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APPENDIX C 199 Naraka is said to have had his capital city to the east of the Sarania hill and to the west of Beltals. The locality is now known as Dispur or Tispur which must be a popular abbreviation of (Prag) - jyotispur. In the heart of this locality stands the Narakasur all, and to the south of it is the Nirakisur Go. In the vicinity of this village there are curious stony objects shown as connected with the residence of Noraka. Chained with the Narakasur hill are other hillocks with Nilácal at the westernmost extremity on the south bank of the Brahma- putra. On the Intter hill is situated the temple al Kamakhya. These sites seem to corroborate the strong legend by which Nuraka compelled the goddess Kimakhya to agree to the proposal of marrying him, but the latter at last managed to evade it by some ples. The legend is quite aurrent here with all details. THE SAMKAS, Persian chronicles speci ally mention Sankaladib of ancient Asam as the founder of Gaula (Lakonanawath) that remained the capital of Bengal for two thousand years until it was shifted to Tunda by the Mughnis as they came. Particulars of Sarkaldib's wars with Airasiyab and his last defeat at Ghoroghat hills in West Kamrup are detailed there. The death of this great king of ancient Asamis said to have taken place in the hands of the Persian Hercules, Rustum; and both these references point to his reign in the seventh century B.C., though Edward Gait would place him in the fourth century A.D. saying that Alrasiyib, like Vikzumidityn, was a title (conqueror of Persia) which was held by one in this latter period (NLHALP. 5). While we have no point to doubt that such a great ling of ancient Asam really flourished, there is no second source to confirm, nor to say to what line of kings he actually belonged. Some would call him a koc, but the rule of Koelings really begins with Vitur in compars. tively modern times. Could he then belong to the line of Neraka who was probably succeeded by Bhgadatta, Vajradntts and others, not clearly known? Yulin Chwang stated that sovereignty had been trans mitted in the family of Bhaskar for one thousad senerations from Naraka. We know only of a dozen generations before Bbslar Varma and not more than a quarter doen of kings after Naraka, at most. What about the next? Yuan Chwing's statement puts Narake about the third millennium B.C. some time before the Kurukstra was is sup- posed to have taken place. No serious attempt whatsoever has been made to find out the rulers of Kamarupa oven in the centuries about the birth of Christ. We may maintain that Sankalldib might flourish in the seventh century B.C. a Forishta's accounts suggest, until we come across better gestions. D. 23