Kurukshetra in Mahabharata
Mahabharata mentions Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र) in verses (I.89.43), (1.94), as Tirtha in verse (III.81.1, 2, 92, 175,176,177,178), (V.158.11), (VIII.30.10),(IX.36.48)....
Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Book I Chapter 89 mentions in verses (I.89.42-43)...."
Samvarana begat upon his wife,
Tapati, the daughter of
Surya, a son named
Kuru. This Kuru was exceedingly virtuous, and therefore, he was installed on the throne by his people.
It is after his name that the field called Kuru Jangala has become so famous in the world. Devoted to asceticism, he made that field (Kurukshetra) sacred by practising asceticism there."
Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 81 mentions names of Tirthas (Pilgrims): Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र) is mentioned verses (III.81.1,2) as under.... "Pulastya said, 'One should next proceed, O king, to the adored Kurukshetra (कुरुक्षेत्र) (III.81.1) at sight of which all creatures are freed from their sins. He is freed from all sins who constantly sayeth, 'I will live in Kurukshetra.' The very dust of Kurukshetra, conveyed by the wind, leadeth a sinful man to a blessed course (in after-life). They that dwell in
Kurukshetra which lieth to the south of the Saraswati and the north of the Drishadwati, are said to dwell in heaven."
Verse (III.81.92) states ......O son of the Kuru race, one should next repair to
Naimishakunja (नैमिष कुञ्ज) (III.81.92). O king, the Rishis engaged in ascetic austerities in the woods of
Naimisha had, in days of old, taking the vow of pilgrimage, gone to Kurukshetra. There, on the banks of the
Saraswati, O chief of the Bharatas, a grove was made, which might serve for a resting spot for themselves....
Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 81 explains the importance of
Prithudaka in verses (III.81.122-29)...."One should next proceed, O king, to the tirtha celebrated over the three worlds, which is called
Prithudaka (पृथूदक) (III.81.122), belonging to
Kartikeya. One should bathe there and occupy oneself in the worship of the Pitris and the gods. Whatever evil hath been committed, knowingly or unknowingly, by man or woman, impelled by human motives, is all destroyed, O Bharata, by a bath in that tirtha. Bathing there one obtaineth, too, the merit of the horse-sacrifice and heaven also. The learned have said that Kurukshetra is holy; that holier than Kurukshetra is the
Saraswati; that holier than the Saraswati are all the tirthas together, and that holier than all the tirthas together is
Prithudaka. He that engaged in the recitation of prayers casteth off his body at
Prithudaka, which is the best of all tirthas, becometh an immortal. It hath been sung by Sanatkumara and by the high-souled Vyasa, and it is in the Vedas also, that one should, O king, go to Prithudaka, with subdued soul. O son of Kuru race, there is no tirtha which is superior to Prithudaka. Without doubt, that tirtha is purifying, holy and sin-destroying."
That which lieth between Tarantuka (तरन्तुक) (III.81.178) and Arantuka (अरन्तुक) (III.81.178) and the lakes of
Ramahrada (रामह्रदा) (III.81.178) and Machakruka (मचक्रुक) (III.81.178) is Kurukshetra. It is also called Samantapanchaka (समन्तपञ्चक) (III.81.178) and is said to be the northern sacrificial altar of the Grandsire.
Udyoga Parva/Mahabharata Book V Chapter 158 mentions in verse (V.158.11)....The field of Kurukshetra also is without mire. The roads are even. Thy steeds are well-fed.
Karna Parva/Mahabharata Book VIII Chapter 30 mentions ...."One should always avoid the Vahikas, those impure people that are out of the pale of virtue, and that live away from the Himavat and the
Ganga River and
Sarasvati and
Yamuna and Kurukshetra and the
Sindhu and its five tributary rivers."
Identification
Kuru Jangala (कुरुजाङ्गल) was kingdom of the
Mahabharata period ruled by the Pandava king,
Yudhisthira. It was located between the
Saraswati and
Yamuna rivers, and forms the majority of what is now the modern state of
Haryana.
Indraprastha, now
Delhi, was its capital.
Kurukshetra - which lies to the south of the
Saraswati and the north of the
Drishadwati.
Saraswati - According to later Vedic literature, particularly according to one view of interpretation of the data of Puranas, "the Saraswati emerges from the Shivalik range of Himalyan mountains on the plains. Now it is claimed that it emerged in plains at
Adi Badri in district
Yamunanagar in
Haryana."
Drishadwati - The Drsadvati River has been identified by Oldham with the
Chautang River.Talageri (2000) identifies it with the
Hariyupiya river and the
Yavyavati river. While
Saraswati had flown from north to south during
Rig Vedic period, the Drishadwati had flown from south to North in Aravalies from pot of Lord Brahma,
Pushkar Lake, near
Ajmer, to
Nangal Chaudhery in South
Haryana and took a left turn to reach
Satnali to meet Saraswati coming from North to move to
Didwana Lake and further south. After major seismic activities in Aravallies, mentioned by several geologists, 6-7000BCE, Drishadwati river changed its route and from
Nangal Chaudhery,instead of moving towards east it took a route to north which is the present Sahibi river route, passing through
Kot Kasim in
Alwar district,
Rewari district,
Jhajjar district,
Rohtak district and finally in to
Delhi in
Yamuna river. Saraswati river also changed its route and instead of moving towards south, took a westernly turn in districts of
Panipat and
Sonepat in
Haryana where we find
Harrapan settlements now.
Prithudaka (पृथूदक) - It is Pehoa (पेहोवा), an ancient pilgrim centre. It is a tahsil headquarters of Pehowa in
Kurukshetra District in
Haryana.
It is to be noted that all these Rivers and places mentioned in Mahabharata are associated with Haryana. I do not understand when we have such strong evidences of their presence in Haryana, not only in present times but in also inantiquity, why we are bent upon to shift them to Central Asia?
