Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.412

c6.412

Kāśī.—Among the holy places of India Kāśī or Vārāṇasī stands pre-eminent (*Saurapurāṇa*, Ch. IV, v. 5; *Kālikāpurāṇa*, 51, 53; 58, 35; cf. *Mahābhārata*, 84, 78). Kāśī is included in the list of sixteen Mahājanapadas (*Aṅg.*, I. 213; IV, 252, 256, 260). Pāṇini in his *Aṣṭādhyāyī* (4. 2. 116), and Patañjali, in his *Mahābhāṣya* (2. 1. 1., p. 32), mention Kāśī. The *Bhāgavatapurāṇa* (IX. 22, 23; X. 57, 32; X. 66, 10; X. 84, 55 and XII. 13, 17) also mentions this city. The *Skandapurāṇa* (Ch. I, 19-23) and the *Yoginitantra* (1/2; 2/4) make mention of this holy city. The Kamauli plate of Govindacandra (V.S. 1184) refers to it (*E.I.*, XXVI, Pt. II, p. 71; I.A., XV, p. 8, f.n. 46). Vārāṇasī, which was the chief city of the ancient kingdom of Kāśī, occurs in Lüders' List, No. 925, as a town. It was an important town like Kampillapura, Palāsapura and Āḷabhi within the kingdom of Jiyasattu according to the Jaina *Uvāsagadasāo* (pp. 84-85, 90, 95, 105, 160, 163). It was known by different names in different ages; Surundhana, Sudassana, Brahmavaddhana, Pupphavati, Ramma and Molini (*Jātaka*, IV, pp. 15, 199; *Cariyāpiṭaka*, p. 7). According to the *Kūrmapurāṇa* (*Pūrvabhāga*, Ch. 30, śl. 63) it lies in the midst of the rivers Varaṇā and Asī. It is situated 80 miles below Allahabad on the north bank of the Ganges. From the joint name of the two streams, the Varaṇā and Asī, which bound the city to the north and the south, the name Vārāṇasī is derived. The Varaṇā which is undoubtedly a considerable rivulet may be identified with the river Varaṇāvatī mentioned in the Atharvaveda (IV. 7. 1). Vārāṇasī is also called Kāśīnagara and Kāśīpura (Jātaka, V, 54; VI, 115; Dhammapada Commentary, I, 87). The extent of the city as mentioned in the Jātaka (IV, 377; VI, 160; cf. Majjhima Commy., II, 608) was 12 yojanas. It was built by Śūlapāṇi Mahādeva. It was visited by king Hariścandra accompanied by his wife Śaivyā and son (Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa, Vaṅgavāsī Ed., p. 34). It could be reached from Śrāvastī by convenient roads. It stood on the left bank of the Ganges. It was a great centre of trade and industry and trade relation existed between it and Śrāvastī and Takṣaśilā. (Dhammapada Commy., III, p. 429; I, p. 123). It was a most populous and prosperous country (Dham. Commy., III, 445; Suttanipāta Commy., II, 523ff.; Jāt., II, 109, 287, 338; III, 198; V, 377; VI, 151, 450; Jāt., I, 355; Aṅg., III, 391; Jāt., II, 197; I, 478; VI, 71). Vārāṇasī, which features fairly in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain literature, was included in the list of great cities suggested by Ānanda as a suitable place for the parinirvāṇa of the Buddha (Dīgha, II, 146). An inscription from Sarnath refers to the repair of some religious buildings in this city (I.A., XIV, pp. 139-140).