The Hercules who penetrated so far, the Indians tell us, was
a native of their country. He is particularly worshipped by the
Suraseni (Shurasena), who have two great cities, Methora
(Mathura) and Cleisoborus (Surapura), and the navigable
river Jobares (Yamuna), passes through their territories. This
Hercules, as Megasthenes asserts, and the Indians
themselves assure us, uses the same habit with the Theban
Hercules. Many male children, but only one daughter was
born to him in India, for he married many women. The
daughter's name was Pandaea, and the land where she was
born, and over which Heracles placed her as ruler, was
named Pandaea after her.[i]
Hercules was born amongst the Indians, and like the Greeks,
they furnish him with a club and lions hide. In strength he
excelled all men, and cleared the sea and land of monsters
and wild beasts. He had many sons, but only one daughter.
He built Palibothra (Pataliputra i.e. Patna) and divided his
kingdom amongst his sons. [ii]
Fig 11: Hercules and the Cretan bull. Attic black-figure amphora, c.
510 BC. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Fig 12: Krishna and Arishta. Source: belurmath.org.
The epic mentions that the Yavanas were fierce warriors and
they had participated in the Mahabharata War, along with
other powerful conglomerates such as the Sakas (Scythians),
Pahlavas, Hunas etc. The Yavanas also had small kingdoms
within India. The Mahabharata mentions a Yavana stronghold
near Mathura (the birthplace of Krishna-Balarama), and a
Yavana port-city in southern India, amongst many others.
End Notes: