India As Described In Early Texts Of Buddhism and Jainism

Author(s): Bimla Charn Law
Publisher: Bimlacharan Law

Page 79

GEOGRAPHY
71
as
1
introduces such places of importance from the point of view of trade and commerce Jannupatha (corrected as Vannupatha), Ajapatha, Mendapatha, Sankupatha, Chattapatha, Vamsapatha, Sakuṇapatha, Musikāpatha, Daripatha and Vettadhara (variant Vettacara, Vettacara). That the Vanņu, Vettacara and Sankupatha are mentioned as roads (maggam) in the Serissaka Vimana-story has led Dr. Barua to suggest that these were originally names of different parts of Uttarapatha taken in the sense of the north-western trade-route, and that like it they lent their names to the regions across which they lay. These, as convincingly shown by Sylvain Levi and others, became subsequently connected with a traderoute connecting Suvarnabhumi with Suvarna. dvipa. But even on the evidence of Panini's commentators who introduce some of these names in connection with the Sūtra, v, 1.77: Uttarapathenahṛtañca, it may be established that they were associated with a journey to and from Uttarapatha.
2
The Pali Babbara is no other than Barbara which is associated in the Mahabharata (xii,
1 Vimanavatthu commentary, vii, 10, p. 338.
a Barua, Old Brahmi Inscriptions.
* Etudes Asiatiques, 11, p. 45f.; R. C. Majumdar, Suvarnadripa, P. 56f.
4 Väri-Jangala-sthala-kāntārāja-sanku-pūrvāc ca