109 
1897.] F. E. Pargiter— Ancient Countries in Eastern India. 
range, or their name was used in a comprehensive way, for ifc was 
applied to tribes inhabiting the Himalaya range and its southern slopes 
from the Panjab to Assam and Chittagong. 
Arjuna in the course of his conquests in the Northern region en¬ 
countered Kiratas in the army of Bhaga-datta king of Prag-jyotisa 
(Sabha-p., xxv. 1002; and see other passages cited below). Bhima, 
after vanquishing Videha in his Eastern expedition, proceeded from 
there against the Kiratas (id., xxix. 1089) ; and they were even further 
to the east (id., xiii. 584). They are spoken of as dwelling in the 
marshy regions near the sea ( sagaranupa-vasin ) under Bhaga-datta’s 
rule (Karna-p., v. 104-5), that is, as explained in discussing Prag-jyo¬ 
tisa, in the low lands around the mouth of the Brahma-putra, so that 
they occupied all the eastern bounds of Bengal. Moreover Nakula in 
his Western expedition is said in general terms to have encountered 
Kiratas along with Palilavas (Persians), Barbaras, Yavanas (Greeks), and 
Qakas (Scythians), (Sabha-p., xxxi. 1199) ; and they are classed with 
those and other north-western nations (fanti-p., lxv. 2429, and ccvii. 
7560 ; and Vana-p., li. 1990). 
The Kiratas formed a series of allied yet distinct tribes or clans, 
for the Kiratas are mentioned twice in the Bhisma-P. list (ix. 858 and 
364), and again “all the Kiratas ” are mentioned (ibid., 376) ; and it is 
almost impossible that tribes so wide-spread could have been homogene¬ 
ous. They were also intermixed with similar hill tribes called Tan- 
ganas and Pulindas, and all appear to have lived together amicably 
(Vana-p., cxl. 10863-6). They dwelt in the fastnesses of Himavat 
(Drona-p., iv. 121; and Raghu-Vam^a, iv. 76), and their chief territory 
was among the ranges of Kailasa, Mandara and Haima, that is, the 
region around lake Manasa, the modern Manasaro war lakes (Anu 9 as.-p., 
xix. 1434 ; Vana-p., cxxxix. and cxl). It was there that the great king 
Su-bahu resided, who is called king of the Pulindas (ibid.) and also 
king of the Kiratas (Vana-p., clxxvii. 12349). 
In that region they formed a settled kingdom and had a city ( ibid. 
12350). Eastwards they were also organized into chieftainships, for 
Bhima conquered seven kings of the Kiratas on the confines of Videha 
(Sabha-p., xxix. 1089). But the various tribes differed much in material 
condition, for some were civilized and open to friendly intercourse 
(Vana-p., cxl. 10865-6; and Udyoga-p., lxiii. 2470), and others were 
clad in skins, lived on fruit and roots and were cruel (Sabha-p., li. 
1865). Their women were used as slaves, for large numbers of Kirata 
slave-girls are said to have been presented to Yudhisthira (ibid. 1867). 
The Ramayana describes the Kiratas as wearing thick top-knots 
(Kisk.-k., xl. 30). They were looked upon with comprehensive disap- 
J. i. 15 
