On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c13.3

v1.c13.3

The capital, the pilgrim goes on to describe, was surrounded for 200 *li* by a district called the "Place of Religious Merit" *Fu-ti* (福地). The origin of this name Yuan-chuang learned at the place to be as follows. The "Five Indias" were once divided between two sovereigns who fought for mastery, invading each other's territory and keeping up unceasing war. At length in order to settle the question of superiority, and so give peace to their subjects, the kings agreed between themselves to have a decisive action. But their subjects were dissatisfied and refused to obey their kings' commands. Thereupon the king [of that part of India which included Sthāneśvara] thought of an expedient. Seeing it was useless to let his subjects have a voice in his proposals, and knowing that the people would be influenced by the supernatural, he secretly sent a roll of silk to a clever brahmin commanding him to come to the palace. On his arrival there the brahmin was kept in an inner chamber, and there he composed (that is, by the King's inspiration) a Dharma-sūtra (that is, a treatise on Duty). This book the king then hid in a rock-cave, where it remained for several years until vegetation covered the spot. Then one morning the king informed his ministers at an audience that he had been enlightened by Indra, who told him in a dream about an inspired book hidden in a certain hill. The book was brought forth, and officials and people were enraptured. By the king's orders the contents of the scripture were made known to all, and the sum of them was briefly this—