https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Bahlika_%28king%29Bahlika (king) - Revision history2026-11-03T00:27:01ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bahlika_(king)&diff=489113&oldid=prevSimoneMarina699 at 17:38, 17 June 20252025-06-17T17:38:15Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|King in a Sanskrit epic}}<br />
{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{langr|sa-Latn|Bahlika|cat=no}} (king)}}<br />
{{use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}<br />
{{use Indian English|date=June 2016}}<br />
{{Infobox character<br />
| image = File:Vidura confers Dhritarashtra.jpg<br />
| caption = Pahari miniature depicting Bahlika (leftmost, in ivory garments) in a conference before [[Kurukshetra war]]<br />
| family = {{bulleted list|[[Pratipa]] (father)|Sunanda (mother)|[[Devapi]], [[Shantanu]] (brothers)}}<br />
| children = {{bulleted list|Somadatta (son)|[[Rohini (wife of Vasudeva)|Rohini]] (daughter)}}<br />
| relatives = {{bulleted list|[[Bhurishravas]] (grandson)|[[Bhishma]] (nephew)}}<br />
| info-hdr = Information<br />
}}<br />
'''{{langr|sa-Latn|Bahlika}}''' ({{Langx|sa|बाह्लिक}}), also spelled '''{{langr|sa-Latn|Vahlika}}''' or '''{{langr|sa-Latn|Balhika}}''', was a king of the [[Bahlikas|Bahlika kingdom]] mentioned in [[Hindu texts|Hindu literature]], most notably the ''[[Mahabharata]]''. He was the second son of King [[Pratipa]] of the [[Lunar dynasty]] and the elder brother of [[Shantanu]], who later became the king of [[Kuru kingdom|Kuru Kingdom]] and the father of [[Bhishma]]. Bahlika was also a prominent elder of the Kaurava lineage and participated in the events leading up to and during the [[Kurukshetra War]].<br />
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==Biography==<br />
[[File:EpicIndia.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Bahlika Kingdom alongside other locations of kingdoms and republics mentioned in the Indian epics or [[Bharata Khanda]]]]<br />
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===Accession to the throne===<br />
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Bahlika was the second of the three sons of [[Pratipa]] and his wife Sunanda, the king and queen of [[Hastinapur]]a. With his eldest son [[Devapi]] set to inherit, Pratipa gifted some newly-conquered land (though in some versions of the story, this is the land [[Jarasandha]] gifted Bahlika for agreeing not to join [[Panchala Kingdom (Mahabharata)|Panchala]] in a war against [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]])<ref>Purwadi. Mahabharata. Yogyakarta: Media Abadi, 2004. Print.</ref> to his second son; the land was given the name Bahlika as a result. However, due to leprosy, Pratipa's eldest son Devapi refused to ascend the throne and retired into the woods to perform [[penance]]. Shantanu then became the crown prince and upon Pratipa's death became the king of Hastinapura, with Bahlika's blessing.<ref>Muir, J. Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India, Their Religion and Institutions, by J. Muir. New Delhi: Oriental Publishers and Distributors, 1976. Print.</ref><br />
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=== Family ===<br />
Bahlika had a son named Somadatta, who in turn had several sons, including [[Bhurishravas]], Bhuri, and Shala.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Mani |first=Vettam |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Puranic_Encyclopedia/mvXsDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA1&printsec=frontcover |title=Puranic Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Work with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature |date=2015-01-01 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0597-2 |language=en}}</ref> According to ''[[Harivaṃśa|Harivamsha]]'', He also had a daughter—Pauravi (also called [[Rohini (wife of Vasudeva)|Rohini]])—who married [[Vasudeva]] of the [[Yadava]] clan. Rohini is identified as the mother of [[Balarama]] and [[Subhadra]]. Pauravi's sons included Avagaha and Nandaka. Somadatta's daughter was married to the king of Kashi, Abhibhu, who later fought on the Kaurava side during the Kurukshetra War.<br />
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===Before the Kurukshetra War===<br />
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Bahlika was present at significant events in the Kuru dynasty, including the demonstration of martial skills by the Kuru princes and the coronation of [[Yudhishthira]] as crown prince. During the ''[[Rajasuya|Rajasuya yajna]]'' of Yudhishthira, Bahlika acknowledged his authority and presented him with a golden chariot. He also attended the infamous dice game that led to the Pandavas' exile.<ref>{{cite book |last=Debroy |first=Bibek |title=The Mahabharata, Volume 4 |date=June 2015 |publisher=Penguin UK |pages=810, 790}}</ref><br />
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Later, Bahlika sought to dissuade both the [[Kaurava|Kauravas]] and the [[Pandava|Pandavas]] from engaging in war, advocating for peace among the Bharatas. However, once hostilities commenced, he aligned himself with the Kauravas.<ref name=":0" /><br />
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===During the Kurukshetra War===<br />
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Bahlika and his kingdom fought on the side of Duryodhana during the war. [[Bhishma]] considered him to be an ''Atirathi''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Debroy |first=Bibek |date=June 2015 |title=The Mahabharata, Volume 4 |publisher=Penguin UK |page=827}}</ref> On the first day, Bahlika fought against [[Dhrishtaketu]]. On the ninth day, [[Bhima]] destroyed Bahlika's chariot; however, he was saved by [[Laxman Kumara|Lakshmana Kumara]]. On the thirteenth day, he participated in the killing of [[Abhimanyu]] (he is not mentioned as an active participant, and is assumed to be a silent bystander). On the fourteenth day, he fought against the [[Upapandavas]] and [[Shikhandi]], simultaneously, resisting them.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ganguly |first=Kisari |title=The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/index.htm <!--|Bheeshma, Drona, Karna Parva--> |access-date=6 June 2017}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><br />
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===Death===<br />
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On the fourteenth day of the war, Bahlika slew [[Senavindu]]. Afterwards, [[Satyaki]] battled Bahlika's son [[Somadatta]] and knocked him unconscious with his arrows. Furious, Bahlika rushed to his son's aid, only to be counter-checked by Bhima. Bahlika struck Bhima with a dart that made him delirious. Upon recovering his senses, Bhima hurled a mace at Bahlika's head, killing him.<br />
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The war would extinguish Bahlika's line. His only child and heir, Somadatta, as well as Somadatta's oldest son, [[Bhurishravas]], were killed by [[Satyaki]]. In the Chatahurdi compilation, Bhurishravas's nine interpolated brothers die as well.<ref name="autogenerated1">Ganguli, Kisari Mohan. The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose by Kisari Mohan Ganguli.</ref> Bhurishravas's two sons, Pratipa and Prajanya, were killed by Abhimanyu on the thirteenth day of the war.<br />
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==References==<br />
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{{reflist}}<br />
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{{Mahabharata}}<br />
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[[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]]</div>SimoneMarina699