Tribes in Ancient India c61.s2.15

c61.s2.15

We have already referred to the fanciful accounts of Buddhaghosa, the *Rāmāyaṇa* and the *Viṣṇupurāṇa* regarding the origin of Vaiśālī. The *Rāmāyaṇa* further tells us that when Rāma and his brother Lakṣmaṇa, guided by the sage Viśvāmitra, crossed the river Ganges on their way to Mithilā, they had a view of the city of Vaiśālī. It does not tell us that it was exactly on the bank of the river, but says that ‘while seated on the northern shore they saw the town.’⁶ Then, the story goes on, the travellers went to the city of Viśālā which was an excellent town, ‘charming and heavenly, in fact a veritable svarga’.¹ Viśvāmitra here narrates a long mythological story to show the importance of the locality. He goes on to say that the Ikṣvāku prince then ruling over the country was named Sumati, and adds that, by favour of Ikṣvāku, the father of the eponymous founder of the city and ancestor of the ruling dynasty, all the kings of Vaiśālī (sarve Vaiśālikā nṛpāḥ) were long lived, high souled, possessed of strength and power and highly virtuous.²