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CULTURAL DATA IN TILAKAMANJARI
According to Dr. D. K. Gupta Kirätas were termed 'Sabaras," "Bhillas" and "Pulindas" in Dandin and lived at the foothills of the Himalaya. They also occupied the regions of Vindhya and Satpura ranges. The Kinnaras according to him occupied the region to the west of Kailasa and Manasa lake. Dhanapala has referred to Parvataka the Kirātarāja who ruled far away from Rangasala the capital of the Simhalas (modern Ceylon, alias Srilanka) from where Samaraketu had launched a campaign against him in order to subjugate him in so far as he was proud on account of his mighty host of armies and impregnable forts and had taken to the path of looting.2
अविलम्बितगतिश्च पश्चिमेन
सेतोर्गत्वातिदूरमूरीकृतचीर्यवृत्तेरतिविषमदुर्गबलगर्वितस्य
किरातराजस्य राजधान्यामवस्कन्दमप्रतर्कितमय...... स्वशिपिराभिमुखोऽभवम् ।
1. KSN p. 117.
2. TM Vol. II p. 291.
3. Ibid. Sm. ed. p. 366.
4. KKB Part I p. 108.
5. Ibid. pp. 108-09.
6. Ibid.
231
"Rathnaūpuracakravala," the ornament of the southern range of the Vijayārdha has been called the capital of the Vidyadharas. It was obviously on the Himalayan range as already observed."
According to Dr. B. S. Upadhyaya
Kirätas in-habited the foothills of the Himalaya and likewise the Kinnaras too inhabited the same regions. Kinnaras according to him, were, however, distinct from the Kirätas and were counted along with the Yaksas (Guhyakas of Dhanapala) and Gandharvas. According to Jayacandra Vidyalamkara, the abode of the Kinnaras lay in modern Kinnaur in the upper valley of Sutlej where the top currents of Candrabhāga approach very closely. Dr. Upadhyaya concurs with Dr. D. K. Gupta in establishing the habitat of Kinnaras to the west of Kailasa and the Mânasa lake." Gandhara, perhaps the Gandharva Janapada of Kalidasa extended from river Kunar to Takṣasilă (modern-Taxila) on the south east of Hindukush.' According to Dr. Upadhyaya In the Sindhu lived the Gandharvas or the Gändhäras who were defeated by Bharata. This country was divided by Bharata between his two sons Takṣa and Puşkala who built the capitals Takṣasila and Pus kalāvatī after their own names (modern Taxila and Başkala).*
Hence Gandharvas lived in the Sindhu region.
7 KSN p. 117 Ragh. V. XV 88.
8. KKB Part I p. 117. MBh., Sabha P. x. 14 refers Kinnaras as Gandharvas.
पर्वतकनाम्नः
