Tribes in Ancient India c50.244

c50.244

Rājagṛha, the ancient capital of Magadha, had many names in the course of its long history; and many explanations of these names have been put forward by various authorities, indigenous and foreign. By some it was said that Rājagṛha (Pāli Rājagaha) was so called because it was founded by a king, and every house in it resembled a palace.⁶ Buddhaghosa says, however, that the town was called Rājagaha because it was used as a residence (lit. seized) by Mandhātā, Mahāgovinda, and the rest.⁷ Dhammapāla refers to another opinion accounting for the name Rājagaha as a prison for inimical kings (paṭirājūnaṃ gahabhūtattā).⁸ The town was also called Kuśāgrapura, ‘the city of the superior reed-grass’ which abounded there,⁹ or ‘city of (King) Kuśāgra’ and Girivraja, because it was surrounded by mountains.¹ Girivraja is the name which was given in the *Rāmāyaṇa* and the *Mahābhārata* to the old capital of Jarāsandha, king of Magadha. Dhammapāla says that the place was originally built or planned by Mahāgovinda, the famous architect,² while in the *Sāsanavaṃsa* we read that King Mandhātā was the founder of Rājagaha,³ and in the *Suttanipāta Commentary* it is stated that Rājagaha was ruled by famous kings like Mandhātā and Mahāgovinda.⁴ In the *Jātakas* it is mentioned as a great city.⁵