Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c29.228

c29.228

In Daśaratha’s time then the Yādavas had a powerful kingdom, the Pauravas had at least four states in the Ganges-Jumna plain, with North Pañcāla particularly prominent, and among the Pauravas there had been a great development of brahmanism as explained in chapter XXIII. It is remarkable then in the Rāmāyaṇa, that Kosala’s friendliest relations were with the eastern kingdoms of Videha, Aṅga and Magadha (*sic*), the Panjab kingdoms of Kekaya, Sindhu and Sauvīra, the western kingdom of Surāṣṭra (*sic*),² and the Dākṣiṇātya kings, for these are specially named among the invitations sent out for Daśaratha’s sacrifice; and no mention is made of any of the kings of the middle region of North India except Kāśī.³ This remark holds good for the Rāmāyaṇa generally. Prayāga is described as in a great forest, opposite Śṛṅgaverapura the capital of a Niṣāda kingdom on the north side of the Ganges⁴—which is very improbable as the Vatsa kingdom comprised that region.