Historical Geography of Ancient India c5.s3.15

c5.s3.15

According to the Kāvyamīmāṃsā (93) the country lying to the west of Devasabhā was called the Paścāddeśa¹ or the western country. According to the Pali Sāsanavaṃsa (p. 11) Aparāntaka or western India lies to the west of the upper Irawady. Sir R. G. Bhandarkar points out that Aparānta was the northern Konkan whose capital was Surpāraka, modern Sopara. The western sea-board of India was called Aparāntaka or Aparāntika according to Bhagavanlal Indraji. Aparānta is often mentioned in the Mahābhārata (Bhīṣmaparva, IX. 335; Vanaparva, CCXVII. 7885-6; Śāntiparva, XLIX, 1780-82). According to the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa (Ch. 58) Aparānta seems to have been located north of the Sindhu-Sauvīra country. According to D. R. Bhandarkar Ariake is Aparāntika. Aparānta is referred to in Aśoka’s Rock Edict V. It is also mentioned in Luders’ List No. 965. From the Nasik record of Gautamī Balaśrī we learn that her son extended his sway over Aparānta which was reconquered later by Śaka satrap Rudradāman of Western India as evidenced by the Junāgaḍh Rock Inscription of 150 A.D. For further details vide Law, *Tribes in Ancient India*, p. 392; Law, *Indological Studies*, I, 53.