which has been applied both to the Gandak and to the Son. But the latter name can only refer to the Hi-le-an of the Chinese travellers, which was to the north of the Ganges, and was therefore undoubtedly the Gandak. Indeed, this river still joins the Ganges immediately opposite to Patna-that is, "the city," or metropolis, as its proper name (patana) implies, while the junction of the Son is some nine or ten miles above Patna. But as there is good reason for believing that the Son once joined the Ganges at Bákipur or Bankipur, immediately above Patna, it is quite possible that the Erranaboas may have been intended for the Son, and the Aläos for the Gandak. According to Megasthenes, Palibothra was eighty stadia, or nearly nine miles in length; and fifteen stadia, or one mile and twothirds, in breadth. It was surrounded with a deep ditch; and was enclosed by lofty wooden walls, pierced with loop - holes for the discharge of. arrows.* 5. Towards the close of the 4th century before our era, when Alexander's successors were at peace with each other, the great Seleukos, having consolidated his own dominions, turned his arms towards the East, with the intention of recovering the Indian provinces of Alexander. 6. But the plains of Northern India were no longer divided amongst a set of petty chiefs, whose • Arrian, Indica, x., and Strabo, xv.; both quoting Megasthenes. Strabo has ξύλινον περίβολον. gallant but useless resistance had scarcely checked the great Macedonian's advance. For the Mauryan prince, who now wielded the sceptre of the East, could bring into the field that vast army of six hundred thousand men,* whose very numbers had before daunted even the stout hearts of the soldiers of Alexander. The main object of this expedition was therefore impossible. Where a successful advance cannot be made, an honourable retreat becomes a decided advantage; and this Seleukos secured for himself, by yielding to Chandra Gupta the doubtful allegiance of the provinces to the west of the Indus for a valuable present of five hundred elephants. These friendly relations were cemented at the time by a matrimonial alliance, and were afterwards continued by the embassy of Megasthenes to the Indian court at Palibothra. ; 7. Chandra Gupta died in 291 B. C., and was succeeded by his son Vindusára or Bimbisára to whose court a second Greek embassy was sent either by Seleukos, or by his son Antiochus Soter. Nothing is known of the object or results of this embassy; but the ambassador, Daimachos, was considered by Strabo to be the most "lying" of all the Greek historians of India.‡ He calls the king Allitrochades, or Amitrochates, which Professor Lassen supposes to be the Sanskrit Amitragháta, Plutarch, Life of Alexander. + Strabo, xv.; and Plutarch. or "foe-killer." The difference between the Greek name of Amitrochates and the native one of Bindusára, proves nothing more than that the Hindu princes delighted in a variety of names. For, though the Buddhist authorities agree with the Vishnu Purána in calling this king Bindusára, yet each of the other Puráns gives him a different name. Thus he is called Bhadrasára in the Váyu, Várisára in the Bhagavata, and apparently Vrihadratha in the Motsya Purána. If we might read Varisăra, the "foe-killing arrow," instead of Várisára, then the name of Amitragháta, or "arrow to his enemies," might be considered as synonymous with that of the Váyu Purána. 8. But in spite of the difference of names, there can be no doubt of the identity of the persons; for Strabo particularly states that Amitrochates was the son of Sandrokottos. A third Greek embassy is mentioned by Pliny,* who states that the ambassador Dionysius was deputed by Ptolemy Philadelphus, and that he remained for some time at the Indian court; but as the name of the king is not given, and as Ptolemy's long reign extended from B. C. 285 to 246, we are left in doubt whether Dionysius paid his respects to Bindusára or to his son Asoka. 9. About the middle of his reign (B. C. 280), Bindusára deputed his son Asoka to quell a serious Pliny, Hist. Nat. vi. 17.-" Dionysius a Philadelpho missus." revolt in the district of Taxila.* The people came forth to meet him with offerings, and to assure him that they were not displeased with the king, but with the minister who oppressed them; on which Asoka made his entry into the town with great pomp. He then conquered the kingdom of the Swasas, or Khasas, who were most probably the people of Kashmir.† For the Khasas were the early inhabitants of Persia and of Northern India before the Arian immigration, which drove them from the plains to the hills, where they still exist in great numbers, and now form a considerable part of the population of that vast chain of mountains which stretches from the banks of the Helmand to the Brahmaputra. In Manu's Hindu Code they are coupled with the Daradas or Dards; and in * Burnouf, Introd. à l' Hist. du Buddhisme Indien, pp. 361, 362. The difference between the Khasas and Kasas, is about the same as that between the "men of Kent" and the "Kentish men." The Kasmiri pandits repudiate all connection with the Khasas, and even so might an English Lander deny his ancestor the Lavandier. The difference of spelling only shows the influence of Brahmanism, or rather of Hinduism, which changed the Khasas of Kha-che (the Tibetan name for Kashmir) into descendants from Kásyapa. The connection between the names is shown by the story which makes Kásyapa and Khasá the parents of the Imps and Goblins. As well might the Oggs and Hogges repudiate their real ancestors the swineherds, and claim descent from the King of Basan. But even this would be more probable, for King Og was an actual historical personage, whereas Kasyapa Muni (according to the Brahmans) was the father of gods and men. the Mahábhárat they are classed with the Gándháras, Arattas, and Sindhu-Sauviras. Professor Lassen has doubted the accuracy of Professor H. H. Wilson's reading of Khasa in the Mahábhárat; but this reading is supported, as M. Burnouf observes, by the above mention of the Swasas or Khasas as neighbours of the Taxilans; and is fully confirmed by a copy of the Mahábhárat in the possession of a Brahman at Thanesar. 10. Shortly after the reduction of Taxila, the successful Asoka was appointed to the government of Ujain, the capital of Malwa. Asoka set forth to assume charge of his government in about 274 B. C. On his way he tarried some time at Chaityagiri or Baisnagara,* situated at the junction of the Besali River with the Betwa, two miles to the northward of Bhilsa. Here he gained the affections of Devi, the lovely daughter of the Sreshti or "chief man" of the place. A year afterwards she bore him a son named Mahendra, and one year later a daughter called Sanghamitra, both of whom became celebrated in after times as See Turnour's Pali Annals, Prinsep's Journal, vii. 930, where Buddhaghoso calls the city Wessanagara, which Mahánámo calls Chetiya and Chetiyagiri (Mahawanso, p. 76). The story is the same in both authors; and as the ruins of the old city of Baisnagar, or Besnagar, two miles to the north of Bhilsa, are situated on the high road between Pátaliputra and Ujain, there can be no doubt of the identification. Wessanagara was the city; Chetiyagiri was the hill of the great Chaitya at Sánchi, about four miles to the south of the city. |