The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c31.s6: V. Mahārāshṭra, etc.

v1.c31.s6.1

On the western side of the peninsula, south of the Vindhya, and forming approximately the southern half of what is now the Bombay Presidency, lies a group of provinces, which in ancient times were inhabited by a population of more or less Dravidian blood, upon which were superimposed successive strata of Āryan immigrants entering apparently from Vidarbha (Berār). The term *Dakshiṇā-patha*, 'southern region,' whence comes the modern *Deccan*, is often applied to the greater part of this country, but not very accurately, for strictly it denotes only the region around the upper waters of the Godāvari and the lands between it and the Kistna, which were also known by the names of Daṇḍakāraṇya and Mahārāshṭra, and were the home of the race which in later times became famous in history under the name of Māhārāshṭras or Marāṭhās. With the latter were probably connected the tribes of Raṭṭas and Rāshṭrakūṭas who some centuries later played an important part in the history of the Deccan, as well as the Raṭhikas whom Açoka mentions as having accepted his doctrine (K. v, Dh. v, ed. Senart). West of the Mahārāshṭra lay the realm of Aparānta (the Northern Konkan), with a capital at Çūrpāraka (now Sopāra), also included by Açoka in his list of believers (K. v, Kh. v, Dh. v, ed. Senart). The Peṭenikas, mentioned by him in the same connexion (K. III, V, XIII, Kh. XIII, G. XIII), have been plausibly identified with the Paiṭhānikas or natives of Paithan (above, p. 599). Another tribe to whom he alludes is that of the Sātiya-putas (inscr. II). Possibly they may represent the region around Mangalore; but it is at least equally likely that they were the forefathers of the Sātavāhana dynasty of the Andhra-deça (above, p. 599). It is recorded in the Mahāvaṃsa (XII) and Dīpavaṃsa (VIII) that Buddhist missions were sent by Moggali-putta Tissa to Mahārāshṭra, Aparānta, Vanavāsa (Banavāsi, in the extreme south of North Kanara), and Mahisa-maṇḍala (probably Mahishmant or the country of the Mahishakas, who in the Purāṇas are associated with the Mahārāshṭras and are said to have had a capital Māhishmatī on the Narbadā), and hence it would appear that these regions were fairly civilised; but no trustworthy details of their history in this period have been preserved.