Historical Geography of Ancient India c9.195

c9.195

Prabhāsa.—It is mentioned in the Nasik Cave inscription of the time of Nahapāna (c. 119–24 A.D.). It is in Kāthiāwāḍ (cf. *Mathura Buddhist Image Inscription of Huviṣka*). It is the well-known Prabhās-Pāṭan or Somnāth-Pāṭan on the south coast of Kāthiāwār (*Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency*, 1883, Nasik, p. 637). It is called Prabhāsatīrtha (Luders’ List, Nos. 1099, 1131). This sacred place is mentioned in the *Bhāgavata Purāṇa* as situated on the sea-shore (X, 45, 38; X, 78, 18; X, 79, 9–21; X, 86, 2; XI, 6, 35; XI, 30, 6; XI, 30, 10). According to the *Bhāgavata Purāṇa* (VII, 14. 31), this holy place sacred to Hari is famous for the Sarasvatī flowing westwards. It was visited by Arjuna and Balarāma (*Bhāgavata*, X, 86. 2; X, 78. 18). The *Mahābhārata* (118, 15; 119, 1–3) mentions Prabhāsatīrtha. The *Kūrma Purāṇa* refers to it as one of the famous holy places of India (Ch. 30, śls. 45–48; cf. *Agni Purāṇa*, Ch. 109). The *Yoginītantra* (2. 4. 128; 2. 5. 141) also mentions it. The *Padma Purāṇa* (Ch. 133) mentions Someśvara in Prabhāsa.