not only would have got to Patna without crossing the Son, but could not have seen the Râjgir hills from any point on its banks. The course suggested by me, however, fulfils all the conditions.
It may not be amiss to note that the marches of Râmâ on this occasion, as detailed in the Râmâyana, are such as could easily have been accomplished. The distance from Ayodhya to the junction of the Sarayu and the Ganges is 170 miles taken in a straight line; but there are strong reasons for supposing that, in ancient times, the Sarayu joined the Ganges higher up, which would reduce the distance. However that may be, 170 miles in two days is no impossible or improbable feat, if we suppose, as suppose we must, that the king’s son did not walk on foot the whole of the way, but rode. Thence to Viswamitra’s hermitage is only a day’s journey, for though it took Râmâ two days to do it, most part of one day was consumed in fighting with Tádaká, and they reached the place on the second day in time for Viswamitra to begin the initiatory rites that very day. (Griff. Râm., Vol. I, page 152.)
"Begin, O best of saints, we pray,
Initiatory rites to-day.
Then thus addressed the holy man,
The very glorious sage began
The high preliminary rite."
On the return journey, however, Râmâ and Viswamitra were accompanied by several of Viswamitra’s pupils and holy old anchorites—
The name of Viswamitra’s hermitage I find to have