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{{about|the historical region of Dasharna|the kingdom in Indian Epic Literature|Dasarna Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
'''Dasharna''' ([[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]]:दशार्ण {{IAST|Daśārṇa}}) was an [[ancient Indian]] [[janapada]] (realm) in eastern [[Malwa]] region between the [[Dhasan River]] and the [[Betwa River]]. The name of the janapada was derived from the {{IAST|Daśārṇa}}, the ancient name of the Dhasan River.<ref>Pandey, S.K. (1981). ''The Protohistoric Chronology of {{IAST|Daśārṇa}} Region'' in M.D. Khare ed. ''Malwa through the Ages'', Bhopal: Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, Govt. of M.P., p.81</ref> The janapada was also known as ''Akara''<ref>Lahiri, Bela (1972). ''Indigenous States of Northern India (Circa 200 B.C. to 320 A.D.)'', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, p.78</ref> and [[Rudradaman I]] in his Junagarh rock inscription referred to this region by this name.<ref>[http://projectsouthasia.sdstate.edu/Docs/HISTORY/PRIMARYDOCS/EPIGRAPHY/JunagadhRockInscription.htm Junagarh rock inscription] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223182107/http://projectsouthasia.sdstate.edu/Docs/HISTORY/PRIMARYDOCS/EPIGRAPHY/JunagadhRockInscription.htm |date=23 February 2009 }}</ref> [[Kalidasa]] in his [[Meghaduta]] (''Purvamegha'', 24-25) mentioned the city of [[Vidisha]] as the capital of Dasharna. Other important cities of this janapada were [[Eran|Erakina]] and [[Erich (town)|Erikachha]]. According to the [[Mahabharata]], the queen of king Virabahu or Subahu of [[Chedi Kingdom|Chedi]] kingdom and the queen of king Bhima of [[Vidarbha]] (the mother of [[Damayanti]]) were daughters of the king of Dasharna.<ref>Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). ''Political History of Ancient India'', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, p.115n</ref>
[[File:Dasharna historical region.jpg|thumb|Dasharna historical region]]

==King Ashadhamitra of Dasharna==
A brick inscription from [[Erich (town)|Erich]], which commemorates the excavation of a tank, informs us about a king of Dasharna, Ashadhamitra as well as his ancestors. In this inscription, Ashadhamitra, who styled himself as a ''Senapati'' is named as the son of ''Senapati'' Mulamitra (who was also the king of Dasharna), the grandson of ''Senapati'' Aditamitra and the great-grandson of Senapati ''Shatanika''. Recently, a coin of Ashadhamitra has been discovered where he described himself as an ''Amatya'' and the king of Dasharna.<ref>Bhandare, S. (2006). ''Numismatics and History: The Maurya-Gupta Interlude in the Gangetic Plain'' in P. Olivelle ed. ''Between the Empires: Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE'', New York: Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-568935-6}}, pp.77,90</ref>

==Notes==
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==References==
*Acharya Chandrashekhar Shastri: ''Puranon ki anmol kahaniyan'', {{ISBN|81-902258-6-3}}

==External links==

{{Tribes and kingdoms of the Mahabharata}}
{{Historical regions of North India}}

[[Category:Kingdoms in the Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Historical Indian regions]]
[[Category:Ancient Indian monarchies]]


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