A king belonging to the dynasty of Priyavrata, son of Manu. He was the son of Bharata. Bharata had nineteen sons – Kushavarta, Ilavarta, Brahmavarta, Aryavarta, Malaya, Ketu, Bhadrasena, Indrasprik, Vidarbha, Keekata, Kavi, Hari, Antariksha, Prabudha, Pippalayana, Avirhotra, Dramida, Chamasa, Karabhajana.

A forest kingdom that existed in the southern part of ancient India. Both the Ramayana and Mahabharata have mentions of it. During the time of the Ramayana, it was ruled by a famous vanara king Riksharajas. He was childless. Earlier Indra and Surya had produced sons from Arunidevi – Bali and Sugriva respectively. (see Aruna) They grew up in Gautama’s hermitage. After they grew up, Indra gave both of them to Riksharajas. After the king’s death, Bali became the king of Kishkinda, and Sugriva served him.

During that time, there was an asura named Dundubhi, who once challenged Varuna for a duel. Varuna sent him to Himavan and the asura wreaked havoc with the peaks. Himavan approached him, told him that he was a peaceful being, and if he wanted a fight, he should seek Bali. Dundubhi reached Kishkinda and challenged Bali. Bali killed him and threw the body away. Matanga was meanwhile meditating on Rishyamuka mountain nearby. Blood drops from Dundubhi’s nostril fell on Matanga, who used his divine sight to realise who was responsible. He cursed that Bali would die if he entered Rishyamukachala.

Dundubhi had a son named Mayavi, who swore to avenge his father. He lost a fight with Bali and ran away. Bali followed him, along with Sugriva. Mayavi ran into a cave, followed by Bali. Sugriva waited outside but no one came out even after a year. He then saw a lot of blood flowing out of the cave and the sound of an asura laughing. Sugriva assumed that Bali had been killed and after closing the cave, returned to Kishkinda, dejected. On his subjects’ insistence, he became their king.

After some time, Bali kicked open the cave and emerged, raging. He reached Kishkinda and accused Sugriva of deliberately plotting to become king. He drove Sugriva away and even forcefully took his wife. Sugriva moved to Rishyamuka and established his own kingdom. Mainda, Dvivida, Hanuman, Jambavan became Sugriva’s ministers. This was when Rama and Lakshmana reached there. As per the pact between Rama and Sugriva, Rama killed Bali and crowned Sugriva king of Kishkinda as per Ramayana Kishkindaparva Chapter 280.

Sahadeva battled the vanaras at Kishkinda for seven days, after which they gave him jewels and requested him to return as per Mahabharata Sabhaparva Chapter 31. Sugriva, Hanuman, Jambavan etc were not present in Kishkinda then. Sugriva might have died. After Rama’s death, hanuman chose to meditate in the Gandhamadana mountains in Kimpurushavarsha, as per Mahabharata and Bhagavata Dashamaskanda. Jambavan left Kishkinda and stayed in a cave with his kith and kin, as per the story of Prasena. Mainda and Dvivida were ruling Kishkinda at the time of Sahadeva’s arrival. By then, the strength of the vanaras had declined and gradually the kingdom faded away.

This mountainous area in the Dharwad region in Karnataka is believed to be Kishkinda.

A ferocious rakshasa. He was Baka’s brother and a friend of Hidimba. After hearing of Baka’s death at the hands of Bhima, he stayed in the Kamyaka forest planning revenge. After the Pandavas lost the game of dice, they traveled for 3 nights and 3 days to reach the Kamyaka forest. Kirmeera attacked them as soon as they reached there, and in the battle with Bhima, he died, as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 11.

Another name for Arjuna.

A warrior in Skanda’s army as per Mahabharata Shalyaparva Chapter 45 verse 71.

During the Pandavas’ exile, Arjuna went to the Himalayas to pray to Shiva. Shiva appeared as a tribal to test Arjuna. Arjuna won and was given the Pashupatastra. This is Kiratarjuneeya and is found in Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 167.

A region in ancient India as per Mahabharata Bhishmaparva Chapter 2 verse 51.

In Manu’s dynasty there was a king named Priyavrata whose son was Agnidhra. He was the king of Jambudweepa and was married to the apsara Purvachitti. They had nine sons named Nabhi, Hari, Kimpurusha, Ilavrita, Ramyaka, Hiranmaya, Kalva, Bhadrashwa, Ketumala. Agnidhra divided his kingdom among them and the area ruled by Kimpurusha was called Kimpurushavarsha or Kimpurusha. It is situated to the south of Hemakuta mountain. As per Bhagavata Panchamaskanda, this is where Hanuman spends his time here worshiping Rama.

The region is said to be to the north of the Himalayas, in front of the Dhavala mountains. It was said to be protected by Drumaputras and conquered by Arjuna as per Mahabharata Sabhaparva Chapter 23 verses 1-2.

Kimpurushas are sons of the prajapati Pulaha as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 66 verse 8.

Once Agastya drank up the ocean. The Kimpurushas were there to witness it as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 104 verse 21.

Kuber gave his lotuses to Kimpurushas for safekeeping as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 153 verse 9.

After losing his kingdom and the pushpak to Ravana, Kuber went north and stayed in the Gandhamadana mountains with the Kimpurushas as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 275 verse 33.

The mothers of Kimpurushas were yaksha women as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 207 verse 25.

Kimpurushas were present at Yudhishtira’s ashwamedha as per Mahabharata Ashwamedhikaparva Chapter 88 verse 37.

Shukra reached India after crossing Kimpurushavarsha as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 325.