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परिशिष्ट-५ : २१५
identify Pāwā with the well-known large village of Padraona or Paraona, which is situated at the distance of 12 miles to the north-north-east-half-north from Kasya, or 13 miles from the actual ruins of Kusinagara. But this 13 miles from the actual ruins of Kusinagara is only the direct distance, in a straight line as measured on the map; while the actual travelling distance, even with the improved roads of the present day, is 7 kos, or 14 miles. Now it will be generally allowed that the travelling distance in ancient times could not possibly have been less than the direct distance, in a straight line, as measured on the map at the present time. Consequently, if the travelling distance to Pāwā in ancient times was only 12 miles, when there were no proper roads, but much jangal and water intervening, it is utterly impossible that the direct distance, when measured in a straight line on the map, could be 13 miles ! This is, however, only one of the objections which I have to bring forward against the possibility of Padraona being identified with Pāwā.
The second and much stronger objection which I have to make; is the position of Padraona as being far too far north and totally out of the way of the route from Vaisali to Kusinagara. The direction of the position of Vaisali, or Besarh, from Kusinagra, or Kasya, is south-east; and therefore if Pāwā was met with on the road in coming from Vaisali to Kusinagara, Pāwā would probably be somewhere to the south-east of Kusinagara a probability which becomes still more evident, nay even absolutely certain, from the fact that both Buddha himself, and afterwards also his chief disciple Kasyapa, passed through Pāwā on their way from Magadha and Vaisali to Kusinagara. It is evident, therefore, that we must look somewhere to the south-east of Kusinagara for the position of Pāwā
Now if the travelling distance or distance by a winding
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