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In the Sanskrit epics, the Gopa Rashtra (Gopa kingdom) of central and western India is believed to have been ruled by Krishna. Inscriptions indicate the presence of a region by this name in the Chalukya empire (present day Maharashtra and Goa). In the Junagarh inscriptions of Skandagupta and Chalukyan records, Gopa rasthra is mentioned as the colony inhabited by the cowherd people. Kautilya states that the region was tribal corporation following the profession of agriculture and arms both. According to Mahabharata's list of kingdoms given in Bhishma Parva, chapter-9,Pandu Rashtra, Gopa Rashtra, Malla Rashtra and Ashmaka together formed the modern Maharashtra. The term Goa is derived from Goparashtra i.e. the area of cowherds and shepherds.
History
The name of Gopa rashtra forms part among the various kingdoms of Ancient India as narrated in the epic Mahabharata.
The state of Goa is described as ancient Goparashtra and it takes its present name from earlier used terms like- Gomant, Gomantaka, Govarashtra or Goparashtra. All these names are prefixed with "Go" means "cow". Mahabharata refers it to as the country of cowherds.
Inscriptions of Chalukya age mention about grant of Balegrama village in the Goparashtra to worship Kapaleshvara.