The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c5.s2.56

Language: English

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Baranasi—Benares situated at the junction of the rivers Barnu and Asi, from which the name of the town has been derived (Vāmana P., ch III). It was formerly situated at the confluence of the Ganges and the Gumti (Mbh, Anuśasana, ch 30). It was the capital of Kāśī (Rāmāyaṇa, Uttara, ch 48). At the time of Buddha, the kingdom of Kāśī formed a part of the kingdom of Kośala (see Kāśī). According to James Prinsep, Benares or Kāśī was founded by Kāśa or Kāśīrāja, a descendant of the Pururavas, king of Pratiṣṭhāna (see Pratiṣṭhāna). Kāśīrāja’s grandson was Dhanvantari, Dhanvantari’s grandson was Divodāsa, in whose reign Buddhism superseded Siva-worship at Benares, though it appears that the Buddhist religion was again superseded by Saivism after a short period. In 1027, Benaras became part of Gauḍa, then governed by Mahîpâla, and Buddhism was again introduced in his reign or in the reign of his successors Sthirapâla and Vasantapâla. Benares was wrested from the Pâla kings by Chandra Deva (1072-1096) and annexed to the kingdom of Kanauj. Towards the close of the twelfth century, Benares was conquered by Muhammad Ghuri who defeated Jaya Chand of Kanauj (James Prinsep's *Benares Illustrated*, Introduction, p. 8; *Vâyu P.*, Uttara, ch. 30). In the seventh century, it was visited by the celebrated Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsiang.

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He has thus described the city and its presiding god Viśveśvara, one of the twelve Great Liṅgas of Mahâdeva: "In the capital there are twenty Deva temples, the towers and halls of which are of sculptured stone and cut wood. The foliage of trees combines to shade (the sites), whilst pure streams of water encircle them. The statue of Deva Maheśvara, made of *teou-shih* (brass), is somewhat less than 100 feet high. Its appearance is grave and majestic, and appears as though really living." The *Padma P.* (Uttara, ch. 67) mentions the names of Viśveśvara, Bindumâdhava, Maṇikarṇikâ, and Jñânavâpî in Kâśî (Benares). The present Viśveśvara, which is a mere *Liṅga*, dates its existence since the original image of the god, described by Hiuen Tsiang, was destroyed by the iconoclast Aurangzebe and thrown into the Jñânavâpî, a well situated behind the present temple. There can be no doubt that Benares was again converted into a Buddhist city by the Pâla Râjâs of Bengal, and Śiva-worship was not restored till its annexation in the eleventh century by the kings of Kanauj, who were staunch believers in the Paurâṇic creed. The shrines of Adi-Viśveśvara, Veṇimâdhava, and the Bakarya-kuṇḍa were built on the sites of Buddhist temples with materials taken from those temples. The temple of Adi-Keśava is one of the oldest temples in Benares: it is mentioned in the *Prabodha-Chandrodaya Nâṭaka* (Act IV) written by Kṛiṣhṇa Miśra in the eleventh century A.D.

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The names of Mahâdeva Tilabhâṇḍeśvara and Daśâśvamedheśvara are also mentioned in the *Śiva Purâṇa* (Pt. 1, ch. 39). The Maṇikarṇikâ is the most sacred of all cremation ghats in India, and it is associated with the closing scenes of the life of Râjâ Hariśchandra of Ayodhyâ, who became a slave to a Caṇḍâla for paying off his promised debt (Kṣhemeśvara's *Caṇḍa-Kauśika*; *Mârkaṇḍeya P.*, ch. viii). The old fort of Benares which was used by the Pâla Râjâs of Bengal and the Rathore kings of Kanauj, was situated above the Râj-ghâṭ at the confluence of Barṇâ and the Ganges (Bholanath Chunder's *Travels of a Hindu*, vol. I). Benares is one of the Pîṭhas where Satî's left hand is said to have fallen, and is now represented by the goddess Annapûrṇâ, but the *Tantrachūḍāmaṇi* mentions the name of the goddess as Viśâlâkṣhî. There are two Brahmanical Universities in ancient India, one at Benares and the other at Takṣhaśilâ (Taxila) in the Punjab. For the observatory at Benares and the names of the instruments with sketches, see Hooker's *Himalayan Journals*, vol. I, p. 67. Benares is said to be the birth-place of Kaśyapa Buddha, but Fa Hian says that he was born at Too-wei, which has been identified by General Cunningham with Tadwa or Tandwa (Legge's Fa Hian, ch xxi; Arch S. Rep, XI), nine miles to the west of Srâvastî. Kaśyapa died at Gurupada hill (see Gurupâda-giri).

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But according to the Aṭṭhakathâ of Buddhaghosha, Kaśyapa (Kassapa) was born at Banaras and died at Mrigadâva or modern Sarnath (JASB., 1838, p 796) In the Yuvanjaya Jātaka (Jātakas IV, 75), the ancient names of Banaras are said to have been Surandhana, Sudarśana, Brahmavarddhana, Pushpavatî and Ramya