Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.688

c6.688

This city has been identified with modern Taxila in the district of Rawalpindi in the Punjab. This city was also known as Bhadraśilā and later on it came to be known as Takṣaśilā, because here the head of king Candraprabha was severed by a beggar-Brahmin (Divyāvadānamālā, Northern Buddhist Literature, p. 310). The city named Bhadraśilā was rich, prosperous, and populous. It was 12 yojanas in length and breadth, and was well-divided with four gates, and adorned with high vaults and windows. This city was situated to the north of the Himalayas under the rule of a king named Candraprabha (Bodhisattvāvadāna-Kalpalatā, 5th Pallava). There was a royal garden in it (Divyāvadāna, p. 315). According to the Bodhisattvāvadāna-Kalpalatā (59th Pallava), Takṣaśilā belonged to king Kuñjakarṇa when Kuṇāla was sent to conquer it. From the Divyāvadāna it appears that this city was included in the empire of Bindusāra of Magadha, father of Aśoka.