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JAINA ANTIQUARY.
I Vol. III view points that Podanapura and its surrounding mountains were situated in the northern part of Dakṣiṇāpatha.
The Uttarapurāņa has a mention of Malaya mountains, with the Kubjaka Sallaki forest as well, where Marubhuti of Podanapura having died, was born as an elephant.? Cunningham locates this mountain in the Drávid country. Yuang Chwang put it 3000 li south from Kānchi. He “takes us from somewhere near Madura south-west of Tinnevelly district, where he refers to the Sandal producing Malaya mountain, then he speaks of Potalika (Podimalai hill.)3 The Jaina author further connect a river Vegavati with the story of Marubhùti, which too could be find in the Dravid country.* The Malayadeśa, whose king eloped with the consort of the king of Podanapura as mentioned above, was also in the south India.5 The princess of Podanapūra was given in marriage to the king of Simhapūra and it may be found just in the neighbourhood of Podanapura being situated in the southern part of Orissa.6 Khāravela's queen was a princess of Simhapur.? Hence it is obvious from the above facts that the Jaina and other authors locate Podanapura and its environments in the southern part of India and its location on the bank of Godavari, according to Buddhist evidence is justified.
However we cannot take Podanapura to the extreme south of India, since in that case it would not be tenable to find the kings of Podanapura niaking friendship or waging war with the kings of Kurus, Sindhus and Košalas; as they did in fact. Moreover we find Chāmundaraya hastening to the northern border of south India to have a glimpse of Váhubali's colossal at Podanapura. Had Podanapura been in extreme south Chāmunda Raya had no need to travel over to northern border of South India ?
1. Augastirearà farya Aryal etc. 2. Geog. of ancient India, New ed, p. 627. 3. Ibid Notes p. 741. 4. Ibid p. 739. 5. Ibid. 6. Some Contributions of South India to Indian Culture p. 33.
7. Ibid. & J. B. O. R. S. iv 378. My friend Mr. Govind Pai identifies Podanapura with Bodhan in the
Nizam Territories; to whom I am indebted for many useful suggestions in writing this article.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
