On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c20.96

v2.c20.96

was the Kalanda Tank now without any water. Two or three *li* to the north-west of this was an Asoka tope beside which was a stone pillar, above 50 feet high, surmounted by an elephant, and having an inscription recording the circumstances of the tope. Not far to the north-east from this was Rājagriha city the outer wall of which was utterly destroyed; the foundations of the inner wall stood out prominently and were above 20 *li* in circuit with one gate. King Bimbisāra had his capital at Kuśāgrapur which was constantly afflicted by disastrous fires; on the advice of his statesmen this king made a law that the inhabitant with whom a fire originated was to be banished to the cemetery. When a fire broke out in the palace he made his heir king, and went to live in the cemetery. Hearing this the king of Vaiśālī proceeded to invade Magadha, whereupon this city was built, and the inhabitants of Kuśāgrapur all removed to it, and because the place had been the abode of their king the city came to be called "the king's abode" (Rājagriha). But there was another story which ascribed the building of this city to Ajātaśatru whose successor made it his capital. When Asoka removed the seat of government to Pāṭaliputra he gave Rājagriha to the brahmins, and so the only inhabitants of the city were 1000 brahmin families.