Book Title: Jaina Archaeology Outside India
Author(s): Jineshwardas Jain
Publisher: Bharat Varshiya Digambar Jain Mahasabha

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Page 53
________________ MYANMAR (BURMA) [7] Burma was a gift of two rivers Chindwin and Irrawaddy. In the earliest times, around 1000 BC Burma was called as Brahmadesha. Its major and important areas were : Shri Khyetra, Kulashtana, Maurya, Ramannadesha, Tamla. Champapura, Santabhya, Utkalpa, Jyotinagara, Dharmavati, Kshyenavati and Vaishali. Shri Khvetra The kingdom of Shri Khyetra was situated in upper Burma and its main city was Hastinapur. According to one inscription of 416 AD which was discovered by a German traveler Fuherer in 1894, Hastinapur was founded immediately after Mahabharata in 923 BC.[7]. After a lapse of time the capital of Shri Khyertra shifted to two new places consequitively namely, Bhumavti and then to Bhukam after which a new kingdom named Pagan (Bagan) came into existence. A prince named Dasharatha from Ganga valley became the king of Bhumavati in 108 AD. The ruling dynasty of Hastinapur had a great love for their people and called them Priya (dear). The Chinese chronicle called them Piao or Pyu. The whole region fom Shri Khyetra upto Pagan was named Brahmadesha. Pyu inscriptions were all in Sanskrit. Pyu cremated their dead. Tan dynasty, according to Chinese chronicle, refer Hamavaza as the principle city of Pyu. Pyu king had 18 states under his control. Another king Abhiraja of Shakya clan founded the kingdom of Sankisa. [7]. The shakyas ruled for 31 generations, when they were attacked by Khyatriyas of Ganga valley and their new capital was identified as Prome. Pallandu The original name Pallandu was changed to Barakura and then to Rakhana (Rakhama) which Europeans called it Arkan. Its capital Dharmavati was founded in 146 AD by a king Chandrasurya and remained in existence till 780 AD. [7]. The name of this kingdom was replaced by Vaishali. A huge temple bell fund in ruins inscribed the name of Ananda Chandra, its donor. Maurya Brihadratha was the last ruler of Mauryan dynasty. He was killed by his rebel, the commander-in-chief, Pushyamitra. The Mauryan family fled to modern 53

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