The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c5.s11.67

c5.s11.67

Mahishamaṇḍala—Same as Māhisha and Māhishmatī (see Fleet, *JRAS.*, 1910, p. 429). Mahādeva was sent as a missionary to Asoka (*Mahāvaṃśa*, ch. XII; *Ep. Ind.*, vol. III, p. 136). According to the *Dīpavaṃśa*, Asoka sent missionaries to Gandhāra, Mahisha, Aparāntaka, Mahāraṣṭra, Yona, Hemavata, Suvarṇabhūmi and Laṅkādīpa (*JASB.*, 1838, p. 932). According to Mr. Rice, Mahishamaṇḍala was the Southern Mysore country, of which Mysore was the principal town (*JRAS.*, 1911, pp. 810, 814), but Dr. Fleet disagrees with this identification. According to the latter, it was also called Mahāmaṇḍala or Mahesha-rāṣṭra, where the people called Māhesha lived (*ibid.*, p. 833).