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14
KUVAL AYAMĀLĀ
7. COURT, TERRITORIAL DIVISIONS AND GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
King Drdhavarman possesses quite an imperial dignity (9). His council of ministers consists of eight members: Mantrin (like Bșhaspati), Mahānarendra, Mahāvīra, Mahāvaidya (like Dhanvantari), Mahābrāhmaṇa (like Caturvadana), Mahākavi (like Vyāsa), Mahāsenāpati (like Şanmukha) and Mahāpurohita (like Sukra) who are compared with their mythological counterparts, if not predecessors ($ 40). There is a scene of the court of Avantivardhana; and therein was observed the court-precedence who is to sit where in the audience hall. A Pulinda prince who occupied a higher seat by mistake was hit on the spot by Mānabhata who felt offended because his seat was taken by the former (50). The Yuvarāja appears to enjoy de facto powers of the king (213.7 f.). The rich encouraged poets with rewards for Subhāsitas (103.19). The references to Magadha, Rājagrha and king Srenika (contemporary of Mahāvīra) bring us to the historical period (268.9 f.).
The territorial (or what might be, in many cases, political) divisions and the geographical details referred to in the Kuvalayamālā deserve special attention. In the southern half of Jambūdvīpa, which is surrounded by the ocean, there is the Bhāratavarşa, isolated by the Vaitādhya mountain (7.7 f.): the two Desas, Uttarāpatha and Dakşiņāpatha ($ 430) are well-known. The town of Taksasilā
the Madhyamakhanda of the Uttarāpatha ($ 127); the river Candrabhāgā flows there and conflows into the ocean (jalahi-dai yā); on its bank there is the famous town Pavvaiyā where ruled Torarāya (8 430).
To the South of Vaitādhya, in between Ganga and Sindhū, there is the Madhyadeśa; its capital is Vinītā, the same as Ayodhyā; and it was being ruled by king Dưdhavarman (S$ 13-7, 156.26, § 285). Avantijanapada, possibly a part of Mālava-deśa, has Ujjainī as its capital (97). Prince Mahendra is the son of the king of Mālava who is not on good terms with Dțdhavarman of Ayodhyā ($ 21 f.). From Ujjainī there was a highway to Pātaliputra (77). Vatsadeśa has its capital in Kausāmbī, ruled over by Purandaradatta (SS 67-69). The term Pūrvadesa is used at times (62.17, 65-31). Dakṣiṇāpatha was looked upon as rich (104.6 f.); and there the town of Pratisthāna was prosperous, affording opportunities for earning wealth. ($ 114). Sopāraka was a big emporium for traders who came there from different parts of the country (S$ 128-29). Lāța, which has its specialities of dress and desa-bhāṣā, and in which Dvärakā is located ($ 291) is mentioned along with Karnāta, Mālava, Mahārāșțra, Saurāṣtra etc. (150.20, 185.8). Among other towns mentioned we may take note of Bhrgukaccha (99, 123 etc.); Vārāṇasī in the territory of Kāśī (56.21 f.); Kośala in Kośala (73.30 f.); and Campā located in Daksina-madhyama Khanda (96, 103, 109). Among the Jaina holy places, Sammeda-sikhara and Satruñjaya (124.18; 80.18) deserve attention.
The author shows some acquaintance with the extreme South of India. Candasoma belonged to Ragadā (not a Sanskritic name), a village in the vicinity of Kāñcī, the capital of Kāñcī of Dravidas (45.15 f.). Parties of traders used to go to Kāñcīpurī (134.32 f.). It is interesting to trace the route of Prince Kuvalayacandra. He is flown by the horse from the town of Vinī
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