Dvārakā, also known as Dvāravatī (Sanskrit द्वारका "the gated city", possibly meaning having many gates, or alternatively having one or several very grand gates), is a sacred historic city in the sacred literature of Hinduism, Jainism,
In the Mahabharata, it was a city located in what is now Dwarka, formerly called Kushasthali, the fort of which had to be repaired by the .[2.56.22–30; ]
In the Hindu epics and the Puranas, Dvaraka is called Dvaravati and is one of seven Tirtha (pilgrimage), Sapta Puri (seven sacred cities of Hinduism), for spiritual liberation. The other six are Mathura, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Kanchipuram, Avantika (Ujjain) and Puri.
Hindu literature
Bhagavata Purana
The following description of Dvaraka during
Krishna's presence there appears in the
Bhagavata Purana (10.69.1-12) in connection with the sage Narada's visit:
Harivamsa
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In Harivamsa, Dvaraka is described as largely built on "submerged land", "released by the ocean" (2.55.118 and 2.58.34).
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The city was the former "sporting ground of the King Raivataka" called "Dvāravāti", which "was squared like a chess board" (2.56.29).
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Nearby was the mountain range Raivataka (2.56.27), "the living place of the gods" (2.55.111).
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The city was measured by ; the foundations of the houses were laid and at least some of the houses were built by the Yadavas (2.58.9 - 15).
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It was built by Vishwakarman in one day (2.58.40) "mentally" (2.58.41 and 44).
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It had surrounding walls (2.58.48 and 53) with four main gates (2.58.16).
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Its houses were arranged in lines (2.58.41) and the city had "high buildings" (2.58.50 and 54) (2.58.53), which "almost touched the sky" (2.58.50), and had "doors that had the colour of white clouds" (2.58.48).
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The fort walls of the city were "shining with the colour of the Sun and pots of gold" and "sounds emanating from grand houses sparkling with golden colour" (2.58.53).
[. Translators' note; Index to Mahabharata Resources' Harivamsha]
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It had a temple area with a palace for Krishna himself, which had a separate bathroom (2.58.43).
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"The city is beautified on Earth by the ocean" like Indra's heavenly city is "beautified by an assembly of important jewels" (2.58.47 - 66, (2.58.49).
Events
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Pandu's sons lived in Dvaraka during their exile to woods. Their servants headed by Indrasena lived there for one year (the 13th year) (4,72).
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Bala Rama mentioned about a sacrificial fire of Dvaraka, before he set for his pilgrimage over Sarasvati River (9,35).
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Rukmini is described to become the chief queen of Dvaraka after her elopement with Krishna,
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One should proceed with subdued senses and regulated diet to Dvaravati, where by bathing in "the holy place called Pindaraka",
[ Srimad Bhagavatam 11.1.12 ( Text ); Pindaraka entry on Encyclopedia Indica ] one obtaineth the fruit of the gift of gold in abundance (3,82).
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King Nriga, in consequence of a single fault of his, had to dwell for a long time at Dvaravati, and Krishna became the cause of his rescue from that miserable plight.(13,72).
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Sage Durvasa resided at Dvaravati for a long time (13,160).
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Arjuna visited Dvaravati during his military campaign after the Kurukshetra War (14,83).
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When the Pandavas retire from the world they visit the place where Dvaraka once used to be and see the city submerged under water.
Related archaeology
During 1983–1990, the Marine Archaeology Unit of India's National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) carried out underwater excavations at
Dwarka and
Bet Dwarka. According to S. R. Rao "The available archaeological evidence from onshore and offshore excavations confirms the existence of a city-state with a couple of satellite towns in 1500 B.C." He considered it reasonable to conclude that this submerged city is the Dvaraka as described in the
Mahabharata.
Rao also states that the submergence of the city in the Mahabharata was not the last time it occurred and that the archeological evidence below the sea shows the latest submergence. Rao avoided any prediction of the time period of the Mahabharata, he said that there may be other layers deep in the sea, buried or destroyed. He agrees that many structures at the bottom of the sea resemble to those described in the Sanskrit texts of Mahabharata. The date 1500BCE is based on carbon dating of a particular piece.
Submergence
In the
Mausala Parva of the
Mahabharata,
Arjuna witnesses the submergence of Dvaraka and describes it as follows:
See also
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Marine archaeology in the Gulf of Cambay
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Dvaravati sila
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Dvārakā–Kamboja route
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List of lost lands
Bibliography
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Gaur, A.S., Sundaresh, P. Gudigar, Sila Tripati, K.H. Vora and S.N. Bandodkar (2000) Recent underwater explorations at Dwarka and surroundings of Okha Mandal, Man and Environment, XXV(1): 67-74.
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Gaur, A.S. and Sundaresh (2003) Onshore Excavation at Bet Dwarka Island, in the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, Man and Environment, XXVIII(1): 57-66.
Further reading
