Tribes in Ancient India c46.2

c46.2

The Mūlakas were a small tribe, very closely related with the Aśmakas of the South¹ (= Aśvakas of the *Mahābhārata*, Assakas of Pāli literature). They were perhaps situated to the south of Avanti, and according to Bhaṭṭasvāmī, the commentator of Kauṭilya’s *Arthaśāstra*, their country was identical with Mahārāṣṭra. The position of the Aśmakas and Mūlakas may be determined by two references in the *Suttanipāta*. From verse 977 we gather that the Assakas and Mūlakas² occupied the region on the banks of the Godāvarī; while in verse 1011 the capital of the Mūlakas is described as being located at Paṭiṭṭhāna (Sans. Pratiṣṭhāna), i.e. Paithan (= Baithan of Ptolemy) on the north bank of the Godāvarī in the Aurungabad district of the Nizam’s dominions.