The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c7.s2: 2. Samatata.

The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c7.s2

Language: English

2. Samatata.

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The capital of the kingdom of *Samatata*, or *San-mo-ta-cha*, is placed at from 1200 to 1300 *li*, or from 200 to 217 miles, to the south of *Kâmrup*, and 900 *li*, or 150 miles, to the east of Tâmralipti, or Tamluk.[*] The first position corresponds almost exactly with *Jasar*, or Jessore, which is most probably the place intended. The bearing and distance from Tamluk would take us to the uninhabited part of the *Sundari-vana*, or Sundarbans, between the Huranghâta river and Bakarganj. But in a country so much intersected by watercourses as Lower Bengal, the road distance is about one-fourth greater than the direct distance, measured on the map. Thus, Jessore, which is 103 miles from Dhakka, and 77 miles from Calcutta by road, is only 82 and 62 miles distant from them by direct measurement. Accordingly, Hwen Thsang’s distance of 150 miles by route will not be more than 120 miles by direct measurement on the map, which is only 20 miles in excess of the actual direct distance between Jessore and Tamluk. But as Tamluk is not approachable by land from the east, the pilgrim must have travelled at least one-half of the route by water, and his distance of 150 miles may be accepted as a fair estimate of the mixed route by land and water, which could not be actually measured. The name of Jasar, or “The Bridge,” which has now supplanted the ancient name of Murali, shows the nature of the country, which is so completely intersected by deep watercourses, that before the construction of the present roads and bridges, the chief communication was by boats. Murali, or Jasar, is most probably the Gange regia of Ptolemy.

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∗ Julien’s ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ iii. 81. See Map No. I.

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The country of Samataṭa is mentioned in the inscription of Samudra Gupta on the Allahabad pillar,[*] in which it is coupled with Kâmrup and Nepâl. It is mentioned also in the geographical list of Varâha Mihira, who lived in the beginning of the sixth century.[†] According to Professor Lassen, the name signifies “bas pays littoral,” which accords exactly with Hwen Thsang’s description of it as a low, moist country on the seashore. The inhabitants were short and black, as is the case at the present day with the people of Lower Bengal. From all these concurrent facts, it is certain that Samataṭa must be the Delta of the Ganges; and as the country is described as 3000 *li*, or 500 miles, in circuit, it must have included the whole of the present Delta, or triangular tract between the Bhâgirathi river and the main stream of the Ganges.

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∗ Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vi. 793 ; line 19 of inscription.

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† Dr. Kern’s ‘Brihat-Sanhitâ,’ xiv. 6.

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Hwen Thsang mentions several countries lying to the east of Samataṭa, but as he gives only the general bearings and not the distances, it is not easy to identify the names. The first place is *Shi-li-cha-ta-lo*, which was situated in a valley near the great sea, to the north-east of Samataṭa.* This name is probably intended for *Sri-Kshatra*, or *Sri-Kshetra*, which M. Vivien de Saint-Martin has identified with *Sri-hata*, or *Silhat*, to the north-east of the Gangetic Delta. This town is situated in the valley of the Megna river, and although it is at a considerable distance from the sea, it seems most probable that it is the place intended by the pilgrim. The second country is *Kia-mo-lang-kia*, which was situated beyond the first, to the east, and near a great bay. This place may, I think, be identified with the district of Komilla, in Tipera, to the east of the Megna river, and at the head of the Bay of Bengal. The third country is *To.lo.po.ti*, which was to the east of the last. M. Julien renders the name by *Dwâravati*, but he makes no attempt to identify it. I would, however, suggest that it may be *Talaingvati*, that is, the country of the Talaings, or Pegu. *Vati* is the common termination of the names of the Burmese districts, as Hansavati, Dwayavati, Dinyavati, etc. The next name is *I-shang-na-pu-lo*, which was to the east of the last; then still further to the east was *Mo-ho-chen-po*, and beyond that to the south-west was the kingdom of *Yen-mo-na-cheu*. The first of these names I take to be the country of the *Shán* tribes, or Laos; the second is probably Cochin China or Anam; and the third, which M. Stanislas Julien renders by *Ya-mana-dwipa*, is almost certainly *Yava-dwipa*, or Java.

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∗ Julien’s ‘Hiouen Thsang,’ iii. 82.

Linked texts (1)

Bṛhatsaṃhitā — Varāhamihira, Sanskrit