History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t9.182

v5.c74.t9.182

Ayodhyā— (in Fyzabad District in U P) on the Ghāgrā One of the seven holy cities (vide p 678n above) It is also a place of pilgrimage for Jains, as some of their saints were born there Atharvaveda X 2. 31 and Tai. A. 1 27 2 (aṣṭācakrā navadvārā devānāṁ pūr-Ayodhyā। tasyāṁ hiraṇyayaḥ kośaḥ svargo loko Jyotirāvṛtaḥ॥), V 60. 24-25 and 70 2 (capital of king Ṛtuparṇa and of Rāma), Br IV 40. 91, Ag 109. 24 (Ayodhyā pāpanāśanī) According to Rām. I. 5. 5-7 the country of Kosala had Sarayū flowing through it, Ayodhyā, 12 yojanas long and three broad, was Kosala capital founded by Manu Kosala was one of the 16 *mahājanapadas* of India in ancient times (vide Aṅguttara Nikāya, vol. IV p 252). Later on, Kosala was divided into two, viz. Uttara Kosala and Dakṣiṇa Kosala divided by the Sarjū or Ghāgrā river. The Raghuvaṁśa holds Ayodhyā to be capital of Uttarakosala (VI 71 and IX 1) Vide also Vā 88. 20 ff. for a long line of kings of Ayodhyā from Ikṣvāku and P VI. 208. 46-47 (for Dakṣiṇa Kośalā and Uttara Kośalā). Sāketa is generally identified with Ayodhyā Vide T P p 496 (gives its boundaries from SK) and under Sāketa Dr B C Law contributes a well-documented and learned paper on 'Ayodhyā' to J. of the Ganganath Jha R. Society, vol I pp 423-443