Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.578

c6.578

Nepāla.—The Yoginītantra mentions it (1/7, 1/11, 2/2). In the Nepālamāhātmya (Ch. I, śl. 30) the former name of Nepāla was Śleṣmātakavana. Paśupatīrtha or Paśupatitīrtha is on the river Bāgmatī. The boundary of Nepāla is as follows: on the east flows the river Kauśikī, on the west the Triśūlagaṅgā, on the north Śivapurī (Kailāśa) and on the south flows a river, the water of which is cold and pure (Ch. 15, śls. 3-5). Nepāla is mentioned in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription as an autonomous frontier state. It was conquered by Samudragupta. Some take it to mean Tippera (J.A.S.B., 1837, p. 973) which seems to be doubtful. The Thankot inscription of the time of Mānadeva Jiṣṇugupta refers to the tax called Mānakara which is collected in the Nepal Valley. This tax is similar to the Taruskadaṇḍa in the inscriptions of Gahaḍavāla of Govindacandra; c. 1104-54 A.D. (E.I., II, 361ff.; IV, 11ff.; 98ff.; 104ff.; 116ff.; V, 115ff.; VII, 98ff.; VIII, 153ff.; IX, 321ff.; XI, 20ff.; 155). In the 7th century A.D. Nepal was a buffer state. In the 8th century A.D. she shook off her dependence on Tibet.