Historical Geography of Ancient India c7.525

c7.525

*Satiyaputra*.—The Rock Edicts II and XIII of Aśoka refer to it. It lay to the west of the territories of Coḷas and Pāṇḍyas and extended along the western sea-coast of south India (Barua, *Asoka and his Inscriptions*, p. 111). Some have identified it with Satyavratakṣetra or Kāñcīpura (*J.R.A.S.*, 1918, 541-42). Aiyangar agrees with R. G. Bhandarkar in identifying Satiyaputra with Satpute. According to him Satiyaputra is a collective name denoting the various matriarchal communities like the Tulus and the Nayars of Malabar (J.R.A.S., 1919, 581-84). Vincent Smith identifies it with the Satyamangalam taluk or sub-division of Coimbatore district lying along the Western Ghats and bordering on Mysore, Malabar, Coimbatore, and Coorg (Aśoka, 3rd ed., p. 161). According to some Satiyaputra is the same as Satyabhūmi of the Keralolpatti, i.e., a territory roughly equal to North Malabar including a portion of Kasergode taluk, South Canara (J.R.A.S., 1923, 412). According to Barnett and Jayaswal the names Sātavāhana and Śātakarṇi are derived from that of Satiyaputra (cf. Raychaudhuri, P.H.A.I., 4th ed., p. 343, n. 2). All the identifications based upon the equation of satiya of Satiyaputra with satya meaning truth are questionable. For further details vide B. C. Law, Indological Studies, I, p. 58).