Kurukshetra

Considered a holy place. It is located to the north of the Drishadwati and the south of the Saraswati rivers as per Bhashabharata Aranyaparva Chapter 83 verse 4, which also states that bathing here grants a person entry to swargaloka. Pulastya has said that even the dust from Kurukshetra falling on a person grants him swargaloka.

As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 31 verse 139, Takshaka lives on the banks on the Ikshumati river in Kurukshetra. Kurukshetra was earlier known as Samantakapanchaka. It became a holy place because Kuru meditated here according to Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 94 verse 50. Shantanu married Satyavati and they had 2 sons – Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Once, when Chitrangada went for a hunt, he saw a gandharva who also had the same name. The gandharva was furious that a mortal shared his name and killed the prince. This incident happened in Kurukshetra as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 101 verses 8-9.

The famous rakshasas Sunda and Upasunda conquered the worlds and settled in Kurukshetra as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 209 verse 27. Before the Khandava burned, Thakshaka had started residing in Kurukshetra as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 226 verse 4. During their exile, the Pandavas had visited Kurukshetra as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 5 verse 1. Once the king Maandaata performed a yajna here as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 126 verse 45. The famous sage Mulgala used to live in Kurukshetra as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 260 verse 3.

Bhishma and Parashurama once fought a fierce battle in Kurukshetra. Parashurama wanted Amba, the daughter of the king of Kashi to be married to Bhishma. The war between the Pandavas and Kauravas was fought here and this is also the setting for the Bhagvad Gita as per Mahabharata Bhishmaparva Chapter 25 verse 42. Bhishma lay on a bed of arrows in Kurukshetra as per Bhishmaparva Chapter 119 verse 92.

The emperor Sudarshana, a son of Agni and a gracious host married Okhavati and stayed in Kurukshetra as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 2 verse 40.