Vidarbha, aka: Vidarbhā; 10 Definition(s)

Introduction

Vidarbha means something in 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.

In Hinduism

Kavya (poetry)

Vidarbha (विदर्भ) is the name a locality mentioned in Rājaśekhara’s 10th-century Kāvyamīmāṃsā.—It is the country which is comprised in the whole of Berar, Khandeśa and portion of the Nizam‟s territory and central provinces in ancient times.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

1) Vidarbha (विदर्भ).—A brother of Bharata. It is stated in Bhāgavata, Skandha 5, that Kuśāvarta, Ilāvarta, Brahmāvarta, Āryāvarta, Bhadraketu, Sena, Indraspṛk, Vidarbha, and so on were brothers of Bharata the son of Ṛṣabha. Nimi was his son.

2) Vidarbha (विदर्भ).—See under Jyāmagha.

3) Vidarbha (विदर्भ).—An ancient country in India. The information about this Purāṇically famous country obtained from Mahābhārata, is given below:

(i) Once Sahadeva, during his regional conquest, captured Bhojakaṭa, a part of Vidarbha and expelled the king Bhīṣmaka from the country. (Mahābhārata Sabhā Parva, Chapter 31, Stanza 11).

(ii) By the blessing of hermit Damanaka, three sons, Dama, Dānta and Damana and a daughter, Damayantī, were born to Bhīṣmaka the king of Vidarbha. (Mahābhārata Vana Parva, Chapter 58, Stanza 5).

(iii) Having heard about the Svayaṃvara (Bride selecting a suitable husband from the candidates present) of the princess Damayantī of Vidarbha, the gods Indra, Agni, Varuṇa and Yama came to Vidarbha; (See under Damayantī).

iv) Damayantī is called Vaidarbhī because she was born in Vidarbha. (Mahābhārata Vana Parva, Chapter 55, Stanza 12)

v) Rukmiṇī, the wife of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, was the daughter of a king of Vidarbha. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa carried Rukmiṇī away by force. (Mahābhārata Udyoga Parva, Chapter 158, Stanza 13)

1a) Vidarbha (विदर्भ).——(c)—a kingdom to which the Yadus migrated.¹ Its capital Kuṇḍina, visited by Kṛṣṇa.² Its king went to Syamantapañcaka for the solar eclipse.³

• 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. 28. 28; X. 2. 3; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 49. 1.
• 2) Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 53. 6-7; Viṣṇu-purāṇa V. 26. 1
• 3) Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 82. 13.

1b) A son of Ṛṣabha.^*

• * Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 4. 10.

1c) (Vaiśa) son of Jyāmagha and Śaibyā: married the young Bhoja girl (Snuṣā, Vāyu-purāṇa) got in war and already appointed as his wife before his birth by his parents. Father of three sons of whom Romapāda (Lomapāda, Matsya-purāṇa) was the most famous; the others were Krathu and Kauśika. all of them warriors.^*

• * Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 23. 39; 24. 1; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 70. 36-8. Matsya-purāṇa 44. 36; Vāyu-purāṇa 95. 35; Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 12. 35-38.

1d) An ally of Kārtavīrya, killed by Paraśurāma.^*

• * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 39. 2.

1e) The wife of, taken away by Satyavrata.^*

• * Vāyu-purāṇa 88. 78, 155.

1f) The people of Vidarbha: these took part in the festivities connected with the marriage of Rukmiṇī and Kṛṣṇa.^*

• * Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 54. 58; 84. 55.

Vidarbha (विदर्भ) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. VI.47.13, VI.10.42, VI.47.13) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Vidarbha) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

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.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Vidarbha (विदर्भ) is the name of a country classified as Hādi (a type of Tantrik division), according to the 13th century Sammoha-tantra (fol. 7).—There are ample evidences to prove that the zone of heterodox Tantras went far beyond the natural limits of India. [...] The zones in the Sammoha-tantra [viz., Vidarbha] are here fixed according to two different Tantrik modes, known as Kādi and Hādi.

Vidarbha : Birar, and probably including with it the adjoining district of Beder, which name is apparently a corruption of Vidarbha. The capital was Kundinapura, the modern "Kundapur", about forty miles east of Amravati.

Vidarbha (विदर्भ).—An ancient province of old India. Rukmiṇī, the wife of Lord Kṛṣṇa, was the daughter of the King of this province.

India history and geogprahy

Vidarbha (विदर्भ) is the name of a country included within Dakṣiṇapatha which was situated ahead of Māhiṣmatī according to Rājaśekhara (fl. 10th century) in his Kāvyamīmāṃsā (chapter 17). Dakṣiṇāpatha is a place-name ending is patha mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions. The Gupta empire (r. 3rd-century CE), founded by Śrī Gupta, covered much of ancient India and embraced the Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as 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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Vidarbhā (विदर्भा).—(m. pl.) [vigatāḥ darbhāḥ kuśā yataḥ Tv.]

1) Name of a district, the modern Berar; अस्ति विदर्भो नाम जनपदः (asti vidarbho nāma janapadaḥ) Dk.; अस्ति विदर्भेषु पद्मपुरं नाम नगरम् (asti vidarbheṣu padmapuraṃ nāma nagaram) Māl.1; R.5.4,6; N.1.5.

2) The natives of Vidarbha.

-rbhaḥ 1 A king of the Vidarbhas.

2) Any dry or desert soil.

Derivable forms: vidarbhāḥ (विदर्भाः).

Vidarbha (विदर्भ).—mf.

(-rbhaḥ-rbhā) A district and city to the south-west of Bengal, the modern Bada-Nagpur or Berar proper. m.

(-rbhaḥ) Any dry or desert soil. E. vi privative, and darbha the sacred grass; not growing in that country in consequence of the curse of a saint, whose son had died of a wound from a blade of the grass.

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