By Swami Harshananda
Kaliṅga literally means ‘country established by Kaliñga’.
The kingdoms of Aṅga, Vaṅga and Kaliñga were famous from the ancient times. Kaliñga was a prince who was the son of the sage Dirghatamas. The country conquered and ruled over by him came to be known as Kaliṅgadeśa. It is identified with the region between the rivers Mahānadī and Godāvarī. This region is presently situated in Orissa.
During the period of the rule of the Pāṇḍavas, Citrāṇgada[1] was the ruler of this country. Rājapura was its capital. Kaliṅga was famous for the best elephants needed for the armed forces.
References[edit]
- ↑ He was the maternal uncle of Duryodhana.
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore