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172
TILAKAMANJARĪ OF DHANAPĀLA
"कनकगिरिकम्दरप्रभानुलिप्तपादपेषु कल्पतरुतलनिषण्णकिन्नरारब्धगान्धारग्रामगीतिरमणीयेष्वितस्ततः प्रवृत्तमुखरमन्दाकिनीस्रोत: सरणिसिच्यमानबालपारिजातालबालेषु।""
alluding to Sumeru's association with Mandakini or Gangā agree with the idea of Sumeru or Rudra Himālaya being a source of Gangā. Hemakūta referred to by Kālidāsa and Dandin? has been identified with the Bandaripucch range of the Himālaya. Krauñcādricchidre referred to by Dhanapāla is the same as the Krauñcarandhra of Kālidāsa." Krauñcarandhara is the famous Nīti pass of Kumaon and is a pathway from Bhārata to Tibet. It is a trade route between the two countries. Dhanapāla and Kālidāsa refer to these two most identically.
Ratnakūta as already observed has been described by Dhanapāla as the crest jewel of the Pañcasaila island, a sportive ornament of the ocean, a playground city of the celestial couples a field for accomplishment of the Vidyādharas, foremost in beauty of all the mountains. It has been fancied to be the peak of Sumeru brought on after having been uprooted by the overlords of the hosts of monkeys bringing down mountains at the errands of the son of Daśaratha (i.e. Rāma) started off for Lankāpuri bearing dart of grief from the separation of Maithili, rankling in his heart. Ocean is deemed as having deemed him a son, the sportive mound as it was.
It clearly appears that Ratnakūta mountain is a part of the Himālayan ranges from where it gets separated as a beauty spot on the Lavaṇasindhu ranging from the north.
Añjanagiri' or Añjanādri referred to by Dhanapāla was situated in the Mahāvana. it is mentioned in the Rāmāyaṇa (Kiskindhākānda 37.5) and in the Mārkandeya Purāna (58.11). quauis HQ HICI AHOA: It is also mentioned in the Jaina Āvaśyakacūrni (p.516).
According to the Skandapurāna (Ch. I. 36-48), it was made up of gold. It is the Sulaiman range in the Punjab. The Sulaiman mountain, known to the ancient Geographers as the Añjanagiri separates the N. W. F. Province and the Punjab from Baluchistan. It overlooks the Gomal river on the north and Indus on the South. The Takht-i-Sulaiman (Soloman's Throne) is the
1. KKB. Part I p. 24, pp. 85, 147 Vol. I. 2. KSN p. 110. 3. TM Vol. I p. 44. 4. Megha Pū. verse 57. 5. KKB Part I p. 27. 6. TM Vol. II pp. 282-283. 7. Ibid. Vol. II p. 287 Sm. ed. p. 425.
