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6 wards adopted by the authors of several of the Purânas. According to this arrangement, Pânchâla was the chief district of the central division, Magadha of the east, Kalinga of the south-east, Avanta of the south, Anarta of the south-west, Sindhu-Sauvira of the west, Hârahaura of the north-west, Madra of the north, and Kauninda of the north-east. But there is a discrepancy between this epitome of Varâha and his details, as Sindhu-Sauvira is there assigned to the south-west, along with Anarta. This mistake is certainly as old as the eleventh century, as Abu Rihâm has preserved the names of Varâha's abstract in the same order as they now stand in the 'Brihat-Sanhitâ.' These details are also supported by the 'Mârkandeya Purâna,' which assigns both Sindhu-Sauvira and Anarta to the south-west.

I have compared the detailed lists of the 'Brihat-Sanhitâ' with those of the Brahmânda, Mârkandeya, Vishnu, Vâyu, and Matsya Purânas; and I find that, although there are sundry repetitions and displacements of names, as well as many various readings, yet