The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c8.s2.9

c8.s2.9

The same rock-hewn habitations are also described by Fa-Hian† in the beginning of the fifth century. He calls the excavation the monastery of *Pho-lo-yu*, or the “Pigeon,” and places it in the kingdom of *Ta-thsin*, that is in *Dakshina*, or the south of India, the present Dakhan. His information was obtained at Banâras; and as wonders do not lose by distance, his account is even more wonderful than that of Hwen Thsang. The monastery, hewn out of the solid rock, is said to be five storeys in height, each storey in the shape of a different animal, the fifth, or uppermost, storey being in the form of a *Pigeon*, from which the monastery received its name. The Chinese syllables *Pho-lo-yu* must therefore be intended for the Sanskrit *Párávata*, a "pigeon." A spring of water rising in the uppermost storey, descended through all the rooms of the monastery, and then passed out by the gate. In this account we have the five storeys, the spring of water falling from the top, and the name of the place, all agreeing very closely with the description of Hwen Thsang. The chief point of difference is in the meaning assigned to the name, as Hwen Thsang states that *Polomolo-kili* signifies the "black peak," while according to Fa-Hian, *Pholoyu* means a "pigeon." But there is still another account, of an intermediate date, which gives a third meaning to the name. In A.D. 503, the king of Southern India sent an ambassador to China, from whom it was ascertained that in his country there was a fortified city named *Pa-lai*, or "situated on a height." At 300 *li*, or 50 miles, to the eastward, there was another fortified town, named in the Chinese translation *Fu-cheu-ching*, or "ville soumise à ce qui est détesté,"* which was the birthplace of a famous saint, whose name was *Chu-san-hu*, or "Coral-beads" (grains de corail). Now, *Palá-málá* is the name of a "coral necklace," or "string of coral-beads;"* and as it represents every syllable of Hwen Thsang's *Polomolo*, I presume that it must be the same name. I am unable to explain Hwen Thsang's translation of the name as the "black peak" in any of the northern dialects; and I can only suggest that he may perhaps refer to one of the southern or Dravidian dialects. In Kanarese, *malé* is a "hill;" and as *pârâ*, or "quicksilver," and *pâras*, or the "touchstone," are both of black hue, it is probable that they are connected with *πελός*. *Pára*, therefore, might signify "black," and *pára-malé* would then be the black hill. One of the most venomous snakes in southern India, which is of a very dark blue or almost black colour, is called *Pára-Gudu*. It seems probable, therefore, that Hwen Thsang's translation may be derived from one of the southern dialects. This confusion in the Chinese translations is no doubt due to the very defective power of the Chinese syllables for the transcription of Sanskrit words. Thus, *Po.lo.fa.to* might be read as *Párávata*, a "pigeon," according to Fa-Hian; or as *paravata*, "subject," according to the *Si-yu-ki*; while it is probable that the true reading should be *parvata*, a "mountain," as the monastery is specially stated to have been excavated in a rocky hill.