The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c5.s9.83

c5.s9.83

Kausāmbī—Kosambi-nagar or Kosam, an old village on the left bank of the Jamuna, about thirty miles to the west of Allahabad. It was the capital of Vaṃsadeśa or Vatsyadeśa, the kingdom of Udayana, whose life is given in the Bṛihat-Kathā and Kathā-sarit-sāgara, II, ch. I. The Ratnāvalī, a drama by Harṣa Deva, places its scene at Kausāmbī (see Hastinapura). Buddha dwelt in the Ghoṣita-ārāma of Kausāmbī (Chullavagga, pt. I, ch. 25). Udayana or Udena, as he was called by the Buddhists, was the son of King Parantapa; he married Vāsuladattā or Vāsava-dattā, daughter of Chaṇḍa Prajjota called also Mahâsena (Śrîharsha's Priyadarśikâ, Acts I, III), king of Ujjayinî He was converted to Buddhism by Pindola (Dr Rhys Davids' Buddhist India, p 7), and it was Udayana who first made an image of Buddha who was his contemporary The image was of sandal-wood, five feet in height The second image was made by Prasenajit, king of Kośala, who was also a contemporary of Buddha It was made of gold (Dr Edkins' Chinese Buddhism, p 49), but according to Fa Hian, Prasenajit's image was also made of Gosîrsha Chandana (sandal wood) The Vâsavadattâ by Subandhu, probably written at the beginning of the 9th century A. D., relates the story of Vâsavadattâ and Udayana Vararuchi, called also Kâtyâyana, the author of the Vârttikas, is said to have been born at Kausâmbî and became the minister of Nanda, king of Pâtaliputra (Kathâ sarit sâgara, I, ch 3)