Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 495

MUK
133
MUL
Muktaveni-Triveņi, north of Hughli in Bengal. Muktavení is used by way of contra
distinction to Yuktaveni or Allahabad (Vardha P., ch. 152), where the three rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Sarasvati unite and flow together; at Muktaveni the three rivers separate and flow in different directions ( Brihat-Dharma P., Purva Kh., ch. 6; JASB., XV, 1847, p. 393 ; An account of the temples of Triveni near Hughly, by D. Money). Triveni is mentioned by Pliny and Ptolemy; it formed a quarter of Saptagrâma (K. Ch., p. 196). The temple of the Sapta-Rishis or Seven Rishis near the Triveni Ghât has now been transformed into the tomb of Zaffar Khan Ghazi, the conqueror of Saptagrâma (JASB., 1910, p. 599). Muktavení has been alluded to in the Pavana-dúta (v. 33) by Dhoyî who
flourished in the 12th century A.D. Muktinatha-A celebrated temple of Narayana, situated in Tibet or rather on the border
of Nepal, on a small river called Káli-Gandaki, in the Sapta Gandaki range of the Himalaya, not far from the source of the Gandak. It is fifteen or sixteen days' journey from Pålpâ, the headquarters of the second governor of Nepal and four days' journey to the north of Bini-sahar, within half a mile of which the Gandak takes the name of Salagrâmi, the bed of which abounds with the sacred stones called Sålagrâma. About three days' journey beyond Muktinatha is a natural reservoir called Damodara-kunda (Hamilton's Gazetteer) which is considered to be the source of the Gandak (Thornton's Gazetteer). From the northern side a snow-covered river from Tibet, which is on the northern side,
brings in Salagrâma stones to the Kunda. Malaka-Same as Asmaka. According to the Buddhists, Malaka was a different town from
Asmaka (MB., p. 346; Vishnu-dharmottara P., pt. I, ch. 9). The countries of Molaka and Asmaka (Assaka) were separated by the Godavari (Paramatthajotikd, II, pt. II,
p. 581). Molasthana Pura--Multan. It is the Malava of the Mahabharata (Sabha P., ch. 31), situated
on the west of Hastinapura, Málava of the Harshacharita, and Mallabhûmi of the Ramdyana (Uttara, ch. 115)—the country of the Mallis of Alexander's historians. Vishnu incarnated at this place as Nrisimha-avatara, and killed the Asura Hiranyakasipu, the father of Prahlada. The temple of Nrisimha Deva in the old fort is still called Prahladapuri (Cunningham's Geography of Ancient India, p. 230). About fifty miles from Multan, a portion of the Suliman mountain is called Prahlada's Mount, from which Prahlada is believed to have been thrown down, and close by, is a tank into which, he is said to have been thrown by the orders of his father, Hiranyakaśipu. The temple of the Sun at Suraj Kunda, four miles to the south of Multan is said to have been built by Sâmba, the son of Krishna, who was cured here of his leprosy by the god (Bhavishya P., Brahma, ch. 74, Brahma P., I, oh. 140). It is a celebrated place of pilgrimage. The Suraj Kunda is 132 feet in diameter and 10 feet deep. Hiuen Tsiang saw the golden image of the Sun when he visited Multan in the reign of Raja Chach. It was the capital of Malla-desa or the country of the Mallis of Alexander's historians (see Hiranyapura). It is the same as Mauli-snâna of the Padma P., (Uttara, ch. 61)—the Meou-lo-san-pou-lo of Hiuen Tsiang. According to Prof. Wilson the sun-worship at Multan was introduced under Sassanian influence (Wilson's Ariana Antiqua, p. 357). This story is supported by the 5th century sun-coins, where the figures of the sun is in the dress of a Persian king, and the priests who performed the sun-worship at Multan were called Magas (Bomb. Gaz., vol. I, pt. I, p. 142). According to the Bhavishya P., (Brâhma, pp. 74 ff.) the priests were brought