85 
1900.] yV. Hoey — Identification of Knsinara, Vaisali, ^c. 
I have when wi‘iting about Asiwan referred to the significance of 
the name Asan as tlie founder of that place. Might not this name be 
the Asanga of the Chinese Traveller ? We meet with a similar eponym 
in connection with Asoha, the chief town of Asoha pargana in Unao 
district, where tlie people call the founder Asa Rikh. There are some 
remains at tins place where Bactrian Coins have been found : and these 
remains maybe Buddhist, but it would be rash to say as yet that Asoha 
is ’0-yu-t’o. 
I need not say anything as regards Prayaga which can be no other 
spot than Allahabad.* From this undoubtedly fixed point Hwen 
Thsang went to KosambI which has been identified with Kosam cum 
Pabhosa on the northern bank of the Jumna. My learned friend Mr. 
Vincent Smith, has lately written disputing the correctness of this 
identification and I must admit that my. faith was at first shaken by 
his arguments. I have a great respect for his acumen but I venture 
to say that, after considering all that he has written, I cannot but hold 
to the original identification. Mr. Smith has not himself visited 
Kosam. 
As Hwen Thsang travelled by boat on the Ganges it is highly 
probable he moved by boat along the Jumna. In that case his first 
direction would have been S.W. and on his left at any rate we would 
have had forest as one can see who has traversed the Barah Talisil of 
Allahabad District and the adjoining parts of Bandah District. The 
journey by river would be long and tedious enough to account for the 
great distance recorded, 500 li. When the traveller left Kosambi and 
went north he passed through a dense foiest. This may possibly be 
the present Atharban pargana. As we have the Antar-ved for the 
Ganges-Jumna Doab, the name may really be correctly Antar-vana, 
This point is worth examination. At any rate vana (forest) is beyond 
doubt. 
In Rockhill’s “ Life of the Buddha (page 74), where the account 
of the conversion of the king of Kosambi ^ is given, we are told that at 
that time the king of Vatsala had assembled his army with the inten- 
tion of conquering the city of Kanakavati. West of Kosam about 16 
miles on the southern bank of the Jumna where it is joined by that 
Paisuni river, there are extensive ruins known as Kankotah or Kanak 
Kot. I have seen them. I excavated a part some years ago and found 
inscribed stone lintels. This is, I believe, the Kanakavati referred to, 
and the position of the two capitals recalls the similar location of 
Pataliputra and Vaisali. 
i I see no reason to suppose that the Vatsa country is not the Kingdom of 
Kosambi. 
