The daughter of Vyasa’s son Shuka. Shuka, a brahmarishi, married the daughter of the pitrs Peevari. They had four sons – Krishna, Gauraprabha, Bhuri, Devashruta and a daughter named Kirti. Kirti was married to the Anu, the son of Vibhramaraja. Their son was named Brahmadatta, and he later became a renowned scholar and yogi, and as per Narada’s advice, entrusted the duties of the kingdom to his son and meditated in Badarikashrama as per Devibhagavata Prathamaskanda.

An ansh incarnation of the asura Krodhavasha, as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 67 verse 60.

The brother in law of Matsya, the king of Virata. He was the son of the Suta king Kekaya. Kekaya and his wife Malavi had several children – Keechaka, 105 0f his brothers known as Upakeechakas, and a daughter named Sudeshna, as per Mahabharata Dakshinatyapattha. As per the same source, Keechaka and Upakeechakas were ansh avatars of the Bana, the eldest of the Kalakeyas. After Matsya married Sudeshna, Keechaka and the Upakeechakas began staying in Virata. Keechaka became the commander of the Virata army. He defeated Susharma, the king of trigarta, several times, as per Mahabharata Virataparva Chapters 25-30.

The Pandavas lived incognito in Virata, taking up different jobs. Draupadi worked as a maid to Sudeshna and her daughter Uttara. Ten months passed and then, one day, Keechaka saw Draupadi, and he became infatuated. He tried wooing her, but she slipped away. He finally asked Sudeshna to intercede. Sudeshna asked him to be ready on new moon day. On that day, Sudeshna asked Draupadi to fetch some food items from Keechaka. Draupadi reluctantly agreed and as soon as she reached there, Keechaka grabbed hold of her. She ran, but Keechaka followed her, and caught her by her hair, but a rakshasa who had been assigned to protect Draupadi made an entry then, and allowed her to escape. That night, Draupadi approached Bhima and tearfully appraised him of the events that had transpired. Bhima decided to kill Keechaka. He asked Draupadi to set up a rendezvous with Keechaka. Accordingly, Draupadi asked Keechaka to meet her in the dance hall that night and Bhima went there instead. Keechaka reached there at midnight and mistook the figure lying on the bed to be Draupadi. He tried to embrace ‘her’ and Bhima squeezed the life out of him. The next day, the news of Keechaka’s death spread. His siblings mourned him and heard the rumour that Sairandhri’s (Draupadi’s assumed name) gandharva husbands had killed him. They took the body to be cremated and wanted Draupadi to be burnt in it too. That night, Bhima heard Draupadi’s screams and came there in disguise. He killed the Upakeechakas and rescued Draupadi, as per Mahabharata Virataparva.

A kingdom ruled by the king Keekata. As per Devibhagavata Ekadashaskanda, there was once a merchant in Keekata, who had an old donkey. Once the merchant went to Vindhyachala and obtained many rudrakshas, which he loaded on to the donkey. After traveling some distance, the donkey became unable to carry the weight, and dropped dead. It attained moksha and went to Kailash, because of the rudrakshas it was carrying.

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.