Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.347

c6.347

*Kailāsa.*—It is mentioned in the *Yoginītantra* (1/1, 1/12). The Puruṣottamapurī plates of Rāmacandra refer to this mountain (*E.I.*, XXV, Pt. V). It is called a king of mountains. It is also known as Bhūteśagiri surrounded by the river Nandā also called Gaṅgā (Bhāgavatapurāṇa, IV. 5, 22; V. 16, 27). The Kālikāpurāṇa (Vaṅgabāsī Ed.) refers to Kailāsa (Ch. 13. 23). It was visited by Śiva and Pārvatī (Ibid., Ch. 14. 31). Śāntanu lived on this mountain and also on the Gandhamādana (Ch. 82. 7). The Mahābhārata (Vanaparva, Chs. 144, 156) includes the Kumaun and Garwal mountains in the Kailāsa range. It is also called Hemakūṭa according to the Mahābhārata (Bhīṣmaparva, Ch. 6). This mountain, also known as the Śaṅkaragiri was visited by Vīraśekhara, son of Mānasavega and grandson of Vegavat, a king of Ikṣvāku’s line (Daśakumāracaritam, p. 54). Kālidāsa refers to Kailāsa in his Kumārasambhava (Nirṇayasāgar Ed., viii, 24). It is known to the Jainas by the name of the Aṣṭapada mountain where the sons of Ṛṣabha and many sages attained perfection. Indra erected three stūpas. Bharata built a caitya called Simhaniṣadya, and twenty-four Jina images together with his own. Rāvaṇa was attacked by Bāli.¹ The Kailāsa range runs parallel to the Ladakh range, 50 miles behind the latter. It contains a number of groups of giant peaks. It may be identified with the Vaidyūtaparvata. It is the Kangrinpoche of the Tibetans, situated about 25 miles to the north of Mānasasarovara. Badarikāśrama is said to be situated on this mountain.²