Kingdom of the Mahabharata
Pragjyotisha
प्राग्ज्योतिष
Kingdom of Bhagadatta, ally of Kauravas
Pragjyotisha (Present-day Assam): Kingdom of Bhagadatta, ally of Kauravas, located at coordinates 26.14°N, 91.73°E.
Key Facts
| Type | Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit name | प्राग्ज्योतिष |
| Coordinates | 26.14°N, 91.73°E |
| Modern location | Present-day Assam |
| Significance | Kingdom of Bhagadatta, ally of Kauravas |
About Pragjyotisha
The eastern kingdom ruled by Bhagadatta, the king of elephants. He fought on the Kaurava side with his mighty elephant Supratika.
Why it matters: Kingdom of Bhagadatta, ally of Kauravas
Rulers and Custodians
- Naraka
- Bhagadatta
Details
- Capital
- Pragjyotishpura (modern Guwahati)
- Elephant
- Supratika, the legendary war elephant
On the Map
Pragjyotisha sits at 26.14°N, 91.73°E, in Present-day Assam.
View on the full mapEvents at Pragjyotisha
- Arjuna and Bhagadatta's PactYear -29At Pragjyotisha, Arjuna fights an eight-day battle against Bhagadatta, Indra's friend, mounted on the great elephant Supratika. The old king, full of admiration, yields for Yudhishthira's sake.
- The Elephant King of the EastYear -12Oldest of all the warriors at Kurukshetra, the eastern king Bhagadatta - friend of Indra, lord of Pragjyotisha, his drooping eyelids tied up with a silk band - rides his colossal war elephant Supratika into the twelfth day of the war. Before he falls, he nearly kills Bhima, shatters whole divisions, and hurls at Arjuna the one weapon Krishna must break his own vow to stop.
- The Slaying of NarakaYear 24The demon-king Narakasura, who can be slain only by his own mother, oppresses the worlds and imprisons sixteen thousand women. Krishna flies to his fortress with Satyabhama - an incarnation of the Earth, the demon's mother - and through her the boon is fulfilled and the tyrant slain. The repentant demon's last wish makes his death-day a festival of lights, and Krishna gives the rescued women his own protection.
Stories Set at Pragjyotisha
The Horse Sacrifice
Arjuna Follows a Wandering Horse, and Dies at His Own Son's Hand
The Elephant King of the East
Bhagadatta, Supratika, and the Missile Krishna Took on His Chest
The Slaying of Naraka
Krishna, Satyabhama, and the Festival of Lights
The Race for Allies
How eighteen armies were bought before a shot was fired
Pragjyotisha, City of the Eastern Light
Fortress of Naraka and Bhagadatta
The Horse Among Old Enemies
Arjuna's year of merciful battles
Kurukshetra Day 8: The Rakshasa's Hour
Iravan falls and Ghatotkacha answers for him
The Son of Rishyasringa
Alambusha, the illusion-fighter the Kauravas kept for the Pandava sons
What the Blind King Was Told
Duryodhana's inventory of the rajasuya, and the quarrel it started
The Queens Who Came a Long Way
What the Kuru quarrel cost the kingdoms that were only allies
The Elephant Corps and the King of Anga
Bhima breaks Duryodhana's elephant division and beheads the Anga king in mid-fall
Arjuna's Message to the Kurus
Sanjaya recites the message in open court, and names every man who will die
Ghatotkacha and the Javelin of Bhagadatta
Duryodhana asks to kill a Rakshasa, and a Rakshasa breaks a javelin on his knee
The Last Push on the Tenth Day
Tenth day: Bhishma asks Yudhishthira to kill him, and the champions of both armies pair off across the field while Dushasana alone stands between him and Arjuna