10 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. (January, 1909. 
by the Buddhists. It appears therefore that Patharghaté must 
have been a place of great sanctity both to the Hindus and the 
Buddhists. 
t the question is what was the ancient name of Pathar- 
ghata? There is no tradition. The Brahmins who look after the 
Patharghata.- The people of the surrounding country can not 
say what the ancient name of the place was. Two miles to the 
south of Patharghaté, that is about midway between the latter 
place and Colyong, on the highest peak of a limestone hill 
called the Khalli-pahar, there is a temple which is pointed out 
as the Durvisé-asrama or the hermitage of Rishi Durvasd, and 
Colgong, which is locally called Kahalgaon, is a corruption of 
Kalahagrima from the pugnacious character of the Rishi. But 
this circumstance does not elucidate the ancient name of Pathar-. 
ghaté. The Ayni Purina mentions indeed the name of ‘“ Batesa”’ 
mean “ Bateswara.” the “ undecaying banian tree” of Prayaga 
Allahabad). But it should be borne in mind that the present 
temple of Bateswaranatha is of recent date: hence the ‘ Deva 
temple” of Hiuen T'siang might not have been that of Bateswara- 
natha. But Major Francklin in his search for the site of Pali- 
bothra (Pataliputra) in 1811 and 1812 has left a remark which gives 
us some clue as to its ancient name. He says,‘‘ Patharghaté in Sans- 
krit is called Szld-Sanyam, which signifies the union or junction 
1 Agni Parana, ch. 109, v. 20. 
2 See note 3, p. 7. 3 Matsya Parana, ch. 22, v. 8. 
4 Francklin’s Site of Ancient Palibothra, 1815, p. 55. 
5 Ibid, appendix xiii. 
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