The Early History of India, from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest, including the Invasion of Alexander the Great c24.s1.2

c24.s1.2

¹ The Puranic account of Pushyamitra's usurpation is confirmed by Bāṇa (seventh century), who evidently had access to documents now lost. His text is: *Pratijñā durbalaṁ cha baladarśanavyapadeśa-darśitāśesha-sainyah senānīr anāryo Mauryaṁ Bṛihadrathaṁ pipesha Pushpamitraḥ svāminaṁ*, which may be translated: 'And reviewing the whole army, under the pretext of showing him his forces, the base-born (*anārya*) general Pushpamitra crushed his master, Bṛihadratha the Maurya, who, was weak in keeping his coronation oath (*pratijñā*).' The rendering combines the versions of Cowell and Thomas (*Harṣacarita*, transl. p. 193), of Bühler (*Ind. Ant.*, ii, 363), and of Jayaswal. The best text of the Purāṇas (Pargiter, pp. 31, 70) states simply that 'Pushyamitra, the commander-in-chief, will uproot Bṛihadratha and will rule the kingdom as king 36 years'.