Mâlava and its capital Avanti: the Kingdom of Vajra:[1] the seaport Gangai on the banks of the Ganges, which was in the territory of the Kannar:[2] Vâranavâsi, the modern Benares: Thuvarai or Dwaraka in Guzerat, the capital of the deified hero Krishna.[3] Ceylon was known as Lanka-dvipa or Ratna-dvipa: the highest mountain in the island was Samanoli[4] (now called Adam’s Peak); and on its summit was an impression of Buddha’s foot, which was an object of pilgrimage to Buddhists far and near. Between Ceylon and India was the island Manipallavam, on which there was one of the sacred seats of Buddha, then held in great veneration by all Buddhists. It is said to have been at a distance of thirty yojanas south of Puhâr, the ancient sea-port at the mouth of the Kaviri.[5] A ship sailing from the coast of Madura, to Chàvakam (Java) touched at Manipallavam.[6] To the east of Ceylon were the islands inhabited by a race of Nagas called Nakkasâranar or “naked nomads,” who were cannibals.[7] Beyond these islands was Châvakam a large kingdom the capital of which was Nâgapuram. The king of this country claimed to be a descendant of the God Indra, and what is most remarkable, the language spoken in Chavakam appears to have been Tamil! This Chavakam was most probably Sumatra or Java.[8]
- ↑ Chilappathikaram ii. 99 to 103.
- ↑ Ibid. xxiii. 198-141.
- ↑ Ibid. xvii.
- ↑ Manimekalai xxviii. 103.
- ↑ Manimekalai vi. 211 to 214.
- ↑ Ibid. xiv. 74 to 81. The Dipawanso and Mahawanso give a glowing but fabulous account of Buddha’s first visit to this seat: but the Tamil Buddhist poem Manimekalai, which was composed three centuries earlier, gives a very simple version of the story which is as follows:— "Two Naga kings contended for this seat, but neither was able to lift it off the ground; determined however not to give it up, with eyes all aflame and breathing fury, they led their great armies and fought a bloody battle. The great Teacher (Buddha) then appeared before them and said, “Cease your strife, this seat is mine”: then he sat upon it and preached the Law. Manimekalai, viii. 54 to 63.
- ↑ Manimekalai xvi. 15. Ptolemy mentions three groups of islands inhabited by cannibals. Yule has identified them with the Nicobars, Nekkavararm of Marco Polo, Lakavaram of Rashid-ud-din, McCrindle’s Ptolemy, 236 to 239.
- ↑ Manimekalai xxiv. 164 to 170. Ptolemy calls the island Iabadois or Sabadois (the island of barley) and its capital Argyre (Silver town) McCrindle’s Ptolemy. page 249.
