Page:Indian Shipping, a history of the sea-borne trade and maritime activity of the Indians from the earliest times.djvu/182

 literature of India, in the ancient Sanskrit and Pali works, to Romaka or the city of Rome. Thus the Mahābhārata speaks of the Romaka or Romans coming to the Emperor Yudhisthira with precious presents on the occasion of the Rājasūya Yajña at Indraprastha or Delhi. In the five famous astronomical works named Paitāmaha, Vāśishtha, Sūryya, Paulisa, and Romaka Siddhāntas, some of which were compiled in the 3rd or 2nd century, Romaka is often mentioned as a Mahāpuri, Pattana, or Visaya, i.e. a great city, state, or dominion. Varāhamihira, who flourished about 505, also mentions Romaka in his well-known works Pañcha-Siddhāntika and Vrihat-Sańhitā. In a passage in the former work he says that while there is sunrise at Lankā there is midnight at Romaka, and in the 16th chapter of the Vrihat-Sańhitā he speaks of the Romaka or Romans standing under the influence of chandra or the moon. Lastly, in the Pali Pitaka Romaka is mentioned the Romaka-Jātaka, which describes a sham priest killing a pigeon to eat it