Naimisha Forest
Encyclopedia
Naimisha Forest or Naimiṣāraṇya (Devanagari
:नैमिषारण्य) was an ancient forest mentioned in the epic Mahabharata
and the Shiva Purana
. It lay on the banks of the Gomati River (in Uttar Pradesh
) . It lay between the Panchala Kingdom
and the Kosala Kingdom
. The whole narration of Mahabharata
took place at Naimisha forests, during a conclave of sages headed by sage Saunaka, who gathered for a sacrifice to the cause of world peace. In this conclave a story teller belonging to the Suta
caste viz. Ugrasrava Sauti
narrated the entire Mahabharata, the story of the great kings of Bharata dynasty to Saunaka. The central part of this story was the history of Kauravas and Pandavas and their battle at Kurukshetra
known as Kurukshetra War
.
The story regarding the importance of this forest is that, after the great battle of Mahābhārata
, sages and saints led by the great sage Saunaka, who were very much concerned about the beginning of Kali yuga
, approached Brahma
. Being aware of the extreme effects of the yuga, they urged Brahma to show them a place which can stay untouched by the effects of Kali. Brahma takes out a sacred wheel (Chakra) and rolls it down on the earth and says, where ever that wheel stops, that would be the place. The sages follow the wheel, which stops in the forest of Naimisha. Thus, they make it their abode for further penance.
Earlier mention of Naimiṣāraṇya is found in Rāmāyaṇa
. The colophon of yuddha-kanda (sixth) of Rāmāyaṇa
mentions that Lav and Kush, the sons of Ram narrated the epic by Valmiki
in the Naimiṣāraṇya in His Ashvamedha-yajna.
Geographically mapping to a presently known location, Naimisha forest is said to be in Sitapur
district of Uttar Pradesh state in India.
Devanagari
Devanagari |deva]]" and "nāgarī" ), also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal...
:नैमिषारण्य) was an ancient forest mentioned in the epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
and the Shiva Purana
Shiva Purana
The Shiva Purana is one of the s, a genre of Hindu religious texts dedicated to Shiva. According to a tradition which is stated in the of this text, the original text was known as the ....
. It lay on the banks of the Gomati River (in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
) . It lay between the Panchala Kingdom
Panchala Kingdom
This article is about the kingdom of Panchala during the epic-ages. For the historical kingdom, see Panchala.Panchala Kingdom extended from Himalayas in the north to river Charmanwati in the south during the period of Mahabharata. It had Kuru, Surasena and Matsya kingdoms to the west and the forest...
and the Kosala Kingdom
Kosala Kingdom
Kosala Proper or Uttara Kosala is the kingdom of the celebrated personality of Treta Yuga, Raghava Rama. Ayodhya was its capital, presently in Faizabad district, Uttar Pradesh. Rama's sons Lava and Kusha inherited parts of this kingdom. Lava ruled from the city called Sravasti and Kusa from the...
. The whole narration of Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
took place at Naimisha forests, during a conclave of sages headed by sage Saunaka, who gathered for a sacrifice to the cause of world peace. In this conclave a story teller belonging to the Suta
Suta
Sūta refers both to the bards of Puranic stories and to a mixed caste. According to Manu Smriti the sūta caste are children of a Kshatriya father and Brahmin mother. The narrator of the several of the Puranas, Ugrasrava Sauti, son of Lomaharshana, was also called Sūta. Authorities are divided on...
caste viz. Ugrasrava Sauti
Ugrasrava Sauti
Ugrashravas was the narrator of several Puranas, including Mahābhārata, Bhagavata Purana, Harivamsa, and Padma Purana, with the narrations typically taking place before the sages gathered in Naimisha Forest...
narrated the entire Mahabharata, the story of the great kings of Bharata dynasty to Saunaka. The central part of this story was the history of Kauravas and Pandavas and their battle at Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra is a land of historical and religious importance. Historically the land belonged to Punjab now a district in Haryana state of India. It is a holy place and is also known as Dharmakshetra . According to the Puranas, Kurukshetra is named after King Kuru, the ancestor of Kauravas and...
known as Kurukshetra War
Kurukshetra war
According to the Indian epic poem Mahābhārata, a dynastic succession struggle between two groups of cousins of an Indo-Aryan kingdom called Kuru, the Kauravas and Pandavas, for the throne of Hastinapura resulted in the Kurukshetra War in which a number of ancient kingdoms participated as allies of...
.
The story regarding the importance of this forest is that, after the great battle of Mahābhārata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, sages and saints led by the great sage Saunaka, who were very much concerned about the beginning of Kali yuga
Kali Yuga
Kali Yuga is the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas described in the Indian scriptures. The other ages are Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga...
, approached Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
. Being aware of the extreme effects of the yuga, they urged Brahma to show them a place which can stay untouched by the effects of Kali. Brahma takes out a sacred wheel (Chakra) and rolls it down on the earth and says, where ever that wheel stops, that would be the place. The sages follow the wheel, which stops in the forest of Naimisha. Thus, they make it their abode for further penance.
Earlier mention of Naimiṣāraṇya is found in Rāmāyaṇa
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. The colophon of yuddha-kanda (sixth) of Rāmāyaṇa
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
mentions that Lav and Kush, the sons of Ram narrated the epic by Valmiki
Valmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...
in the Naimiṣāraṇya in His Ashvamedha-yajna.
Geographically mapping to a presently known location, Naimisha forest is said to be in Sitapur
Sitapur
Sitapur formerly spelled as Citapore is a town and a municipal board in Sitapur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is in the Lucknow Division of Uttar Pradesh...
district of Uttar Pradesh state in India.
External links
- Wikimapia.org (location).