Geography of Early Buddhism c10.9

c10.9

In the Barhut inscriptions (Barua and Sinha, pp. 7 and 27) there is a reference to Bhojakata. The Sabhāparva of the Great Epic (Chap. 30) mentions Bhojakata and Bhojakatapura as two places in the south conquered by Sahadeva. If Bhojakata be the same as Bhoja or Bhojya of the Purāṇas, then it must be a country of the Vindhya region. The expression Daṇdakyabhoja in the Brāhmaṇas may indicate that the Bhojakata was either included within or within the reach of Daṇdaka. It is clear from the Mahābhārata list that Bhojakata (identical with Elichpur) was distinct from Bhojakatapura or Bhojapura, the second capital of Vidarbha (modern Berar). In the Khila Harivaṃśa (Visnu Purāṇa, LX, 32) Bhojakata is expressly identified with Vidarbha.