Salwa (also written as Śalva [Shalva]) is a kingdom grouped among the western kingdoms in the epic Mahabharata. It was close to Madra kingdom as both are mentioned together in many places. Saubha was its capital. Martikavati (alias Matika, Matrika, Matrikavati) also was mentioned as the capital of Salwa kingdom. The famous prince Satyavan was from Salwa. He married the Madra princess, Savitri, the daughter of Madra king Aswapati. Their history is a famous narration in Mahabharata. Seven chapters 3:291 to 3:297 is dedicated to this history of Satyavan and Savitri.

There was, in ancient times, a king in the race of Puru, known by the name of Vyushitaswa. He was devoted to truth and virtue. Vyushitaswa, who was endued with the strength of ten elephants very soon performed the horse-sacrifice, overthrowing, all the kings of the East, the North, the West and the South, and exacted tributes from them all. The seven children all of whom became king, three Salwas and four Madras were sons of Vyushitaswa. (1:121).

Salwa kingdom is mentioned very close to Madra kingdom at (6:9) which describe kingdoms of Bharata Varsha. Another kingdom named Salwasena is mentioned close to Trigarta kingdom. The Matsyas, the Panchalas, the Salways and the Surasenas were mentioned as not very far away from Kuru kingdom at (5:54). King Jayadratha of Sauvira kingdom is mentioned as travelling to Salwa kingdom through Kamyaka woods. (3:262).

Salwas were included in the kingdoms that falls in the larger circle of the mainstream culture propounded by the Kurus and Panchalas

The Kauravas with the Pancalas, the Salwas, the Matsyas, the Naimishas, the Koshalas, the Kasapaundras, the Kalingas, the Magadhas, and the Cedis who are all highly blessed, know what the eternal religion is. (8:45).

Dyumatsena was the father of Satyavan, the famous prince who wedded the Madra princess Savitri. Section 3:292 describes the history of Dyumatsena:-

There was, amongst the Salwas, a virtuous Kshatriya king known by the name of Dyumatsena. And it came to pass that in course of time he became blind. And that blind king possessed of wisdom had an only son. And it so happened that an old enemy dwelling in the vicinity, taking advantage of the king's mishap, deprived him of his kingdom. And thereupon the monarch, accompanied by his wife bearing a child on her breast, went into the woods. His son, born in the city, began to grow in the hermitage. The Brahmanas have named the son Satyavan. In his childhood he took great delight in horses, and used to make horses of clay. And he used also to draw pictures of horses. And for this that youth is sometimes called by the name of Chitraswa. The Madra princess Savitri knew about this prince and fell in love with him. Later she married him. Dyumatsena's minister somehow slew the enemy king and Dyumatesena regained his kingdom.

A Salwa king named Shalva Kumara (5:179) was mentioned as a lover of Amba, the eldest princess of Kasi kingdom, who was abducted by Bhishma, a warrior from Kuru kingdom, along with her sisters Ambika and Ambalika. Bhishma wished to make her the wife of Kuru prince Vichitravirya, but Amba wished to marry the Salwa king. Bhishma sent her to Salwa but the Salwa king rejected her.