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Mahishmati () was an ancient city and the capital of Haihayas in the present-day central India on the banks of Narmada River (in Madhya Pradesh), although its exact location is uncertain. The city may have flourished as late as until 13th century, as indicated by a Paramara dynasty inscription.
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The following things are known about Mahishmati's location:
Several cities in Madhya Pradesh, located along the Narmada river, are claimed to be the ancient Mahishmati. These include:
Mahabharata mentions Mahishmati as part of a kingdom distinct from the Avanti kingdom. The Sabha Parva (2:30) states that the Pandava general Sahadeva attacked Mahishmati, and defeated its ruler Nila. Mahismati was protected by Agni, due to his matrimonial relationship with the king's daughter. Agni even granted the unmarried women of Mahismati liberty of not staying with only one husband forever, and moving about freely. PC Roy Mahabharata, Sabha Parva, Digvijaya Parva, Section XXXI Page 73 King Nila of Mahishmati is mentioned as a leader in the Kurukshetra War, rated by Bhishma as a Rathi. His coat of mail had blue colour (Mbh 5:19,167).
Harivamsha (33.1847) names the founder of Mahishmati as Mahishmant, a king who was the son of Sahanja and a descendant of Yadu through Haihayas. At another place, it names the city's founder as Muchukunda, an ancestor of Rama. It states that he built the cities of Mahishmati and Purika in the Riksha Mountains.
The Raghuvamsa states that Mahishmati was located on the Reva river (Narmada), and was the capital of the Anupa country.
According to the Padma Purana (VI.115), the city was founded by a certain MahishaPargiter, F.E. (1972) 1922. Ancient Indian Historical Tradition, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, pp.263,263fn3.
Another account states that Kartavirya Arjuna conquered Mahishmati city from Karkotaka, a Naga chief and made it his fortress-capital.Pargiter, F.E. (1972) 1922. Ancient Indian Historical Tradition, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, p.265-7
The Dipavamsa mentions a territory called Mahisa, describing it as Mahisa-ratta ("Mahisa country"). The Mahavamsa describes this region as a rajamandala, calling it Mahisha-mandala. The 5th century Buddhist scholar Buddhaghosa terms this territory variously as Rattham-Mahisham, Mahishaka-mandala and Mahishmaka. John Faithfull Fleet theorized that Mahishmati was the capital of this region, which was named after a tribe called "Mahisha". This appears to be same as "Mahishaka", which is described as a southern kingdom (that is, south of the Vindhyas and the Narmada) in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata.
The Sutta Nipata states that when Bavari's disciples traveled from Pratishthana to Ujjayani, Mahishmati was one of the cities on the route. The inscriptions at Sanchi mention that pilgrims from Mahishmati visited the stupa at Sanchi.
Rulers of some 11th and 12th century kingdoms in present-day South India claimed Haihaya ancestry. They indicated their claimed place of origin with the title "Lord of Mahishmati, the best of the towns".
Mahishmati appears to have been a flourishing city in as late as the 13th century. A 1225 CE inscription of the Paramara dynasty king Devapala mentions that he stayed at Mahishmati.
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