Śaṅkha, Son of Virāṭa
Śaṅkha was a son of Virāṭa, the king of Matsya. He fought on the side of the Pāṇḍavas in the war at Kurukṣetra. The Matsya royal house lost several members in that war. Śveta and Uttara fell on the first day, and a son of Virāṭa fell on the seventh day.
The sons of Virāṭa at Kurukṣetra
Virāṭa gave his whole army to the cause of the Pāṇḍavas. He did so because he had given the Pāṇḍavas a home for thirteen years, as told in the Virāṭa Parva. The bond was made stronger when his daughter Uttarā married Abhimanyu. Several sons of Virāṭa came to fight at Kurukṣetra.
Śveta and Uttara were killed on the first day. Bhīṣma’s arrows killed Śveta after a brave stand, and Śalya’s lance killed Uttara. The losses of the Matsya house went on through the war. On Day 7, Droṇācārya killed a son of Virāṭa in battle, and the text says he fell to Droṇa’s arrows. Śaṅkha is one of the sons of Virāṭa named in the war narrative of this period.
Return to the Viśvedevas
The Svargārohaṇa Parva names Śaṅkha as the elder son of Virāṭa of Matsya. It lists him among the great souls who, when their karma (the results of their actions) was used up, entered the Viśvedevas. They were taken back into that class of devas together with his brother Uttara and his father Virāṭa.
Sources
- Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma Parva, Chapters 43–122
- Mahābhārata, Svargārohaṇa Parva, Chapter 5