Dynasties of the Panjab             8i

" The Yavana was besieging Saketa : the Yavana
was besieging Madhyamika," are examples given
by the contemporary grammarian Patafijali of
the imperfect tense, which indicates an event
which has recently taken place, and is still fresh
in men's memories. About this time the aged
Pushyamitra, who had usurped the throne of the
last of the Mauryas in 184 B.C., was contemplating
offering the ancient Brahminical sacrifice of
Asvamedha, to celebrate his ascendancy over his
neighbours. He received an unexpected check.
On the banks of the Sindhu^ river, the sacred
horse and its bodyguard, under the command of
the young Crown Prince Agnimitra, were attacked
by a party of Yavana horsemen (perhaps a detach¬
ment of the army besieging Madhyamika), and all
but carried off^. Nor did Menander stop here.
Pressing on, he began to threaten Pataliputra
itself, to the great alarm of the inhabitants.
" When the viciously valiant Yavanas," says the
author of the Gdrgt Samhitd, " after reducing
Saketa, the Panchala country, and Mathura,
reach the royal residence of Pataliputra, all the
provinces will be in disorder." He penetrated,
says Strabo, right to the Soanus^.    But the fears

^ Between Rajputana and Bundelkhand. iVo^, of course, the
Indus.

2 See the drama called Mdlavikdgnimitra, trans. Tawney,
P-78.     _^

^ TrXetw WvTj KaTecrrpeij/avTO rj 'AXe^av8po<;, koI fxdXi(TTa 6 Mei/av-
8pos, €tye Tov Y-iraaLV ^Ufirj Trpos co) Kal p.€XP^ "^^^ ^oavov TrporjXOe (MSS
"YiravLV. . .'lad/jiov).     Strabo, XI. II. I.

R.I.                                                                                           6