Brihadbala (Sanskrit: बृहद्बल, IAST: Bṛhadbala) is a king mentioned in Hinduism, including the Hindu epic Mahabharata.[1] He is also known by the name Srutayu according to the Linga Purana.[2] He is described to be the last king of the Kosala Kingdom. In the Kurukshetra War, Brihadbala fought for the Kauravas and was killed by Abhimanyu.[3]
| Brihadbala | |
|---|---|
| Texts | Mahabharata |
| Region | Kosala |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents |
|
| Children | Barhināman |
| Dynasty | Suryavamsha |
Legend
editAccording to the Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavata Purana, Brihadbala is a descendant of Rama on Kusha's side, and belongs to the Suryavamsha (Solar dynasty). Makhan Jha, in his Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective claims that Brihadbala is the fifteenth king after Rama.[4] Brihadbala is considered to be the last king of the line of Ikshvaku; the dynasty spanned 31-32 generations between Rama and him.[5]
The Mahabharata describes Brihadbala as the ruler of Kingdom of Kosala. He was subjugated by Bhima during the Rajasuya sacrifice. However, a subsequent conquest by Karna during his Digvijaya Yatra resulted in Brihadbala's ultimate allegiance to the Kauravas during the Kurukshetra War.[6] On the thirteenth day of the war, when Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, penetrates into the Padmavyuha, Brihadbala fights him, along with a host of Kaurava warriors including Drona, Kripa, Karna, Ashwatthama, and Kritavarma. In the fierce duel that ensued between Brihadbala and Abhimanyu, Brihadbala was mortally wounded by Abhimanyu's arrows.[7]
According to the Shiva Purana, Brihadbala is succeeded by his son, Barhināman.[8]
References
edit- ^ Dimensions of Indian Civilization, page 176, Makhan Jha
- ^ Shastri, J. L. (1951). The Linga Purana. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 9788120803404.
- ^ Debroy, Bibek (25 October 2017). The Valmiki Ramayana: Vol. 3. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. p. 13. ISBN 978-93-87326-28-6.
- ^ Jha, Makhan (1997). Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. p. 177. ISBN 978-81-7533-034-4.
- ^ Agarwal, M. K. (2013). The Vedic Core of Human History: And Truth will be the Savior. iUniverse. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-4917-1595-6.
- ^ Pruthi, Raj (2004). Vedic Civilization. Discovery Publishing House. p. 75. ISBN 978-81-7141-875-6.
- ^ Menon, Ramesh (2006). The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering. iUniverse. p. 246. ISBN 978-0-595-40188-8.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (3 November 2018). "Kings of the solar race (sūryavaṃśa) [Chapter 39]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 31 December 2022.