Ketumanta of Kaliṅga

Ketumanta was a commander from Kaliṅga who came to the war at Kurukshetra as an ally of the Kauravas. The Mahābhārata names him in connection with the Kaliṅga elephant corps.

The elephant corps was a large part of what the eastern kingdom of Kaliṅga sent to the Kaurava army. It was sent together with Śrutāyudha of Kaliṅga and his sixty thousand chariots.

Role at Kurukshetra

The Kaliṅga forces were among the largest of the allied groups on the Kaurava side. Ketumanta came with the elephant corps, the great war elephants that were the main military strength of the eastern kingdoms. They formed part of the Kaliṅga force led by Śrutāyudha. The elephants stood with the chariots of Śrutāyudha, who had sixty thousand chariots.

On Day 2 of the war, this Kaliṅga force lost very many men to Bhīmasena. He destroyed war elephants together with their mahouts and the warriors riding them. He also killed the Kaliṅga king Bhānumanta and his son Śakradeva. The Mahābhārata names Ketumanta as one of the Kaliṅga commanders in this part of the field.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Bhīshma Parva, Chapters 43–122