1899.] 
THE KAS'MIR CHRONICLES. 
45 
Similar in character though less ample in detail, is the description 
of Kasmir and its capital Pravarapura which Mankha, Kalhana’s 
contemporary, inserts in the iii. Canto of his Kavya Srlkanthacaritn. 1 
Here we have the advantages of a commentary written by Jonaraja, the 
Chronicler, which duly notices and explains the points of local interest. 
26 . To complete our review of those Kasmirian texts of topo¬ 
graphical interest which may be distinguished 
The Lokapraka§a. , 
as secular, we must reler briefly to the curious 
glossary and manual which goes by the name of Ksemendra’s Lokapra- 
knsa. Professor A. Weber has recently published valuable extracts 
from this text. 2 I myself have had occasion to refer to it frequently 
in the notes on the Rajatarangini. 3 The work represents a strange 
mixture of the usual Kosa and a practical handbook dealing with various 
topics of administration and private life in Kasmir. 
A great deal of the information contained in it is decidedly old, and 
probably from the hand of our well-known Ksemendra. But there are 
unmistakeable proofs, both in the form and contents of the book, showing 
that it has undergone considerable alterations and additions down even 
to the 17th century. This is exactly what we must expect in a work 
which had remained in the practical use of the Kasmirian ‘ Karkuns ’ 
long after the time when Sanskrit had ceased to be the official language 
of the country. 
The Lokaprakasa supplies us with the earliest list of Kasmir 
Parganas. It gives besides the names of numerous localities inserted 
in the forms for bonds, ‘ Hundis,’ contracts, official reports, and the like 
which form the bulk of Prakasas ii. and iv. The Pargana list as well 
as these forms exhibit local names of undoubtedly ancient date side by 
side with comparatively modern ones. Some of the latter belong to 
places which were only founded during the Muhammadan rule. 4 
He conlcl thus verify on the spot every point of the description which Bilhana gives 
of that “coquettish embellishment of the bosom of Mount Himalaya;” see Report, 
pp. 4 sqq. 
1 See S'rikanthac. iii. 10—24, 68 sqq. 
2 See Zu Ksemendra's Lokaprakasa , in Indische Studien, xviii. pp. 289-412. 
3 See particularly Note H (iv. 495), on the Kasmir monetary system, § 10. 
* Compare, e.g., in Prakasa ii. Jainanagara, founded by Zainu-l-‘abidin (see 
Jonar 1153); Aldbhadenapura ( S'riv . iv. 318), etc. 
