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Lord Mahavira and His Times
frequently occurs in Vedic literature. Deities like Indra and Agni are involved in destroying enemy's forts, many of which were wide and broad and had ramparts of mud or unbaked bricks, probably also a stone facing. The word Dehī, referring to defences or ramparts of hardened earth with palisades and a ditch, occurs in the Rigveda4. A passage in the Satapatha Brāhmaṇa shows that the moat or ditch was also known in the period of this Brāhmaṇa.5
Archaeological excavations reveal that in about 1025 B.C, Kausāmbī developed as a town fully equipped for its protection by the magnificent defences built on the Harappan pattern. The discovery of Harappan site at Alamgirpur (District Meerut, U.P.) has established definite evidence of the penetration of the Harappan culture into the GangaYamunā Doab. Similarly the fortification of Kaušāmbi built after the Harappan pattern is obvious. A rampart of mud with sloping sides revetted with a burnt brick wall, battered back to about 30° to 40°, of which the coarses are laid in the socalled English bond, leaving footings in successive courses, reinforced by bastions and towers, square in plan, arc clements of construction strongly reminiscent of the Harappan citadel. The defences, built on this model, continued for some time, and they also made use of a curved entrance, enclosing an underground passage built on corbelled arch. In about 885 B.C., the concept of defence was revolutionized by the construction of a moat round the rampart, a feature not yet recorded from any Harappan city.
Literary works of the days of Lord Mahāvīra contain the names of the principal cities of India. Some Jaina canonical works? refer to ten capital citics of India—Rāyagiha, Champā,
sahurā, Vārānasi, Savatthi, Sakeya, Kampilla, Kośāmbi, Vlihilā, and Hatthināura. The Buddhist canons testifies to the 1. RV. 1. 53.7; 1. 131. 4; 11). 15. 4; dil. Pr, IV. 6. 23; Sar. Br. III. 4.4
3; V.3.3 24. 2. RI. 1. 83. 2. 3. Ibid, 11. 35. 6. 1. Ibid. VI. 47.2; VII. 6.5; Vedic Index, Vol. I. pp. 379, 539. 3. Sal. B:, VII. 1. I. 13. 6. The excavations at Kausambi. p. 41. 7. Tra, 10, 718; „Visi. Si, 9. 19. s. Jako cricib bura Sutla (SDE. XI), 99.
