Surasena

According to the Vinayaka Purana, there lived a noble king named Surasena during the Treta Yuga. He was a good man who treated his people with respect. He was a devout follower of Lord Vinayaka and used to perform pujas and offer Mothakams to the First God in temples and at his palace. His name and fame spread due to his devotion to the Lord, and everyone in his kingdom and from other states began to praise his bhakti. After several years of prosperous rule, a push para vimana arrived at his palace. Lord Vinayaka’s divine attendants asked him to take a seat in the holy Vimana to transport the king to the Ganesa Loka. The king requested that they accept his people, as he regarded them as his children, and the divine attendants agreed to his request. However, some people could not enter the vimana due to their bad karmic deeds.

Overview

On the other hand, the great king chanted Lord Vinayaka’s holy mantras and bestowed the divine Prasad Mothak upon them. They were able to enter the Vimana after consuming the holy Prasad, and their appearance was altered, and they became divine beings. Surasena, along with his family, relatives, and the people, travelled to Ganesa Loka in this manner.

In today’s world, we can’t imagine a selfless person like Sri Surasena, who wishes for everyone to attain salvation and experience eternal bliss in the divine world.

Surasena

The Kingdom of Surasena (or Sourasena) was an ancient Indian kingdom that spanned what is now Uttar Pradesh’s Braj region, with Mathura as its capital. Surasena was one of the solaces (sixteen) Mahajanapadas (powerful realms) in the 6th century BCE, according to the Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya. It’s also mentioned in the Ramayana, a Hindu epic poem. The Sourasenoi and its cities, Meteora and Cleisobra, are mentioned by ancient Greek writers. Sourasenoi is an Indian tribe, and its name comes from the Greek word Shoorsaini, which Megasthenes coined in the modern era. There are several theories about the origins of its name. According to one tradition, it was derived from a famous Yadava king, Surasena, while others see it as a continuation of Saracen. Lord Krishna’s sacred land was where he was born, raised, and ruled.

History

The rulers of the Mathura region are referred to as the Yadus or Yadavas in the Mahabharata and Puranas and are divided into several septs, including the Vrishnis. Avantiputta, the king of the Surasenas during the time of Maha Kachchana, one of Gautama Buddha’s chief disciples who spread Buddhism in the Mathura region, is mentioned in Buddhist texts.

Its capital, Mathura, was built on the banks of the Yamuna River, which is now a Hindu pilgrimage site. Another city in this region, named Cleisobora, is mentioned by ancient Greek writers. Archaeological excavations in Mathura reveal the gradual transformation of a small village into a major city. The Painted Grey Ware culture (1000-500 BCE) was the first, followed by the Northern Black Polished Ware culture (1000-500 BCE) (700-200 BCE). Mathura’s importance as a trade center stemmed from its location, where the Gangetic Plains northern trade route intersected with routes to Malwa (central India) and the west coast.

Surasena Mahajanapada

Because of “uneven roads, excessive dust, vicious talks, and demons,” the Surasena Kingdom had its capital at Mathura. Mathura was situated on the banks of the Yamuna and was barren. According to Puranas and the Mahabharata, the ruling kingdom of Mathura is a member of the Yadava community, which is linked to the majestic Krishna. The Yadavas were divided further into smaller clans such as the Andhakas, Mahabhogas, Vrishanis, etc. They were both governed by the Samgha system. Mathura was strategically and smartly located at the crossroads of the Uttarapatha and the Dakshinapatha, two ancient Indian routes for trade. Mathura sculpted the ancient boundary between the settled agricultural plains of the dynamic Gangetic plains and the densely populated pasture lands running into the Malwa plateau. Because of its differentiated landscape and political structure, it has the potential to become a powerful kingdom. The chiefs could not provide it with a unified form of the command.

Conclusion

Surasena was the Yadu race’s king. According to Puranic tradition, there was a conflict between the Haihaya Kshatriyas and Bhrigus, culminating in Parashurama defeating the Haihayas several times. Yaduvamsha, a Chandravamsha branch, belonged to Haihayas. They bounced back from their setbacks and expanded their influence in North India. Surasena, one of the famous Kartaviryarjuna’s (Sahasrarjuna’s) sons, established a kingdom around Mathura. Another branch of the Yaduvamsha had settled in Vidarbha, the Yadavas. Their king, Madhu, successfully united the various Yadava branches to form a large empire. Satvata established his own Satvata dynastic ruler in Madhu’s fourth generation, limited to the Surasena region. Surasena was ruled by Bhima, Satvata’s son, during Rama’s time.