Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.408

c6.408

Kānyakubja.—It was also known as Gādhipura, Kuśasthala and Mahadaya.⁶ It is modern Kanauj. It was visited by Viśvāmitra as related in the Mahābhārata (Ch. 87, 17). According to the Vinayapiṭaka (Vol. II, p. 299) Kaṇṇakujja or Kānyakubja was visited by the venerable elder Revata from Saṅkassa (Saṃkāśya). It is also mentioned in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa (VI, 1, 21) as a city of Ajāmila. The Yoginītantra (2. 4) refers to it. Bāṇa in his Harṣacarita (Ch. VI) mentions a princess of Kānyakubja named Rājyaśrī who was cast into prison. The city of Kānyakubja existed in the kingdom of Pañcāla (E.I., IV, 246). The Ratnapur Stone Inscription of Jājalladeva of the Cedi year 866 mentions that Jājalla was allied with the ruler of Cedi and honoured by the prince of Kānyakubja Jejābhuktika (E.I., I, 33). A copperplate discovered at Khalimpura points out that the kings of the Bhojas, Matsyas, Kurus, Yadus and Yavanas were forced to acknowledge Cakrāyudha as the king of Kānyakubja (R. D. Banerjee, Vāṅgālār Itihāsa, Pt. I, pp. 167-69). Towards the close of the 11th century A.D. Kānyakubja came under the sway of Karṇadeva (C. 1040-1070 A.D.), son of Gāṅgeyadeva (R. D. Banerjee, Prācīna Mudrā, p. 215). Kānyakubja was under the rulers named Avantivarman and Grahavarman, who were the descendants of Susthitavarman Maukhari (Gupta Inscriptions, Intro., p. 15). The old capital of Kānyakubja was originally called Kusumapura (vide the Allahabad posthumous stone pillar inscription of Samudragupta—C.I.I., Vol. III). It was the birthplace of Viśvāmitra (Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa). When the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang visited it in the 7th century A.D., Harṣavardhana was the reigning sovereign. Hiuen Tsang saw 100 Buddhist establishments at Kānyakubja. According to him the Ganges was on the west side of Kanauj and not on the east, as held by Cunningham. This kingdom was about 4,000 li in circuit. It had a dry ditch around it with strong and lofty towers. It contained flowers and woods, lakes and ponds. The people were well off and contented. The climate was agreeable and soft. The people were honest and sincere, noble and gracious in appearance. For clothings they used ornamented and bright-shining fabrics. They were fond of learning. There were believers in the Buddha and heretics equal in number (Beal, *Buddhist Records of the Western World*, I, 206-207). The reigning king of Kanauj in his time named Harṣavardhana was just in his administration and punctilious in the discharge of his duties. He devoted his heart and soul to the performance of good works. He erected many topes on the bank of the Ganges and also Buddhist monasteries. He brought the monks together for examination and discussion, giving reward and punishment according to merit and demerit. The king also made visits of inspection throughout his dominion. The king's day was divided into three periods, of which one was given up to affairs of government, and two were devoted to religious works. He was an indefatigable worker (Watters, *On Yuan Chwang*, I, 343-44). Kanauj was the capital of the Maukhari kings before the time of Harṣavardhana. The Surat grant of Trilocanapāla contains the earliest reference to a Rāṣṭrakūṭa family at Kanauj. That the Rāṣṭrakūṭas lived in the vicinity of Kanauj is definitely proved by the Budaun Stone Inscription of Lakṣmaṇapāla (*E.I.*, I, 61-66). The territories of the Mālavas, Kośalas and Kurus appear to have been under the Gurjara rulers of Kanauj. Dhaṅga obtained exalted sovereignty after defeating the king of Kanauj (*Kānyakubjanarendra*, *E.I.*, I, 197). Five copperplate inscriptions of the Gahaḍavāla king Govindacandra were discovered at Kanauj (*E.I.*, VIII, 149ff.). Two copperplate inscriptions refer to the reign of the Mahārājādhirāja Mahendrapāla of Kanauj (*E.I.*, IX, 1ff.).