Agarwal Sabha Rampur(U.P.)

Maharaja Agrasena (also Agrasen) (Devanagari: अग्रसेन) was a Legendary Indian King of Agroha, a city of traders, from whom the Agrawal and Agrahari clans trace its origin. He is credited with the establishment of a kingdom of traders in North India, and is known for his compassion in refusing to slaughter animals in yajnas.

Maharaja Agrasen is known as icon of non-violence , messenger of Peace, an embodiment of Sacrifice, Compassion,Prosperity and a True Socialist. Emperor Agrasen was born to King Ballabh of Pratapnagar about 5185 years ago, the last stage of DWAPAR YUG When Agrasen became a young man, he attended the Swyamvara of the daughter of the King Nagaraj, Princess Madhavi . Many kings from around the world attended including Indra, the King of the Devas. In the swayamvara, Princess Madhavi selected Prince Agrasen, by putting the garland on him. This marriage caused a coming together of two different family cultures, Prince Agrasen was a Suryavanshi and Princess Madhavi was a Naagavanshi. Being Jealous by this marriage INDRA, the King of the Devas and also the Lord of Rain, made sure that Pratap Nagar did not receive any rainfall. As a result, a frightening famine struck the Pratap Nagar kingdom. Emperor Agrasen then waged war against Indra, and because he had dharma on his side, his army vanquished Indra's forces and put them to flight.
Goddess Mahalakshmi then blessed Agrasen and suggested that he take up the Vaishya tradition of business for the sake of prosperity of his people. She then asked him to found a new kingdom and promised that she would bless his descendants with prosperity. So he gave up his Kshatriya tradition.

EARLY LIFE

Various legends about Agroha and Agrasena are found among the Agrawals. Noted Hindi author Bharatendu Harishchandra wrote Agarwalon ki Utpatti (The origin of Agrawals) in 1871, based on an account in the Mahalaksmi Vrat Katha manuscript.. According to this account, Maharaja Agrasena was a Suryavanshi Kshatriya king, born during the last stages of Dwapar Yuga in the Mahabharat epic era, he was contemporaneous to Lord Krishna. He was the eldest son of the King Ballabh of Pratapnagar. Agrasena fathered 18 children, from whom the Agrawal gotras came into being.

Agrasena attended the swayamvara of Madhavi, the daughter of the King Nagaraj. However, Indra, the God of Heaven and also the Lord of storms and rainfall, wanted to marry Madhavi, but she chose Agrasena as her husband. A furious Indra decided to take revenge by making sure that Pratapnagar did not receive any rain. As a result, a famine struck Agrasen's kingdom, who then decided to wage a war against Indra. Sage Narada was approached by Indra, who mediated peace between Agrasena and Indra. According to Vachanakosha of Bulakhichand (1680 AD), Agar Rishi married a naga-kanya and had 18 children. A similar account is given in 1885 Bombay Presidency Gazetteer, Rishi Agrasena married 17 naga-kanyas.

PENANCE

Later, Agrasena started a severe tapasya (penance) to propitiate Lord Shiva in the city of Kashi. Shiva was pleased with the penance and advised him to propitiate Goddess Mahalakshmi. Agrasena again started meditating on Mahalakshmi, who appeared before him and blessed him. She urged Agrasena (who was a Kshatriya) to take up the Vaishya tradition of business for the sake of the prosperity of his people. She asked him to establish a new kingdom, and promised that she would bless his descendants with prosperity and wealth.

AGROHA

Agrasena then traveled all over India with his queen to select a place for a new kingdom. At one point during his travels, he found a few tiger cubs and wolfs cubs playing together. To King Agrasena and Queen Madhavi, this was an auspicious indication that the area was veerabhoomi (land of the brave) and they decided to found their new kingdom at that location.