History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c13.28

v1.c13.28

The first important campaign in Northern India was undertaken in the 8th year of his reign, when Khāravela approached Magadha with a vast army. An important action was fought by Khāravela at Goradhgiri or modern Barābar hills in the Gaya district. Barābar has been recognised as one of the important outlying fortresses which protected Rājagṛiha, the former capital of Magadha. From the Barābar hills Khāravela harrassed the ancient metropolis Rājagṛiha (modern Rajgir in the Patna district of Bihar); but his approach to the then capital, Pāṭaliputra, had an important effect on the political history of the country. We learn from the Hathigumpha inscription itself that the Greek king Demetrios had to fall back on Mathurā, apparently his base, on hearing of the approach of Khāravela. The Greek invasion, and perhaps the siege of Pāṭaliputra, was known beforehand from the Yuga-purāṇa of the Gārgi-Saṁhitā, which has been recently published and translated by Mr. Jayaswal.¹ But it was not known that it was Demetrios of the dynasty of Euthydemos I. who advanced as far east as Pāṭaliputra. Unfortunately, the rest of l. 8 is damaged and therefore the sequel of the campaign is not known to us.