Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c9.s2.24

c9.s2.24

The *Ādiparva*¹ refers to king Aśoka who is represented as an incarnation of a *Mahāsura* or great demon,² and, is described as *mahāvīryo'parājitaḥ*, of great prowess and invincible. We have also a reference³ to a Greek overlord, *Yavanādhipaḥ* of Sauvīra and his compatriot Dattāmitra (Demetrios ?). The *Śāntiparva* presupposes the inclusion of the city of Mālinī, in the land of the Aṅgas, within the realm of Magadha.⁴ It mentions Yāska, the author of the *Nirukta*,⁵ Vārshagaṇya,⁶ the Sāṁkhya philosopher who probably flourished in the fourth or fifth century after Christ⁷ and Kāmandaka,⁸ the authority, on *Dharma* (sacred law) and *Artha* (polity) who is probably to be identified with the famous disciple of Kauṭilya.