Indian Antiquary Vol 48

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 291

BÂR
25
BAR
8. Rep., XI), nine miles to the west of Srávasti. Kaśyapa died at Gurupâda hill (see Gurupâda-giri). But according to the Atthakatha of Buddhaghosha, Kasyapa (Kagsapa) was born at Benares and died at Mrigadáve or modern Sarnáth (JASB., 1838, p. 796.) In the Yuvañjaya-Jataka (Jatakas IV, 75), the ancient names of Benares are said to have
been Surandhana, Sudarśana, Brahmavarddhana, Pushpavati, and Ramya. Bârânast-Kataka Kațak in Orissa, at the confluence of the Mahanadi and the Kâțjuri,
founded in A.D. 989 by Nripa Kesari, who reigned between A.D. 941 and 963. He removed his seat of government to the new capital. According to tradition, his capital had been Chaudwar which he abandoned, and constructed the fort at Kațak called Badabàti. The remains of the fort with the ditch around it still exist. For a description of the fort (Barabâți), see Lieut. Kittoe's "Journal of a Trip to Cuttack" in JASB., 1838, p. 203. The former capitals of the Kesari kings were Bhuvanesvara and Jajpur (Hunter's Orissa and Dr. R. L. Mitra's Antiquities of Orissa, vol. II, p. 164), Fleet's identification of Vinitapura and Yayâtinagara of the inscriptions with Katak appears to be very doubtful. The strong embankment of the Katjuri is said to have been constructed by Markat Kesari in A.D. 1906. The town contains a beautiful image of Krishņa known by the name of
Såkshi-Gopala (Chaitanya-charitamrita, II, 5). . Bâranâvata-Barnawa, nineteen miles to the north-west of Mirat where an attempt was made by Duryodhana to burn the Påndavas (Führer's MAI., and Mh., Adi, ch. 148). It was one of the five villages demanded by Krishṇa from Duryodhana on behalf of
Yudhishịhira (Mbh., Udyoga, ch. 82). Barddhamans--1. From the 'Katha-sarit-sagara (chs. 24, 25), Barddhamana appears
to have been situated between Allahabad and Benares, and north of the Vindhva hills. It is mentioned in the Märkandeya Purana and Vedla-parichavimsati. 2. Barddhamâna was called Asthikagråma because a Yaksha named Salapâội had collected there an enormous heap of bones of those killed by him. Mahâvîra, the last Jaina Tirthaikara, passed the first rainy season at Barddhamâna after attaining Kevaliship (Jacobi's Kalpasútra, SBE., vol. XXII, p. 261). From a copper-plate inscription found at Banskhera, 25 miles from Shah-Jahanpur, it appears that Barddhamana is referred to as Barddhamana-koti (see also Markandeya P., ch. 58), where Harshavarddhana had his campin A.D. 638. Barddhamâna-koţi is the present Bardhankoți in Dinajpur. Hence Barddhamana is the same as Bardhankoti. Barddhamana is mentioned as a separate country from Banga (Devi P.. ch. 46). 3. Barddhamâna (Vadhamana) is mentioned in Spence Hardy's Manual of Buddhism, p. 480, as being situated near Danta. 4. The Lalitpur inscription in JASB., 1883, p. 67, speaks of another town of Barddhamana in Malwa. 5. Another Bardhamina or Bardhamânapur was situated in Kathiawad : it is the present Vadvina, where Merutunga, the celebrated Jaina scholar, composed his Prabandha-chintamani in A.D. 1423 : he was also the author of Mahapurushacharita, Shaddarsanavichara, &c. (Meratunga's Theravali by Dr. Bhau Daji; Prabandha-chintamani, Tawney's Trans., p. 134, and his Preface,p. vii).