24 Verification of the Itinerary of H wan Thsang [July,* 



From Khiu-lu-to to the S. at 700 li (117 miles) across high moun- 

 tains and a great river to 



No. 51 — She-to-thu-lo, on the northern frontier of India. (This 

 is a literal transcript of the Sanskrit Satadru, the Zadadrus of Ptolemy 

 and the Hesudrus of Pliny. The bearing and distance point to the 

 present Lodiana as the site of this town on the Sutlaj. Lodiana derives 

 its name from the Afghan family of Lodi, which gave several sovereigns 

 to Delhi : but in the Rdmdyana I find that the ancient town of Ilu-dha- 

 na, the patrimony of the race of Ikshwaka, was situated in this position. 

 I believe therefore that Lodiana was only a complimentary alteration of 

 an older name. She-to-thu-lo may have been the name of the town ; 

 but it seems more likely that it was only the name of the district lying 

 along the Satadru or Sutlaj, as Sindk is the country on the Sindhu or 

 Indus. 



Thence to the S. E. at 800 li (133 miles) to 



No. 52 — Pho-li-ye-tha-lo, on the frontier of central India. (The 

 recorded bearing and distance bring us to Delhi, the ancient Indra- 

 prastha. The Chinese syllables represent the Sanskrit Vrihasthala, 

 a place which is named in the Mahabharata as one of the five towns 

 demanded as the price of peace between the Kauravas and Pandavas # 

 In the Mahabharata the names are Aristhala, Vrihasthala, &c. which 

 in the Veni-Samhara are changed to Indra-prastha, Tilaprastha, &c. 

 It seems probable therefore that Vrihasthala is only another name for 

 Tilaprastha, and Aristhala a synonyme of Indraprastha. Now Tila- 

 prastha still exists as Tilpat, 6 miles to the S. E. of Toghlakabad, and 

 10 miles to the E. S. E. of the Kutb-Minar. I have a suspicion that 

 the much disputed origin of the name of Delhi or Dilli lies in Tilc~ 

 prastha. Sanskrit scholars refer the name to f^fti^ Dilipa, a name 

 which is symphonious with fa^nr. As ancient Delhi undoubtedly ex- 

 tended over the hills about Toghlakabad, Tilprastha, if not the actuaj 

 capital itself, must have formed one of the suburbs of the city. That 

 this identification is correct is proved by the following bearing and 

 distance. 



Thence to the E, at 500 li (83 miles) to 



No. 53 — Mothu-lo in Central India. (This is certainly Mathura 

 as identified by M. Landresse. I believe that there are now no vestiges 

 of the three Stupas built by Asoka.) 



