Kambojas

Kambojas (modern Kambojs/Kambohs) are a very ancient people of north-western India, frequently mentioned in ancient texts, although not in the Rig Veda itself. They are known to belong to ancient Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family.

In Aitreya Brahmana, the Uttarakuru and Uttaramadra tribes have been stated to be living beyond Himalaya (VIII.14). The Vamsa Brahamana (1/18) of the Samveda refers to Madragara Shaungayani as a teacher of Aupmanyava Kamboja (Vedic Index II, p 61). According to Dr A. D. Pusalkar, sage Upamanyu mentioned in the Rgveda (I.102.9), too all probability, is the father of this Kamboja teacher(History and Culture of Indian People, The Vedic Age, p 259). Similar are the views of Dr Zimmer, Dr Ludwig and Dr Law (Some Kshatrya Tribes of Ancient India, 1924, p 231). From the fact that Kamboja Aupamanyava is stated to be pupil of sage Madargara, Dr Keith and Macdonnel of the Vedic Index postulate a possible connection of the Uttaramadras with the Kambojas who probably, had both Iranain as well as Indian affinities (Vedic Index, I.84, 138; cf also: An Ancient People of Panjab, The Udumbras, Journal Asiatique, 1926, p 11, Jean Przylusky; India as Known to Panini, p 50, Dr V. S. Aggarwala).

Kambojas - An Iranian Tribe

Numerous historians now believe that the Kambojas were a tribe of the Iranian Aryans.

As shown in the Jataka and Avestic literature, Kamboja was a center of ancient Iranian civilization as evidenced by the peculiar customs of the country (The Kamboja Janapada, Jan 1964, Purana, Vol VI, No 1, Dr V. S. Aggarwala, p 229; Jataka edited by Fausboll, Vol VI, p 210 )

Zoroastrian religion had probably originated in Kamboja-land (Badakshan-Pamir)....the Kambojas spoke Avestan language. (Bharatiya Itihaas Ki Rup Rekha, p 229-231, Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar).

Dr Michael Witzel also thinks that the Kambojas were east Iranians speaking Avestan language [Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies,Vol. 7 (2001), issue 3 (May 25), Art. 9]

Yaska (700 BC), in his Nirukuta, contrasts the speech of the Kambojas with that of the Aryans i.e Indo-Aryans:

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

shavatir gatikarmaa Kamboje.sv eva bhaa.syate...vikaara enam Aaryaa bha.sante shava iti

English:

The verb 'shavati', meaning 'to go', is used by the Kambojas only..... but its root 'shava' is used by the Indo-Aryans.

— Nirukuta II/2

It is interesting to note that this evidence by Yasaka puts the Kambojas in direct contrast to the Indo-Aryans and further, the word shavati is not found in ancient Sanskrit literature but it is a well known Iranian word. (G. Grierson; cf: Kamboja verb shavati represents, sound by sound, the Avestan sauuaiti 'to go'....Dr Michael Witzel, Persica, 9, 1980, p 92).

Sir G. A. Grierson sees in this reference the Iranian affinities of the Kambojas (Linguistic Survey of India, Vol X, pp 406, 473-74, 475, 500 etc; Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, 1911, pp 801-02; Bharat Bhumi, pp 297-303, Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar).

cf: '.. the Nirukta of Yáska (300 BC) has been cited for the statement "the word savati as a verb of motion is spoken among the Kambojas", a statement that would be correct for speakers of an Iranian dialect' (The Cambridge Ancient History: Volume 4, p 199, by John Boardman)

Dr. Grierson's views are further reinforced by a gatha from Bhuridatta Jataka, which informs us that the ancient Kambojas considered it a religious duty to kill poisnous insects, moths, snakes, worms and frogs etc (Fausboll, Jataka, Vol VI, pp 208, 210):

Pali:

Translietration:

kita patanga urga cha mekka/

hattya kirmi sujjhati makkhika//

ete hi dhamma anaryarupa/

kambojakanam vitatha bahunan ti//

— (Jataka, VI, 208)

English:

Those men are counted pure who only kill,

Frogs, worms, bees, snakes or insects as they will,

These are your savage customs which I hate,

Such as Kamboja hordes might emulate.

— (The Jataka, VI, p 110, Trans. E. B. Cowell)

This gatha, by itself, establishes a close connection between the ancient Kambojas and the ancient Iranians with whom the destruction of noxious or ahramanic creatures was a duty (Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, 1912, p 256, Dr G. A. Grierson)

Almost similar information is also furnished by Mahabharata, which speaks of the Yavanas, Kambojas and Gandharas as fierce barbarians of Uttarapatha (MBH 6/9/65), and further reckons them among the sinful people having nature of Svapakas and Grddharas (MBH XII/207/43-44).

Sanskrit:

यौन काम्बोज गान्धाराः किराताबर्बरैः सह

एते पापकृतस्तात चरन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम

श्वकाकबलगृध्राणां सधर्माणो नराधिप

Transliteration:

uttarA pathajanmAnaH kIrtayiShyAmi tAnapi./

yauna kAmbojagAndhArAH kirAtA barbaraiH saha.//43

ete pApakRitastAta charanti pRithivImimAm./

shvakAkabalagRidhrANA.n sadharmANo narAdhipa.//44

— (MBH 12/207/43-44)

Hence, this Mahabharata evidence also points towards non-Indo-Aryanism i.e Zoroastrianism of the Kambojas, as attested by the Buddhist Jataka above.

Beyond any reasonable doubt that the Kambojas were a tribe of the Iraninas (Dr G. A. Grierson)

Apparently, the Kambojas were Iranians living in the Mauryan Empire (Dr D. C. Sircar)

cf: The Kambojas were the Iranian autochthonos, following the Mazdean religion, of the country around present day Kandhar (E. Benveniste, J. Filliozat).

[Ref: Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, 1911, p 801-02; Journal of Royal Asiatic Society, 1912, p 255-56; Linguistic Survey of India, Vol X, pp 456-57, Dr G. A. Grierson; Das Folk Der Kamboja bei Yasaka, Dr E. Kuhn, First Series of Avesta, Pahlavi and Ancient Persian Studies in honour of the late Shams-ul-ulama Dastur Peshotanji Bahramji Strassberg and Leipzig, pp 213-14; cf: J. Bloch, Indo-Aryan, Paris, 1965, p 330; Also Lit. Gesch, 9 169, p 363, Weber; Early Eastern Iran and Atharvaveda , Persica-9, 1980, fn 81, 83 Witzel and Leiden; Purana, Vol V,No 2, July 1963, p 256, Dr D. C. Sircar; The Afghans (Peoples of Asia), p 127, W. J. Vogelsang; The Cambridge History of Iran: Volume 3, p 951, E. Yarshater; 'Ancient Kamboja', in Iran and Islam, Bailey, H. W. etc]

The noted scholars like C. Lassen, S. Levi, M. Witzel, J. Charpentier, La Valle Poussin, A. Hoffman, A. B. Keith, A. A. Macdonnel, G. K. Nariman, E. Kuhn, H. W. Bellow, A. D. Pusalkar, S. Sen, D. R. Bhandarker, S. Thion and others have traced the ethnic name Kamboja in the royal name Kambujiya of the Old Persian Inscriptions (Cambyses/Kambuses of the Greeks). Kambujiya (also Kambaujiya) was the name of several great Persian kings of Achamenian dynasty. The same name appears as C-n-b-n-z-y in Aramaic, Kambuzia in Assyran, Kambythet in Egyptian, Kam-bu-zi-ia in Akkadian, Kan-bu-zi-ia in Elemite, and Kanpuziya in Susian language.

H. W. Bellow writes:

Darius succeeded, about 521 B.C to the empire founded by Cyrus (Kurush), and enlarged and consolidated by his son and successor Cambyses (Kambojia, Kambohji). Cyrus-whose mother was called Mandane (Mandana; perhaps a princess of the Mandan tribe), and said to be a Mede, and whose father was called Cambyses (Kambohji; probably a chieftain of the Kamboh tribe) having reduced the Medes and conquered the kingdom of Croesus the Lydian (Lùdi), thereby became master of all the territory extending from the Indus to the Hellespont

— (An enquiry into the Ethnography of Afghanistan H. W. Bellow; also, Sectarianism and Ethnic Violence in Afghanistan, Musa Khan Jalzai)

Kambujiya III (Cambyses III) is famous for his conquest of Egypt (525 B.C.) and the havoc he had wrought upon this country.

Location of Ancient Kamboja

The scholars are not unanimous on the location of ancient Kamboja. The Kambojas are variously said to have belonged to Khorasan, Balkh, Bokhara (H. H. Wilson); Afghanistan (J. McCrindle, Alexandra's Invasion); Kafiristan to Kashmir (H. C. Raychaudhury, D. R. Bhandarkar); Pamir, Badakshan (Dr J. C. Vidyalankar, Raymond Allchin, Dr G. A. Grierson, Dr S. K. Chatterjee, Dr V. S. Aggarwala); Arachosia (D. C. Sircar, J. Fillozat, E. Benveniste, Michael Witzel); mountains of Gazni(Willford); Sindh/Gujarat (Dr S. K. Aiyanger, Dr P. N. Banerjee); Hindukush/Tibet (Dr V. A. Smith); Tibet [Charles Elliot, Dr Foucher, Dr G. G. Gokhale); and Cambodia (R. D. Banerjee), with their capital at an unidentified place called Dvarka, a name with Maga Associations. Scholars have identified this Dvarka with the modern 'Darwaz city' located in Tajikstan in Central Asia (Ancient India, Dr Rhys David, p 7; Geographical and Economical Studies in the Mahabharata, Dr Motichandra, p 38; Cultural Heritage of India, Vol I, pp 44,51, Dr S. K. Chatterjee; Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 118, Dr J. L. Kamboj).

In ancient literature and inscriptions, the Kambojas are frequently listed with the tribes of Uttarapatha like the Gandharas, Yavanas, Madras, Sakas etc. At several places in Mahabharata, the Kambojas are refered to as a tribe of Uttarapatha i.e north or north-west. e.g.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Uttarapatha janmanah kirtayishyami tanapi

Yauna kamboja gandharah kirata barbaraih saha

— (MBH 12/201/40)

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Uttarashchapare mlechchha jana bharatasattama

Yavanashcha sa Kamboja daruna mlechchha jatayah

— (MBH 6/11/63-64)

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Shakanam pahlavana.n cha daradanam cha ye nripah

Kambojarishika ye cha pashchimanupakash cha ye

— (MBH 5/5/15)

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

udichya kamboja shakaih khashaish cha

— (MBH 5/159/20)

This fact clearly proves that the 'Kamboja' of ancient Sanskrit literature invariably referes to a tribe and country of that name located in the Uttarapatha or north division of ancient India. The country was located beyond Gandhara, in the extreme north-west in Central Asia. Therefore, Kamboja of ancient Sanskrit literature must not be confused with trans-Gangetic Kamboja (or Kambuja) centered at Mekong basin which country came into existence several centuries after Christian era. Cambodia or Kamboja of South East India does not find any reference in ancient Sanskrit literature as is erroneously believed by some writers (cf: Political History of Ancient India, 1996, p 133, Dr H. C. Raychaudhury, Dr B. N. Banerjee).

The most acceptable view is that the ancient Kambojas originally belonged to the 'Galcha' speaking area (the Iranian Pamirs and Badakshan) in Central Asia (Linguistic Survey of India, Vol X, p 455, Dr G. A. Grierson).

Yasaka's Nirukuta (II/2) informs us that verb 'shavati' in the sense 'to go' was used by the Kambojas and Kambojas only (Early Eastern Iran and Atharvaveda, 1980, 92, Dr Michael Witzel; also Nilukuta, Vol I, Sarup).

The modern 'Galcha' language comprises seven main dialects viz. Valkhi, Shigali, Srikoli, Jebaka ( also called Sanglichi or Ishkashim), Munjani, Yidga and Yagnobi.

It has been pointed out that the Galcha dialects spoken in Pamirs and countries on the head waters of Oxus mostly still have the continuants of the ancient Kamboja 'shavati' in the sense 'to go' (Op cit., pp 455-56, 468, 474, 476, 500, Dr G. A. Grierson; India as Known to Panini, p 48, Dr V. S. Aggarwala; Geographical and Economical Studies in the Mahabharata, p 37, Dr Moti Chandra; Bharat Bhumi Aur Uske Nivasi, 1930, pp 297-305, Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar).

Yagnobi dialect spoken in Yagnobe province, around head-waters of Zeravshan in Doab of Oxus and Jaxartes also still contains a relic from the verb 'shavati' of ancient Kamboja.

Further, it has also been pointed out that the former language of Badakshan was a dialect of Galcha which has been replaced with Farsi only in the last few centuries (Op cit, p 456, Dr Grierson).

'The Badakshan Tajiks belong to the same Aryan race as the Tajiks of Galcha region and are said to be the modern representatives of the ancient Kambojas' (Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar, Dr Moti Chandra, Bharat Bhumi Aur Uske Nivasi, pp 313-14, 226; Bhartya Itihaas ki Mimansa, p 335; Cultural Heritage of India, Vol I, p 51, Dr S. K. Chatterjee).

The above discussion leads one to summarize that ancient Kamboja land, to all probability, comprised Pamirs, Badakshan and parts of Tajikstan onto Zeravashan river in the doab of Oxus/Jaxartes of Central Asia (Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, pp 164, 237, Dr J. Kamboj).

This Kamboja location in Pamir-Badakshan originally suggested by Dr Christian Lassen has been accepted by eminent scholars like Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar, Dr Moti Chandra, Raymond Allchin, Dr A. M Shastri, Dr S. K. Chatterje, G. A. Grierson, R. R. Pandey, D Devahuti, Dr B. S. Upadhyaya, Dr J. L. Kamboj and other scholars.

It also important to note that Kamboja and Bahlika (Bacteria) are mentioned in the same breath in several verses in Mahabharata e.g.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

shakAH kAmbojabAhlIkA yavanAH pAradAstathA

— (MBH 7/98/13; see also verses 6/75/17; 2/27/23-23 etc)

which shows that these countries were located with contiguous boundaries.

In Valmiki Ramayana also, the Kamboja and Bahlika countries are mentioned in the same breath:

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Kaambhoja.vishhaye jaatair Baahlikaishcha hayottamaiH

— (Ramayana I/6/22)

Atharvaveda-Parisia also juxtaposes the Kamboja with Bahlika (Kamboja-Bahlika, AV-Par, 57.2.5; cf Persica-9, 1980, p 106, Dr Michael Witzel), thus further reinforcing the same fact.

All these references clearly position the ancient Kamboja in the eastern parts of Bacteria, apparently including Badakshan and Pamirs(Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahabharata, p 38, Dr Moti Chandra; Geographical Data in the early Purana Purana, 1972, Dr M. R. Singh; Purana, V, No 2, pp 355-59).

Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa (4th c AD) informs us that after reducing Parsikas/Persians (Raghuvamsa, 4/65), king Raghu moves onto north direction (4/66) and encounters the Hunas (4/68). The Hunas in 4th c AD were located in Bacteria, west of Oxus. Immediately after reducing the Hunas, Raghu faces the Kambojas (4/69-70) on east of Oxus. And after settling with the Kambojas, his army ascends the Himalayas (4/71) and meets the Kiratas within. After reducing the Kiratas, he hits Ganga and lands in India proper. If one critically examines this trail of Raghu's conquests, the Kamboja certainly finds place in Badakshan and Pamirs only(Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar).

Yuan Chwang (7th c AD) refers to one 'Kumito' as an independently ruled provincial unit in Pamirs (east of Khotlan) stated to form one of the 17 political provinces in former Tukharistan region. Wu-k'ong refers to it as 'Kiumeche', while T'ang calls it 'Kumi'. This is 'Cambothi' or 'Kambuson' of the Greeks. Ptolemy's Geography calls this territory as 'Komdei' (Kamdesh?, Kambojdesh?). Indian texts call it 'Kamboj' (Ref: India and Central Asia, p 25, Dr P. C. Bagchi; cf: Central Asiatic Provinces of Maurya Empires, p 403, Dr H. C. Seth)

That the Kumito (Kamboj) of Yuan Chwang existed as an independent political territory in Pamirs in 7/8th c is also confirmed from Kalhana's Rajatrangini (4/165-166). King Lalitaditya of Kashmir undertakes to reduce his neighbing countries. He launches onto uttara (north) direction from Kashmir and fights with Dardas in Himalayas. There after, he fights the Kambojas and deprives them of their horses (4/165). The Tukharas run away without even giving a fight, abandoning their horses (4/166). Immediately after the Tukharas, he meets the Bhauttas. There is also reference to Uttarkuru, Strirajya and Pragjyotisha. Now, Dr Motichandra argues: "as the location of the Bhauttas in Baltistan is practically certain, the Kambojas could only be placed in Balkh-Badakshan and Pamirs at this time" (Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahabharata, p 38, Dr Moti Chandra).

The reference to Strirajya in this line of conquest after the Bhauttas further confirms the above location of the Kambojas. The Strirajya is said to be located in north of Kashmir and west of Tibet (Dr Michael Witzel). Thus Kumitos of Yuan Chwang or the Kambojas of Kalhana as neighbors to Tukharas, Bhauttas (Tibetans) and Stryrajya (west of Tibet) must therefore, be located in Pamirs at this time.

According Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar, during second c BC the Tukharas (Yueh-chihs) held sway over Badakshan-Pamir and the ancient Kamboja land became part of Tukharistan. But later, when the fortunes of Yueh-chihs fell, Tukharistan boundaries got shrunken to Badakshan, so that the Pamirian Kambojas again got the former name for their country (Ref: Bhartya Itihaas Ki Rup Rekha, p 534, Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar, Ancient Kamboja, People and Country, 1981, p 153, 301, Dr J. L. Kamboj).

Al-Idrisi, (1099c-1166c AD], an Arabic geographer while writing about Badakshan, its flora, its fauna, its scenic beauty, its quality horses & ponis, its precious stones and mineral wealth etc, he finally states that Badakshan shared boundaries with Kanoja. The Kanoja of Idrisi is in fact, the sanskrit Kamboja. Due to misplacement of dot, the Kamboja got changed to Kanoja in Persian transcription. Al-Idrisi beloged to 11th c AD. Obviously, the boundarieres of ancient Kamboja had considerably shrunken at Idrisi's times so that he differentiates Badakshan from the Kamboja located in its contiguity i.e in Pamirs.

Parja Bhatta author of fouth Rajatrangini while writing about history of Moghul dynasty in India writes emperor Babur as a Yavana king from Kambhoja.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Kaambhoja.yavaneshen Vabhoren vipatitah/

tadaiva hastinapuryamebhrahemo nripeshavra// 223//

— (Raghu Nath Sinha, Shukarjatrangini tatha Rajatrangini Sangraha: p 110)

Since Babur was native of Fargana in Central Asia, which region is immediately to the north of Pamirs/Badakshan...the land of ancient Kambojas, this mediaval age evidence furnishes us almost with the precise location of Ancient Kamboja.

Thus, Yuan Chwang, Kalidasa, Kalhana, Idrisi and Parja Bhatt, they all seem to locate the ancient Kamboja to the north/north-west to Kashmir i.e in Pamirs-Badakshan. There are several more references in ancient Sanskrit literature which also seem to place the Kambojas in Badakshan/Pamirs.

Dr Aggarwala concluded: 'The Kamboja as equivalent to Pamir-Badakshan satisfies all ancient references and data' (Geographical Data in Panini's Ashtadhyayi, J.U.P.H.S., Vol XVI, part I, p 27, Dr V. S. Aggarwala

During Achamenian rule, some sections of these Kambojas from this land had crossed Oxus/Hindukush and planted colonies in Kabol and Swat valleys. This view is beautifully reinforced from the fact that Yidga, a sub-dialect of the Galcha Munjani is still spoken on southern sides of Hindukush in Paropamisadea (cf: op cit, p 455, Dr G. A. Grierson; Ancient Kamboja People and the Country, p 154, Dr Kamboj).

'The ancient name of Kabol is Kamboj' (Supplementary Glossary, 1889, p 304, Elliot, H, . M). The Kaofu of Hiuen Tsang is 'Kambu' or Kabol or Kamboja and is equivalent to modern Afghanistan (McCrindle, Alexandra's Invasion, p 38, Megasthenes and Arrian, p 190; Chandragupta Maurya and his Times, 1943, p 280, Dr R. K. Mukerjee).

With passage of centuries, the trans-Hindukush Kambojas remained essentially still Iranian in culture and religion, while those in the cis-Hindukush region appear to have come under Indian cultural influence. This probably is the reason as to why the ancient Kambojas are attested to have both Indian as well as Iranian affinities.

There is scriptural evidence showing that like the Kuru/Uttarakuru, Madra/Uttaramadra, China/Parama-China, Yona/Parama-Yona, there were also two Kambojas....one located probably in Pamir/Badakshan and beyond which was known as Parama-Kamboja and the second was located to the south of Hindukush in Paropanisadai region which was known as Kamboja. This view is powerfully substantiated from Mahabharata verses (II.27.23-25) which specifically draw our attention to Kamboja and Parama-Kamboja people:

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

gRihItvA tu bala.n sAraM phalgu chotsRijya pANDavaH./

daradAnsaha kAmbojairajayatpAkashAsaniH.//22

prAguttarA.n disha.n ye cha vasantyAshritya dasyavaH./

nivasanti vane ye cha tAnsarvAnajayatprabhuH.//23

lohAnparamakAmbojAnRiShikAnuttarAnapi./

sahitA.nstAnmahArAja vyajayatpAkashAsaniH.24//

— (Mahabharata II/27/22-24)

The above fact is further supported from Ptolemy's Geography which references a geographical term 'Tambyzoi' on the Oxus in Badakshan and also an 'Ambautai' people located on the southern side of Hindukush in the Paropanisadae region (Geography 6.18.3, Dr Witzel; See map in McCrindle, p 8 ). Interestingly, eminent indologists like Dr S. Levi (Indian Antiquary, 1923, p 54) and Dr Michael Witzel (Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies, Vol. 5,1999, issue 1 (September)) have identified these Ptolemian 'Tambyzoi' and 'Ambautai' with the Sanskrit Kamboja

Thus we see:

"The historical truth is that there were two Kambojas"

(Problems of Ancient India, 2000, p 4; Geographical Data in the Early Puranas, A Critical Study, pp 167, Dr M. R. Singh; Geographical Text of the Puranas, A further Critical Study, Purana Vol VI, No I, Feb 1962, pp 112-46, C. A. Lewis; Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, pp 150-157, Dr J. L. Kamboj).

'It appears that the Kambojas were originally a people of the Pamir-Badakshan region who later planted colonies in southern side of Hindukush including Rajori. The later came to be known as Kamboja and the former as it was away from the later became famous as Parama-Kamboja' (Dr M. R. Singh, Geographical Data in the Early Puranas, a Critical Study, 1978, p 168; also Dr L. M. Joshi, Dr Fauja Singh, History of Panjab; cf: Sidhant Kaumudi, R. R. Pande, 1966, p 20-22).

Later, some sections of the Kambojas moved still further onto Arachosia, which fact is attested from Aramaic version of 'Shar-i-Kuna inscriptions' of king Ashoka found in Kandhar (Dr D. C. Sircar, E. Benveniste, J. Filliozat).

Dr Witzel, therfore, locates the Kambojas from Kabol valley down to Arachosia (Persica-9, p 92, fn 81).

The Kambojas - A Kshatriya Tribe

The earliest and most powerful reference endorsing the Kshatryahood of the Kambojas is Panini's Ashtadhyayi. Panini (500 BC) refers to the Kamboja Janapada and mentions it as one of the fifteen powerful Kshatrya monarchies of the time, inhabited and ruled by Kamboja Kshatryas. e.g:

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

jana-pada-sabdat kshatriya.d a{N}

salveya gandharibhyam ca

dvia-magadha-kalinga-suramas-at ad{N}

vaddhiT-kosalajaddia atNyaN

kuru-nadibhyah dNyadh

salvaavayava-pratyagratha-kalakuaasmak-atiN

te tad-rajadh

kambojal-luk

— (Panini's Ashtadhyayi, 4.1.168-175)

(cf: Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 200, Dr J. L. Kamboj)

Harivamsa informs us that the clans of Kambojas, Sakas, Pahlavas, Yavanas etc were formerly Kshatryas. It was king Sagara who deprived the Kambojas and these other tribes from performing the Svadhyaya and Vasatkara (Harivamsa, 14). It is also interesting to note that Harivamsa styles this group of Sakas, Kambojas, Yavanas, Pahlavas and Paradas as 'Kshatrya-pungava' i.e foremost among the Kshatryas.

Manusmriti informs us that the tribes of Kambojas were originally noble Kshatryas but were gradually degraded to the status of Shudras on account of their omission of the sacred rites and of their not consulting the Brahamanas ((verses X/43-44).

Arthashastra of Kautalya (11/1/04) states that the 'Kshatrya Shrenis' (Corporations of Warriors) of the Kamboja, Surashtra and some other countries lived by agriculture, trade and by weilding weapons. From this statement also, it is clear that the Kambojas were Kshatryas (Dr B. C. Law).

Mahabharata also specifically notes that the Kambojas were originally noble Kshatryas, but later on, got degraded to barbaric status for not following the Brahmanas and due to not performing the sacred rituals (verses 13/33/31-32].

King Kamatha Kamboj is refered to as one of the foremost Kshatrya kings (kShatriya shreShThA) present at the inaguration ceremony of Indraprastaha arranged by king Yudhishtra (MBH 2/4/21-22)

Sudakshina Kamboj, the brave king of Kambojas had joined the Bharata war leading one Akshauhini army comprising the Kamboja, Yavana and Shaka warriors. Sudakshina was the chief Sanapati of this formidable joint army of the Kambojas, Yavanas and Sakas, which army has been likened to a mass of loury clouds accompanying the storm!

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

vibhUyamAnA vAtena bahurUpA ivAmbudAH/

sudakShiNashcha kAmbojo yavanaishcha shakaistathA//

upAjagAma kauravyamakShauhiNyA vishAM pate/

tasya senA samAvAyaH shalabhAnAmivAbabhau// .

— (MBH 5/19/21-23)

Dr Law: 'We thus find the Kambojas leading a very large and powerful army to the field of Kurukshetra and laying down their lives like valiant Kshatryas which they were' (Some Kshatrya Tribes of Ancient India, p 247, Dr B. C. Law).

The legend of divine sword detailed in Shantiparva of Mahabharata also powerfully endorses the Kshatryahood of the Kambojas. The sword, as a symbol of Kshatryahood was awarded to a certain Kamboja king by Kuvalashava alias Dhundhumara, the celebrated king of Kosala, who in turn, had passed it on to king Muchukunda (a Yavana king?).

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

dhundhumArAchcha kambojo muchukundastato.alabhat

muchukundAnmaruttashcha maruttAdapi raivataH

— (MBH 12/166/77-78)

There are numerous references in the Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana and other ancient Sanskrit and Pali literature which powerfully attest the Kshatryahood of the Kambojas.

Hence it is safe to conclude that the Indianised version of the Iranian Kambojas belonged to the Kshatrya varna in the Indo-Aryan Society.

Kambojas in Indian Traditions

Panini's Ashtadhyayi

As stated before, Panini, in his Ashtadhyayi, notes the Kamboja as one of the fifteen prominent Kshatrya monarchies (4.1.168-175) in the north-west division.

Panini's special rule for the derivative to denote the king of Kambojas (Sutra 4.1.175) tells us that the word Kamboja denotes not only the Kamboja country and Kamboja Kshatrya tribe, but also its Kshatrya ruler. Further, the same word denotes the descendent of a Kamboja Kshatrya i.e a citizen of Kamboja (Ref: Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, p 29-31, Dr J. L. Kamboj; cf : Carmichael Lectures, 1918, pp 6-7, Dr D. R. Bhandarkar; Some Kshatrya Tribes of ancient India, p 234, Dr B. C. Law; Panini Kaleen Bharat (Hindi), 1955, p 61; India as Known to Panini, p 427, Dr V. S. Aggarwal; cf: Early East Iran and Atharvaveda, Persica, 1980, ffn 47, Dr Michael Witzel).

Katyayana (200 BC) supplements the above sutra of Panini with a vartika:

English:

Transliteration

KambojAdhibhyo-lug-vachanam Chadadyartham.

which informs us that like the Kamboja, the words like Choda, Kadera and Kerala also denote each not only the country and the Kshatrya tribe inhabiting the country, but also the king ruling over it (op cit, p 6-7, Dr Bhandarkar; Op cit, p 234, Dr B. C. Law) .

The Mayuravyamsakadi--Ganapatha on Panini's rule II.1.72 informs us that the Kambojas and the Yavanas observed a social custom of supporting short head-hair:

Kamboja-mundah yavana-mundah

i.e shaved headed Kambojas, shaved headed Yavanas.

This same fact is also conveyed by the Mahabharata:

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

muNDAnetAnhaniShyAmi dAnavAniva vAsavaH.

pratiGYAM pArayiShyAmi kAmbojAneva mA vaha.

— (MBH 7/119/23)

as well as numerous Puranic literature.e.g.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

yavananam shirah sarvam kambojanam tathaiva cha.

— (Brahama Purana, verse 8.48)

Mahabharata Traditions

Among the Kshatrya tribes in the great Epic, the Kambojas occupy a very prominent place. They were allies of Duryodhana and by their bravery, and especially the prowess of their king Sudakshina (MBH 5/166/1-3), they had rendered great service to Kuru side in the long drawn battle at Kurukshetra (Op cit, p 241, Dr B. C. Law).

Sudakshina (also known as 'Kamboja'), the monarch of the Kambojas, had joined the Bharata war leading one Akshauhini army comprising the Kambojas, Yavanas and Shakas. He had fought very valiantly until slain by Arjuna on 15th day of the war (MBH 7/92/61-76). Brave Sudakshina was one of the few Maharathas or great heroes on the field (Dr B. C. Law).

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Sudakshina.n tu rajendra kambojanam maharatham

— (MBH 6/44/63)

Sudakshina Kamboj had also participated in Draupadi's swayamvara (MBH 1/185/13).

Earlier, the a king of Kambojas had taken part in the Rajasuya sacrifice of Yudhishtra. And the Kamboja king was also present at Syamantapapanchaka at the time of Solar eclipse (Srimad-Bhagavatam X/75.12; X/82.13).

The ancient kings of Kambojas were all known as 'Kamboja'. Long ago, this country was ruled by a king named 'Kamboja'. In Mahabhara Shantiparva (MBH 12/166/77), we learn that this Kamboja king was awarded a prized sword by king Dhundhumara of Ayudhya. Perhaps, it was from this king 'Kamboja' that the country came to be called Kamboja (Puranic Encyclopaedia, by Vettam Mani)

In Adiparva section of Mahabharata, we find references to a Kamboja king Chandravarma, who had also ruled in the kingdom of Kamboja (MBH 1/67/31-32).

In Sabhaparva, we learn of yet another king of Kambojas, called Kamatha Kamboj, who is stated to be friend of king Yudhishtra (MBH 2/4/22).

In the active battle field, the Kambojas have been described as 'elephants gone wild' (durvarana nama kamboja); hardy, war-intoxicated warriors, biting their lips under teeth in rage(damshitah krurakarmanah kamboja yuddhadurmadah); Kambojas as Death-Personified (samana.mrityavo); the strikers of fierce force (tigmavegahpraharinah); deadly like the cobras (tikshnai.rashivishopamah); terrible like Yama and opulent like Kuber i.e very rich (yama vaishravanopamah); the Kambojas.. the masters of horsemanship (ashva.yudha.kushalah) etc.

Dronaparva section of Mahabharata terms the entire Kamboja soldiery as great scholars (kritavidyashcha), very brave, expert archers and highly united & self-sacrificing for each other (7/112/43-44).

The epic repeately talks of the mighty and immense army of the Kambojas, covering the earth like a swarm of locust (Kamojanam mahchmum; kambojakana ca vahinim; salabhanamivayatih).

The Kamboja army is described as unconquerable in the battle:

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Kambojasainyan vidravya durjayam yudhi bharata

— (MBH, 7/23/16)

There are also many references to countless Maharathis or great heroes of the Kambojas:

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

prayayau tvaritastUrNa.n kAmbojAnAM mahAchamUm/

sa tatra bahubhiH shUraiH saMniruddho mahArathaiH //.

— ((MBH 7/113/61))

The Kamboja monarch has been refered to as mighty warrior (Kambojanam mahartham, mahabahu, purushavyaghrah, shurah, prighabahavah, balvanstattah), been likened to a volcano emitting the flames (Kambojavadava mukham), been stated as invincible even by the gods (7/158/52-54), and been metaphorised as a lion among the chariot warriors (etasya rathasimhasya).

The Kamboja General has been compared to god Indra in might and fight (parakramam yathendra)

Sudakshina Kamboj was the chief Sanapati of the joint formidable army of the Kambojas, Yavanas and the Sakas.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

vibhUyamAnA vAtena bahurUpA ivAmbudAH/

sudakShiNashcha kAmbojo yavanaishcha shakaistathA//

upAjagAma kauravyamakShauhiNyA vishAM pate/

tasya senA samAvAyaH shalabhAnAmivAbabhau// .

— (MBH 5/19/21-22)

Sudakshina was also one of the eleven mighty, powerful, illustrious and glorified Generals or Sainapatis of the Kaurava army.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

shakuniH saubalaH shalyaH saundhavo.atha jayadrathaH./

vindAnuvindAvAvantyau kAmbojashcha sudakShiNaH.//

shrutAyudhashcha kAliNgo jayatsenashcha pArthivaH./

Rihadbalashcha kaushalyaH kRitavarmA cha satvataH.//

dashaite puruShavyAghraH shUrAH parighabAhavaH./

akShauhiNInAM patayo yajvAno bhUridakShiNAH.//

— (MBH 6/16/15-17)

Puranic Traditions

According to numerous Puranic literature (e.g Vayu Purana 88/127-43), the Kamboja, Saka, Yavana, Pahlava and Parada were tribes from the Uttarapatha and were opposed to King Sagara, who, as a token of submission, had forced the Kambojas and Yavanas to shave their heads, the Sakas to shave half of their heads, the Pahlavas to grow beards and the Paradas to wear their hair free etc. This group of five is refered to as "five hordes" (pancaganas) and are branded mostly as the barbarians from north-west in ancient Sanskrit literature (Myths of the Dog-Man, p 119, David Gordon White).

Kautilya's Arthashastra

Arthashastra informs us that the Kambojas followed republican constitution. Kautalya contrasts the 'varta.shastr.opajivin' (martial republican) sanghas with 'raja.shabad.opajivin' (king-council) sanghas in his Arthashastra (11/1/4-5) and includes the Kamboja and Surashtra Kshatryas in the 'varta-shastr.opajivin' or 'martial republics' catagory.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Kamboja.Suraastra.ksatriya.zreny.aadayo vaartta.zastra.upajiivinah./

— (Kautalya Arathashastra, 11.1.03)

i.e Corporations of warriors (Kshatrya shrenis) of the Kamboja and Surashtra and some other nations live by agtriculture, trade and by weilding weapons (Kautalya's Arathashastra, 1956, p 407, Dr R. Shamashastri).

The martial republics mentioned in Arthashastra are headed by the Kambojas (Dr Jayswal, Hindu Polity, p 52 1978).

Kautalya further informs us that the 'shastr-opajivin' Shrenis or Corporations (of the Kambojas and Surashtras etc) were the most heroic (pravira) and best fit for military recruitment (Arthashastra 11/7; Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 263, 290, Dr J. L. Kamboj; History and Culture of Indian People, Age of Imperial Kanauj, p 57, Dr A. D. Pusalkar, Dr R. C. Majumdar; cf: Comprehensive History of ancient India, Vol II, p 3, Dr N. K. Shastri).

The republicanism of the Kambojas is also attested from the Rock Edicts of king Ashoka (araja-vishaya...R. E. XIII) as well as from great epic Mahabharata, which refers to many Ganas or Sanghas of the Kambojas fighting on Kauravas side. e.g.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

nArAyaNAshcha gopAlAH kAmbojAnA.n cha ye gaNAH.

karNena vijitAH pUrva.n sa~NgrAme shUra saMmatAH.

— (MBH 7/91/39-39)

Buddhist Literature

Anguttara Nikaya refers to Kamboja as one of the sixteen great nations of ancient times (Anguttara Nikaya, Vol I, p 213, Ibid Vol IV, pp 252-256 etc). The same fact is also contained in one of the oldest Pali commentary, the Chullaniddesa (Dr Law).

Majjhima Nikaya informs us that in the land of Yavanas, Kambojas and some other border lands, there were only two classes of people...Aryas and Dasas...the masters and slaves. The master could become slave and vice versa (Majjhima Nikaya, 2/149). e.g:

Pali:

Transliteration:

evam bho sutam me yona-kambojesu ajjesu ca paccantimesu janapadesu

dveva vannaa ayyo ceva daaso ca. ayyo hutvaa daaso hotii, daaso

— (Majjhima Nikaya 43.1.3)

Bhuridatta Jataka refers to the Kambojas as following the non-Aryan (i.e Zoroastrian) customs like killing poisnous insects, moths, snakes and worms--which is recognised as Zoroastrian from passages in Mazdean books like the Vedevat (XIV.5-6) and from the remarks of Herodotus (I.140).

Manusmriti

Manusmriti (X/43-44) informs us that, in consequence of the omission of sacred Brahmanical rituals, and of their not heeding to the Brahmanans, the following noble Kshatriyas have gradually sunk in this world to the state of shudras: the Paundrakas, Chodas, Dravidas, Kambojas, Yavanas, Shakhas, Paradhas, Pahlavas, Chinas, Kiratas and Daradas.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

shanakaistu kriyA-lopAdimAh Kshatriya jAtayah/

vrashalatvam gatA loke brAhmNA-darshanen cha /43//

paunDrAsh-chauDra-draviDAh-kAmbojA-yavanAh-shakAh/

pAradAh pahlavAsh-chInAh kiratA daradAh khashAh /44//

— (Manusmritti, X/43-44)

A very similar information about Kamboja Kshatryas is also contained in the Anusasanaparva of Mahabharata (MBH verse 13/33/21)

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Saka Yavana Kamboja Kshatrya jatyah/

vrishalatvam parigata Brahmananamadarshayat//

— (Mahabharata 13/33/21)

Valmiki Ramayana: The Kamboja/Vashista Relationship

In the Adi Kanda of the Ramyana (1/55/2-3), we read that the Kambojas etc were 'created' at the request of sage Vashista by the Divine cow Shavala to defend Vasishta sage from the forces of king Vishwamitra (Dr B. C. Law).

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

tasyaa hu.mkaarato jaataaH kAmbojaa ravi sannibhaaH/

uudhasaH tu atha sa.njaataaH pahlavaaH shastra paaNayaH//

yoni deshaat ca yavanaH shakRi deshaat shakaaH tathaa/

roma kuupeSu mlecChaaH ca haariitaaH sa kiraatakaaH//

— (Valmiki Ramayana, I/55/2-3)

English:

Forth sprang Kambojas, as she lowed;

bright as the Sun their faces glowed,

Forth from her udder Barbars poured,

soldiers who brandished spear and sword,

And Yavans with their shafts and darts,

and Shakas from her hinder parts.

— (Valmiki Ramayana: I.55.2-3: Trans Ralph T. H. Griffith)

This mythical 'creation' of the Kambojas may point towards the earliest attempt to convert the Iranian Kambojas into the brahmanised Kshatryas of Indo-Aryan version by one rishi from the Vasishta Brahmana line.

It appears that one section of the Iranian Kambojas was proselytized into Hinduism by the rishis of Vashista clan. These Hinduised Kambojas later became ardent champions of Vedic religion and the great scholars of the Vedas. (e.g. Aupamanyava Kamboja of Vamsa Brahmana (1/18-19)of Samveda). The Kambojas are associated and listed at par with the Vasishtas in Paraskar Grihyam Sutram (2/1/23). Both are obligated to wear one choti on right side of the head.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

dakishnita.kambojanam.vasishatanam

ubhyato.atri.kashyapanam.munda.bhrigu:

panchchuda.angris:bajasneyanameka.manglarth.shikhinoanyai/

— (Parasakar Grihiya-sutram 2/1/23, Commentary by Pt Harihar)

This important evidence shows that social and religious customs of the Hinduised Kambojas and the Indo-Aryan Vasishtas were identical but differed from other scholarly clans of ancient India.

The Bahu/Sagara Puranic legend also reveals that the Kambojas were in the good books of the Vashista clan.

The Vashista clan appears to have played a leading role in proselytising the Persian Kambojas into Hinduism, especially those living in Kabol/Swat valley in Afghanistan. It is very likely that the Vashista Brahmanas had acted as family priests to Hinduised Kambojas (Dr J. L. Kamboj).

There are several references in ancient Sanskrit and Pali literature informing us of the scholarship of the Hinduised Kambojas. It appears that the Kambojas had attained this status mainly through the efforts of the Vashistha clan of Brahmanas. There are also indications that the Kaundanya line of Brahmanas, an offshoot from Vasishtas, had also had good relationships with the Kambojas, especially with those Kambojas who had settled in western and southern India after Christion era.

The following evidence from Mahabharata amply attests that, besides being fierce warriors, the Kambojas were also noted as the learned (kRitavidyAshcha) people.

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

ye tvete rathino rAjandRishyante kA~nchanadhvajAH./

ete durvAraNA nAma kAmbojA yadi te shrutAH.//43

shUrAshcha kRitavidyAshcha dhanurvede cha niShThitAH./

sa.nhatAshcha bhRisha.n hyete anyonyasya hitaiShiNaH.//44

akShauhiNyashcha sa.nrabdhA dhArtarAShTrasya bhArata./

— (MBH 7/112/43-44)

English:

Those other car-warriors with golden standards, O king, whom you see, and who, like wild elephants are difficult of being resisted, they are called the Kambojas. They are brave, a learned people and are firmly devoted to the science of weapons. Desiring one another's welfare, they are all highly united. They constitute a full Akshauhini of wrathful warriors.

cf: "They (Kambojas) were not only famous for their furs and skins embroidered with threads of gold, their woolen blankets, their wonderful horses and their beautiful women, but by the epic period, they became especially renowned as Vedic teachers and their homeland as a seat of Brahmanical learning" (Hindu World, Vol I, p 520, Benjamin Walker; cf: History and Culture of Indian People, The Vedic Age, p 159, Dr R. C. Majumdar, Dr A. D. Pusalkar; cf: Political History of Acient India, 1996, p 134, Dr R. C. Raychaudhary; cf: Buddhism in India and Around, p 6, Dr Banerjee; Huns, Yavanas and Kambojas, Indian Historical Quarterly, Vol XXVI-2, 1950, p 123, Dr S. B. Chaudhury; cf: Problems of ancient India, 2003, pp 6-7, 224, K. D. Sethna etc etc).

Ashvaka Kambojas and Alexander the Great

'As the Kambojas were famous for their horses and as a cavalry-men, the Ashvakas, 'horsemen' was also the term populary applied to them. These Ashvakas inhabited Eastern Afghanistan and were included in the general term Kambojas' (Hindu Polity, 1978, pp 121, 140; Dr K. P. Jayswal; Historie du Bouddhisme Indien, p 110, E. Lamotte; cf: Alexandra's Invasion of India, p 38; Megasthenes and Arrian, p 180, J. McCrindle)

The Kamboja of Swat/Kunar (Dr S. M. Ali) are refered to as 'Assakenois' and 'Aspasios' in classical writings. Panini calls them respectively as 'Ashvakayana' (Ashtadshyayi IV-1, 99) and 'Ashvayana' (Ashtadshyayi IV-1,110).

'With the expression Assanam Ayatanam ...land of horses used by Pali Texts in reference to the Kambojas, may be compared the names Aspasios and Assakenois given by classical writers to the sturdy people living in the Alishang and Swat valleys in the days of Alexander' (Ref: Political History of Ancient India, 1996, p 133, p 216 ffn 2, Dr H. C. Raychaudhury, Dr B. N. Mukerjee; cf: MBH VI.90.3).

Dr Buddha Parkash writes: 'The Mecedonian conqueror made short shrifts of the arrangments of Darius and over-running Achaemenian empire, dashed into Afghanistan and encountered stiff residstence of the Kamboja tribes called Aspasios and Assakenois known in the Indian texts as Asvayana and Ashvakayana ' (Panjab Past and Present, pp 9-10; also ref: History of Porus, pp 12, 38, Dr Buddha Parkash).

These Ashvayana and Ashvakayana Kamboja clans had fought the invader to a man. When worst came to worst, even the Ashvakayana Kamboj women had taken up arms and joined their fighting husbands, thus prefering 'a glorious death to a life of dishonor' (Diodorus in McCrindle, p 270).

The Kambojas and the Maurya Kings

The Mudra-rakshas play of Visakhadutta (2) as well as the Jain works Parisishtaparvan refers to Chandragupta's alliance with Himalayan king Parvatka. The Himalyan alliance gave Chandragupta a composite army made up of the Yavanas, Kambojas, Sakas, Kiratas, Parasikas and Bahlikas as stated in the Mudra-rakashas (History and Culture of Indian People, Age of Imperial Kanauj, p 57, Dr Pusalkar and Dr Majumdar).

Sanskrit:

Transliteration:

Asti tava shaka-yavana-kirata-kamboja-parsika-bahlika parbhutibhi:

chankyamatipragrahittaishcha chandergupta parvateshvar

balairudadhibhiriva parchalitsalilaih: samantaad uprudham kusumpuram

— (Mudrarakshasa 2)

With the help of these frontier martial tribes from north-west, Chandragupta was able to defeat the Greek successors of Alexandra as well as the Nanda/Nandin rulers of Magadha and succeeded in founding the Maurya empire in northern India.

Kambojas find a prominent mention as a unit in Rock Edict XIII of Ashoka (Dr H. C. Raychaudhury). The Rock Edict tells us that the Kambojas had enjoyed autonomy under Mauryas. The republics mentioned in Rock Edict V are Yonas, Kambojas, Gandharas, Nabhakas and the Nabhapamkitas. They are designated as 'araja vishaya' in Rock Edict XIII which shows that they were kingless i.e Repulican units. In other words, the Kambojas formed self- governing political unit under the Maurya Emperors.

King Ashoka had sent censors or missionaries to the Kambojas to convert them to Buddhism and has recorded this fact in his fifth Rock Edict.

The Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa tell us that Majjhima thera went to Kashmir and Gandhar (& Kamboj) to preach Law of Piety. During Ashoka's times, Maharakkhita thera was sent to Yona country to spread the message among the Yonas and Kambojas. It is stated in the Sasanavamsa that in two hunderd and thirty fifth year of the Parinibhana of the Buddha, Maharakkhita thera, was sent to Yonaka country and he established the Buddha's Sasana in the Kamboja and other lands. (Sasanavamsa (P.T.S.), p 49).

Thus the Zoroastrian and Brahmanised Hindu Kambojas appear to have embraced Buddhism in large numbers due to the efforts of king Ashoka and his censors.

Kambojas - The Horselords and the Master Horsemen

The horses of the Kambojas were famous throught all periods of ancient history. Sanskrit/Pali literature is overflowing with excellent references to the famed Kamboja horses. In Buddhist texts like Manorathpurani, Kunala Jataka and Samangavilasini, the Kamboja land is spoken of as the 'birth place of horses' (Kambojo assánam áyatanam.... Samangalavilasini, I, p 124). Aruppa-Niddesa of Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa states the Kamboja as the 'base of horses' (10/28)! Jaina Uttaradhyana-Sutra tells us that a trained Kamboja horse exceeded all other horses in speed and no noise could ever frighten it (Uttaradhyana Sutra XI/17/20). Sauptika parva of Mahabharata(10/118/13) refers to the horses of Kamboja as of finest breed(syandanes.u ca kamboja_yukta_parama-va_jinah). In the great battle fought on the field of Kurukshetra, the fast and powerful horses of Kamboja were of greatest service (Dr B. C. Law). Vishnuvardhana, the real founder of Hoysala greatness, who later on became ruler of Mysore had the Kamboja horses and he had made the earth tremble under the tramp of his powerful Kamboja horses (Ancient India, p 236, Dr S. K. Aiyangar). Mahabharata (6/90/3-4), Kautalya Arathashastra (2/30/32-34), Ramayana (1/6/22), Brahamanda Purana (II,2.16.16), Karanbhaar (19), Ashva.Chakitsata by Nakula (p 415), Buddhist Jataka No 504, Vamsa-Bhaskara, Madhypithika, ancient plays of poet Kalidasa and Bhaasa and numerous other ancient texts and inscriptions describe the Kamboja horses as of best quality. According to mediaval era scholar king Somes'vara, there are sixty five types of horses out of which thirty nine varieties are well known while twenty six types are rather unknown. In the thirty nine known types described by him, the Kamboja horses occupy the first place. All these references unmistakeably show that the Kamboja trained horses were indeed excellent and fast runners. No doubt, they were very much liked in ancient times. And not for nothing, the great epic Mahabharata states the Kambojas as the horselords and the masters of horsemanship i.e expert cavalrymen (ashva-yudha-kushalah: MBH 12/105/5).

Migration to India and Beyond

Other references to Kambojas abound in ancient literature, and this may have been just the expansion of an Indo-European tribes with both Persian and Indic affinities from their homeland in the Afganisthan-Turkistan region along the foothills of the Himalayas towards Bengal, along the coast to Gujarat, to Sri Lanka, and possibly further to Cambodia.

In their advance from their original home in Central Asia during 2nd/1st c BC, one stream of the Kambojas, in accompaniment with the Sakas and Pahlavas had proceeded to Sindhu, Sovira and Surashtra; while the other stream moved to Panjab and UP.

There is a distinct prophetic statement in the Mahabharata that the mlechcha kings of Sakas, Yavanas, Kambojas, Bahlika etc will rule uprighteously in Kaliyuga, which is too clear a statement to be ignored (Dr Raychaudhury).

English:

Transliteration:

viparIte tadA loke pUrvarUpa.n kShayasya tat.28

bahavo mechchha rAjAnaH pRithivyAM manujAdhipa .

mithyAnushAsinaH pApA mRiShAvAdaparAyaNAH. 29.

AndhrAH shakAH pulindAshcha yavanAshcha narAdhipAH .

kAmbojA aurNikAH shUdrAstathAbhIrA narottama. 30.

— (MBH 23/187/28-30)

This statement, couched in the form of prophecy in true puranic style, obviously alludes to historical situation (second/first c BC downwards) which followed the collapse of Maurya and Sunga dynasties in North India. The Saka, Yavana, Kamboja, Pahlava, Abhira invading hordes from north-west had entered Panjab, UP, Sindhu, Rajasthan and Gujarat in large numbers, wrested political control of northern India from the Indo-Aryans and had established their respective kingdoms/pricipalities in the sacred land of the Indo-Aryans. This chaotic situation of Arya India is said to have ended with the destruction of these Saka, Kamboja, Yavana, Parsika invading hordes by king Vikramaditya of Ujjaini (60 c BC) and the establishment of Vikram era:

English:

Transliteration:

ata shrivikramadityo helya nirjitakhilah/

mlechchana kamboja.yavanan neechan hunan sabarbran//

tushara.parsikaanshcha tayakatacharan vishrankhalan/

hatya bhrubhangamatreyanah bhuvo bharamavarayate//

— (Brahata Katha, 10/1/285-86, Kshmendra)

Kambojas in Mathura

'Mathura was under outlandish people like the Yavanas and Kambojas... who had a special mode of fighting' (Manu and Yajnavalkya, Dr K. P. Jayswal).

English:

Transliteration:

tathA yavanakAmbojA mathurAmabhitash cha ye./

ete ashavayuddha kushalA dAkShiNAtyAsi charmiNaH.//5

— (MBH 12/105/5, Kumbhakonam Ed)

'Along with the Sakas, the Kambojas had also entered India and spread into whole of north India, especially in Panjab and Uttar Pardesh. Mahabharata contains references to Yavanas and Kambojas having conquered Mathura (12/105/5). There is also a reference to Kambojas in the Lion Capitol inscriptions of Saka Kshatrapa Rajuvula found in Mathura....' (India and the World, p 154, Dr Buddha Parkash).

The Lion Capital discovered in 1896 from Saptarsi mound in the south-eastern part of Mathura city housed in the British Museum, London, contains an epigraph in Kharoshati characters which refers, among others, to Yuvaraja Kharaostas 'Kamuio' and Aiyasi 'Kamuiá', the chief queen of Mahakshatrapa Rajuvula. After fresh and thorough critical review of Mathura Lion Capitol inscriptions, Dr S. Konow has arrived at results and conclusions which are different from the earlier scholars.

From thorough and renewed critical examination of Lion Capitol inscriptions, Dr Konow had concluded that Rajuvula's chief queen was Aiyasi 'Kamuiá' who was the daughter of Yuvaraja Kharaostas, himself also a 'Kamuia'.

By rigorous linguistic analysis, Dr Konow has established that name Kamuia/Kamuio of Lion Capitol inscriptions is the Khroshtised version of the Sanskrit Kamboja, Kambojaka, or Kambuja which has been accepted by numerous noted scholars

[cf: Kamuia = > Kambuia = > Kambuyia = >Kambujia. The soft 'y' replaces hard 'j' in the Lion Capitol Inscriptions. Ashoka's Rock Edicts V and XIII of Peshawer also use soft 'y' instead of hard 'j' since the 'Kamboja' is found written as 'Kamboya' in those inscriptions. Further, Mathura Lion Capitol inscriptions make use of 'u' intead of common 'o' as in Sudas for Sodas. Thus, Kambujia = > Kambojia]

The scholars have identified Yuvaraja Kharaostas of Lion Capitol inscriptions with Kshatrapa Kharaostas whose coins have been examined by Rapson and Luders. Kshatrapa Kharaostas was son of Artas as is clear from his coins i.e 'kshatrapasa pra Kharaostasa Artasa putras'. Artas (or Ortas) is stated to be brother of king Moga (or Maues).

Thus, according to Dr Konow and his line of scholars, king Moga, his brother Artas, Yuvaraja Kharaostas (Khroshtha) Kamuio, and queen Aiyasi Kamuia were all from the 'Kamuiá' or Kamboja/Kambojaka or Kambuja clan.

(Ref: Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol II, part I, p xxxvi; p 36; see also: Journal of Bihar and Orissa Research society, Vol XVI, 1930, parts III, IV, p 229, Dr K. P. Jayswal; Ancient India, 1956, p 220-21, Dr R. K. Mukerjee; cf Comprehensive History of India, 1957, Vol II, p 270, Dr K. A. Nilkantha Shastri; ; op cit, Dr Buddha Parkash, p 154; For detailed discussion, see Ancient Kamboja People & Country, 1981 pp 41, 42, 306-309, Dr J. L. Kamboj etc).

However, some scholars insist that king Moga was of Saka extractions, but there is absolutely no concrete evidence to conclusively link him to Saka ethnicity. Scholars link Moga to the Sakas simply based on his Moga, Maues, Muki or Mevake names which are stated to be variants of a Saka name Mauekes (Dr Raychaudhary). This is not a solid reasoning to identify him as of Saka extractions.

As is well known, during centuries preceeding the Christian era, there had occured enormous social and cultural admixture among the Kambojas and Yavanas; the Sakas and Pahlavas; and the Kambojas, Sakas, and Pahlavas such that their cultures and social customs had become almost identical. It is, therefore, almost impossible to identify one people apart from the others (Dr Kamboj). The extensive social and cultural admixing due to time and space proximity had led to adoption of similar social customs, manners and language among these frontier people from north-west. Hence identification based merely on so-called saka-sounding names is no conclusive evidence at all. If one accepts above argument, then how to explain the surname Kamuia used after the names of some family members of king Moga? Is Kamuia (=Kambojaka/Kambuja/Kamboja/Kambojia) as a clan name also attested among the Sakas/Scythians, anywhere?

Matter-of-factly, there is no unanimity on the ethnicity of king Moga and his family.

Scholars like Dr V. A. Smith say that he was a Parthian king (The early History of India, p 242). Others say that he was Saka king. Dr S. Konow and the scholars following him say that he was Kamboja.

Dr Thomas points out that the epigraphs of Mathura Lion Capitol exhibit a mixture of Saka and Persian nomenclature (Epigraphia Indica, IX, pp 138ff; J.R.A.S. 1906, 207f, 215f) which verifies that Aiyasi Kamuia and Kharoshtha Kamuia were from the Persian denominations hence definitely from Kamboja ethnicity. Even the northern Kshatrapas are stated to be of mixed Saka/Persian ethnicities (Dr Thomas).

Ethnic surnames 'Kamuia'/'Kamuio' used with the names of princess Aiyasi and Yuvaraja Kharaostas in Mathura Lion Capitol inscriptions should give enough credibility to the view that king Moga and his family belonged to 'Kamuia' or Kamboja/Kambuja clan. It is reasonable to think that the Kamboja clan of king Moga had become somewhat Scythianised in culture due to its extensive exposure to the next-door vast community of Central Asian tribes which followed Scythian culture.........hence this confusion among the scholars.

There are also some European scholars who state the Kambojas as a clan of the Sakas. If this view is accepted, it immediately blows off any mist and confusion about true ethnicity of king Moga and his family. But originally, the Kambojas were Aryans, and not Scythians, in culture.

Kambojas in West/Southwest India

Dr S. K. Aiyangar places his Kamboja in modern Sindh and Gujarat with Dwaraka as its Capital (Ancient India, p 7, Dr S. K. Aiyangar).

Dr P. N. Banerjee, in his 'Public Administration in Ancient India' too, assigns Kamboja to a region near Sindh with its Capital at Dwarka. (Public Administration in Ancient India, p 56, Dr P. N. Banerjee).

Nagendra Nath Vasu asserts that Kambhey in Surashtra is a corruption of Sanskrit Kamboja (Vanger Jatya Itihass (Bangla) Rajnyakanda, Jogendra Ghosh).

Dr Jogindra Chandra Ghose also connects Kambhey with the Kambojas (Epigraphia Indica, XXIV, pp 45-46).

Brahta Samhita of Varahmihira (6th century AD) locates one Kamboja settlement specifically in the South-west (nairRtyAM dizi) of India as neighbors to Sindhu, Sauvira, Saurashtra and Dravida. e.g.

sanskrit:

Transliteration:

nairRtyAM dizi dezAH pahlava kAmboja sindhusauvIrAH/

hemagiri sindhu kAlaka raivataka surASTra bAdara draviDAH/

— ( Brahtasamhita 14/17-19).

Rajbilas, a mediaval era text also locates a Kamboj settlement in the neighborhood of Kachcha, Sorata or Saurashtra and Gurjara countries of SW India. e.g.

sanskrit:

Transliteration:

sorata gurjara kachcha-kamboja-gauda rukha:

— (Rajbilaas 1/122).

Very interstingly, Agni Purana locates two Kamboja settlements in Indian mainland.... Kambhoja in south-west and Kamboja in southern parts of India (Ancient Kamboja, People and Country, 1981, p 305, Dr Kamboj)..

Markendya Purana also locates one Kamboja settlement in the south-west India as neighbor to Sindhu, Sauvira and Anarta (Surashtra) countries (Markandya Purana, 55/30-33).

Arathshastra of Brahasapati, refers to the Kamboja as a great country (Mahavishaya) and locates it adjoining to Dasrana country, south-east of Gujarata (Indian Historical Quarterly , Vol. XXVI-2, 1950, p 127).

The Garuda Purana which was composed comparatively late, also locates a Kamboj principality/settlement in the neighborhood of Ashmaka, Pulinda, Jimuta, Narashtra, Lata and Karnata countries, and also specifically informs us that this section of Kambojas were living in southern division of India (dakshinapathvasinah) e.g.

sanskrit:

Transliteration:

pulinda ashmaka jimuta narrashtara nivasinah:

carnata kamboja ghata dakshinapathvasinah:

— (Garuda Purana 1/15/13).

Pt Avadh Bihari Lal Avasthi comments on above references as follows:' We find Kambhi, Kamm, Kumbhi etc castes in South India. There is also a famous city Koimb-toor. Possibly, there has also been a Kamboja country in Southern India' (See Garuda Purana, Aik Adhyan p 28).

The above post-Christian Sanskrit references abundantly substantiate the historical fact that some sections of Central Asian Kambojas had also joined the Saka and Pahlava movements from Central Asia in the wake of events of second /first c BC and spread and settled into northern and south-western parts of India.

The Kambojas in/around west, south-west India are attested from inscriptions of king Sahasiva Raya of Sangama Dynasty (1336-1478), kings Harihara & Deva Raya of Narasinga Dynasty (1496-1567), and from the references of king Vishnuvardhana of Hoiyasala Dynasty/Mysore (of 12th c AD).

A inscription of 1050 c AD from Mysore Tract (EC, VII SK 118) attests Trading Corporations of Nanadesa Tisaiya Yirattu Ainnurruvar which traded, among other commodities, in elephants, horses, sapphires, moonstones, pearls, rubies & other gems. The countries of trade are mostly located in middle to southern India. These corporations are stated to have trading links, among others, with the Kambhojas and Parsas/Pahlavas (Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy (ARSIE 342 of 1912); History & Culture of Indian People Vol V, Dr R. C. Majumdar, Dr A. D. Pusalkar etc p 527).

The Kambhoja of the above references, said to be contiguous to Saurashtra, Dhanustra, Lata etc is obviously located somewhere in south-west India. The Parsa (Pahlava) is also in the countries list. The Parsas/Pahlavas here also probably refers to their south-western settlement (ref to nairRtyAM dizi dezAH pahlava kAmboja.... a Brahata Samhita evidence for Kamboja/Pahlava settlements in south-west India).

It is due to the numerous literary/inscriptional evidence as presented above that some historians like Dr Aiyangar, Dr Banerjee etc tend to locate their Kamboja in Sindhu/Gujarat. Obviously, their Kamboja relates to the post-Christian settlements of Kambojas in western/or south-western India and not to the original Kambojas of the ancient Sanskrit literature.

Some historians have invested western Kshatrapas, especially the Kshahrata Kshatrapas with the Kamboja ethnicity (Ancient India, Vol III, pp 94, 125, Dr T. L. Shah)

Kamboja Raja Kathalu ( story of king of Kambojas) is still very popular in Andhra traditions which treats of the militaristic exploits of some fierce, daring-do and adventuours king of Kambojas. The story probably refers to some historical brush of the Kamboja hordes with the people of Andhra around Christian era.

The Kamboja hordes of second/1ist c BC have left indelible foot prints in the names of mountains, rivers, and some geographical places in western india. The Kamb/Kambuh river and Kamboh/Kambo mountain in Sindh ( Sind, p 44, M. R. Lamrick) remind us of Sanskrit Kamboja (Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 305/306, Dr J. L. Kamboj). The Kamboi (ancient town/port), Kambhey (port), Gambhu, Kumbarivaji in Surashtra and an ancient town named Kumbhoj/Kambhoj in Kohlapur, in Maharashtra, as also the Koimb-toor city of Caranatica in southern India bear witness to their past connections with the migrant Kambojas. There is a Kambhe Kshatrya caste in Gujarat. There is also a Kambhoja caste living near Nanded, in Maharashtra. They are probably a dwindling remnant of ancient Kambojas (Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, pp 304-05, Dr J. L. Kamboj)

Kambojas in Bengal

A third branch of these Central Asian Kambojas seems to have migrated eastwards along the Himalayan foothills, hence their notice in the chronicles of Tibet (Kam-po-ji/Kam-po-ce) and Nepal (Kambojadesa). Brahma Purana (53/16) mentions Kambojas with Pragjyotisas and Tamraliptikas. Sasanavmsa (P.T.S., pp 64-65, 83 etc) attests the Kambojas in Burma also. They were probably a section of those Kambojas who figure in history of Bengal. They had made an unsuccesful bid to conquer Gauda during the region of Devapala. A latter attempt of Kambojas was crowned with success and they deprived the Palas of the suzerainty over Gauda and set up one of their chiefs as king. The Kambojas rule in Bengal lasted until they were desposed by resurgent Palas in 980 AD. Rajyapala, Narayanapala, Nayapala, Dharamapala and Gaudapati, also known as Kunjarghatavarshayan, are the known Kamboja kings who ruled in north-west Bengal. Kamboja rule in north-west Bengal is attested from Dinajpore Pillar Inscription (Indian Antiquary, Vol I, 1872, pp 127ff, 195ff, 227ff) as well as Irda Tamrapatra found in Irda, District Balasor, Orissa in 1931 and edited by Dr N. G. Majumdar in 1934 (Epigraphia Indica, Vol XXII, 1933-34, pp 150-59).

Kambojas in Sri Lanka

An earlier section of the north-western Kambojas appears to have reached Sri Lanka via Gujarat/Surashtra, several centuries before Christian era, thus contributing to the colonization of that island and influencing the social and economical lives of its people. This is evident from six or seven ancient cave inscriptions found in Anuradhapura which powerfully attest the existence of Kamboja Goshatha/Sangha (gote Kabojhiana...Archaological Survey of Ceylon, Inscription Register No 316) and the grand Kamboja Guild (Kabojiya mahapughyana.....op. cit. Inscription Register No 1118) in ancient Sinhala. These Inscriptions are said to belong to 3rd c BC (Dr S. Paranavitana).

David Parkin and Ruth Barnes write:

ARCHAOLOGICAL EVIDENCE ON SHIPPING COMMUNITIES:

These inscriptions indicate that the Kambojas had organised themselves into corporations and were certainly engaged in trade. The Sihalavatthu, a Pali text of about the fourth century (on page 109) attests that a group of people called the Kambojas were in Rohana. In the third story of this text, called Metteyya-vatthu, we are informed that the Elder named Maleyya was residing in Kamboja-gama, in the province (Janapada) of Rohana on the Island of Tambapanni. The Kambojas are often mentioned together with Yonas (Yavanas), Gandharas and Sakas. The Kambojas were a native population of Arachosia in the extreme west of the Mauryan empire, speaking a language of Iranian origin (See: Ships and the Development of Maritime Technology on the Indian Ocean, 2002, pp 108-109, David Parkin and Ruth Barnes).

Himanshu Prabha Ray writes:

THE MERCHANT LINEAGE AND THE GUILD:

It is significant that early Buddhist literary sources from north India refer to the northerners as being involved in trade in horses. The inscriptions referring to the Kabojha or Kambojas are found in ancient Rohana and associate the region with the gamika or village functionary (Paranavitana 1970: nos. 622, 623, 625), there are references to the Guild of the Kabojhiyas and its chief (Kabojhiya-maha-pugiyana, no. 553; parumaka or chief of the gota (Sanskrit gostha) Kabojikana, no. 990). The Sihalavatthu, a Pali text of the fourth century, refers to a village of the Kambojas in Rohana.(Kamboja-gama) (See: The Archaeology of Seafaring in Ancient South Asia, Cambridge World Archaeology, 2003, p 206, Himanshu Prabha Ray).

These archaological and literary references powerfully demonstrate that the Kambojas had formed an important section of ancient Sinhala society starting many centuries prior to Christian era (Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, p 341-355; cf: History of Ceylon, Vol I, part I, p 88-92, Dr S. Paranavitana)

Mahavamsa traditions tell us that Vijay Simha and his 700 companions.. the supposed ancestors of Sinhalese Aryan speaking population of Sri Lanka, originally belonged to some 'Sinhapura' region in Jambudvipa (Mahavamsa, 6/34). Interestingly, the ancient Brahmanical and Buddhist texts as well as Chinese travelographer Hieun Tsang (7th c AD) attests one Sinhapura near Jammu, contiguous to ancient Kamboja/Gandhara. Further, Sinhala as a personal name, is also attested from two Kharoshati inscriptionse found from Loriyan Tangai and Takshila in ancient Gandhara (Kharoshthi Inscriptions, pp 87, 110, Dr. S Konow).

It is also interesting to notice that the ancient cave inscriptions of Anuradhapura/Sri Lanka make no refence to any other Aryan community of north India excepting the Kambojas as living in the island in pre-Christian times. Besides Aryan speaking Kambojas, another dominant community referenced in the inscriptions is Dameda or Tamil from the Dravidian group. The Kamboja, as an ethnic name, occurs in six or seven inscriptions, whereas the term 'Sinhala' is not attested at all. These inscriptions specifically attest 'Grand Kamboja Guilds' and also one 'Kamboja Sangha' located in ancient Sri Lanka.

Archaological finds of lapis lazuli in Sri Lanka conclusively connects it to Badakshan in Afghanistan, the home of lapis lazuli. The most famous locale for lapis lazuli since ancient times has been in Badakshan, Afghanistan, which has been mined for over 6000 years ( G. Hermann; Lapis Lazuli, The Early Phases of its trade, Iraq 30, part 1, p 21-57; also Dr Michael Witzel, Early Eastern Iran and the Atharveda, Persica-9, 1980, p 102, fn 3 ). The best lapis lazuli is still quarried from Badakshan as it was when Macro Polo visited the quarry in AD 1271. And Badakshan undoubtedly formed part of ancient Kamboja as we have already discussed above.

Thus, Vijay Simha and his 700 companions, the first Aryan settlers in Sri Lanka, and supposed ancestors of Sinhalas may indeed have migrated to this island from the Sinhapura of the Gandharan-Kambojan group of north-west India. It may have happened several centuries prior to Christian era. And it may have been by way of trade with the ancient Dravidian immigrants (Daemedas) of Sri Lanka (cf: Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 341-355, Dr Kamboj).

Kambojas in Indo-China

It is perfectly conceivable that some ambitious families from these adventurous Sinhalese Kambojas had ventured to Indo-China around third or fouth c AD, originally as merchants/traders later joined by some Kshatrya Kamboja chieftain and had managed to found a Kamboja colony north of Funan, which later grew into powerful Kamboja empire under Varman kings. If the European traders, located thousands of miles away could do it in India in 17/18th C, the Kamboja adventurers located in Gujarat/Surashtra or more probably from Srilanka could have done it too, in 5/6th c in nearby Indo-China. The Kambojas as traders and as community were already flourishing in Sri Lanka at this time as is evident from the archaological evidence presented above. And it was just one little step farward, and they were in Indo-China. At least, the early kings of Kambuja indeed belonged to these Indo-Iranian Kambojas. The learned king Kambu (from Sanskrit Kamboj), the legendary patriarch of the Kamboja line of kings in Cambodia must have come from these Gujarati or Sri Lankan Kambojas. The traditions of north-Indian Kambojas lend adequate credibility to this view. Several noted scholars like Dr Buddha Parkash, Dr P. C. Bagchi, Dr B. R. Chatterjee, J. Fergussan, Bombay Gezetteer, Dr J. L. Kamboj and several others have accepted a direct historical and political link between the Indian Kambojas and Kambodia. G. Coedes, an authority on ancient Cambodian history, has also accepted the probability of this connection (Indianized States of South-East 1964, page 47).

One school of scholars including Dr V. A. Smith, Dr Joveau Dubreuil, Dr V. Venkayya, Dr B. L. Rice, G. Coedes etc is convinced that the Pallava rulers of Kanchi/Southern India were a section from the Iranian Pahlavas (cf: G. Coedes, The Indianised States of South-East Asia, 1967, p 47. See also references quoted by Coedes in the index). The Pahlavas were a tribe closely allied to the Kambojas. Thus, some adventurous families from both Pahlavas and the Kambojas who are attested to have settled in south-west India in post-Christian era (Ref Brahata Samhita of Varahamihira (14/17) may indeed have founded the Pallava dynasty of Kanchi and the Kambuja dynasty of Cambodia respectively.

Ancient Kamboja-Dvarvati Caravan Route

Ankuravathu section of Petavathu Jataka (verses 257-258) attests the existance of a carvan route from ancient Kamboja to Dvarvati in Kathiawar/Surashtra.

Pali:

Transliteration:

Yassa atthaya gacchama Kambojam dhana-haraka /

ayam kamdado yakkho imam yakkham nyamase //

imam yakkham gahetvaana sadhuken pasaham va/

yanam aropayitvana khippam gacchama Dvarakam//.

— (Ankuravathu section of Petavathu Jataka, verses 257-258)

Dr Sircar writes: This Ankuravathu section of the Petavathu (verse 257-58) suggests that there was a direct caravan route between Davarka (Dvarvati) in Kathiwar and the country of Kambojas in Kandhar/Afghanistan (The Land of the Kambojas, Purana, Vol V, No 2, July 1963, p 254. Dr D. C. Sircar)

Dr Aggarwala comments: In the Petvathu commentary, there is a reference to a long trade-route called Davarvati-Kamboja route.....this route has been existing from the times of the Indus valley. From what we know of these ancient routes, it is clear that the hub for the branching of various routes was Bahlika (modern Balkh). Here the Uttarapatha-route from Tamralipiti-Patliputra-Varanasi-Kausambi-Mathura-Sakali-Takshila-Pushkaravati-Kapisi terminated; so also the Davaravati-Kamboja route ended here, and both of these northern and Southern routes from India restarted towards Kamboja in (Pamir Badakshan) to pick up with the silk-routes from China' (Purana, Vol V, No 2, July 1963, Identification of Kamboja, page 359, Dr V. S. Aggarwala; also ref: Ancient Indian Geography).

[See also: Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, p 251-252, Dr J. L. Kamboj, Delhi Univ; The Bhakti Cult and Ancient Indian Geography, Dr V. S. Aggarwala, [Ed] Dr D. C. Sircar, p 141ff; A History of India, Vol I, pp 105-108, Dr Romila Thapar].

According to D.P.P.N. also, the country (Kamboja) was evidently on one of the great caravan routes and there was a road direct from Dváraka to Kamboja (see: Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, Vol I, 1960, G. P. Malalasekera, p 526; also Pv.p.23).

Kautalya Arathashastra (11/1/4) lists Kamboja with Surashtra and informs us that same form of politico-economic system (varta-shastropajivin) prevailed in these two ancient martial republics. It attests the Kambojas as living by agriculture, trade and by weilding weapons.

Sanskrit:

Translation:

Kambhoja-Surashtra kshatrya shrenadyo varta-shasteropajivin/

Brahata Samhita of Varahamihira (5/35)also notes the Kambojas as living by trade, agriculture and warfare.

Sanskrit:

transliteration:

pAncAla kalinga zUrasenAH kAmboja uDra kirAta zastra vArttAH/

The same characteristics of the Kambojas are attested in Mahabharata (Kambojah...yama.vaishravanopamah, MBH 7/23/42).

There is sufficient evidence to show that ancient Kambojas had been in direct economic and political intercourse with western India including Surashtra/Gujarat since ancient times (Bahu/Sagara vs Haihayas, Sakas, Kambojas, Yavanas battles per Puranic legends). And there was a regular traffic of men and merchandise occuring between north-west and western India.

It is likely that this regular traffic in trade and commerce between Kamboja and Surashtra may have led to their adoption of identical kind of socio-political constitutions also.

Báhiya Dárucíriya an arahant born in in Bhárukaccha (Apadána (Pali Text Series), II. 476) had engaged himself in trade, voyaging in a ship. Seven times he had sailed from upper Indus downwards and across the sea and returned safely home. This Buddhist evidence shows that besides Kamboja-Dravati land route, the river Indus was also used as a water-route from upper Indus/Kamboj down to Sea.

Once the traders/merchants from Kamboja/Gandhara had reached Surashtra/Gujarat, several important sea ports like Sindhan, Bharukaccha (present-day Bharoch) and Supparaka Pattana (present-day Nalla-Sopara, near Mumbai also became accessible to them for sea-trade with western world on one hand and with southern India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Suvarna-Bhumi and beyond to Indo-China on the other.

In Jain canonical text, Bharukachcha is quoted as 'donamukha' where goods were carried by land and water routes (Life in ancient India as depicted in Jain canons, p 273, J. C. Jain). Periplus (Classical accounts, p 301) and Ptolemy (Geography, P 33) mention Barygaza (Bharukachha) as a great commercial center situated at the estuary of Narbada. Soparka was a great commercial center and residence of traders (Brhatkalpa Bhashya, I, 2506)

Archaological evidence reveals the existence of many land-locked ports including the one called Kamboi in Surashtra (See: Ancient Ports of Gujarat, A.R. Dasgupta, Deputy Director, SIIPA, SAC, Ahmedabad, M. H. Raval Ex. Director, Directorate of Archeaology, Ahmedabad).

The modern Kamboi is attested as Kamboika in 10th c AD records.(G. Buhler, Indian Antiquary, VI, 1877, pp 191-92). Kamboika is corruption of Sanskrit Kambojika (Dr J. L Kamboj).

There is also an ancient Gandhara port in Surashtra.

Further, the ancient Buddhist texts reveal that there was regular trade between Bharukaccha, Suppáraka and Suvannabhumi (See, e.g., Jataka Fausboll, ..iii.188; Apadána.ii.476 (vs.13f.)(Pali Text Series); Manorathapúraní, Anguttara Commentary, I.156, (S.H.B.)

The distance between Ceylon and Suvannabhúmi was seven hundred leagues, and with a favourable wind could be covered in seven days and nights (Manorathapúraní, Anguttara Commentary, I.265, (S.H.B.)

All these ancient Buddhist references show that nations from north-west including the Kamboja, Gandhara, Kashmira, Sindhu, Sovira etc were in trade loop with western Indian sea ports and huge trade ships regularily plied between western Indian ports and Southern India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Suvarnabhumi and Indo-China peninsula. (cf: All Gratitude To Myanmar, S. N. Goenka, Vipassana Newsletter Vol. 7, No. 10 Dec 97).

No doubt, we find powerful signatures of the Kambojas in Sri Lanka, Bengal, Burma and to all probability in Cambodia also.

The chief export products from Kamboja were horses, ponies, blankets embroidered with threads of gold, kambu silver, zinc, mashapurni, hingpurni, somvalak, walnuts, almonds, raisin and precious stones including lapis lazuli, emerald, amethyst etc.

Kambojas and Kambohs

The Kambohs or Kambojs living in upper India are identified as the modern representatives of the ancient Kambojas. They are found as Hindu, Sikhs, Mohamdan, Buddhists and Jains as well.

It is very interesting to observe that modern Kamboj are still found living chiefly by agriculture, trade, business and military service which were the chief professions followed by their Kamboja ancestors some 2500 years ago, as powerfully attested by Kautalya in his Arathashastra (11/1/04), as also in the Brahata Samhita of Varahamihira (5/35) .

Besides in Panjab, the Kambojs are also found living in Delhi, UP and in Maharashtra. An ancient town 'Kamboi' in Surashtra and 'Kambhoj' in District Kohlapur/Maharashtra remind us of the Kamboja foot prints left in western India. The Kamboh Darwaza in Meerut in UP is named after them (Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar). There are numerous place names in north-western India which carry unmistakeable relics of Sanskrit name Kamboja.

The Tajiks, Siyaposh Kaffirs (Kam/Kamoz/Kamtoz/Katir), the Aspins, Yashkuns and Yusufzais ( from Ispzai/Aspzai....see The Pathans by Caroe Olaf) of eastern Afghanistan are considered by various scholars as the modern representatives of the ancient Kambojas. (Ancient Kamboja, people and the Country, 1981, Dr Kamboj, p 165, 248; Comprehensive History India, Vol II, p 118, Dr N. K. Shastri; Bharatbhumi aur unke Nivasi, Dr Jaychandra Vidyalankar, p 313-14 ; Political History of Ancient India, Dr Raychaudhury, 1996, p 133 etc)

The modern Kambohs/Kambojs are said to be ancient inhabitants of Persia (Panjab Castes, Denzil Ibbeston, p 148; Glossary of Tribes, H. A. Rose, p 443).

Hindu Kambohs claim to be related to the Rajputs and to have come from Persia through southern Afghanistan.(The Sikh, A. H. Bingley, p 57; Encylopedia of Sikh Religion & Culture, 1997, p 24, Dr Gobind Singh Mansukhani, Romesh Chander Dogra).

The Sikh Kamboj of Kapurthala/Jullundur, Panjab claim descent from Raja Karan. (op cit, Rose, p 443; Panjab Castes, Denzil Ibbeston, p 148).

Mohammdan Kambohs state that they have descended from ancient Kai dynasty of Persia, to which the emperors Kaikaus, Kaikhusro, Kaikubad, Kai-lehrashab and Darius all belonged. On the last king of the dynasty having been dethroned, and expelled from the country, he wandered about some time with his family and dependents in the neighboring countries and finally settled in Panjab (Op cit., p 24, Dr Gobind Singh Mansukhani, Romesh Chander Dogra; Glossary of tribes, H. A. Rose, p 443, 444; op cit, 57, A. H. Bingley; Supplementary Glossary, H. M. Elliot, pp 304/305 etc etc).

Kai-Khusro (=Kurosh), Kai Cam-buksh (=Cambyses or Kambujiya) are said to have been great kings from Kai/Achemenean line of the Persians (Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, Vol I, 65, Col James Todd).

Mohamadan Kambohs/Kambojs were very influential and powerful in the early days of Moghul rule. Shahbaz Khan Kamboh was the most trusted general of Akbar (The Sikhs, p 57, A. H. Bingley). Sheikh Gadai Kamboh was the Sadar-i-Jahan of Emperor (Akbar Nama, by Abu L-Fazl, Trans H. Blochman, p 122). The Sayyids and the Kambohs from among the Indian Muslims were specially favored for high military and civil positions during Moghul rule (The Mughal Nobility Under Aurangzeb, 2002, p 21, M. Athar Ali; cf: Cultural History of India, 1999, p 261, A. L. Basham)

The Kambohs held Nakodar in Jullundur and Sohna in Gurgaon some centuries ago; and the tombs and mosques that they have left in Sohna show that they must have enjoyed considerable position (Glossary, p 443, H. A. Rose).

Numerous foreign and Indian writers have described the modern Kambojs/Kambohs as one of the finest class of agriculturists of India (A. H. Bingley; Denzil Ibbeston; H. A. Rose, Kulwant Singh Virk; M. S. Randhawa, Vice Chancellor, Agriculture Univ Ludhiana, Principal Sewa Singh etc). In his Glossary of Tribes, Rose remarks that the Kambohs and Ahirs agriculturists are the first rank husbandmen and he places them above the Jatts (Glossary of Tribes, Vol II, pp 6, 442). Col Lal Singh Kamboj, landlord from Uttar Pardesh was the first Indian farmer to win the prestigious Padam-Shri award for progressive farming in 1968 from President of India. According to Dr M. S. Randhawa ICS, (ex-Vice Chancellor, Agri Univ Ludhiana), the Kamboj farmers have no equals in industry and tenacity (Out of Ashes, p 60). According to Principal Sewa Singh: "....The Kambojs have made great contributions in agriculture and military fields. They occupy exactly the same position in general farming as the Ramgarhias occupy in general industry. The majority of Krishi Pandit awards in Rajasthan/India have been won by the Kamboj agriculturists".

Several observers have described the modern Kambojs as very industrious, stiff-necked, turbulent, skillful, provident and enterprising race of people (A. H Bingley, H. A. Rose) .

Some British ethnologists have described the Kambojs to be ethnically more akin to the Afghans than any of the Hindu races among which they have now settled for generations [The Sikhs, A. H. Bingley, p 57).

There is a mediaval era Persian proverb current in north-west which conveys that the Afghans, the Kambohs (Kamboj) and the Kashmiris... all three are rogues:

Agar kuht-ul-riajl uftad, azeshan uns kam geeri,

Eke Afghan, doum Kamboh, seum badzat Kashmiri'.

This old proverb conveys the indisputable fact that in the distant past, the Persians, the Afghans, the Kambojs/Kambohs and the Kasmiris had been living pretty much as neighbores and were, therefore, an inter-related racial group.

As against above proverb and with reference to the Kambojs, an another scholar, Sardar Gurdial Singh, notes that, during the reign of terror, it was the Kambojs/Kambohs only who were most trusted by the rich bankers for carrying their cash in the disguise of faqirs. (Glossaray of Tribes, Rose, p 444).

The Kambojs have been noted for their courage, tenacity and stamina for fighting.

'They (Kamboj) make excellent soldiers, being of very fine physique and possessing great courage.....They have always been noted for their cunning strategy, which now, being far less 'slim' than in former times, has developed into the permissible stretegy of war' (The Sikhs and the Wars: Reginald Holder..From Panjab Past & Present Vol IV, Part I, April 1970, S.No 7, Edited by Dr Ganda Singh)

The modern Kamboj are generally tall, well-built, sharp featured, generally very fair (gaura varna) race having brown, some times redish hair, and brown or sometimes gray eye color and long sharp noses. Kamboj women are also noted for their beauty.

In ancient references also, the Kambojas have been described as very handsome race (parbhadra.kastu Kambojah: Mahabharata 7/23/43). Kamboja princes are noted as tall (pramshu.n 8/56/113), exceedingly handsome (sudarshanya, 7/92/74, priyadarshanam, 8/56/113), of gaura varna, with faces illustrious like full moon (purnachandrabhavaktra.n, 8/56/113), lotus eyed (kamalapatraksamatyartham 8/56/113), handsome like the lord-moon among the stars (taradhipopamah MBH 1/67/31). Even Ramayana calls the Kambojas as 'ravisanibha' i.e with faces illustrious like the Sun (Ramayana verse 1/55/2).

Ancient Kamboja ladies were also noted for their beauty (Hindu World, p 520, Benjamin Walker; MBH 11/25/1-8)

The total population of this people, still calling themselves as Kamboj (or prikritic Kamboh, or Kamoz) is said to be around 1.5 million, rest of their population, over the time, having submerged with other occupationalized castes/groups of the subcontinent.

Numerous of their clan names over-lap with other Kshatryas and the Rajput castes of the north-west India, thereby suggesting that some of the Rajput clans of north-west have descended from the Ancient Kambojas.

The Kambojs/Kambohs practiced weapon-worship in the past but the practice is now going out of vogue.