The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s4.t6.16

c5.s4.t6.16

The Buddhist notices of Sâkala refer chiefly to its history in connection with Buddhism. There is the legend of the seven kings who went towards Sâgal to carry off Prabhâvati, the wife of king Kusa.* But the king, mounting an elephant, met them outside the city, and cried out with so loud a voice, "I am Kusa," that the exclamation was heard over the whole world, and the seven kings fled away in terror. This legend may have some reference to the seven brothers and sisters of Amba-Kâpa, which is only 40 miles to the east of Sângala. Before the beginning of the Christian era Sâgal was the capital of Raja Milinda, whose name is still famous in all Buddhist countries as the skilful opponent of the holy Nagasena.† The territory was then called Yona, or Yavana, which might refer either to the Greek conquerors, or to their Indo-Scythian successors; but as Nagasena is said to have lived either 400 or 500 years after Buddha, the date of Milinda is uncertain. Milinda himself states that he was born at Alasadda, which was 200 yojans, or about 1400 miles, distant from Sâgal. He was therefore undoubtedly a foreigner; and, in spite of the exaggerated distance, I would identify his birthplace with Alexandria Opiane, at the foot of the Indian Caucasus, about 40 miles to the north of Kabul. At a somewhat later period, Sákala was subject to Mahirkul, or Mihirkul, who lost his kingdom by an unsuccessful campaign against Balâditya, king of Magadha. But being afterwards set at liberty by the conqueror, he obtained possession of Kashmir by treachery. I know of no other mention of Sâkala until A.D. 633, when it was visited by Hwen Thsang, who describes the neighbouring town of Tse-kia as the capital of a large kingdom, which extended from the Indus to the Byâs, and from the foot of the hills to the confluence of the five rivers.