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JAINA ANTIQUARY.
[Vol. III
cannot be reconciled with the Sakas of Takşasilā, since it is not evident that any of them professed or patronised Jainism. The remaining locations of Dhanapāla are also to be traced easily, just in the vicinity of Podanapura on Godavari. The close geographical proximity with concern to mutual relations existing between Sindhus and Poyanas, as described by Dhanapāla, comes near more clearly in placing Podanapura on the Bank of Godaveri and not at Takşašilā. For we know that the Sindhu of the Jaina writers was not the valley of great Indus, but it meant country near Vindhyā mountains. The people af Avanti are styled as Sindhus by Dhanapal can be relied upon, for we know that the Jaina authors place Viśālā in Sindhudesal and Kālidāsa called Ujjayani itself as Visāļā. Hence the close relations between the people :of closed connected countriescalled Sindhus and Poyanas is but quite natural. And this fact reconciles other difficulty as well. In the above named Introduction a great difficulty is felt in identifying the Kacchas, which has been dealt with as a very important place at the time of war between Poyanas and Kurus in the above Kahā. Certainly its position was similar to that of Belgium in the last great war. It is attempted in the said Introduction to identify it with Kāśmira, but that r.ot with certainty and accuracy. On the otherhand our location of Podanapura in the northern border of south India easily waves away this difficulty; for the Kacchas meant in the Kahā', seems to be no other people than the Kacchawaha Kșitriyas of Naravara district (Gwalior State) who had a strong and old settlement of theirs at that place. Its position really comes to that of Belgium in the case of war between Kurus and Poyanas. Hence we can say with certainty that Kavi Dhanapāla too placed Podanapura in the southern part of India.
Besides places named as Podanur, Potali etc., are still found in South India ; but Taksasila has never been styled or had in its neighbourhood, places of that name.
Under the circumstances and available evidence it is justified to say that the Podanapura of the Jaina books was not Taksasila, rather it was a prominent city of ancient Daksinapatha.
1. TRY TU, sfusafa, Pr a ta etc. 2. Healey “ faitai fareitaires
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
