Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.615

c6.615

Prayāga.—The *Rāmāyaṇa* (Ayodhyākāṇḍa, sarga 54, vs. 2-5) points out that Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā saw smoke coming out of this holy city when they came to the confluence of the Ganges and Jumna after Ayodhyā. According to the *Mahābhārata* (85. 79-83), it is the holiest of all places in the whole world. According to the *Harivaṃśa* (Ch. XXVI. 9) it is highly spoken of by the great sages. The *Yoginītantra* (2. 2. 119) refers to it. The *Kūrmapurāṇa* (Pūrvabhāga, 30, 45-48) and *Padmapurāṇa* (Uttarakhaṇḍa, vs. 35-38) also mention this famous holy place. Some inscriptions discovered at Bhiṭā mention the following kings who were associated with Prayāga: (1) Mahārāja Gautamīputra Śrī-Śivamegha, (2) Rājan Vāsiṣṭhīputra Bhīmasena of the 2nd or 3rd century A.D., and (3) Mahārāja Gautamīputra Vṛṣadhvaja of the 3rd or 4th century A.D. (R. K. Mookerjee, *Gupta Empire*, p. 13). The Aphsad Stone Inscription of Ādityasena (Fleet No. 42) tells us that Kumāragupta who won victory over the Maukhari king Īśānavarman, performed religious suicide at Prayāga (D. R. Bhandarkar Volume, pp. 180-81).