The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t34.1

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From the “Cock’s-foot Hill” the pilgrim proceeded to the north-east for 100 *li*, or 17 miles, to a mountain called *Fo-tho-fa-na*, or *Buddhavana*.¹ The bearing and distance point to the lofty hill now called *Buddhain*, which, on account of its commanding position, was made one of the stations of the great trigonometrical survey. Its distance in a direct line is not more than 10 miles, but as the whole route is hilly and winding, the actual length cannot be less than 15 or 16 miles. At 30 *li*, or 5 miles, to the east, he visited the famous *Yashtivana*, or “Bambu-forest.”² This name is still well known as *Jakhti-ban*, which is only the Hindi form of the Sanskrit word. The place lies to the east of the *Buddhain* hill, on the route to the old ruined city of *Kuságárapura*, and is still frequented by the people for the purpose of cutting Bambus. About 10 *li*, or nearly 2 miles, to the south-west of the Bambu-forest, the pilgrim visited two hot springs, to the south of a high mountain, in which Buddha was said to have bathed. These springs still exist about two miles to the south of *Jakhtiban*, at a place called *Tapoban*, which name is a common contraction of *Tapta-páni*, or the “Hot Water.” To the south-east of the Bambu-forest, at 6 or 7 *li*, upwards of 1 mile, there was a high mountain, with a stone embankment, built by King *Bimbisâra*. This mountain corresponds with the lofty hill of *Handia*, 1463 feet in height, which was one of the stations of the great trigonometrical survey. At 3 or 4 *li*, or upwards of half a mile, to the north, there was an isolated hill, on which still existed the ruins of a house in which the holy sage *Vyâsa* had formerly dwelt. At 4 or 5 *li*, or ¾ of a mile, to the north-east, there was a small hill with a chamber hewn out of the rock, and beside it a stone on which the gods Indra and Brahma had pounded the sandal-wood called *Goṣiras* for the rubbing of Buddha’s body. These two places have not been identified, but a careful search would certainly discover the sandal-wood stone, as there was close to it a very large cave, which the people called the “Palace of the Asuras.” About 60 *li*, or 10 miles, to the east of this place, the pilgrim reached *Kiu-she-kie-lo-pu-lo*, or *Kuságára-pura*, that is the “town of the Kusa Grass.”*