Kingdom of the Mahabharata
Sivi (Usinara)
शिबि
Land of King Shibi's sacrifice; ally kin of Yudhishthira
Sivi (Usinara) (Around Shorkot, between the Ravi and Jhelum, Pakistan): Land of King Shibi's sacrifice; ally kin of Yudhishthira, located at coordinates 30.83°N, 72.08°E.
Key Facts
| Type | Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit name | शिबि |
| Coordinates | 30.83°N, 72.08°E |
| Modern location | Around Shorkot, between the Ravi and Jhelum, Pakistan |
| Significance | Land of King Shibi's sacrifice; ally kin of Yudhishthira |
About Sivi (Usinara)
The kingdom of the Sibi people in lower Punjab, descendants of the legendary King Shibi who offered his own flesh to save a dove - a tale told to the Pandavas in exile (Vana Parva). King Govasana of the Sibis was father of Devika, a wife of Yudhishthira.
Why it matters: Land of King Shibi's sacrifice; ally kin of Yudhishthira
Rulers and Custodians
- Ushinara
- Shibi
- Govasana
Details
- Legend
- Shibi's hawk-and-dove test by Indra and Agni
On the Map
Sivi (Usinara) sits at 30.83°N, 72.08°E, in Around Shorkot, between the Ravi and Jhelum, Pakistan.
View on the full mapEvents at Sivi (Usinara)
- Nakula's Western ConquestYear -29Nakula rides west, subduing the deserts and river-lands of Sivi, Trigarta, Madra, and the Five Rivers, gathering so much tribute that ten thousand camels can barely carry it.
- The Hawk and the DoveYear -8To test the king famed across the worlds for his mercy, Indra and Agni take the forms of a hawk and a dove. When the trembling dove falls into King Shibi's lap for refuge and the hawk claims it as lawful prey, the king offers his own flesh in its place - and goes on cutting away himself, piece by piece, until he offers his whole body rather than betray a creature that trusted him.
Stories Set at Sivi (Usinara)
The Hawk and the Dove
King Shibi's Sacrifice
The Conquest of the West
Nakula's road for the rajasuya
The Measure of a King's Giving
Three short tests of what a gift is worth
Who Falls From Heaven First
Narada rides with four kings and ranks their generosity
The Feast Shibi Cooked
A brahmana demands the king's son as his meal, and Shibi obeys without changing colour
Bhima's Harvest on the Fourteenth Evening
Drona takes the head of the king of Sivi, and Bhima kills with his fists, his palm and a caught dart until the kings call him Rudra