
31. Notes on the Geography of Old Bengal. 
By Monmonan Cnaxravarti, M.A., B.L., M.R.A.S, 
The scone a of Old Bengal has been discussed in several 
papers, notably by Mr. Pargiter for the Hindu period, and by 
Messrs. Blochmann and Beames for the caine ees period. : Still 
the field is not exhausted, and an immense amount of spade-work 
yet remains to be done. The present er has been written 
with the object of drawing attention to 4% subject, which must 
be interesting to all residents of Bengal. 
I. PUNDRAS, PUNDRA-VARDDHANA, 
This paper is be Sign to the Bengali-speaking tract, other- 
wise one might e begun with the Angas, who are general y 
grouped with the Hanes tribes in abe epics, and who for ‘med the 
easternmost tribe known to the Aryans in the time of Atharva- 
samhita.* 
The Pundras, if not so old as Angas, must still be placed 
in a remote period. In the Avztareya- 
ee while narrating the legend of 
sepa, it is said that he was offered 
the right of premogeniture by Viveatee. Of the latter’s hundred 
sons, the fifty elder ones were not pleased at this, on which they 
were cursed by their father to have the lowest castes for their des- 
cendants, “Therefore are many of the most degraded classes of 
men, the rabble for the most part, such as the Andhras, ebrued 
Sabaras, Pulindas and Miutibas, a of Visvam eee 
Pundras: 
(a) Vedic period. 
the Upanisads, the earliest of which extended over a period o 
or ar B00 to 500 B.C. according to Professor Deussen.’ Consequently, 

E. Pargiter, Ancient Countries in Eastern India, J.A.S.B., 1897. 
Part ce pp. 85-112 ; H. Blochmann, Geographical and Historical Notes on the 
Burdwan and Pres idency Divisions, Bengal, Appendix to the History of 
phy 
Bengal, Part I, J.A.S.B., 1873, Part I, pp. 209-810; Part II, 1874, 
et seq.; Part I It, tapi p. oa et seq. ; Jolin Beames, Notes on Akbar’s nial 
J RS .8., 1896, p 83-136 
2 Gandhar | ea Majavaabhyo = oe pie Magadhebhyoh | Praigyan janam 
=1iva gevadhim takmanam paridadmasi || 
Transl. :—In the 3 Gandharis, ake Wajuvatites, $1 e Angas, and the Maga- 
dhas, we deliver over the takman —- age a servant, ee treasure. 
Atharva-samhité, Kanda V, Anuvika 5, verse 
3 Ait. Brahmana, Bk. VII hae : Haug’ 8 eansiiiiea: pp 469-470. 
+ Ch. XV, 26 (B: ib. Ind. E p- 695 
5 Deussen, Philosophy of om "Dpowishads, Eng. transl., p. 51, 
