Indian Antiquary Vol 56

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 76

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ MARCH, 1927
NOTES AND QUERIES. THE BIRTH PLACE OF THE PHYSICIAN | Bhrgupura, named after the Hindu sage Bhrgu. It SUSHENA.
would perhaps be interesting to learn the legendary On the 9th February 1913 I visited a village named account given by the Buddhiste of the origin of this Chandkuri 16 miles east of Raipur, the headquarters city. The following information is contained in the of a District of the same name in the Central Pro- Divyávaddna in the story of RudrayaDa (Cowell vinoes. While going over the old ruins, the villagers
and Neil : XXXVII, p. 544 et seq.). pointed out to me some stones which they worship- King Rudråyana's capital was Roruka. His. ped as Baid Sukhena on an island in the centre of a queen was Candraprabha, his heir, Kumara Sikhtank known as Jalasena tarái. They told me that andi, and his ministers, Hiru and Bhiru. At not long ago people used to fetch a certain herb that time the king of Rajagrha was Bimbisára. growing on that island and administer it to a patient The merchants of Roruka used to trade with suffering from any disease, in the name of Sukhena, Råjagtha and those of Rajagrha with Roruka. and this was sufficient to cure him. All they knew Through them the two kings exchanged greetings about him was that he was a great physician, and and presents. King Bimbisara sent his friend a that is why he has been deified and their village is portrait of the Buddha. Afterwards the thera known 88 Baid Chandkhuri, to distinguish it from MahAkatyayana and bhikóuni Saila arrived at other villages of the same name.
Roruka to preach religion to the king and the Can it be that this Sukhena is identical with inmates of the harem. Queen. Candraprabha Sushena mentioned in the Ramayana as physician was converted by Saila, and she died seven days of Sugriva ? Kishkindha, where Sugriva lived later. The king also left his kingdom, came to has been recently located somewhere near Matin Råjagrha and turned an andgári (homeless bhiksu). Zamindari in the Bilaspur District, which is about Kumara Sikhandi became king and at first listened & hundred miles north of Chandkhuri. Chandkhuri to the precepts of his father's ministers, Hiru and is considered to be a very old village and to have Bhiru. But he soon took to evil ways and turned been very wealthy in ancient times. That it was them out, and allowed himself to be guided by so is indicated by the remains of temples built in two evil counsellors. The merchants of Roruka, the Mediæval Brahmanic style, one of which is who had gone to Rajagrha, informed bhiksu Rudristill standing and has the figure of Mahalakshmi yana of this, and the latter proposed to proceed to at the door. On the jambs are depicted the Roruka to wean his son from his evil life. The evil Ganga and Yamund on their respective vdhanas, ministers advised the new king to intercept Rudrathe makara and tortoise. There is also a much yans and even to murder him, which was done. worn inscription here, the characters whereof At another time sikhandi incited his subjects to appear to belong to about the eighth or ninth throw dust on Mahåkåtyâyana till he was buried in century A.D. Tradition has it that there were 120 it. But nemesis was not long in coming. For this tanks, of which 22 still remain, and their Sanskritic gratuitous insult to the monk the city of Roruka names such as Sågara, Jalasena (Jaladayana) 1 etc. was to be buried in dust on the seventh day. The appear to indicate the occupation of that place by monk had warned the two faithful ministers of the Aryan colonists.
impending retribution. They fled the city on the Sushepa appears to have been a very popular
sixth day, when jewels rained from the heavens. name as no less than 18 individuals are mentioned The new city founded by Hiru was called Hiruka ; in Wilson's Dictionary as bearing that name, taken that founded by Bhiru was called Bhiruka and also from various Semalarit works like the Mahabharata, Bhirukaccha. Ramdyana, Bhdgayatd, Harivanda, Vasavadatta, The following passage occurs on p. 576 of the Vajasaneyasamhita, Váyupurdno, Kathd-saritadgara, Divyávadána : Raghuvama, and Harshacharita.
"..tatra Hirukendnyatamasmin pradede Hirukam HIRA LAL. ndma nagaram mápitain tasya. Hirukam Hirukam iti
samnid samurud Bhirukendnyatamasmin pradeda BHARUKACHCHA.
Bhirukam nama nagaram mápitam | tasydpi Bhiru In "Ancient Towns and Cities in Gujarat and kaccham Bhirukaccham iti samjad samorta" Kathiawad," an account has been given of Bharu Dust rained on the seventh day and buried the kecoha (1.A., Sep. 1925). It is Bhrgukpetra orcity of Roruka
KALIPADA MITRA.
1 This tank is exactly like what are known as Teppa Kulame in the south, containing a temple in the middle, to which the idols of gods on certain occasions are taken for water-pleasure. The Jaladayana (lying-in-the water) apparently derives its name from this practice.
There used to be a temple said to be dedicated to Kausalya, and it would thus appear that it was. probably Rama's idol that was taken for Jalasayana there.