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{{Short description|Ancient kingdom inhabited by the Rishikas}}
'''Rishika''' was an ancient kingdom inhabited by the '''[[Rishikas]]''' who were originally a tribe north to [[Himalayas]] who had limited interaction with early Indian kingdoms and mentioned in the epic [[Mahabharata]]. They belonged to the [[Xinjiang]] province of [[China]], east of [[Kashmir]]. The Pandava hero, [[Arjuna]] visited this place during his northern military campaign for collecting tribute for [[Yudhishthira]]'s [[Rajasuya]] sacrifice (''Lohan.paramaKambojan'''Rishikan''' uttaranapi'').<ref>See MBH 2.27.25.</ref>

== References in Mahabharata==

=== Rishika Kingdom near Vidarbha ===
Rishikas were mentioned as kingdom of Bharata Varsha (Ancient India), located in Southern Division at (6:9). Here they are mentioned along with the [[Vidarbha Kingdom]] (in central India). It is likely that [[Bhargava Rama]] belonged to this tribe of Rishikas. An ancestor of [[Bhargava Rama]] was named '''Richika''' (3:99).

=== Rishika Kingdom near Kamboja ===

The kings of the [[Kamboja Kingdom|Kamboja]] and the Richika tribes were mentioned at (5:4). Thus this Rishikas were certainly a northern tribe.

=== Arjuna's expedition to Rishika ===

''Arjuna encountered the northern Rishikas close to the Kamboja territory.''

[[Arjuna]], the son of [[Pandu]], taking with him a select force, defeated the [[Darada Kingdom|Daradas]] along with the [[Kamboja Kingdom|Kambojas]]. Then he vanquished the robber tribes that dwelt in the north-eastern frontier and those also that dwelt in the woods. He also subjugated the allied tribes of the Lohas, the eastern Kambojas, and '''northern Rishikas'''. And the battle with the Rishikas was fierce in the extreme. And defeating, the Rishikas in the field of battle, Arjuna took from them as tribute eight horses that were of the colour of the parrot’s breast, as also other horses of the hues of the peacock, born in northern and other climes and endued with high speed. At last having conquered all the Himalayas and the Nishkuta mountains, that bull among men, arriving at the White mountains, encamped on its breast (2:26).

=== Karna's expedition to Rishika ===

[[Karna]] also is mentioned as defeating Rishikas (8:8). He is stated have subjugated many invincible and mighty foes, viz [[Kingdoms of Ancient India|*]] the [[Gandhara]]s, the [[Madra]]kas, the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Tanganas, the [[Khasas]], the Pancalas, the Videhas, the Kulindas, the Kasi-kosalas, the Suhmas, the Angas, the Nishadhas, the Pundras, the Kichakas, the Vatsas, the Kalingas, the Taralas, the [[Asmaka Kingdom|Asmakas]], and the Rishikas (8.8) and also the [[Kambojas]], Ambasthas, [[Kekeya Kingdom|Kaikeyas]], Gandharas and Vedehas (8.9). Subjugating all these brave races, by means of his keen and whetted arrows equipped with kanka feathers, that foremost of car-warriors, Radha’s son, had caused all of them to pay tribute to us for the aggrandisement of [[Duryodhana]].

''Since the kingdom [[Asmaka Kingdom|Asmaka]] also falls in central India, this Rishikas seems to be the central Indian Rishikas.''

===Other References ===

*A royal sage named Rishika is mentioned at (1:67)
*The [[Salwa Kingdom|Salwa]] prince Dyutimat of great splendour attained to the highest regions by giving his kingdom to Richika (13:137), (12:233).
*Richika is mentioned as son of Div, and is considered as one of the [[Deva (Hinduism)|Devas]] (1:1)

== See also ==

[[Kingdoms of Ancient India]]

[[Rishikas]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

*[[Mahabharata]] of [[Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa]], translated to English by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

[[Category:Kingdoms in the Mahabharata]]

Rishika Kingdom - Revision history

imported>HistoricalAccountings: linking