Ancient Indian Colonization in South-East Asia c8.52

c8.52

According to traditions current among the Burmese, Abhirāja, a prince of the Śākya clan of Kapilavastu, marched with an army to Upper Burma, founded the city of Sankissa ( Tagaung ) on the Upper Irawadi, and set himself up as the king of the surrounding region. After thirty-one generations had ruled, a second band of Kṣatriyas from the Gangetic valley occupied the kingdom. After sixteen generations of the new dynasty had ruled, the kingdom was over-run by the barbarians, but the elder son of the king founded a new kingdom with his capital near modern Prome. His son founded the great city of Śrī-kṣetra nearby and made it his capital. After eighteen kings had ruled there, a civil war broke out among the three constituent tribes, *viz.* Pyu, Kanran and Mramma. The Pyus having gained the contest the Kanrans went to Arakan. But the Pyus themselves were defeated by the Mons or Talaings and the supre-macy passed to the Mramma, from which is derived the modern name Burma. The capital was removed to the city of Pagan.