ven kingdoms and produces gold and silver. Others
translate these last words as referring to another or two other
islands known as Gold and Silver Land. It is probable that the poet
did not distinguish clearly between Java and Sumatra. He goes on to
say that beyond Java is the peak called Sisira. This is possibly
the same as the Yavakoti mentioned in 499 A.D. by the Indian
astronomer Aryabhatta.

Since the Ramayana is a product of gradual growth it is not easy to
assign a definite date to this passage, but it is probably not later
than the first or second century A.D. and an early date is rendered
probable by the fact that the Alexandrian Geographer Ptolemy (_c._ 130
A.D.) mentions[372] [Greek: _Nesos Iabadiou e Sabadiou_] and by various
notices collected from inscriptions and from Chinese historians. The
annals of the Liang Dynasty (502-556 A.D.) in speaking of the countries
of the Southern Ocean say that in the reign of Hsuan Ti (73-49 B.C.) the
Romans and Indians sent envoys to China by that route,[373] thus
indicating that the Archipelago was frequented by Hindus. The same work
describes under the name of Lang-ya-hsiu a country which professed
Buddhism and used the Sanskrit language and states that "the people say
that their country was established more than 400 years ago."[374]
Lang-ya-hsiu has been located by some in Java by others in the Malay
Peninsula, but even on the latter supposition this testimony to Indian
influence in the Far East is still important. An inscription found at
Kedah in the Malay Peninsula is believed to be older than 400 A.D.[375]
No more definite accounts are forthcoming before the fifth or sixth
century. Fa-Hsien[376] relates how in 418 he returned to China from
India by sea and "arrived at a country called Ya-va-di." "In this
country" he says "heretics and Brahmans flourish but the law of Buddha
hardly deserves mentioning."[377] Three inscriptions found in west Java
in the district of Buitenzorg are referred for palaeographic reasons to
about 400 A.D. They are all in Sanskrit and eulogize a prince named
Purnavarman, who appears to have been a Vishnuite. The name of his
capital is deciphered as Naruma or Taruma. In 435 according to the Liu
Sung annals[378] a king of Ja-va-da named Shih-li-pa-da-do-a-la-pa-mo
sent tribute to China. The king's name probably represents a Sanskrit
title beginning with Sri-Pada and it is noticeable that two footprints
are carved on the stones which bear Purnava