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TULSI-PRAJNA, Oct.-Dec., 1992
example, King SANDROCOTTUS to whom Megasthenes was sent on an embassy. Such is also the custom among the PARTHIANS for all are called ARSACES, though personally one king is called ORODES, another PHRAOTES, and another something else."27
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STRABO. thus, has PALIBOTHRA for PALIMBOTHRA. He gives some details about its surrounding wall and the trench. An important detail he gives is that the city lay "at the confluence of the Ganges and the other river." "The other river" is believed to be ERANNOBOAS which is identified with the Son. But were that true, why should ARRIAN cut his description short with mentioning the confluence of ERANNOBOAS and GANGES as lying in the dominions of the PRASIANS only? Why should he refrain from adding that PALIBOTHRA lay at the confluence ? The most important piece of information we get from STRABO is that the rulers of PALIBOTHRA were surnamed PALIBOTHRUS the way the PARTHIAN kings were called ARSACES.
PLINY and SOLINUS give the additional information that the PRASII were called the PALIBROTHIS after the name of their capital. Pliny observes: "But the Prasii surpass in power and glory every other people, not only in this quarter, but one may say in all India, their capital being PALIBOTHRA, a very large and wealthy city, after which some call the people itself the PALIBOTHRI,-nay, even the whole tract along the Ganges. Their king has in his pay a standing army of 6,00,000 foot-soldiers, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 elephants; whence may be formed some conjectures as to the vastness of their resources. "28 And Solinus remarks: "The PRASIAN nation, which is extremely powerful, inhabits a city called PALIBOTHRA. whence some call the nation itself the PALIBOTHRI. Their king keeps in his pay at all times 60,000 foot, 30,000 horse, and 800 elephants. "29
Do these details establish the identification of PALIBOTHRA with PATALIPUTRA and PRASII with MAGADHA? That is taken for granted as ERANNOBOAS is believed to be the SON and the confluence of the GANGA and SON lies in Magadha. What is overlooked in this connection is the following: (1) PĀȚALIPUTRA can become PALIBOTHRA only if the 't' disappears and the second 'p' is changed into 'b'. The explanation offered is a long process of development from PATALIPURTA to PATALIPUTRA to PĀṆALIVUTRA to PAALIVUTQA to PALIBUTRA. Though acceptable to eminent scholars like Dr. S. K. Chatterjee, the explanation is hardly credible.30 Evidence of literature and inscriptions does not support
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