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author's usage is imprecise; it is our understanding of his usage that is deficient), it leads us to an identification that ties in well with tilingaika-desāt of the Tīkā, for Śrī-parvata is a part of Tilinga or Telangana (see notes 18 and 20). Furthermore, the identification agrees with indications in the Tibetan tradition and can be said to receive 21 confirmation in the accounts of Chinese travellers.1 According to the Tibetan tradition, Candra-gomin encountered the MB exposition when he returned from Simhala (Ceylon) to southern Jambu-dvipa (India). For the travellers from Ceylon to northern India, Śrī-parvata was not only a natural, well-trodden, and time-honored region to pass through (Moticandra 1953, map preceding index), but it was also a holy and fascinating place on account of its association with siddhas and siddhis (Aklujkar 1982:6-7). In fact, there was a regular provision at Śrī-parvata in the early centuries of the Christian era for receiving travellers (particularly Buddhist travellers from Ceylon) as we learn from an inscription of Vīra-purușa-datta dated in the third 23 century A.D. (Sircar 1965:235).
4.7 Now, to turn to the first half, tri-kuṭaika-deśavarti, of the identification in the Tikā, Tri-kūta is said to be the name of at least four mountains in Sanskrit liter24 ature and Indian inscriptions:"
(a) A mythical mountain in the North that forms the southern ridge of the Meru, bears the Tri-pathaga Gangā, is surrounded by the Milky Ocean, and has peaks made of iron, silver, and gold; cf. Maha-bharata 2.39.11, 2.82.11; Märkandeya-purana 55.6; Bhāgavata-purāņa 8.2.1ff; Sabda
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