Name of Baku is linked to Sampaka, a Sakyian of Kapilavastu, who was removed from the city by a proclamation because he first shut his arrows at Virodhaka. The latter was the son of King Pasenadi of Kosala( or Cos, same as Caesarea). He killed his King-father, and became the King. He attempted to attack Kapilavastu thrice; the Buddha sat on his way under a leafless tree. He returned back. He knew that the Buddha will not sit on his for the fourth time. When he again camped at the Gate of the City, the city council declared that they would not shut at Virodhaka first. Sampaka did not now this. He was out of the city during the sitting of the city-council.

When he saw Virodhaka camping at the Gate, he climbed a tree, and from there he shut at Virodhaka. King of Kosala, Virodhaka burnt down many Sakyian settlements from which history came to know them as ‘Burnt Islands’. Virodhaka took away with him five hundred Sakyian girls to his harem, and tortured them. Buddha sent Sariputta, who could enter into his prison by his magical power, and consoled the Sakyian girls to die a peaceful death. The Buddha then declared death of Virodhaka within a week, and this happened in a magical way. A great stream of water from the river Achiravati rushed out and took away Virodhaka and his army men into the sea.

Sampaka, after being expelled from the city of Kapilavastu, met the Buddha, and took his blessings. The Buddha gave him his tooth and hair relics. Sampaka built a city at Baku( or Vaku) where he raised a Temple and deposited the relics. This was that relics’ temple of the ‘inhabited world’ which showered mysterious light all over Jambudvipa. In later days, name of Baku became insignificant, and name of the Temple known as Koksheswara, or Makkaswara became famous. This became in short form called Makka, or Mecca.

From the name of Achira-vati has been derived the name of Yueh-chi. On one side of the river was the City of Baku, and the other side was the city of Tu-hu-lo, or the city of the ancient Turkestan.

This incident of Sampaka shows the religious rivalry among different ancient tribes whose settlements mostly were on the banks of the rivers.

The ‘inhabited world’, if divided into four quarters, then settlements of ancient tribes give a picture like this:

River Saraswati, or the river Kapila or Kophes: Greek settlements(N)

River Indus, or the River Daya and the Koa : Roman settlements, ancient Lanka(W)

River Ganges : Indians, Persians, and the Israelites, Arabs,(S)

River Scamander, and Nile : Ancient Egypt, Ancient Chin(E), identifies the Caspian Sea.

River Achiravati is the southward extension of the Koa after it branched as Indus to west at Bacephalus where Alexander built the city in name of his horse.

This is a rough picture of the human settlements of the ancient world.