Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.444

c6.444

Kosambī is identified by Cunningham with Kosam on the Jumna, about 30 miles south-west from Allahabad. Hiuen Tsang visited this country in the 7th century A.D. According to him, it was more than 6,000 li in circuit, and its capital 30 li in circuit. It was a fertile country with hot climate; it yielded much upland rice and sugarcane. Its people were enterprising, fond of arts and cultivators of religious merit. There were more than ten Buddhist monasteries which were in utter ruin and the monks were Hīnayānists. There were more than fifty Deva-temples, and the non-Buddhists were numerous.¹ An inscription on the gateway of the fort of Kara dated Saṃvat 1093 (A.D. 1036) records the grant of the village of Payalāsa (modern Prās) in the Kauśāmbī-maṇḍala to one Māthura-Vikaṭa of Pabhosā together with its customary duties, royalties, taxes, etc., in perpetuity to his descendants by Mahārājādhirāja Yaśaḥpāla, who was the last Pratihāra king of Kanauj. The Allahabad posthumous stone pillar inscription of Samudragupta refers to Kauśāmbī (*C.I.I.*, Vol. III). The Kosam stone image inscription of Mahārāja Bhīmavarman (the year 139) refers to Kosam, the ancient town of Kauśāmbī (*C.I.I.*, Vol. III). This city was hallowed by the birth of Jina. It contains the temple of Padmaprabhu in which the image of Candanavālā can be seen. Here Candanavālā fasted for about six months in honour of Mahāvīra. The brick-built fort of king Pradyota still exists here.² For further details vide B. C. Law, *Tribes in Ancient India*, pp. 136ff.; B. C. Law, *Kauśāmbī in Ancient Literature*, M.A.S.I., No. 60; *Mahāvastu*, Vol. II, p. 2; *Bodhisattvāvadānakalpalatā*, 35th Pallava; *Northern Buddhist Literature* (R. L. Mitra), 269; *Saundarananda-kāvya*, Canto I; B. C. Law, *Geographical Essays*, 26-27; B. C. Law, *Geography of Early Buddhism*, pp. 16-17.