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CHAPTER LXII
THE SURĀȘTRAS The Surāstras as a tribe must have existed at least as early as the period represented by the Epics. The tribe, together with its country, is mentioned in more than one connection in Vālmīki's Rāmāyana.1 The Kişkindhyā Kānda locates the tribe in the west; for, in sending the retinue of monkeys in the western direction in quest of Sītā, Sugrīva asked Suşena to send his unit to Surāstra (among other countries). There are a number of countries and peoples in this list, e.g. the Kalingas, Andhras, Cholas, Vidarbhas, etc. that cannot be located in the west ; but the fact that the Surāstras were included in the west division of India is upheld not only by a reference in the Mahābhārata,2 where they are associated with the countries of the Kuntis and Avantis, but also by the evidence of the Purāṇas. According to the Visnupurāna, they are definitely located in the extreme west, and associated with the Sūras, Ābhīras, Arbudas and Mālavas, all of whom dwelt along the Pāripātra mountains. The Mārkandeya Purāna* includes them in W. India (Aparānta), while the Brahmapurāna associates them with the Aparāntas, Sūdras, Ābhiras and Mālavas, and describes them as dwelling along the Pariyātra (= Paripātra) hills. This geographical location of the tribe is also supported by the evidence of the Kāvyamīmāmsā 5 of Rājasekhara who includes the Surāstra country in the Pascāddeśa or west division along with Dasoraka, Travana, Bhrgukaccha, Kacchiya, Anartta, Arbuda and other countries. At the time of the Mahābhārata, the Surāstra country was ruled by the Yādavas.
The Surāstra country is referred to in Baudhāyana's Dharmasūtra, where it is coupled with Daksiņāpatha (Deccan). The country came to be included in the Maurya empire as early as the reign of Candragupta; for the Junāgadh Rock Inscription of Rudradāman refers to Candragupta's Rāstriya (= Viceroy) Pusyagupta the Vaisya, who constructed the Sudarsana lake. It was included in Asoka's dominions, for the same inscription refers to Tushāspha, a Persian contemporary and vassal of Asoka, who carried out supplementary operations on the lake. This Tushāspha
1 Ādi Kānda, Canto XII; Ayodhyā Kānda, Canto X; Kişkindhyā Kānda, Canto XLI. 2 Virātaparvan, Chap. I, 12.
3 Book II, Chap. III, 132-5. 4 Chap. 57, 52.
5 Gaekwad's Oriental Series, pp. 93-4.
