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must be the same person who is known under the name of Pusyamitra, the founder of the Sunga dynasty, though I am not able to add much to the learned author's argument in favour of this view. It should be noted that Bahasatimita must have been on the throne at a time when a Greek invader was operating in India, and Pușyamitra's name is, as well shall see, in a similar way brought into connexion with a Yavana.
Pusyamitra is mentioned in the Purānas and also in the traditionary records of the Jainas and the Buddhists, and his accession to the Magadha throne in usually dated between B.C. 184 and 178. The starting point is the coming into power of the first Maurya emperor Candragupta, which is usually placed in or about B.C. 321, but which Lassen dated in B.C. 315. According to the Purāṇas the rule of the Mauryas lasted 137 years, and Pușyamitra's accession would accordingly fall between B.C. 184 and 178. His rule lasted for thirty-six years according to the Matsya Purāņa. The Vāyu and Brahmānda give sixty instead, but I agree with Mr. Pargiter that şaştim sadaiva in these texts is a corruption of something like şaţtrimsad eva. The period covered by Demetrios' Indian expedition would accordingly fall within his reign, which would, according to the usual reckoning have come to an end in B.C. 148 or 142. I think, however, that it is possible to arrive at a more definite dating. It is a well-known fact that Pusyamitra is said to have performed the famous horse-sacrifice, probably in celebration of his ascending the throne of Magadha, after he had finally uprooted the Mauryas. And this celebration is said to have taken place at a time when a Yavana king was conducting operations in India. This information can be gleaned from the Mahābhāşya and from Kālidāsa's Mālavikāgnimitra. The former source has been discussed by Sir Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar.23 Pāṇini III, II, 123, vartamāne lat, teaches the use of the present tense to denote present time. The first vārttika to this sūtra adds that the present should also be taught to denote something that has been begun but not been finished : pravsttasyāvirāme śişyā bhavati. Among the examples given by Patañjali in illustration of this rule Sir Ramkrishna draws attention to the third : iha Puspamitram yājayāmaḥ, here we sacrifice
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