On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c14.29

v1.c14.29

The pilgrim, we learn from these texts, was on his way back to China, and had gone again to the great monastery of Nālandā in Magadha. Here he wished to remain for some time continuing his studies in Buddhist philosophy which had been begun there some years before. But Bāskaravarma, styled Kumāra, the king of Kāmarūpa (that is, Assam), had heard of him and longed to see him. So he sent messengers to Nālandā to invite and urge the pilgrim to pay him a visit. Yuan-chuang at first declined and pleaded his duty to China, but his old Buddhist teacher Śīlabhadra convinced him that it was also his duty to go to Kāmarūpa on the invitation of its king who was not a Buddhist. The pilgrim at length yielded, travelled to that country, and was received by the king with great honour. In the course of a conversation His Majesty said to Yuan-chuang.— "At present in various states of India a song has been heard for some time called the "Music of the conquests of Ch'in (Tsin) wang" of Mahāchina—this refers to Your Reverence's native country I presume". The pilgrim replied— "Yes, this song praises my sovereign's excellences".