Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c9.s4.146

c9.s4.146

The southern Madras were settled in the Central Pañjab in the territory lying to the west of the river Irāvatī or Rāvi⁴ In later times the eastern limits extended to the Amritsar district which was included within the Madra-deśa in the days of Guru Govind Singh.⁵ The ancient capital (properly *puṭa-bhedana*) was Śākala or Sāgala-nagara (modern Siālkot). This city is mentioned in the *Mahābhārata*⁶ and several *Jātakas*¹ and is probably hinted at in the name ‘Sākalya,’ given to a Vedic teacher who graced the court of Janaka. It stood on the banks of the Āpagā² in a tongue of land between two rivers styled the Sākala-dvīpa,³ apparently corresponding to a part of the Rechna Doāb.