Magadha formed one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas (Sanskrit: "Great Countries") of ancient India. The core of the kingdom was the area of Bihar south of the Ganges; its first capital was Rajagriha (modern Rajgir), then Pataliputra (modern Patna). Rajagriha was initially known as 'Girivrijja' and later came to be known as so during the reign of Ajatashatru. Magadha expanded to include most of Bihar and Bengal with the conquest of Licchavi and Anga, respectively, followed by much of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. The ancient kingdom of Magadha is heavily mentioned in Jain and Buddhist texts, as it was the main power in the geographic area where the Buddha and Mahavira were born. It is also mentioned in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. A state of Magadha is recorded in Vedic te