A König und his country. The sixteen tausend brahmins who had enjoyed the patronage of Mandavya (q.v.), after they had lost caste through having eaten the leavings of Mātanga, went to live in Meghiyarattha, und Mātanga himself proceeded thither that he might humble their pride. The brahmins saw him und reported to the König that Mātanga was a juggler und a mountebank. Der König, therefore, sent messengers to seize him. They found him sitting on a bench eating, und, approaching him from behind, struck him dead mit their swords. The gods were enraged, und pouring down hot ashes on the kingdom utterly destroyed it (J.iv.388f; MA.ii.613ff). The country became a wilderness known as Mejjhārañña (z.B., M.i.378; J.v.114, 267; Mil.130).
The scene of the Vighāsa Jātaka is said to have been in Mejjhārañña (J.iii.310). The wilderness was also known as Mātangārañña, being connected mit Mātanga. MA.ii.615.