Kandarva Prasta that became Indra prastha

[Paramananda das]

Kandarva Prasta that became Indra prastha
Now in the Mahabharta ,after the Kauravas had unsuccessful tried to kill the Pandavas they returned to Delhi, Hastinapure and Dhrtarstra schemed with Duyodhana and the Pandavas where given Kandarva Prasta west of Yamuna other side of Delhi (Hastinapure) .There is some description some land there was barren and a fire sacrifice was done and rain came and other part was Kandava forest that was burnt please read this informative link Khandava Forest - Wikipedia ,Lord Krsna also married Sri Yamunadevi at this time who became His queen Kalindi

Here is another interesting link based on Mahabharata and the burning of Kandava forest Mahabharata Episode 14: Massacre at Khandava | Sharath Komarraju
the bow Gandiva was also given to Arjuna during the burning of Kandava forest : Gandiva - Wikipedia
this pastimes is also described in Srimad Bhagavatam 10 canto chapter 58 :
Text 1: Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Once, the supremely opulent Personality of Godhead went to Indraprastha to visit the Pāṇḍavas, who had again appeared in public. Accompanying the Lord were Yuyudhāna and other associates.
Text 2: When the Pāṇḍavas saw that Lord Mukunda had arrived, those heroic sons of Pṛthā all stood up at once, like the senses responding to the return of the life air.
Text 3: The heroes embraced Lord Acyuta, and the touch of His body freed them of sin. Looking at His affectionate, smiling face, they were overwhelmed with joy.
Text 4: After the Lord bowed down at the feet of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīma and firmly embraced Arjuna, He accepted obeisances from the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva.
Text 5: Faultless Draupadī, the Pāṇḍavas’ newly married wife, slowly and somewhat timidly approached Lord Kṛṣṇa, who sat on an exalted seat, and offered Him her obeisances.
Text 6: Sātyaki also accepted a seat of honor after receiving worship and welcome from the Pāṇḍavas, and the Lord’s other companions, being duly honored, sat down in various places.
Text 7: The Lord then went to see His aunt, Queen Kuntī. He bowed down to her and she embraced Him, her eyes moist with great affection. Lord Kṛṣṇa inquired from her and her daughter-in-law, Draupadī, about their welfare, and they in turn questioned Him at length about His relatives [in Dvārakā].
Text 8: So overcome by love that her throat choked up and her eyes filled with tears, Queen Kuntī remembered the many troubles she and her sons had endured. Thus she addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa, who appears before His devotees to drive away their distress
Text 9: [Queen Kuntī said:] My dear Kṛṣṇa, our welfare was assured only when You remembered us, Your relatives, and gave us Your protection by sending my brother to visit us.
Text 10: For You, the well-wishing friend and Supreme Soul of the universe, there is never any illusion of “us” and “them.” Yet even so, residing within the hearts of all, You eradicate the sufferings of those who remember You constantly.
Text 11: King Yudhiṣṭhira said: O supreme controller, I do not know what pious deeds we fools have done so that we can see You, whom the masters of yogic perfection rarely see.
Text 12: Requested by the King to stay with them, the almighty Lord remained happily in Indraprastha during the months of the rainy season, giving joy to the eyes of the city’s residents.
Texts 13-14: Once Arjuna, the slayer of powerful enemies, donned his armor, mounted his chariot flying the flag of Hanumān, took up his bow and his two inexhaustible quivers, and went to sport with Lord Kṛṣṇa in a large forest filled with fierce animals.
Text 15: With his arrows Arjuna shot tigers, boars and buffalo in that forest, along with rurus, śarabhas, gavayas, rhinoceroses, black deer, rabbits and porcupines.
Text 16: A crew of servants carried to King Yudhiṣṭhira the slain animals fit to be offered in sacrifice on some special occasion. Then, feeling thirsty and tired, Arjuna went to the bank of the Yamunā.
Text 17: After the two Kṛṣṇas bathed there, they drank the river’s clear water. The great warriors then saw an attractive young girl walking nearby.
Text 18: Sent by his friend, Arjuna approached the exceptional young woman, who possessed beautiful hips, fine teeth and a lovely face, and inquired from her as follows.
Text 19: [Arjuna said:] Who are you, O fine-waisted lady? Whose daughter are you, and where do you come from? What are you doing here? I think you must be looking for a husband. Please explain everything, O beautiful one.
Text 20: Śrī Kālindī said: I am the daughter of the sun-god. I desire to get as my husband the most excellent and munificent Lord Viṣṇu, and to that end I am performing severe penances.
Text 21: I will accept no husband other than Him, the abode of the goddess of fortune. May that Mukunda, the Supreme Personality, the shelter of the helpless, be pleased with me.
Text 22: I am known as Kālindī, and I live in a mansion my father built for me within the water of the Yamunā. There I will stay until I meet Lord Acyuta.
Text 23: [Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Arjuna repeated all this to Lord Vāsudeva, who was already aware of it. The Lord then took Kālindī onto His chariot and went back to see King Yudhiṣṭhira.
Text 24: [Describing a previous incident, Śukadeva Gosvāmī said:] Upon the request of the Pāṇḍavas, Lord Kṛṣṇa had Viśvakarmā build them a most wonderful and amazing city.
Text 25: The Supreme Lord stayed in that city for some time to please His devotees. On one occasion, Śrī Kṛṣṇa wanted to give the Khāṇḍava forest as a gift to Agni, and so the Lord became Arjuna’s charioteer.
Text 26: Being pleased, O King, Lord Agni presented Arjuna with a bow, a set of white horses, a chariot, a pair of inexhaustible quivers, and armor that no fighter could pierce with weapons.
Text 27: When the demon Maya was saved from the fire by his friend Arjuna, Maya presented him with an assembly hall, in which Duryodhana would later mistake water for a solid floor.
Text 28: Then Lord Kṛṣṇa, given leave by Arjuna and other well-wishing relatives and friends, returned to Dvārakā with Sātyaki and the rest of His entourage.
Text 29: The supremely auspicious Lord then married Kālindī on a day when the season, the lunar asterism and the configurations of the sun and other heavenly bodies were all propitious. In this way He brought the greatest pleasure to His devotees.
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Same is told by Srila Prabhupada in Krsna book chapter 57
Five Queens Married by Kṛṣṇa
There was a great rumor that the five Pāṇḍava brothers, along with their mother Kuntī, had, under the plan of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, died in a fire accident in the house of shellac in which they were living. But then the five brothers were detected at the marriage ceremony of Draupadī; so again another rumor spread that the Pāṇḍavas and their mother were not dead. It was a rumor, but actually it was so; they returned to their capital city, Hastināpura, and people saw them face to face. When this news was carried to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa wanted to see them personally, and therefore Kṛṣṇa decided to go to Hastināpura.
This time, Kṛṣṇa visited Hastināpura in state, as a royal prince, accompanied by His commander-in-chief, Yuyudhāna, and by many other soldiers. He had not actually been invited to visit the city, yet He went to see the Pāṇḍavas out of His affection for His great devotees. He visited the Pāṇḍavas without warning, and all of them got up from their respective seats as soon as they saw Him. Kṛṣṇa is called Mukunda because as soon as one comes in constant touch with Kṛṣṇa or sees Him in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one immediately becomes freed from all material anxieties. Not only that, but he immediately becomes blessed with all spiritual bliss.
On receiving Kṛṣṇa, the Pāṇḍavas became very enlivened, just as if awakened from unconsciousness or from loss of life. When a man is lying unconscious, his senses and the different parts of his body are not active, but when he regains his consciousness, the senses immediately become active. Similarly, the Pāṇḍavas received Kṛṣṇa as if they had just regained their consciousness, and so they became very much enlivened. Lord Kṛṣṇa embraced every one of them, and by the touch of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Pāṇḍavas immediately became freed from all reactions of material contamination, and therefore they were smiling in spiritual bliss. By seeing the face of Lord Kṛṣṇa, everyone was transcendentally satisfied. Lord Kṛṣṇa, although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was playing the part of an ordinary human being, and thus He immediately touched the feet of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīma because they were His two older cousins. Arjuna embraced Kṛṣṇa as a friend of the same age, whereas the two younger brothers, namely Nakula and Sahadeva, touched the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa to show Him respect. After an exchange of greetings according to the social etiquette befitting the position of the Pāṇḍavas and Lord Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa was offered an exalted seat. When He was comfortably seated, the newly married Draupadī, young and very beautiful in her natural feminine gracefulness, came before Lord Kṛṣṇa to offer her respectful greetings. The Yadavas who accompanied Kṛṣṇa to Hastināpura were also very respectfully received; specifically, Sātyaki, or Yuyudhāna, was also offered a nice seat. In this way, when everyone else was properly seated, the five brothers took their seats nearby Lord Kṛṣṇa.
After meeting with the five brothers, Lord Kṛṣṇa personally went to visit Śrīmatī Kuntīdevī, the mother of the Pāṇḍavas, who was also the paternal aunt of Kṛṣṇa. In offering His respects to His aunt, Kṛṣṇa also touched her feet. Kuntīdevī's eyes became wet, and, in great love, she feelingly embraced Lord Kṛṣṇa. She then inquired from Him about the well-being of her paternal family members--her brother Vasudeva, his wife, and other members of the family. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa also inquired from His aunt about the welfare of the Pāṇḍava families. Although Kuntīdevī was related to Kṛṣṇa by family ties, she knew immediately after meeting Him that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She remembered the past calamities of her life and how by the grace of Kṛṣṇa the Pāṇḍavas and their mother had been saved. She knew perfectly well that no one, without Kṛṣṇa's grace, could have saved them from the fire accident designed by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his sons. In a choked up voice, she began to narrate before Kṛṣṇa the past history of their life.
Śrīmatī Kuntī said: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I remember the day when You sent my brother Akrūra to gather information about us. This means that You always remember us automatically. When You sent Akrūra, I could understand that there was no possibility of our being put into danger. All good fortune in our life began when You sent Akrūra to us. Since then, I have been convinced that we are not without protection. We may be put into various types of dangerous conditions by our family members, the Kurus, but I am confident that You remember us and that you always keep us safe and sound. Devotees who simply think of You are always immune from all kinds of material dangers, and what to speak of ourselves, who are personally remembered by You. So, my dear Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of bad luck; we are always in an auspicious position because of Your grace. But because You have bestowed a special favor on us, people should not mistakenly think that You are partial to some and inattentive to others. You make no such distinction. No one is Your favorite and no one is Your enemy. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are equal to everyone, and everyone can take advantage of Your special protection. The fact is that although You are equal to everyone, You are especially inclined to the devotees who always think of You. The devotees are related to You by ties of love. As such, they cannot forget You even for a moment. You are present in everyone's heart, but because the devotees always remember You, You also respond accordingly. Although the mother has affection for all the children, she takes special care of the one who is fully dependent. I know certainly, my dear Kṛṣṇa, that being seated in everyone's heart, You always create auspicious situations for Your unalloyed devotees."
Then King Yudhiṣṭhira also praised Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality and universal friend of everyone, but because Kṛṣṇa was taking special care of the Pāṇḍavas, King Yudhiṣṭhira said: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, we do not know what sort of pious activities we have executed in our past lives that have made You so kind and graceful to us. We know very well that the great mystics who are always engaged in meditation to capture You do not find it easy to obtain such grace, nor can they draw any personal attention from You. I cannot understand why You are so kind upon us. We are not yogīs, but, on the contrary, we are attached to material contaminations. We are householders dealing in politics, worldly affairs. I do not know why You are so kind upon us."
Being requested by King Yudhiṣṭhira, Kṛṣṇa agreed to stay in Hastināpura for four months during the rainy season. The four months of the rainy season are called Cāturmāsya. During this period, the generally itinerant preachers and brāhmaṇas stop at a certain place and live under rigid regulative principles. Although Lord Kṛṣṇa is above all regulative principles, He agreed to stay at Hastināpura out of affection for the Pāṇḍavas. Taking this opportunity of Kṛṣṇa's residence in Hastināpura, all the citizens of the town got the privilege of seeing Him now and then, and thus they merged into transcendental bliss simply by seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa eye to eye.
One day while Kṛṣṇa was staying with the Pāṇḍavas, He and Arjuna prepared themselves to go to the forest to hunt. Both of them sat down on the chariot, which flew a flag with a picture of Hanumān. Arjuna's special chariot is always marked with the picture of Hanumān, and therefore his name is also Kapidhvaja. (Kapi means Hanumān, and dhvaja means "flag.") Thus Arjuna went to the forest with his bow and infallible arrows. He dressed himself with suitable protective garments, for he was to practice killing many enemies. He specifically entered that part of the forest where there were many tigers, deer and various other animals. Kṛṣṇa did not go with Arjuna to practice animal killing because He doesn't have to practice anything; He is self-sufficient. He accompanied Arjuna to see how he was practicing because in the future he would have to kill many enemies. After entering the forest, Arjuna killed many tigers, boars, bison, gavayas (a kind of wild animal), rhinoceroses, deer, hares, porcupines and similar other animals, which he pierced with his arrows. Some of the dead animals, which were fit to be offered in the sacrifices, were carried by the servants and sent to King Yudhiṣṭhira. Other ferocious animals, such as tigers and rhinoceroses, were killed only to stop disturbances in the forest. Since there are many sages and saintly persons who are residents of the forests, it is the duty of the kṣatriya kings to keep even the forest in a peaceful condition for living.
Arjuna felt tired and thirsty from hunting, and therefore he went to the bank of the Yamunä along with Kåñëa. When both the Kåñëas, namely Kåñëa and Arjuna (Arjuna is sometimes called Kåñëa, as is Draupadé), reached the bank of the Yamunä, they washed their hands and feet and mouths and drank the clear water of the Yamunä. While they were resting and drinking water, they saw a beautiful girl of marriageable age walking alone on the bank of the Yamunä. Kåñëa asked His friend Arjuna to go forward and ask the girl who she was. By the order of Kåñëa, Arjuna immediately approached the girl, who was very beautiful. She had an attractive body and nice glittering teeth and smiling face. Arjuna inquired, "My dear girl, you are so beautiful with your raised breasts--may I ask you who you are? We are surprised to see you loitering here alone. What is your purpose in coming here? We can guess only that you are searching after a suitable husband. If you don't mind, you can disclose your purpose. I shall try to satisfy you."
The beautiful girl was the river Yamunä personified. She replied, "Sir, I am the daughter of the sun-god, and I am now performing penance and austerity to have Lord Viñëu as my husband. I think He is the Supreme Person and just suitable to become my husband. I disclose my desire thus because you wanted to know it."
The girl continued, "My dear sir, I know you are the hero Arjuna; so I may further say that I'll not accept anyone as my husband besides Lord Viñëu, because He is the only protector of all living entities and the bestower of liberation for all conditioned souls. I shall be thankful unto you if you pray to Lord Viñëu to become pleased with me." The girl Yamunä knew it well that Arjuna was a great devotee of Lord Kåñëa and that if he would pray, Kåñëa would never deny his request. To approach Kåñëa directly may sometimes be futile, but to approach Kåñëa through His devotee is sure to be successful. She further told Arjuna, "My name is Kälindé, and I live within the water of the Yamunä. My father was kind enough to construct a special house for me within the waters of the Yamunä, and I have vowed to remain in the water as long as I cannot find Lord Kåñëa." The message of the girl Kälindé was duly carried to Kåñëa by Arjuna although Kåñëa, as the Supersoul of everyone's heart, knew everything. Without further discussion, Kåñëa immediately accepted Kälindé and asked her to sit down on the chariot. Then all of them approached King Yudhiñöhira.
After this, Kåñëa was asked by King Yudhiñöhira to help in constructing a suitable house to be planned by the great architect Viçvakarmä, the celestial engineer in the heavenly kingdom. Kåñëa immediately called for Viçvakarmä, and He made him construct a wonderful city according to the desire of King Yudhiñöhira. When this city was constructed, Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira requested Kåñëa to live with them a few days more in order to give them the pleasure of His association. Lord Kåñëa accepted the request of Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira and remained there for many days more.
In the meantime, Kåñëa engaged in the pastime of offering Khäëòava Forest, which belonged to King Indra. Kåñëa wanted to give it to Agni, the fire-god. Khäëòava Forest contained many varieties of drugs, and Agni required to eat them for rejuvenation. Agni, however, did not touch Khäëòava Forest directly, but requested Kåñëa to help him. Agni knew that Kåñëa was very much pleased with him because he had formerly given Him the Sudarçana disc. So in order to satisfy Agni, Kåñëa became the chariot driver of Arjuna, and both went to the Khäëòava Forest. After Agni had eaten up the Khäëòava Forest, he was very much pleased. This time, he offered a specific bow known as Gäëòéva, four white horses, one chariot, and an invincible quiver with two specific arrows considered to be talismans, which had so much power that no warrior could counteract them. When the Khäëòava Forest was being devoured by the fire-god, Agni, there was a demon of the name Maya who was saved by Arjuna from the devastating fire. For this reason, that former demon became a great friend of Arjuna, and in order to please Arjuna he constructed a nice assembly house within the city constructed by Viçvakarmä. This assembly house had some corners so puzzling that when Duryodhana came to visit this house he was misdirected, accepting water as land and land as water. Duryodhana thus became insulted by the opulence of the Päëòavas, and he became their determined enemy.
here is something I wrote 13 years ago in my research:
Vyomasura,Maya danava, Indra prastha and other interesting things
PAMHO
AGTSP
21. Vyomasura (the demon in the sky) - associating with thieves and other rascals, and with people who put themselves forward as avataras,and pseudo devotees.
This is mentioned by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Caitanya siksamrta ,of course the killing of Vyomasura happened in Krsnas lila even the cave is there in Kamyavan,( I keep one stone from there in my bead bag, praying to not associate with such persons or to become a pseudo devotee,( but to one day become like Krsnas sakhas following Their lotus foot steps ).
http://vrindavana.dasya.com/index.php/Vyomasura_gupha
when I went to Kamyavana recently I showed some devotees the many pastimes Krsna performs there including this place
from the 37 chapter of Krsna book:
"Later that morning Krsna went to play with His cowherd boy friends on the top of the Govardhana Hill. They were imitating the play of thieves and police. Some of the boys became police constables, and some became thieves, and some took the role of lambs. While they were thus enjoying their childhood pastimes, a demon known by the name of Vyomasura, "the demon who flies in the sky," appeared on the scene. He was the son of another great demon named Maya. These demons can perform wonderful magic. Vyomasura took the part of a cowherd boy playing as thief and stole many boys who were playing the parts of lambs. One after another he took away almost all the boys and put them in the caves of the mountain and sealed the mouths of the caves with stones. Krsna could understand the trick the demon was playing; therefore He caught hold of him exactly as a lion catches hold of a lamb. The demon tried to expand himself like a hill to escape arrest, but Krsna did not allow him to get out of His clutches. He was immediately thrown on the ground with great force and killed, just as an animal is killed in the slaughterhouse. After killing the Vyoma demon, Lord Krsna released all His friends from the caves of the mountain. He was then praised by His friends and by the demigods for these wonderful acts. He again returned to Vrndavana with His cows and friends. "
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Thirty-seventh Chapter of Krsna, "Killing the Kesi Demon and Vyomasura.
I read this pastime carefully, when Srila Prabhupada mentions Govardhana hill, I went to Srimad Bhagavatam 10 Canto and there is no mention of Govardhana in the text to 37 chapter, it says:ekadā te paśūn pālāś'
cārayanto 'dri-sānuṣu
cakrur nilāyana-krīḍāś
cora-pālāpadeśataḥ
SYNONYMS
One day the cowherd boys, while grazing their animals on the mountain slopes, played the game of stealing and hiding, acting out the roles of rival thieves and herders.
hahaha it seems that Vyomasura added some spice to the lila by stealing the Sakhas and hiding them in caves so Krsna would have to" find" his dear friends ,"everyone" is looking for Krishna but he is looking for His friends being hidden in caves in Kamyavana by Vyoamasura.
SB 10.37.26: One day the cowherd boys, while grazing their animals on the mountain slopes, played the game of stealing and hiding, acting out the roles of rival thieves and herders.
SB 10.37.27: In that game, O King, some acted as thieves, others as shepherds and others as sheep. They played their game happily, without fear of danger.
SB 10.37.28: A powerful magician named Vyoma, son of the demon Maya, then appeared on the scene in the guise of a cowherd boy. Pretending to join the game as a thief, he proceeded to steal most of the cowherd boys who were acting as sheep.
SB 10.37.29: Gradually the great demon abducted more and more of the cowherd boys and cast them into a mountain cave, which he sealed shut with a boulder. Finally only four or five boys acting as sheep remained in the game.
SB 10.37.30: Lord Kṛṣṇa, who shelters all saintly devotees, understood perfectly well what Vyomāsura was doing. Just as a lion grabs a wolf, Kṛṣṇa forcefully seized the demon as he was taking away more cowherd boys.
SB 10.37.31: The demon changed into his original form, as big and powerful as a great mountain. But try as he might to free himself, he could not do so, having lost his strength from being held in the Lord's tight grip.
SB 10.37.32: Lord Acyuta clutched Vyomāsura between His arms and threw him to the ground. Then, while the demigods in heaven looked on, Kṛṣṇa killed him in the same way that one kills a sacrificial animal.
SB 10.37.33: Kṛṣṇa then smashed the boulder blocking the cave's entrance and led the trapped cowherd boys to safety. Thereafter, as the demigods and cowherd boys sang His glories, He returned to His cowherd village, Gokula
Vyomasura was the son of the demon Maya, this must be Maya Danava that was also saved by Arjuna and later build Indraprastha see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indraprastha
you can enlarge the picture there, there is an interesting picture about Indraprastha from Mahabharat
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikip.../en/3/38/Indraprasta.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.or
g/wikipedia/en/3/38/Indraprasta.jpg enlarge it more and you can read the text from Mahabharat Adi parva chapter 209 about Indraprastha
It was located upon the banks of the river Yamuna and close to the modern national capital of India, Delhi
here is some very interesting things about Maya Danava :http://ancientindians.net/maya/
he also build Tripura in Treta yuga that was later destroyed by Lord Siva he was the father (or foster father of Mandodari the wife of Ravana) I wonder if Maya Danava also build Sri Lanka during Ravanas time or the palace of Ravana ?
according to this Surya Siddhanta was first spoke by Surya to Maya Danava, if this is the same Surya Siddhanta that later was commented on by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada would be interesting to know.It seems that is so.
http://www.wilbourhall.org/pdfs/suryaEnglish.pdf
according to one source
:'"The city of Lankapuri in Sri Lanka was built by Maya, an architect and king of the Danavas. However, Uttarakanda of Ramayana says that Lankapuri was built by Viswakarma."
So it must definitely have been build by Visvakarma
Many of these things are of course mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam, but many of the details here are extra and very interesting
your humble servant
Paramananda das
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