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The identification has been contested, but the chief writers on Indian antiquities have admitted it as an established fact, and have added confirmatory evidence from various sources, so that the identity admits of no reasonable doubt. This identifica- tion is of the utmost importance to Indian chronology; it is the CHANDRA-GUPTA. 67 only link by which Indian history is connected with that of Greece, and everything in Indian chronology depends upon the date of Chandra-gupta as ascertained from that assigned to San- dracottiis by the classical writers. His date, as thus discovered, shows that he began to reign in 315 B.C., and as he reigned twenty-four years, his reign ended in 291 b.c. Chandra-gupta is a prominent name in both Brahmanical and Buddhist writings, and his accession to the throne is the subject of the drama Mudra-rak shasa. When Alexander was in India, he learned that a king named Xandrames reigned over the Prasii (Prachyas) at the city of Palibothra, situated at the confluence of the Ganges and another river called Erranaboas (the Sone). At this time, Sandracottus was young, but he waged war against Alexander's captains, and he raised bands of robbers, with whose help he succeeded in establishing freedom in India. Hindu and Buddliist writers are entirely silent as to Alex- ander's appearance in India, but they show that Chandra-gupta overthrew the dynasty of the Nandas, which reigned over Magadha, and "estabhshed freedom in India by the help of bands of robbers." He established himself at Pa^ali-putra, the capital of the ISTandas, which is identical with the Greek Palibothra, and this has been shown to be the modern Patna. That town does not now stand at the confluence of two rivers, but the rivers in the alluvial plains of Bengal frequently change their courses, and a change in the channel of the Sone has been established by direct geographical evidence. There is a difliculty about Xandrames. This is no doubt the Sanskrit Chandramas, which some consider to be only a shorter form of the name Chandra-gupta, while others point out that the Greek references indicate that Xandrames was the predecessor of San- dracottus, rather than Sandracottus himself. The dynasty of the JSTandas that reigned over Magadha are frequently spoken of as the " nine Nandas," meaning apparently nine descents ; but according to some authorities the last ISTanda, named Maha-padma, and his eight sons, are intended. Mahii- padma Nanda was the son of a /Siidra, and so by law he was a ^iidra himself. He was powerful and ambitious, cruel and avari- cious. His people were disafi'ected ; but his fall is represen- ted as having been brought about by the Brahman Chawakya. 68 CHANDRA-GUPTA— CHANDRA-VANSA. Cliandra-giipta was then raised to the throne and founded the Mauryan djTiasty, the third king of which was the great Asoka, grandson of Chandra-giipta. The Erahmans and Buddliists are widely at variance as to the origin of the Maurya family. The drama Miidra-rakshasa represents Chandra-gupta as being related to Maha-padma JSTanda, and the commentator on the yisli?^u PiiraTia says that he was a son of JSTanda by a woman of low caste named j\Iura, wherefore he and his descendants were called Mauryas. This looks very like an etymological invention, and is inconsistent with the representation that the low caste of Nanda was one cause of his deposition ; for were it true, the low-caste king would have been supplanted by one of still lower degree. On the other hand, the Buddhists contend that the Mauryas belonged to the same family as Buddha, who was of the royal family of the ^akj'as. The question of the identification of Sandracottus and Chandra-gupta has been discussed at length by Wilson in the preface to the Mudra-rakshasa in his Hindu Theatre, and in the Yish?m Purawa, vol. iv. p. 185 ; also by Max Miiller in his History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature. CHANDRA-HASA. A prince of the south, who lost his parents soon after his birth, and fell into a state of destitution, but after going through a variety of adventures came to the throne. See Wlieeler, vol. i. p. 522. CHANDRA-KANT A. 'The moon-stone.' A gem or stone supposed to be formed by the congelation of the rays of the moon ; a crystal is perhaps meant. It is supposed to exercise a cooling influence. So in the Megha-diita — " The moon's white rays the smiling night illume, And on the moon-gem concentrated fall. That hangs in woven nets in every Lall ; AVhence cooling dews upon the fair descend, And life renewed to languid nature lend." It is also called Mam-chaka. CHANDRA-KETU. i. A son of Lakshma??a. 2. A king of the city of Chakora. 3. A country near the Himalayas. CHANDRA-YAN.S'A. The Lunar race. The lineage or race which claims descent from the moon. It is divided into two great branches, the Yadavas and Pauravas, respectively descended from Yadu and Puru. Ivrish?2a belonged to the line of Yadu, and Dushyanta with the Kuru and V\xnd\i princes to CHANDRA-VANSA. 69 the line of Puru. The following is a list of the Lunar race as given in the Yishwu Pura/^a, but the authorities vary : — The Lunar Race. Atri, the i^/shi. Soma, the Moon. Budha, Mercury. Purtiravas. Ayii, Ayus. Nahusha (and 3 others). Yayati (and 5 others). Yadavas. Yadu, eldest. Krosh^u (and 3 others), Vr2Jinivat. Swahi. Rnshadgu. Chitraratha. /S'asabindu. Pr/thusravas (one of a milhon sons). Tamas. Usanas. /S'itejais. E,ukmakavacha"> or > Ruchaka. j Paravr/t. Jyamagha. Vidarbha. Kratha . Kunti. VWshwi. Nirv?uti. Dasarha. Vyoman. Jimiita. Wk.riW. Bhimaratha. Navaratha. Dasaratha. ^Sakuni. Karambhi. Devarata. Devakshattra. Madhu. Anavaratha. Kuruvatsa. Anuratha. Puruhotra. Fauravas. Puru, youngest (and 3 others). Janamejaya. Prachinvat. Pravira. Manasyu. Abhayada. Sudyumna. Bahugava. Samyati. Ahamyati. Raudraswa. Riteyu (and 9 others). Rantinara. Tan5U. Anila. Dushyanta. Bharata. Bharadwaja"^ or > adopted. Vitatha ) Bhavanmanyu. Brihatkshatra (and many others). Suhotra. Hastin (of Hastinapur), Ajamifiha (and 2 others). J?*ksha (and others). Samvarawa. Kuru. Jahnu (and many others). Suratha. Viduratha. Sarvabhauma. Jayasena. Aravin. Kings of K a. si Kshatravriddha. Suhotra. Kasa. Ka^iraja. Dirghatamas. Dhanwantari. Ketumat. Bhimaratha. Divodasa. Pratardana. ^ Dyiimat. /S'atrujit. Vatsa. i^e'tadhwaja or Kuvalayaswa. Alarka. Sannati or Santati. Sunitha. Suketu. Satyaketu. Vibhu. Suvibhu. Sukumara. Dh^'ish^aketu. )■ 70 CHANDRA-VANSA—CHARAKA. The Lunar VvXc^—ContiMrd. At15U. Satwata. Andhaka (and 6 others). Bhajamana. Viduratha. >Sura. /S'annn. Pratikshattra. Swayamblioja. Hndika. Devamic/husha. <Sura. Vasudeva (and 9 others), KWshwa and Bala- rama. Kings of Kdsi, Vainahotra. Bharga. Bh^rga-bhumi, Yddavas. Pauravas. Ayutayus. Akrodhana. Devatithi. i^iksha. Dillpa. Pratipa. /Santanu (and 2 others). Pawf/u.* Dh77'tarashfra. Yudhi-sh^hira. Parikshit. Janamejaya. ^Satanika. Aswamedhadatta. Adhisimakrishna. Nichakru. {Extinct.) Ushwa. Chitraratha. Vr/shnimat. Sushena. Sunitha. Rich?i. NWchakshush. Siikhabala. Pariplava. Sun ay a. Medhavin. Nnpanjaya. Mri'du. Tigma. Bn'hadratha. Vasudana. /Satanika. Udayana. Ahinara. Khaw^/apam. Niramitra. Kshemaka. CHAiVURA. A wrestler in the service of Ivansa, who was killed by Krishna. CHARAKA. A writer on medicine who lived in Vedic times. According to his own statement, he received the materials of his work from Agnivesa, to whom they were de- livered by Atreya. A legend represents him as an incarnation of the serpent /Sesha. The work was translated into Arabic before the end of the eighth century. The text has been printed in India. * See Table under Maba-bbarata. CHARAKA—CHHANDAS. yi CHAKAKA. One of the chief schools of the Yajur-veda. CHARAKA-BRAHMAiV^A. A Bnihmawa of the Black Yajur-veda. CHARAiVA. A Yedic school or society. It is explained by a commentator as "a number of men who are pledged to the reading of a certain /S'akha of the Veda, and who have in this manner become one body." CHARAiVA.S. Panegyrists. The panegyrists of the gods. CHARMAA^VATI. The river Chambal. CHARU, CHARU-DEHA, CHARU-DESHi\^A, CHARU- GUPTA. Sons of Krishwa and Rukmim. CHARU-DATTA. The Brahman hero of the drama Mrich- chhaka^i. CHARU HASINI. ' Sweet smiler.' This epithet is used for Rukmim and for Lakshmawa, and perhaps for other wives of Krishwa. CHARU-MATI. Daughter of Kr^shm and Rukmim. CHAR YAK A. i.