Indian Antiquary Vol 60

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

Page 145

JULY, 1981)
LIFE OP RISHI PIR PANDIT PADSHAR
123
(3) Alarandria.-Kautalya writes that coral came from Alakanda (pravdlakam Alakandakam).33. Mr. Surendranath Majumdar Sastri, in his notes on Cunningham's Ancient Geography of India, remarks that Kautalya is silent about Alakanda, but he mentions the Barbara river and the Barbara sea, as also the river Srotasf as a souroe of pearls. A lake named Srighanta in the centre of the sea of Barbara has also been mentioned by him. Now, combining these bits of information, we find that the country of the Barbaras was on the west or north-west frontier of India, and that it stretohed up to the Arabian Sea. In it there was & lake not far from the sea. Alakanda stood at the mouth of the river falling into the gea. The above description of Alakanda fits well with that of " Alexander's Haven." Dr. Smith has shown on the authority of Major Raverty, that the large lake at the mouth of the river where stood Alexander's Haven still exists and is called Samarah."
Alexander came to India during Chandragupta's time. If Kautalya was his minister, is it possible that he would have recognized a name which Greeks gave to a part so recently and have associated it with a particular kind of coral found there !
(4) Privilege of coining.-Hindu princes prior to the Christian era were never fond of exercising their privilege in respect of coinage. Coins were issued according to the demand of the market by trading guilds. Punch-marked coins are examples of this. Historical data support this view, 88 not a single coin of Chandragupta or Asoka bas been yet discovered. Contrary to this, Kautalya considers coining to be the prerogative of a king and prescribes severe punishments for those who try to manufacture coins. This seems to be the result of foreign influence.
(5) Kautalya's Artha-odstra advocates ideals and culture which are non-Indian. This may be due to the fact that the Malwa empire for a long time remained under the influence of Greeks, Sakas and Hûņas. Fish and meat-eating became common. Sending of wine by a lady to her lover as described in the Artha-ddstra may be a Persian custom, later on adopted by the people of MalwA. Divorce and separation were not despised. All these facts go to show that we shall not be far from the truth if we accept the date of the Kautaliya Arthasastra as falling somewhere between 480 and 510 A.D.
LIFE OF RISHI PIR PANDIT PADSHÅR.
A Great Hermit of Kashmir. BY PANDIT ANAND KOUL, SRINAGAR, Kanda.
(Continued from page 98.) To this Rishi Pir wrote the following reply :
مالکان را ، بادية طريفت بطریفی طی کرده اند که اصلا گرد گمراہی بد امن شان نم نشست است - خار ذلالت بد امین انهان قر خليدة اممت - خدا کی ہست و بود و باشد - ( بیت)
کہ فلد و روغن و گندم به جمیعت شود حلوا
: و طریقت جو حقیقت رو باید بود شریعت
“The travellers passing over the desert of religion have traversed [it] in such a manner that neither the dust of losing their way has ever settled on, nor the thorn of degradation has ever pierced, the hem of their garment ; because God was, is, and will be.
[Couplet.) "One should be a preacher of the laws of religion, searcher after religion (and)
ginoerely devoted to religion, As sweetmoat is made by the combination of sugar, clarified butter and wheat
[flour)." Rishi Pir meant to say that, if Mulla Shah dived deep into the cardinal principles of religion he would get a true perspective of it and, having thus emerged from the whirlpool of doubts, would find no difference as regards the theory of Ono Indivisible Real Essence pervading through all that was, that is, and that ever will be 33 K. B., p. 78.
* Smith, E.8.1., p. 109 and n.