Parama Kamboja

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Parama Kamboja

Ancient Sanskrit literature reveals that like the Madras/Uttara Madras and the Kurus/Uttara Kurus, the ancient Kambojas also had, at least two settlements. The great epic Mahabharata sufficiently attests two main divisions of the Kambojas which were named as Kamboja and the Parama-Kamboja. Besides Mahabharata, there are other ancient texts/sources which also indirectly support the existence of two Kamboja divisions in ancient times.

Contents

[edit] Mahabharata Evidence

[edit] Kamboja

In Arjuna's Digvijaya compaign against the tribes of north, in the direction presided over by the lord of treasures, Pandava hero Arjuna reduces the Bahlika (north-west Punjab) country, and then meets the Daradas (Gilgit) and the Kambojas (Paropamisadae to Rajauri) and obtains tribute from them [1]

This settlement of the Kambojas was in neighborhood of the Daradas and is located on the southern side of Hindu Kush in the region, which later formed parts of the Greek strapy of Paropamisadae. In the east, it is known to have extended as far as Rajapura (Rajauri) located in west Kashmir, as attested by Mahabharata [2]

The capital city of Kamboja was at Rajauri (Dr B. C. Law, Dr R. C. Majumdar, Dr H. C. Raychaudhury).

[edit] Parama-Kamboja

Mahabharata attests that after settling with the Daradas and the Kambojas, Arjuna fights with the robber tribes of the mountainous frontiers and dasyus (barbarians) of the woods, and thereafter, taking select forces, Arjuna goes across Hindukush to fight with the allied tribes of the Lohas, Parama-Kambojas and northern Rishikas [3].

The Lohas, Param-Kambojas and the northern Rishikas were all neighborly tribes, and all were located in trans-Himalayan (i.e trans-Hindukush) territories. The northern Rishikas had another of their settlement, somewhere between river Tapti and Godavari, in western India. They were probably located on or south of river Tapti, west of Vidarbhas, north of the Mulakas, east of Soparka and south of Anupadesa (in modern Maharashtra).

The northern Rishikas were apparently located in Sogdiana/Fargana territories. According to classical writings, the vast region beyond Mount Hemodos (i.e north of Hindukush/Himalaya) was known as Scythia [4]. The same was known as Sakadvipa in ancient Sanskrit literature.

The Parama-Kambojas were located in Pamirs/Badakshan and as far as Zeravshan valley (See: Kamboja Location). Since this region was beyond Mount Hemados/Himaos, it apparently fell in Scythic cultural belt. The Parama Kambojas, therefore, were pure Iranians following Irano-Scythian culture and customs rather than the Indo-Aryan. The capital city of the Parama-Kamboja was probably at Darwaz in Badakshan.

[edit] Further References to Parama-Kamboja

There are several more references in the Drona Parava, Sauptika Parava and Karana Parava of Mahabharata, which amply attest the excellent breed of horses from Parama-Kamboja. The Following is one illustrative example, picked up from Sauptikaparava of Mahabharata, which sufficiently attests the Parama-Kamboja people as well as their foremost breed of war steeds [5].

It is interesting to note that like Madras/Uttara Madras, Kurus/Uttara Kurus, Kambojas/ Parama Kambojas, there were also two settlements of the Yonas (Yavanas)--- the Yona and the Parama Yona [6]. Further, there is also an ancient reference to China and Parama China in Valmiki Ramayana [7].

The Yona probably referred to Archosian Yavanas while the Parama-Yona to the Bactrian Yavanas. Similarly China probably referred to little Tibet, while the Parama China (also known as Maha-China: see Manasollasa) referred to the main China.

[edit] Etymology of Parama-Kamboja

The prefix Parama- can be interpretted in the sense of (1) Uttara or northern (2) beyond and (3) greater/supreme.

The Parama- with a sense of northern/Uttara sounds logical since the Parama- branch of the Kambojas was located in Uttara or north direction to Kambojas. Moreover, it also sounds similar to Uttara-Madra and Uttara-Kuru. The Parama- in the sense of greater also makes good sense since the trans-Hindukush branch the Kambojas was original and perhaps the bigger section of the Kambojas. Some scholars like Dr Fauja Singh, Dr L. M. Joshi have interpretted Parama- in the sense of beyond, which also looks senseful since Parama-Kamboja was located beyond the Kamboja, when seen from India.

[edit] More evidence on two Kamboj settlements

[edit] Evidence from Dasam-Granth

While referring to the invasion of Alexander of Macedon, Dasasam Granth a seventeenth century text of Punjab refers to Kambuj and Kamboj obviously two distinct settlements[8]

The text obviously refers to Kambuj (Kabuj) as neighbors to the Kabulis and then the Kamboj as neighbors to the Kilmaka and China (Cheen ke) people. Kilmakas probably refers to the Mongol Kalmucks who lived in Central Asian Steppes. After Kilmaks, follows the destruction of countless forces of China (Cheen ke). Then it refers to Macheen (Manchuria).

Thus, the Dasam-Granth authors seem to be aware of the existence of two ancient Kamboja settlements.

[edit] Evidence from Ptolemy

Ptolemy refers to a region located on the southern bank of Oxus in Badakshan, and calls it Tambyzoi. According to scholars like Dr S Levi, Tambyzoi is a Greek transliteration of Sanskrit Kamboja [9].

Ptolemy also refers to a people/region he calls Ambautai ([10] which he locates on the southern side of Hindukush in the Paropamisadae.

Dr Michael Witzel opines that Ptolemian Ambautai is a variant of K’ambau.tai which he says is Ptolemian transliteration of the Sanskrit term Kamboja, with the typical Saka suffix -tai (Sauroma-tai) [1] [2]

Ptolemy also refers to Komoi people/region, whom he locates in the mountains of Sogdiana north of Bactria/Badakshan.

The Komoi, as the name suggests, may be Ptolemian transtliteration of Kamboi. Kamboi comes from Kamboika or Kamboyka which is Sanskrit corruption of Kambojika [11]. Kambojika is Pali equivalent of Sanskrit Kamboja. Pali texts numerously write Kamboja as well as Kambojaka/Kambojika.

Thus, it looks likely that the Kamboja clans were spread in Kabol valley in Paropamisadae, in Badakshan/Pamir as well as up to the highlands of Sogdiana. The Yagnobi, a dialect of the modern Galcha language spoken in/around the head waters of river Zeravshan (in Zeravshan valley) still contains the relics of ancient Kamboji verb Shavti used in the sense to go [12].

[edit] Epilogue

The foregoing references sufficiently demonstrate that the Kambojas were living on either side of the Hindukush. The cis-Hindukush division was called Kamboja. The trans-Hindukush Kamboja division was known as Parama Kamboja. Thus, like the Uttara-Kurus and Uttara-Madras, the Parama-Kambojas were also located in the trans-Himalayan (paren himavantam..) regions, and were neighbors both to the Uttara Kurus as well as the Uttara Madras. The author of Vayu Purana uses the name Kumuda-dvipa for Kusha-dvipa [13]. 'Kumuda is also a Puranic name of a mountain forming the northern buttress of the Mount Meru (i.e. Pamirs). In anterior Epic Age, Kumuda was the name given to high table-land of the Tartary located to north of the Himalaya range from which the Aryan race may have originally pushed their way southwards into Indian peninsula and preserved the name in their traditions as a relic of old mountain worship' (Thompson)[14]. Thus, the Kumuda-dvipa lay close north to the Pamirs. Lying in the Transoxiana (in Saka-dvipa), this Komuda or Kumuda-dvipa of the Puranic texts is often identified as the ancient Kamboja land which corresponds to the Parama Kamboja referred to in the Sabha Parava of Mahabharata [15].

Ptolemian Komdei is Komed or Komdesh or Kamdesh (?); from Kambodesh (?), probably "Kambojdesh". It is Kiumito or Kumito of Hiun Tsang and Kumed or Kumadh of the Muslim writers, Kiumiche of Wu'kong, Kumi of T'ang and Cambothi, Kambuson and Komedon of Greek writers. Al-Maqidisi in his book Al-Muqhni calls the people of this territory as Kumiji which apparently is equivalent to Sanskrit Kamboj [16]. The root Kam of the Sanskrit name Kamboja is also reflected in the Kama valley, a region lying between the Khyber Pass and Jalalabad; in the place names like Kama-daka, Kamma-Shilman, Kama-bela of Kabol; in the Kamdesh or Kambrom, Kamich, Kama and Kamu & Kamatol of the Kunar and Bashgul valleys; and also in the vast expanses of region called Kazal-Kam and Kara-Kam lying on either side of the Oxus, north of Hindukush in parts of Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan. Thus, the Ptolemian terms Kamoi and Komdei or Hiun Tsang's Kiumito exactly also refer to the Trans-Hindukush territories which region is what Mahabharata [17] refers to as Parama Kamboja i.e a Kamboja lying beyond the Kamboja of Kabol valley [18].

Aitareya Brahmana [19] further attests that the trans-Himalyan Uttara Madra and Uttara Kuru nations were republican. As the Param-Kamboja (i.e the original Kamboja) was a close neighbor both to the Uttaramadras as wel as the Uttarakurus in trans-Himalyan territories, it can, therefore, be fairly conjectured that the Parama-Kambojas were also a republican people, most probably following a Rajashabdopajivin (king consul) type of republicanism, where the king was only a title for the commander-in-chief of the military confederation [20]. Several republics of the Kambojas are attested in the Mahabharata [21]. Kautiliya also attests the Kamboja Sanghas and Corporations [22]. The Kambojas were also a self-governing political unit (republic) under the Maurya Emperors.[23]

[edit] References

  1. ^
    tatah.parama.vikranto Bahlikan.kurunandanah || II.27.22||
    ....................................................................
    Daradan.saha Kambojai.rajayat.paka.shasanih || II.27.23||.
  2. ^ . Karna-Rajapuram-gatva-Kambojah-nirjitastava || VII.4.5 ||.
  3. ^
    Lohan. Parama. Kambojan.Rishikan.uttaranapi ||II.27.25||
  4. ^ Diodorus: II.35
  5. ^
    yuktam Parama. Kambojaisturagairhemamalibhih ||10.14.1-2||.
  6. ^ See: Mahaniddesa, pp 155, 415.
  7. ^ The Ramayana of Valmiki: An Epic of Ancient India, Volume 4: Kiskindhakanda, p 151, Rosalind Lefeber.
  8. ^
    Kashmir Kashkar Kabuj (=Kambuj) Kabul ko keenu,
    Kashtwar Kulu-Kehlur Kaihal kaho leeno,
    Kamboj Kilmak kathin pal mei kat darey,
    Hai kote Cheen ke katak hano kar kop karare.
    — (See: Charytropakhyana, Triyachritra 217/verse 14, Dasam Granth 2024, Narain Singh, Dr Ajit Singh Aulakh, Publiushrs M/S Bhai Chatter Singh ji & Co).
  9. ^ Indian Antiquary, 1923, p 54, Dr S Levi, Problems of Ancient India, 2000, p 1, K. D. Sethna etc.
  10. ^ Geography 6.18.3.
  11. ^ Kambojika => Kamboyika => Kamboika =Kamboi.
  12. ^ Proceedings & Transations of 6th A.I.O Conference, 1930, p 118, Dr J. C. Vidyalankar; Linguistic Survey of India, G. A. Grierson.
  13. ^ Vayu I.48.34-36
  14. ^ O. Thompson, A History of Ancient Geography (London 1965) .
  15. ^ Dr Buddha Prakash maintains that, based on the evidence of Kalidasa's Raghuvamsha, Raghu defeated the Hunas on river Vamkshu (Raghu vamsha 4.68), and immediately after them he marched against the Kambojas (4.69-70). These Kambojas were of Iranian affinities who lived in Pamirs and Badakshan. Hiun Tsang calls this region Kiu.mi.to which is thought to be Komdei of Ptolemy and Kumadh or Kumedh of Muslim writers (See: Studies in Indian History and Civilization, Agra, p 351; India and the World, 1964, p 71, Dr Buddha Prakash; Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 300, Dr J. L. Kamboj).
  16. ^ See: Studies in Indian History and Civilization, Agra, p 351; India and the World, 1964, p 71, Dr Buddha Prakash; India and Central Asia, p 25, Dr P. C. Bagchi; Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, pp 46-47, 300 Dr J. L. Kamboj; The Kambojas Throgh the Ages, 2005, pp 159, 59, S Kirpal Singh.
  17. ^ Mahabharata 2.27.25.
  18. ^ The Kambojas Through the Ages, 2005, pp 159, 92, 59, S Kirpal Singh; cf: These Kamboj People, 1979, 67, K. S. Dardi; cf: History of Punjab, Vol I, p 182, Dr L. M. Joshi, Dr Fauja Singh.
  19. ^ Aiterya Brahmana VIII/14
  20. ^ Hindu Polity, p 52, Dr K. P. Jayswal; Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 260-66, Dr J. L. Kamboj.
  21. ^ Kambojana cha ye ganah...Mahabharata(7/91/39).
  22. ^
    i.e Kambhoja. Sauraastra.ksatriya.shreny.adayo vartta.shastra.upajivinah ||11.1.04|| .
  23. ^ Hindu Polity, A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times, 1978, p 117-121, Dr K. P. Jayswal; Ancient India, 2003, pp 839-40, Dr V. D. Mahajan; Northern India, p 42, Dr Mehta Vasisitha Dev Mohan etc

[edit] See also

[edit] Books and Periodicals

  • Geographical Data in early Puranas, 1972, Dr M. R. Singh.
  • Problems of Ancient India, 2000, K. D. Sethna.
  • The Puranas, Vol VI, , No 1, 1964.
  • Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, Dr J. L. Kamboj.
  • These Kamboj People, 1979, K. S Dardi
  • Mahabharata
  • Ramayana
  • Ptolemy’s Geography
  • Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World: Map-By-Map Directory (2 Volume Set) , 2000, Richard J. A. Talbert.
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