SĀLVA I 1)
General information. The lover of Ambā (q.v) the daughter of the King of Kāśī. It is mentioned in
[Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 67, Stanza 16] that this Kṣatriya King Sālva was born from a portion of Ajaka the younger brother of Vṛṣaparvā.
2)
Other details.(i) Sālva was the ruler of the city named Saubha.
[Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 102, Verse 61] .
(ii) He was present at the Svayaṁvara marriage of Draupadī.
[M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 186 Verse 15] .
(iii) He was present at the sacrifice of Royal consecration (Rājasūya) of Yudhiṣṭhira.
[M.B. Sabhā Parva, Chapter 34, Verse 9] .
(iv) At the death of Śiśupāla, King Sālva became angry and besieged Dvārakā. In the battle which followed Śrī Kṛṣṇa killed Sālva.
[M.B. Vana Parva, Chapters 15 to 22] .
(v) Sālva had several friends such as Damaghoṣa, Aṅga, Kaliṅga, Mālava, Kekaya, Vaṅga, Magadha, Kosala, Koṅkaṇa, Hehaya, Cola, Pāṇḍya, Kerala and others.
[Bhāgavata, Skandha 10] .
SĀLVA II There is a story in
[Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva] , stating that three Sālvas and four Madras were born to Bhadrā from the dead body of her husband Vyuṣitāśva. (See under Bhadrā II). Here, ‘Sālvas’ means the rulers of Sālva. It is stated in
[Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, Chapter 14, Stanza 26] that the people of Sālva fled to the south in fear of Jarāsandha. Satyavān, the husband of Sāvitrī, was a native of Sālva. It is also mentioned that the soldiers of Sālva who joined the army of the Kauravas fought against the Pāṇḍavas. There were Sālva on the side of the Pāṇḍavas also. Mention is made in Droṇa Parva, Chapter 154, that the Sālvas on the side of the Pāṇḍavas, attacked Droṇa, the teacher.
SĀLVA III A king of the low castes. The details given below about this king are from Mahābhārata.
(1) This king attacked the vast army of the Pāṇḍavas in the battle-field of Kurukṣetra.
[M.B. Śalya Parva, Chapter 20, Verse 1] .
(2) The elephant of this Sālva was as big as a mountain and belonged to the family of elephants called Mahābhadra.
[Śalya Parva, Chapter 20, Verse 2] .
(3) Duryodhana had honoured this low caste King Sālva.
[M.B. Śalya Parva, Chapter 2, Verse 2] .
(4) Sātyaki killed this king Sālva; and Dhṛṣṭadyumna killed his elephant in the battle of Bhārata.
[M.B. Śalya Parva, Chapter 20, Verse 4] .
SĀLVA IV In Uttara Rāmāyaṇa a Sālva, who was a contemporary of Kuśadhvaja, is mentioned. Kuśadhvaja once approached this king Sālva and requested for some financial help. But the covetous Sālva did not give any help. So Kuśadhvaja performed a sacrifice to obtain wealth and prosperity. Sītā was born from that sacrificial fire.
[Uttara Rāmāyaṇa] .
SĀLVA V A story occurs in Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, describing how Reṇukā, the wife of Jamadagni, was infatuated at the sight of a handsome Sālva, and how this event subsequently led to her death. (See under (Reṇukā).