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Vaṃsā

The inhabitants and their country.

It lay to the south of Kosala, and its capital was Kosambī (e.g., J.iv.28) on the Yamunā. Udena, son of Parantapa, also called Vaṃsarājā (e.g., J.iv.370,390), was its king in the time of the Buddha.

Avanti lay to the south of the Vaṃsa country. The Vaṃsā were also called Vatsā (Bud. India, 3, 27; Mtu.i.34). The country was one of the sixteen great countries (Mahājanapadā).

The district of Bhaggā, in which was Suṃsumāragiri, seems to have been subject to the Vaṃsā in the Buddha’s time, for we find Udena’s son, Bodhi, living there (J.iii.157, also Mahābhārata ii.30, 10 f). In nominal lists (e.g., D.ii.200) the Vaṃsā, are generally mentioned with the Cetī.