Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c12.s8.11

c12.s8.11

⁴ *Cf.* the names Mahāpadmapati and Dhana Nanda. The *Mudrārākshasa* refers to the Nandas as '*navanavatisatadravyakoṭīśvarāḥ*' (Act III, verse 27), and '*Artharuchi*' (Act. I.) A passage of the *Kathā-sarit-sāgara* says that King Nanda possessed 990 millions of gold pieces. Tawney's Translation, Vol. I, p. 21. Dr. Aiyangar points out that a Tamil poem contains an interesting statement regarding the wealth of the Nandas "which having accumulated first in Pāṭali hid itself in the floods of the Ganges." *Beginnings of South Indian History*, p. 89. For N. Sastri's views see ANM, pp. 253ff. According to Ceylonese tradition "The youngest brother (among the sons of Ugrasena) was called Dhana Nanda, from his being addicted to hoarding treasure. ...He collected riches to the amount of eighty *koṭis*—in a rock in the bed of the river (Ganges) having caused a great excavation to be made, he buried the treasure there...Levying taxes among other articles even on skins, gums, trees, and stones he amassed further treasures which he disposed of similarly." (Turnour, *Mahāvaṁsa*, p. xxxix). Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese pilgrim, refers to "the five treasures of King Nanda's seven precious substances."