 | Janapadas: Encyclopedia II - Janapadas - Lists
Janapadas - Lists
Ancient Sanskrit texts like Ashtadhyayi (IV.4.168-175), Ramayana (IV/41-43), Mahabharata (VII/11/16-17; VIII/8/18-20)) and numerous Puranas (Bhuvanakosa list of countries) refer to many Janapadas of ancient times.
Panini's Ashtadhyayi furnishes a list of fifteen Kshatriya monarchical Janapadas viz Salveya, Gandhari, Magadha, Kalinga, Surasena, Kosala, Ajada, Kuru, Salva, Pratyagratha, Kalakuta, Ashmaka, Kamboja, Avanti and Kunti. Besides, there were those following the republican constitutions.
In context of Krsna digvijay, the Mahabharata furnishes a key list of twenty-five ancient Janapadas viz: Anga, Vanga, Kalinga, Magadha, Kasi, Kosala, Vatsa, Garga, Karusha, Pundra, Avanti, Dakshinatya, Parvartaka, Dasherka, Kashmira, Ursa, Pishacha, Mudgala, Kamboja, Vatadhana, Chola, Pandya, Trigarta, Malava, and Darada (MBH 7/11/15-17). Besdides, there were Janapadas of Kurus and Panchalas also.
Ramayana (a later list) includes Janapadas of Andhras, Pundras, Cholas, Pandyas, Keralas, Mekhalas, Utkalas, Dasharnas, Abravantis, Avantis, Vidarbhas, Mlecchas, Pulindas, Surasenas, Prasthalas, Bharatas, Kurus, Madrakas, Kambojas, Daradas, Kiratas, Tangana, Yavanas, Sakas (from Saka-dvipa) Chinas, Maha-Chinas, Niharas etc.
The Bhuvanakosa Section of numerous Puranas divides ancient Indian subcontinent into (1) the Dakshinapatha (Southern India), (2) the Madhyadesa (Mid India), (3) the Prachya (Eastrn India), (4) the Aparanta (Western India), (5) the Udichya or north/north-west division, (6) the Vindyavasins, and (7) the Parvatashrayins, and in the detailed list of countries, it refers many Janapadas of ancient times (See: Kirfel's list of the countries of Bhuvanakosha)
By circa sixth century BCE, many of these Janapadas further evolved into larger political entities by the process of merger and land-grabbing which eventually led to the formation of bigger kingdoms known in Buddhist texts as the Mahajanapadas or the great nations (a karmadharaya of maha "great" and janapada "country").
Other related archives6th century BC, Anga, Ashtadhyayi, Avanti, Buddhist, Chola, Dakshinapatha, Greek, India, Indian, Indo-Aryans, Iron Age, Kalinga, Kamboja, Kashmira, Kasi, Kosala, Kurus, Latin, Magadha, Mahabharata, Mahajanapadas, PIE, Panchalas, Pandya, Panini, Pishacha, Puranas, Ramayana, Rigvedic, Vanga, Vedic, dvandva, karmadharaya, kingdoms, maha, monarchical, republican, subcontinent, tatpurusha, tribal
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Lists", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
