A kingdom mentioned in the Saṅkhapāla Jātaka as being near Mount Candaka. There lived the Bodhisatta, in a hermitage on the bend of the river Kaṇṇaveṇṇā, where it left Lake Saṅkhapāla (J.v.162). Keka is mentioned as the capital of Mahiṃsaka, where a king named Ajjuna once ruled (J.v.145) also a city, called Sakula, capital of King Sakula. Near Sakula was a lake, called Mānusiya (J.v.337). In the Bhīmasena Jātaka (J.i.356) the Bodhisatta is mentioned as living for some time in Mahiṃsaka in his birth as Cūḷadhanuggaha paṇḍita. Mahiṃsaka is mentioned (e.g., Vibhā.4) as an example of a country where cold weather frequently occurs.

The country is generally identified with Malayagiri, the Malabar Ghats. See also Mahisamaṇḍala.