972 Re -examination of the various Inscriptions [Nov. 



infested by tigers. The next name Kaurddrika is unknown, nor can 

 the title Manta raja be well explained. It may be the district of Curu, 

 near Tahnesar. Argghashtapuraka, the next name, may be construed 

 as the eight cities where due reverence was paid to brahmans : — 

 Mirika and uddyaraka seem derivable from miri cream, and uda water, 

 maritime countries ; — dattairandaka, may be some country famous for 

 producing the castor-oil plant ; — Kdnchiyaka may be Kdnchipur, the 

 golden city in the south mentioned in the Brahmanda purdna ; S'dpd- 

 vamuktaka, bears also an allegorical interpretation, ' freed from a curse j* 

 — as likewise the raja's title nila * the blue :' — can the nilagiri be his 

 locality ? it is one of the mountain divisions of Jambudwipa in the Brah- 

 manda purdna " like the lapis lazuli gem is the Nila mountain*." Thus 

 it may be uncertain whether these are figurative or real names, though 

 it is hardly to be supposed that countries purely imaginary would be 

 introduced as subsidiary to the rule of a man just deceased. The list 

 continues in the same strain : — 



17. (Nila raja,) vaingeyaka hastiva?*ma, pdlakka-ugrasena, devarash- 

 traka kubera, kausthalapuraka dhananjaya, prabhriti sarva dakshina- 

 patha raja griha samdjdnugrahajanitapratdponmis'ra mahabhdgyasya. 



All these names, it says, belong to that division of India entitled 

 Dakshinapatha, the lowermost of the four equilateral triangles into 

 which the Mahdbharat divides ancient India — the Dachinabades of 

 Arrian. This division, known to the contemporary of Alexander 

 (Euemerus) was still extant in the time of Nonnus. Vaingeyaka is a 

 regular derivative from Vinga ; but neither this country nor Pdlak, are 

 to be found in the Pauranic lists of the southern countries, unless the 

 latter be the country of the Pallis-f. It must be remarked, that the names 

 of their rulers are circumstantially given Hastivarma, and Ugrasena: 

 and following them we have Kuvera and Dhananjaya of Daivarashtra, 

 and Kausthalapura, places equally uncertain ; though the former has 

 some affinity to Devagiri or Deogir ; rashtra implying merely ■ country:' 

 Maharashtra might also be understood. Kusasthalli is said by Wilford 

 to have been the name of Oujein in the treta yuga : Tod names the 

 same place * on the Indian ocean,' but the general interpretation i* 

 Canouj, a place out of the limits of the Dakshinapatha. 



The enumeration continues in the 18th line, as follows ; — 



Rudradeva, Matila, Ndgadatta, Chandravarma, Ganapati, Nag a, Ndga- 

 sena, Achyuta, Nandi, Balavarma, — adyaneka Aryavarta raja, &c. ending 

 with paricharakikrita sarvadevardjasya. 



* Asiatic Researches, vol. VIII. Wilford's Essay on Geography, 345. 

 f Placed by Wilford in Candeish, and otherwise called Abhiras. — As. Re». 

 VIII. 336. 



