Museum Stone Inscription, History of Medieval Hindu India, Vol. III, By C.V. Vaidya, p. 304). atha asmallekhadvayaditthamanumiyate yat tomaranrpasasanasamaye indraprasthasya dilliti dhilliketi ca nama jatam| tadanu yavanasasanasamaye dilliti namnah sthane dilliti nrtanam namabhut | parantu atra nutane namni bahuyah kimvadantyah santi | tatha hi eka kimvadanti praha- khristapurvaprathamasatake samutpannasya indraprasthe rajyam kurvatah kasyapi balavato nutananagaranirmanapriyasya rajnah 'dila ' iti namasit | tadeva nama dilliti nutananamnah karanamiti | athanya kimvadanti samacaste GA

Warning! Page nr. 94 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

180 puranam - PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 indraprasthasthitasya prasiddhasya lohastambhasya kenacana karanena kadacidutkhanana punah prothanam ca jatam | tena ca sithilatvat tasya dhilliti nama babhuva | ittham trtiya kimvadanti prabhasate - yadavabhedanam 'nata ' iti prasiddhanam 'dhillom ' iti namakanam jananam indra- prasthe pura kila pracuryena nivasata sthanasyasya purvam dhilliti yathartham nama babhuva | tadanuyavanasasanasamaye parasikavarnamalayam vargasya dvitiyacaturthavarnayorabhavat dillitinamni 'dha' varnasya sthane kramena 'da' varnasyotpattya dilliti parivartana natam | athangalasasanasamaye dilliti sabdasya angalabhasayam delhiti punah kincat rupantaram samvrttam | tadeva ca nama sampratamapi vidvatsu pracarati | atha dillatinamnastattvam yatha tatha va bhavatu, asya pracinatvam tu nirvivadamevasti | tatha ca parasikabhasayam 'hanuj dilli dura asta ' ( adyapi dilli duramasti ) ityabhanako dillitinamnah sutaram pracinatvameva pratipadayati | atha madhyakale kecana arya rajanah khalu punarindraprasthe dillisamjnake raja- dhanimakurvan | tesu ca rajasu prthvirajasya nama samullekhamarhati | tadanu, kuruksetrasamarabhumau yavanena muhammadagorina nite prthviraje, indraprastham kramena bahunam yavananrpanam rajadhani samajani | tatah paramamgalarajairatra sthapita rajadhani | param sapi sampratam tesam hastat svadesiyanamevadhipatye samagata | atha svatantra- bharatarajyasya dilliti prasiddhamindraprasthamadhuna rajadhani vidyate | indraprastham (dilli ) khala nikhilasya visvasya hitartham, mangalartham, santyartham ca sada bhuyat |

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: