Uttarapancala, Uttarapāñcāla, Uttarapañcāla, Uttara-pancala: 6 definitions

Introduction:

Uttarapancala means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

Alternative spellings of this word include Uttarapanchala.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Uttarapancala in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Uttarapāñcāla (उत्तरपाञ्चाल).—An ancient country in Bhārata. Drupada became the King of this country on the death of King Pṛṣata. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 129, Stanza 43). In course of time Uttarapāñcāla came under the control of the Ācārya Droṇa. (See under Droṇa). In the Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 137, Stanzas 70 to 76 it is mentioned that this country was on the north bank of the Gaṅgā.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Uttarapañcāla (उत्तरपञ्चाल).—The kingdom to which Purañjana went through the entrance Devahū; allegorically nivṛttiśāstra.*

  • * Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. 25. 51; 29. 13.
Purana book cover
context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Discover the meaning of uttarapancala in the context of Purana from relevant books on Exotic India

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Uttarapancala in Theravada glossary
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

A city. When Apacara (Upacara), king of Ceti, was swallowed up by the fires of Avici, because of his falsehood, his five sons came to the brahmin Kapila and sought his protection. He advised them to build new cities. The city built by the fourth son was called Uttarapancala. It was founded in the north of Ceti, on the spot where the prince saw a wheel frame (cakkapanjara) entirely made of jewels (J.iii.461).

According to the scholiast to the Kamanita Jataka (J.ii.214), however, and also according to the Kumbhakara Jataka (J.iii.379ff), Pancala or Uttarapancala is the name of a country (rattha) whose capital was Kampilla, while in the Brahmadatta Jataka (iii.79) also in the scholiast of the Citta Sambhuta Jataka (iv.396), Uttarapancala is given as the name of the city and Kampilla as that of the country and we are told that a king Pancala reigned there.

Pancala was also the name of the king of Uttarapancala in the Sattigumba Jataka (iv.430), the Jayaddisa Jataka (v.21), and the Gandatindu Jataka (v.98). In all these Uttarapancala is spoken of as a city in Kampilla. In the Maha Ummagga Jataka (vi.391ff), Culani Brahmadatta is the king of Uttarapancala.

In the Somanassa Jataka (J.iv.444), mention is made of a city named Uttarapancala in the Kuru country, with Renu as its king. Whether the reference is to a different city it is not possible to say. See also Pancala.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Discover the meaning of uttarapancala in the context of Theravada from relevant books on Exotic India

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Uttarapancala in Mahayana glossary
Source: archive.org: Bulletin of the French School of the Far East (volume 5)

Uttarapañcāla (उत्तरपञ्चाल) (in Chinese: Pe-pan-tchö-lo) is the name of an ancient kingdom associated with  Puṣya or Puṣyanakṣatra, as mentioned in chapter 18 of the Candragarbha: the 55th section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, a large compilation of Sūtras (texts) in Mahāyāna Buddhism partly available in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese.—Chapter 18 deals with geographical astrology and, in conversation with Brahmarāja and others, Buddha explains how he entrusts the Nakṣatras [e.g., Puṣya] with a group of kingdoms [e.g., Uttarapañcāla] for the sake of protection and prosperity.

Mahayana book cover
context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

Discover the meaning of uttarapancala in the context of Mahayana from relevant books on Exotic India

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Uttarapāñcāla (उत्तरपाञ्चाल) refers to “northern Pāñcāla”, according to the Guru Mandala Worship (maṇḍalārcana) ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.—Accordingly, “[...] On the Bharata continent, in northern Pāñcāla (uttarapāñcāla), at the feet of the Himalayas, In the land of Vāsuki, the seat of Upachandoha, in the holy land Āryāvarta, In the home of Karkoṭaka king of serpents, In the great lake Nāgavāsa, Site of Śrī Svayambhū Caitya, inhabited by Śrī Guyeśvarī Prajñāpāramita, In the land of the Nepal mandala, in the form of the Śrī Saṃvara mandala, In the same land of Sudurjayā, [...]”.,

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

Discover the meaning of uttarapancala in the context of Tibetan Buddhism from relevant books on Exotic India

India history and geography

[«previous next»] — Uttarapancala in India history glossary
Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early Buddhism

Uttarāpañcāla (उत्तरापञ्चाल) or “Northern Pancala” refers to one of the two divisions of ancient Pañcāla: one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas of the Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—Like the Kuru country, the Pañcāla country too, which, by the way, is also mentioned in the Aṅguttara Nikāya as one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas of Jambudīpa, was divided into two divisions: the northern or Uttarā Pañcāla and the southern or Dakṣiṇa Pañcāla, the Bhagirathi forming the dividing line. In the Divyāvadāna we read of two Pañcālavishayas: Uttarā Pañcāla and Dakṣiṇa Pañcāla. The Jātakas as well as the Mahābhārata also refer to these two divisions of the country.

According to the Divyāvadāna the capital of Uttarā Pañcāla was Hastināpura, but the Kumbhakāra Jātaka states that the capital of Uttarā Pañcāla was Kampillanagara and that a king named Dummukha ruled there. But according to the Mahābhārata, Northern Pañcāla had its capital at Ahicchatra or Chatravatī (identical with modern Ramnagar in the Bareillay district) while southern Pañcāla had its capital at Kāmpilya, identical with modern Kampil in the Farokhabad district, U.P. This apparent discrepancy in the two evidences is reconciled when we take into account that ‘a great struggle raged in ancient times between the Kurus and the Pañcālas for the possession of Uttarā Pañcāla. Sometimes Uttarā Pañcāla was included in Kururaṭṭha and had its capital at Hastināpura, at other times it formed a part of Kampillaraṭṭha.

In the Cetiya Jātaka we are told that four sons of the King of Ceti built five cities: Hatthipura, Assapura, Sīhapura, Uttarā Pañcāla, and Daddarapura.

India history book cover
context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Discover the meaning of uttarapancala in the context of India history from relevant books on Exotic India

See also (Relevant definitions)

Relevant text

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: