142 
ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY OF KAS'MIR. [Extra No. 2, 
Tlie date of King Pravarasena IT. whose name tlie above desig¬ 
nation of the new capital was intended, to preserve, cannot be fixed 
with accuracy. Various historical and numismatic indications, however, 
make it probable that he ruled at some period of the 6th century. 
Thus we can easily understand that at the time of Hiuen Tsiang’s 
visit (a.d. 631) S'rinagara or Pravarapura was still the ‘ new city.’ 
92 . The traditional account of the foundation of Pravarapura as 
t , „„ , ,. recorded by Kalhana is of considerable interest. 
Legend of foundation J 
of Pravarapura. Though largely interwoven with legendary 
matter it preserves for us a series of exact 
topographical data. Kalhana’s story is contained in verses 336-349 of 
the Third Book, and runs briefly as follows. 1 
When King Pravarasena II. had returned from his victorious ex¬ 
peditions abroad, he desired to found a new capital which was to beau 
his name. He was then residing in the city of his grandfather Prava¬ 
rasena I., i.e ., in Puranadhisthana. 2 From there the king went forth 
at night in order, as the text says, “to ascertain in a supernatural way 
the proper site and the auspicious time for the foundation of the new 
city.” On his way he reached a stream which skirted a burning ground, 
and was illuminated by the glow of funeral pyres. Then on the other 
bank of the stream there appeared to him a demon of terrible 
form. Promising him fulfilment of his desire, the demon invited the 
king to cross over to his own side by the embankment he was preparing 
for him. Thereupon “ the Raksasa stretched out his own knee from 
the other bank, and thus caused the water of the Mahasarit to be parted 
by an embankment (Setu).” The courageous Pravarasena drew out 
his dagger ( ksurikd ), cut with it steps into the flesh of the Raksasa, 
and thus crossed over to the place which has since been known as 
Ksurikabala. The demon then indicated to him the auspicious time 
and disappeared, after telling him to build his town where he would 
see the measuring line laid down in the morning. This line ( sutra ) of 
the Vetala the king eventually discovered “ at the village of Sdritaka 
at which the goddess S'drikd and the demon Atta resided.” There 
he built his city in which the first shrine erected was the famous one 
of S'iva Pravaresvara . 
Srtpravarasenapure is often written in the abbreviated form S'ripre in the formulas 
of the Lokaprakasa, almanacs, etc. Kalhana often uses the simple Pur a for Par- 
varapura and Nagara for S'rlnagara. 
1 For all detailed references in connection with this story, note iii. 339-349 
should be consulted. 
2 That Puranadhisthana is meant is proved by iii. 99. There Kalhana, speaking 
of a foundation of Pravarasena I. in his capital, by a kind of anachronism uses the 
designation of Puranadhisthana. 
