87 
1897.] F* E. Pargiter— Ancient Countries in Eastern India . 
He (Agni) thence went burning along this earth towards the east; 
and Gotama Rahugana and the Videgha Mathava followed after him 
as lie was burning along. He burnt over (dried up) all these rivers. 
Now that (river) which is called Sada-nira flows from the northern 
(Himalaya) mountain; that one he did not burn over. That one the 
brahmans did not cross in former times, thinking it has not been burnt 
over by Agni Vai 9 vanara. Now-a-days, however, there are many 
brahmans to the east of it. At that time it (the land east of the 
Sada-nira) was very uncultivated, very marshy, because it had not been 
tasted by Agni Va^vanara. Now-a-days, however, it is very cultivated, 
for the brahmans have caused (Agni) to taste it through sacrifices. 
Even in late summer that (river), as it were, rages along ; so cold is it, 
not having been burnt over by Agni Va^vanara. Mathava the Videgha 
then said (to Agni), ‘Where am I to' abide?’ ‘To the east of this 
river be thy abode ! ’ said he. Even now this river forms the boundary 
of the Kosalas and Videhas ; for these are the Mathavas.” 
Sada-nira means “the river that is always full of water.” Sayana 
says it is the river Karatoya, the modern Kurattee which flows through 
the Bogra district; and Dr. Muir (Sansk. Texts, II. 419-422) and Dr. 
Eggeling (see note in his edition) prefer to identify it with the 
Gandaki' the modern Gandak. Sayana’s explanation must be mis¬ 
taken, because there can be no doubt Videha could never have been 
east of the Kurattee. Nor can the river be well identified with the 
Gandaki, because they are mentioned as distinct rivers in Sabha-p., 
xix. 794. This passage is noticed by Dr. Muir. Though it is hardly 
intelligible in its description of the route taken by Krsna, Arjuna and 
Bliima in going from the Kurus to Magadha, unless they took a zigzag 
course eastward, south-westward and again eastward, in order to avert 
suspicion before finally making for Magadha ; still it indicates plainly 
that the Gandaki and Sada-nira were different rivers. Moreover the 
Gandaki flows through the country which has always been considered 
to be Videha, and could not therefore have been its western boundary. 
It seems then that the Sada-nira must lie further to the west, and 
it should probably be identified with the Rapti. I have not been able 
to find any Sanskrit name for the Rapti. Lassen calls it the Ajita-vati 
(Ind. Alt., Map), but this name is not in the dictionary, nor have I met 
with it anywhere. This identification then fills up a blank and agrees 
with the well-known situation of Videha. It offers also an explana¬ 
tion of the marshy nature of ancient Videha, viz ., the Gandak flows 
through the middle of the country, it has always been liable to shift 
its course greatly, its numerous channels intersect the country, and its 
floods would have rendered the soil extremely marshy. 
