A Mahabharata parva.

Another name for Shakuni’s son Uluka.

A region in ancient India, mentioned in Mahabharata Bhishmaparva Chapter 18 verse 13.

Brother the asura Madhu. They were together known as Madhukaidabhas. There are two marginally different stories seen in the puranas regarding their birth. As per Devibhagavata Pradhamaskanda, before land was formed, there was only a vast ocean, and only Vishnu floated on it. From his navel, a lotus plant grew and flowered. On it was born Brahma and he sat reciting the vedas. From Vishnu’s earwax were formed two rakshasas called Madhukaidabhas. As per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 348, on the lotus that bloomed, there were two water droplets. One was as tasty as honey and from it was formed Madhu. The other was its opposite and from it was formed Kaidabha.

Madukaidabhas grew up in the ocean and wondered how it was formed. Then, Devi appeared and gave them the knowledge of the Vagbeeja mantra. They chanted the mantra for a thousand years and prayed to her. Devi was pleased and asked them to seek the boons they desired. They desired for control of their own deaths. Devi agreed. From then on, they became arrogant and started hurting other living beings as per Devibhagavata Pradhamaskanda.

They once saw Brahma reciting the four vedas. They stole the vedas and hid in patala. Brahma followed them and they prepared to attack him. Brahma approached Vishnu, who was lying in yoganidra. Vishnu woke up as per Devibhagavata Dashamaskanda. As per Brahma’s request, Vishnu began fighting them. Madhu and Kaidabha alternately fought him, as the other rested. This continued for five thousand years and finally Vishnu started becoming tired. He understood that they had a boon that would prevent him from killing them. Vishnu started praying to Devi, who decreed that Vishnu would not be able to kill them, and would have to trick them. Vishnu told Madhukaidabhas that he was pleased with them and asked them what boon they desired. They laughed and said that they were stronger than him and so it was Vishnu who required a boon from them. Vishnu calmly asked for a boon that would make him the one to kill them. The Madhikaidabhas were shaken and said that he could kill them anywhere except in the ocean. They thought that Vishnu would never be strong enough to kill them anyway. Immediately, Vishnu made his thighs huge and then showed them as land on top of the ocean. In turn, the asuras made themselves a thousand yojanas wide. Vishnu made his thighs twice that size, placed the asuras on them and killed them with the chakra. The fat remains (medas) of the asuras is what became land later on. Thus bhumi is also known as Medini and became unfit for consumption as per Devibhagavata Pradhamaskanda.

The son of Madhukaidabhas was named Dhundhu. He lived beneath the sand in a desert named Ujjalaka. He was finally killed by a king of the Ikshvaku dynasty – Kuvalayashwa. The king then came to be known as Dhundhumara as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 202. Madukaidabhas were reincarnated as Khara and Atikhara. (see Atikaya)

Sudeshna, wife of the king of Virata, was also called Kaikeyi. She was born to the suta king Kekaya and his queen Malavi. Being Kekaya’s daughter, she was called Kaikeyi as per Mahabharata Virataparva Chapter 16. As per the epics, all princesses of Kekaya were called Kaikeyi.

The wife of the puruvanshi king Ajameedha as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 95 verse 37.

One of Dasarath’s wives. The others were Kausalya and Sumitra. Kaikeyi was the sister of Yudhajit, the king of Kekaya, as per Ramayana Ayodhyakanda Sarga 70 verse 28. The Kekaya kingdom was a seven day journey from Ayodhya.

Once during a devasura war, Dasarath went to swargaloka, with Kaikeyi, to help Indra. The devas were being tormented by Shambara and his army. Dasarath fought in ten directions at the same time and scattered the asuras. Because the chariot was being pulled in different directions, a wheel shaft key became loose and started falling off. Kaikeyi saw this, and held the key in place. Dasarath didn’t realise this until later and was so pleased that he gave Kaikeyi two boons. She replied that she would use them later. They then returned to Ayodhya as per Ramayana Ayodhyakanda Sarga 9.

Later, when Ayodhya was getting ready to anoint Rama as its prince, Mandhara approached Kaikeyi and advised her to send Rama into exile and make Bharat king. Though she refused at first, Mandhara finally cajoled her into demanding it. She lay in distress until Dasarath found her, and then demanded the two boons he had given her earlier. She wanted Bharat to be prince and Rama to be sent into exile for fourteen years. Dasarath fell unconscious but was forced to fulfill his promise.

Ravana’s mother. From Brahma’s anger was born the asura Praheti and from his hunger the yaksha Heti. Heti married Kala’s sister Bhaya and their son was Vidyukesha. He married Salakatanka and their son was Sukesha. Sukesha married Devavati, the daughter of Manimaya a gandharva, and their sons were Mali, Sumali, Malyavan. They married Vasudha, Ketumati, Sundari respectively, the daughters of the gandharvastri Narmada. Sumali and Ketumati had the following children – Prahasta, Akambana, Vikata, Kalakamukha, Dhrumaksha, Danda, Suparshwa, Samhrada, Prakvata, Bhasakarna, Veka, Pushpolkada, Kaikasi, Kumbhinadi, of which the last four were girls.

When Sumali was walking through the forest with his wives and daughters, they saw several yakshas in their flying chariots, on their way to see Kuber. Sumali understood that Kuber’s prominence was because he was the son of Vishravas. He took his daughter Kaikasi to Vishravas and finally, pleased by her service, he married her. She then asked for sons from Vishravas and thus, to them were born Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana.

A vanara king who lived on Meru. During the time he lived there, Brahma cursed an apsara named Managarva and transformed her into a female monkey. She became Anjana, the wife of Kesari. They were childless for a long while. They prayed to Vayu. During that time, the devas approached Shiva and requested him to incarnate and help Vishnu when the latter incarnated as Rama to kill Ravana.  Shiva and Paravti took the form of monkeys, entered the forests, and began copulating. But they didn’t return for a long time and the devas sent Vayu to find them. Vayu took the form of a hurricane and shook the jungle. Still, Shiva and Parvati didn’t come out. Parvati was shy to come out in her pregnant form. They climbed an ashoka tree which alone stood still in the hurricane. Vayu went close to investigate and Shiva and Parvati appeared in front of him. Parvati refused to take the vanar baby, still in her womb, to Kailash, and gave it to Vayu. Vayu gave it to Anjana and Anjana soon gave birth to a baby. This was Hanuman. He was also known as Anjanaputra, Kesariputra and Vayuputra too.

A mountain in Shakadweepa. The air here always has a pleasant smell as per Mahabharata Bhishmaparva Chapter 11 verse 23.