The History and Culture of the Indian People v1.c19.s3.t1.6

v1.c19.s3.t1.6

The later Vedic texts mention various place-names which can be identified with reasonable certainty. Parichakrā, mentioned in the *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* (XIII. 5. 4. 7) as the name of a Pañchāla town where king Kraivya Pañchāla performed his horse-sacrifice, has been identified by Weber with the later Ekachakrā which was near Kāmpila. Āsandīvat is the title of the capital of Janamejaya Pārikshita where the horse for his famous Aśvamedha was bound (*Śat. Br.*, XIII. 5. 4. 2; *Ait Br*, VIII. 21) It was apparently in the Kurukshetra. It was probably identical with Nāgasāhvaya (Hastināpura) which was abandoned by Nichakshu, a descendant of Parikshit, on its being washed away by the Ganges, and the capital was removed to Kauśāmbī.²³ Kāmpīla, found in the *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa*, has been identified with modern Kampil on the old Ganges between Budaun and Farrukhābād. Naimisha forest, mentioned as being clearly of special sanctity, has been identified with Nimsar at a short distance from the Nimsar station of the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway. The *Taittirīya Āraṇyaka* (V. 1. 1) mentions the Manus as the *Utkara* (heap) of Kurukshetra. This can be identified with the later Marusthala (Maru deserts) as it stood in the relation of *Utkara* to the sacred altar Kurukshetra. The existence of Kauśāmbī which plays an important part in the life of king Udayana Vatsarāja can be inferred from the word Kauśāmbeya in the *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* (XII. 2. 2. 13). The town has been identified with modern Kosam on the Yamunā.