128 P. N. Bof^e— Note on Mdhishnati. [July c. {Tg^, 



cents li a travers des plaines sauvages et des deserts dangereux, il passa le 

 grand fleuve Sintou, et arriva au royaume du meme nom." 



Now, Gurjara [Kiu-tche-lo] to which Hiouen Thsang returned from 

 liis Mahesvarapura is nearly 600 miles from Mandla in a straight line ; 

 whereas the language of the text just cited would convey the impression 

 that the two kingdoms were in close proximity. Besides, it is not likely 

 that he would go so far out of his way to visit a heretic town of compara- 

 tive insignificance, as Mandla must have been at the time. 



Again, the pilgrim distinctly states that the king of Mahesvarapura 

 was a Brahmana. On the other hand, we have the unquestionable testi- 

 mony of an inscription that the king of Mandla at the time of his visit 

 was of Gond-Rajput descent,* whose highest pretensions could never 

 have risen any higher than the style of a Kshatriya ; and a cultured 

 traveller of Hiouen Thsang's stamp would surely know the difference 

 between Kshatriyas and Brahmanas. 



M. L. Vivien de Saint Martin identifies Mahesvarapura with Mache- 

 ri.f It is 130 miles north— 10° or IS*'— west of Jajhoti. The distance 

 and bearing agree as closely as may be expected with that given in the 

 Memoirs, viz., " 150 miles to the north." Besides, its position harmonises 

 remarkably with the statement in the " Memoirs " already quoted, viz., that 

 leaving the territory of Mahesvarapura, the pilgrim re-entered the king- 

 dom of Gurjara. The eastern boundary of this kingdom, which is given as 

 extending from Junjhnu to Mt. Abu along the Aravalis,;]: is only 100 

 miles from the town of Macheri, and must have touched upon the western 

 limit of the kingdom of that name as its circuit is given as 500 miles. § 

 I think, on the whole, the probabilities are in favour of M. L. Vivien de 

 St. Martin's identification. 



General Cunningham also considers the Mahesa-Mandala to which 

 Asoka sent the Thero Mahadeva to be the same as Mandla. There is 

 absolutely no proof whatever that the place, if anciently called by this 

 name, ever had Mahesa for a prefix. Besides, so early as B. C. 240, Mandla 

 was probably a place of little importance. On the other hand, my 

 supposition that " Mahesa-Mandala" is probably preserved in the names 

 " Mahesvara" and " Mandalesvara," which are only four miles apart, also 

 rests on very scant data. 



The proofs of the antiquity of our Mahesvara, however, are overwhelm- 

 ing. I did not cite them as they are chiefly of a traditional character ; 

 but I find their cumulative evidence to be by no means inconsiderable. 



* Slecman, Journ. As. Soc. 1837, p. 625. The reigning king at the time was 

 either Gopal Sa or Bhopal Sa. 

 t Op. cit. p. 408. 

 X Cunningham, op. cit. p. 312. 

 ^ Cunningham, op, cit. p. 489. 



