Tushara Kingdom

Tusharas (alias Tukharas, Tocharians) were a Mlechcha tribe, with their kingdom located in the north west of India as per the epic Mahabharata. An account in Mahabharata (Mbh 1:85) depicts Mlechchas as the descendants of Anu, one of the cursed sons of king Yayati. Yayati's eldest son Yadu, gave rise to the Yadavas and youngest son Puru to the Pauravas that includes the Kurus and Panchalas. Only the fifth son of Puru's line was considered to be the successors of Yayati's throne, as he cursed the other four sons and denied them kingship. Pauravas inherited the Yayati's original empire and stayed in the Gangatic plain who later created the Kuru and Panchala Kingdoms. They were the followers of proper Vedic culture. Yadavas made central and western India their stronghold. The descendands of Anu, also called Anavas migrated to Iran, of which the Tusharas settled in Turkmenistan, Turkistan (in Afghanistan) and Turkey. The Tushara country mentioned in the epic could be Turkmenistan, a Central Asian Republic or the Turkistan of Afghanistan. The Atharavaveda-Parishishta [Ed Bolling & Negelein, 41.3.3.] associates the Tusharas with the Sakas, Yavanas and the Bahlikas. ("Saka.Yavana.Tushara.Bahlikashcha"). It also juxtaposes the Kambojas with the Bahlikas ("Kamboja-Bahlika..."). [AV-Par, 57.2.5; cf "Persica"-9, 1980, p. 106, Michael Witzel] This shows the Tusharas probably were neighbors to the Shakas, Bahlikas (Bactrians), Yavanas or Yonas (Greeks) and the Kambojas, possibly in Transoxiana.

References in Mahabharata

The "Shanti Parva" of the Mahabharata associates the Tusharas with the Yavanas, Kiratas, Gandharas, Chinas, Kambojas, Pahlavas, Kankas, Sabaras, Barbaras, Ramathas etc., and brands them all as barbaric tribes of Uttarapatha, leading lives of Dasyus. ["MBH" 12.65.13-15]

The Tusharas along with numerous other tribes from northwest including the Bahlikas, Kiratas, Pahlavas, Paradas, Daradas, Kambojas, Shakas, Kankas, Romakas, Yavanas, Trigartas, Kshudrakas, Malavas, Angas, Vangas etc had joined Yudhishtra at his Rajasuya ceremony and brought him numerous gifts such as camels, horses, cows, elephants and gold [Mahabharata 2.51-2.53; 3.51 .]

Later the Tusharas, Sakas and Yavanas had joined the military division of the Kambojas and participated in the Mahabharata war on the side of the Kauravas. [MBH 6.66.17-21; MBH 8.88.17] Karna Parva of Mahabharata describes the Tusharas as very ferocious and wrathful warriors.

At one place in the Mahabharata, the Tusharas are mentioned along with the Shakas and the Kankas. ["Shakas.Tusharah.Kankascha"] At another place they are in a list with the Shakas, Kankas and Pahlavas. ["Shakas Tusharah Kankashch.Pahlavashcha"] And at other places are mentioned along with the Shakas, Yavanas and the Kambojas ["Shaka.Tushara.Yavanashcha sadinah sahaiva.Kambojavaraijidhansavah" OR "Kritavarma tu sahitah Kambojarvarai.Bahlikaih...Tushara.Yavanashchaiva.Shakashcha saha Chulikaih"] etc.

Tushara kingdom is mentioned in the traves of Pandavas in the northern regions beyond the Himalayas:- Crossing the difficult Himalayan regions, and the countries of China, Tukhara, Darada and all the climes of Kulinda, rich in heaps of jewels, those warlike men reached the capital of Suvahu (3:176).

Cultural differences with Vedic culture

The ancient Vedic people could not understand the real oringins of the Mlechcha tribes who were highly skilled in weapons, warfare and material sciences but never followed the Vedic rites properly.

The confusion of ancient Vedic people in dealing with the unfamilier tribes is evidient in the following passage from Mahabharata. At (12:35) is mentioned:- What duties should be performed by the Yavanas, the Kiratas, the Gandharvas, the Chinas, the Savaras, the Barbaras, the Sakas, the Tusharas, the Kankas, the Pathavas, the Andhras, the Madrakas, the Paundras, the Pulindas, the Ramathas, the Kambojas, the several castes that have sprung up from Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas, and the Sudras, that reside in the dominions of (Arya) kings?.

Tribute to Yudhisthira

The kings of the Pahlavas and the Daradas and the various tribes of the Kiratas and Yavanas and Sakras and the Harahunas and Chinas and Tukharas and the Sindhavas and the Jagudas and the Ramathas and the Mundas and the inhabitants of the kingdom of women and the Tanganas and the Kekayas and the Malavas and the inhabitants of Kasmira, were present in the Rajasuya sacrifice of Yudhisthira the king of the Pandavas (3:51). The Sakas and Tukhatas and Tukharas and Kankas and Romakas and men with horns bringing with them as tribute numerous large elephants and ten thousand horses, and hundreds and hundreds of millions of gold (2:50).

In Kurukshetra War

They were a very ferocious warriors. The Tusharas, the Yavanas and the Sakas, along with the Chulikas, stood in the right wing of the Kaurava battle-array (6:75). The Tusharas, the Yavanas, the Khasas, the Darvabhisaras, the Daradas, the Sakas, the Kamathas, the Ramathas, the Tanganas the Andhrakas, the Pulindas, the Kiratas of fierce prowess, the Mlecchas, the Mountaineers, and the races hailing from the sea-side, all endued with great wrath and great might, delighting in battle and armed with maces, these all—united with the Kurus and fought wrathfully for Duryodhana’s sake (8:73). A number of Saka and Tukhara and Yavana horsemen, accompanied by some of the foremost combatants among the Kambojas, quickly rushed against Arjuna (8:88). F. E Pargiter writes that the Tusharas, along with the Yavanas, Shakas, Khasas and Daradas had collectively joined the Kamboja army of Sudakshina Kamboj and had fought in Kurukshetra war under latter's supreme command. [ The Nations of India at the Battle Between the Pandavas and Kauravas, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 1908, pp 313, 331, Dr F. E. Pargiter, (Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland).]

Tushara in Puranas and other Indian texts

Puranic texts like Vayu Purana, Brahmanda Purana and Vamana Purana, etc., associate the Tusharas with the Shakas, Barbaras, Kambojas, Daradas, Viprendras, Anglaukas, Yavanas, Pahlavas etc and refer to them all as the tribes of Udichya i.e. north or north-west. ["Brahmanda Purana" 27.46-48.] The Kambojas, Daradas, Barbaras, Harsavardhanas, Cinas and the Tusharas are described as the populous races of men outside. [Markandeya Purana, LVII.39, The Markandeya Purana, F. E. Pargiter, Trans. Varanasi Reprint, 1969, pp 307-44; A Sourcebook of Indian Civilization, 2000, p 39, Niharranjan Ray, Brajadulal Chattopadhyaya.]

Puranic literature further states that the Tusharas and other tribes like the Gandharas, Shakas, Pahlavas, Kambojas, Paradas, Yavanas, Barbaras, Khasa, and Lampakas, etc., would be invaded and annihilated by King Kalki at the end of Kaliyuga. And they were annihilated by king Pramiti at the end of Kaliyuga. ["Vayu" I.58.78-83; cf: "Matsya" 144.51-58]

According to Vayu Purana and Matsya Purana, river Chakshu (Oxus or Amu Darya) flowed through the countries of Tusharas, Lampakas, Pahlavas, Paradas and the Shakas, etc. ["Vayu Purana" I.58.78-83]

The "Brihat-Katha-Manjari" [10/1/285-86] of Pt Kshemendra relates that around 400 CE, Gupta king Vikramaditya (Chandragupta II) (r. 375-413/15 CE), had "unburdened the sacred earth by destroying the barbarians" like the Tusharas, Shakas, Mlecchas, Kambojas, Yavanas, Parasikas, Hunas etc.

The "Rajatarangini" of Kalhana records that king "Laliditya Muktapida", the eighth century ruler of Kashmir had invaded the tribes of the north and after defeating the Kambojas, he immediately faced the Tusharas. The Tusharas did not give a fight but fled to the mountain ranges leaving their horses in the battle field. [RT IV.165-166] This shows that during 8th century CE, a section of the Tusharas were living as neighbors of the Kambojas near the Oxus valley.

By the 6th century CE, the Brihat Samhita of Varahamihira also locates the Tusharas with Barukachcha (Bhroach) and Barbaricum (on the Indus Delta) near the sea in western India. ["bharukaccha.samudra.romaka.tushrah.." :Brhatsamhita XVI.6] The Romakas formed a colony of the Romans near the port of Barbaricum in Sindhu Delta. [See comments: M. R. Singh in "The Geographical Data of Early Purana, 1972", p. 26] This shows that a section of the Tusharas had also moved to western India and was living there around Vrahamihira's time.

There is also a mention of "Tushara-Giri" (Tushara mountain) in the Mahabharata, "Harshacharita" of Bana Bhata and "Kavyamimansa" of Rajshekhar.÷

Chinese sources

Exiting the "Iron Pass" in the 7th century CE, the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang entered 覩貨羅 (Pinyin: Duhuoluo; W-G: "Tu-huo-lu") or the "Tukhāra" country, which lay to the north of the great snow mountains (Hindukush), to the south of Iron Pass, and to the east of Persia, with the Oxus "flowing westward through the middle of it." [Li, Rongxi (translator). 1995. "The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions", p. 31. Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research. Berkeley, California. ISBN 1-886439-02-8.] During the time of Xuanzang, the country of Tukhāra was divided into 27 administrative units, each having its separate chieftain. ["On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629-645 A.D.", Edition: 1904, pp. 102, 327. Thomas Watters - Buddhism; Publications, 1904. Oriental Translation Fund - Oriental literature.] [Li, Rongxi (translator). 1995. "The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions", p. 32. Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research. Berkeley, California. ISBN 1-886439-02-8. See also: E. J. Brill's "First Encyclopaedia of Islam", 1913-1936, Edition 1935, p. 807; M. Th. Houtsma, E. van Donzel; "Geographical Data in the Early Purāṇas: A Critical Study", 1972, p. 174, M. R. Singh.]

Tibetan Chronicles

The Tukharas ("Tho-gar") are mentioned in the Tibetan chronicle Dpag-bsam-ljon-bzah ("The Excellent Kalpa-Vrksa"), along with people like the Yavanas, Kambojas, Daradas, Hunas, Khasas etc. [ "Tho-gar yul dań yabana dań Kambodza dań Khasa dań Huna dań Darta dań...(See: Pag-Sam-Jon-Zang (1908), I.9, Sarat Chandra Das; Ancient Kamboja, 1971, p 66, H. W. Bailey.]

Tusharas and Kambojas

The "Komedai" of Ptolemy, [Ronca, Italo. (1971). "Ptolemaios: Geographie 6,9-21 Ostiran und Zentalasien". Teil I. IsMEO, Rome p. 108.] , the "Kiumito" or "Kumituo" of Xuanzang's accounts, "Kiumizhi" of Wu'kong, [Lévi, Sylvain and Chavannes, Éd. (1895). "L'itinéraire dOu-k'ong". Journal Asiatique, Sept.-Oct. 1895, p. 362.] "Kumi" of the Tang Annals, [Chavannes, Éd. (1900). "Documents sur les Tou-kiue (Turcs) occidentaux". Paris, Librairie d’Amérique et d’Orient. Reprint: Taipei. Reprint: Cheng Wen Publishing Co., pp. 164, 339.] "Kumed" or "Kumadh" of some Muslim writers, "Cambothi, Kambuson and Komedon" of the Greek writers (or the Kumijis of "Al-Maqidisi, Al-Baihaki, Nasir Khusau" etc) [See: (Author?) "Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies", University of London, 1940, p 850, University of London School of Oriental and African Studies - Oriental philology Periodicals; Bagchi, P. C. "India and Central Asia", p. 25; Prācīna Kamboja, jana aura janapada =: Ancient Kamboja, people and country, 1981, pp 401, Jiyālāla Kāmboja, Satyavrat Śāstrī - Kamboja (Pakistan); "Turkestan Down to Mongol Invasion", 1968, pp. 293-6, Barthold; The Ghaznavids, p 108, C. E. Bosworth. In: "History of Civilizations of Central Asia", 1999, Ahmad Hasan Dani, Vadim Mikhaĭlovich Masson, János Harmatta, Boris Abramovich Litvinovskiĭ, Clifford Edmund Bosworth, Unesco - Central Asia; "The Cambridge History of Iran", 1975, pp 173, 192, Richard Nelson Frye - History; On the Kumijis see also article 26,10, Hudud Al'alam: The Regions of the World: a Persian Geography, 327 A.H.-982 A.D. See p 209.] [See: THE ETHNIC OF THE SAKAS (SCYTHIANS. See link"': [http://www.azargoshnasp.net/history/Scythians/THESAKAS.htm] .] who lived in Buttamen Mountains (now in Tajikstan) in the upper Oxus ["The Cambridge History of Iran", 1975, p. 192, Richard Nelson Frye; cf. also: Li, Rongxi (translator). 1995. "The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions", p. 33. Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research. Berkeley, California. ISBN 1-886439-02-8.] are believed by many scholars to be the Kambojas who were living neighbors to the Tusharas north of the Hindukush in the Oxus valley. [Op. cit. Bagchi, p 25; op cit. J. L. Kamboj, p 401; Studies in Indian History and Civilization, Agra, p 351; cf: India and Central Asia, p 25, Dr P. C. Bagchi; Prācīna Kamboja, jana aura janapada =: Ancient Kamboja, people and country, 1981, pp 401, Dr Jiyālāla Kāmboja, Dr Satyavrat Śāstrī - Kamboja (Pakistan).] The region was also known as Kumudadvipa of the Puranic texts, which the scholars identify with Sanskrit Kamboja. [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)... Kirpal Singh identify Kumudadvipa with "Parama Kamboja" and also locates it between the Oxus and Jaxartes (The Kambojas Through the Ages, 2005, p 59).]

Before its occupation by the Tukharas, Badakshan formed a part of ancient Kamboja i.e. Parama Kamboja country but, after its occupation by the Tukharas in second century BCE, Badakshan and some other territories of the Kamboja became part of Tukharistan. [ Proceedings and Transactions of the All-India Oriental Conference, 1930, p 108, Dr J. C. Vidyalankara; Bhartya Itihaas ki Ruprekha, p 534, Dr J. C. Vidyalankar; Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, 1981, pp 129, 300 Dr J. L. Kamboj; Kambojas Through the Ages, 2005, p 159, S Kirpal Singh.]

Around the 4th to 5th century CE, when the fortunes of the Tukharas finally waned, the original population of Kambojas re-asserted itself, and the region again started to be called by its ancient name, i.e. "Kamboja", ["Bhartya Itihaas ki Ruprekha", p. 534, J. C. Vidyalankar; "Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country", 1981, pp. 129, 300. J. L. Kamboj; "Kambojas Through the Ages", 2005, p. 159, S. Kirpal Singh.] though north western parts still retained the name of Duhuoluo or Tukharistan in Chinese at least until the time of the Tang Dynasty. [See, for example, the references to Xuanzang's account above.]

There are several later references to this Kamboja of the Pamirs/Badakshan. Raghuvamsha - a 5th century Sanskrit play by Kalidasa, attests their presence on river Vamkshu (Oxus) as neighbors to the Hunas (Raghu: 4.68-70). As seen above, the 7th century Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang mentions the Kiumito/Kumito living to the north of the Oxus, [Li, Rongxi (translator). 1995. "The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions", p. 33. Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research. Berkeley, California. ISBN 1-886439-02-8.] which may refer to Komedai of Ptolemy. [Beal, Samuel. 1884. "Si-Yu-Ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World, by Hiuen Tsiang". 2 vols. Translated by Samuel Beal. London. 1884. Reprint: Delhi. Oriental Books Reprint Corporation. 1969. vol. I, p. 41, n. 131.] which, as noted above, has been been equated to Kamboja mentioned in Sanskrit texts.

The 8th century king of Kashmir, King Lalitadiya, invaded the Kambojas of the "far-spreading northern region" ("uttarāpatha") as mentioned in the Rajatarangini of Kalhana. After encountering the Kambojas, Lalitadiya's army approached the Tuhkhāras who "fled to the mountain ranges leaving behind their horses." ["Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṅgiṇī: A Chronicle of the Kings of Kaśmīr". (1900). Translated and annotated by M. A. Stein. Reprint (1979): Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi. Vol. I, Bk. 4, 163-165, p. 136.] According to D. C. Sircar, the Kambojas here are bracketted with the Tukharas and are shown as living in the eastern parts of the Oxus valley as neighbors of the Tukharas who were living in the western parts of that Valley. [Sircar, D. C. "The Land of the Kambojas", "Purana", Vol V, No ?, July 1962, p. 250.] [These Kambojas, apparently were descendants of that section of the Kambojas who, instead of leaving their ancestral land during second century BCE under assault from the Da Yuezhi, had compromised with the invaders and decided to stay put in their ancestral land instead of moving to the Helmand or Kabul valley.] [There are other references which also equate Kamboja with Tokhara. A Buddhist Sanskrit Vinaya text translated by N. Dutt, "Gilgit Manuscripts", III, 3, 136, (quoted in "B.S.O.A.S." XIII, p. 404) has the expression "satam Kambojikanam kanyanam" i.e. 'a hundred maidens from Kamboja'. This has been rendered as "Tho-gar yul-gyi bu-mo brgya" in the Tibetan and as "Togar ulus-un yagun ükin" in Mongolian. Thus, "Kamboja" has been rendered as "Tho-gar" or Togar. And Tho-gar/Togar are Tibetan or Mongolian forms of Tokhar/Tukhar (See: H. W. Bailey, "Irano-Indica III", "Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies", University of London, Vol. 13, No. 2, 1950, pp. 389-409; see also: "Ancient Kamboja, Iran and Islam", 1971, p. 66, H. W. Bailey.]

The tenth century CE "Kavyamimamsa" of Rajshekhar lists the Tusharas with several other tribes of the Uttarapatha viz: the Shakas, Kekeyas, Vokkanas, Hunas, Kambojas, Bahlikas, Pahlavas, Limpakas, Kulutas, Tanganas, Turusakas, Barbaras, Ramathas etc. ["Kavyamimamsa", Chapter 17.] . This mediaeval era evidence shows that the Tusharas were different from the Turushakas with whom they are often confused by some writers.

Asii, Tukhara, Rishika, Yuezhi, Kamboja equation

Pompeius Trogus remarks that the "Asii" were lords of the Tochari. It is generally believed that they are same as the Rishikas of the Mahabharata which people are equivalent to Asii (in Prakrit] . [Note - name of author and article needed here - "Indian Historical Quarterly", 1963, p. 227 (v.30-31 1954-1955).] V. S. Aggarwala also equates the Rishikas with the Asii or Asioi. [Aggarwala, V. S. "India as Known to Pāṇini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashṭādhyāyī", 1953, p 68, Vasudeva Sharana Agrawala - "India; A Grammatical Dictionary of Sanskrit (Vedic): 700 Complete Reviews of the" ... - Page 68, Vasudeva Sharana Agrawala, Surya Kanta, Jacob Wackernagel, Arthur Anthony Macdonell, Peggy Melcher - India.] In 1870, George Rawlinson commented that "The Asii or Asiani were closely connected with the Tochari and the Sakarauli (Saracucse?) who are found connected with both the Tochari and the Asiani". [Rawlinson, George. The Project Gutenberg EBook of "The Seven Great Monarchies Of The Ancient Eastern World", Vol 6. (of 7): "Parthia".) [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16166/16166-8.txt] .] .

If the Rishikas of the Mahabharata were same as the Tukharas, then the observation from George Rawlinson is in line with the Mahabharata ["Mahabharata" 2.27.25-26.] statement which also closely allies the Rishikas with the Parama Kambojas [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02026.htm The Mahabharata, Book 2: Sabha Parva: Jarasandhta-badha Parva: Section XXVI ] ] and places them both in the Sakadvipa. [Agrawala, Vasudeva Sharana "India as Known to Pāṇini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashṭādhyāyī", 1953, p 64: Agrawala, Vasudeva Sharana. "India; A Grammatical Dictionary of Sanskrit (Vedic)": 700 Complete Reviews of the ..., 1953, p 62, Vasudeva Sharana Agrawala, Surya Kanta, Jacob Wackernagel, Arthur Anthony Macdonell, Peggy Melcher - India.] The Kambojas (i.e. "the southern branch of the Parama Kambojas"), are the same as the classical Assaceni/Assacani (Aspasio/Assakenoi of Arrian) and the Aśvayana and Aśvakayana of Panini. [See: Ashtadhyayi Sutra IV.1.110 & Ganapatha, Nadadigana IV.1.99 respectively.] . They are also mentioned by Megasthenes who refers to them as "Osii" (= "Asii"), "Asoi", "Aseni" etc. [ FRAGM. LVI., "Plin. Hist. Nat." VI. 21. 8-23. 11.,List of the Indian Races [http://www.mssu.edu/projectsouthasia/history/primarydocs/Foreign_Views/GreekRoman/Megasthenes-Indika.htm] ..] , all living on upper Indus in eastern Afghanistan. The names indicate their connection with horses and horse culture. ["In Aswa, we have ancient race peopled on both sides of Indus and probable etymon of Asia. The Assaceni, the Ari-aspii, the Aspasians and (the Asii) whom Strabo describes as Scythic race have same origin. Hence Asi-gurh (Hasi/Hansi) and Asii-gard, the first settlements of Scythic Asii in Scandinavia" (see: Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 1826, p 318, Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland - Great Britain; Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, Reprint (2002), Vol I, p 64. Also see: pp 51-54, 87, 95; Vol-2, P 2, James Tod; The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia: Commercial ..., 1885, p 196, Edward Balfour - India.] [For Asii = Assi = Asvaka - a tribe connected with Asvas or horses, See also : The Racial History of India - 1944, pp 815, 122, Chandra Chakraberty. For Aspasii, Hipasii, see: Olaf Caroe, The Pathans, 1958, pp. 37, 55-56, ] These Osii, Asoi/Aseni clans represent earlier migration from the Parama Kamboja ("furthest Kamboja") land, lying between Oxus and Jaxartes, which happened prior to Achamenid rule. Per epic evidence, Parama Kamboja was the land of the "Loha-Kamboja-Rishikas". [ Mahabharata 2.27.25-26.] The Rishikas are said by some scholars to be the same people as the Yuezhi. [Aggarwala, V. S. "India as Known to Panini", p. 64] The Kushanas are also said by some to be the same people. [Vidyalnkara, J. C. (1941). "Bhartya Itihaas ki Ruprekha".] "Kalhana" (c. 1148-1149 CE) claims that the three kings he calls "Huṣka", "Juṣka" and "Kaniṣka" (commonly interpreted to refer to Huvishka, Vāsishka and Kanishka I) were "descended from the Turuṣka race". ["But as noted above, tenth century CE "Kavyamimamsa" of Rajshekhar lists the Tusharas with several other tribes of the Uttarapatha viz: the Shakas, Kekeyas, Vokkanas, Hunas, Kambojas, Bahlikas, Pahlavas, Limpakas, Kulutas, Tanganas, Turusakas, Barbaras, Ramathas etc. (Kavyamimamsa", Chapter 17), which clearly differentiates the Tukharas from the Turusakas".] Aurel Stein says that the Tukharas (Tokharoi/Tokarai) were a branch of the Yuezhi. ["Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṅgiṇī: A Chronicle of the Kings of Kaśmīr". (1900). Translated and annotated by M. A. Stein. Reprint (1979): Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi. Vol. I, Bk. I, 169-170, pp. 30-31.] P. C. Bagchi holds that the Yuezhi, Tocharioi and Tushara were identical. [Bagchi, P. C. "India and Central Asia", 1955, p 24.] If he is correct, the Rishikas, Tusharas/Tukharas (Tokharoi/Tokaroi), the Kushanas and the Yuezhi, were probably either a single people, or members of a confederacy.

"Sabha Parva" of Mahabharata states that the Parama Kambojas, Lohas and the Rishikas were "allied tribes". ["Mahabharata" 2.26.25: See: The Mahabharata, Book 2: Sabha Parva, section XXVI, p 58, Kisari Mohan Ganguli, trans. [1883-1896] [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02026.htm] ; The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa: Translated Into English Prose, 1962, p 66, Pratap Chandra Roy; Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahābhārata: Upāyana Parva, 1945, p 13, Moti Chandra - India.] Like the "Parama Kambojas", the Rishikas of the Transoxian region are similarly styled as "Parama Rishikas". [taraka maya sankashah Parama Rishika parthayoh || 26 ||.] Based on the syntactical construction of the Mahabharata "verse 5.5.15" [:Shakanam Pahlavana.n cha Daradanam cha ye nripah | :Kamboja Rishika ye cha pashchim.anupakash cha ye ||5.5.15|| Trans: The kings of the Shakas, Pahlavas and the Daradas, and the Kamboja-Rishikas live in the west in the Anupa region.] and "verse 2.27.25", [LohanParamaKambojanRishikanuttaran api ||v 2.27.25||] Ishwa Mishra believe that the Rishikas were a section of the Kambojas i.e. Parama Kambojas. V. S. Aggarwala too, relates the Parama Kambojas of the Trans-Pamirs to the Rishikas of the Mahabharata ["The Deeds of Harsha: Being a Cultural Study of Bāṇa's Harshacharita", 1969, p 199, Vasudeva Sharana Agrawala.] and also places them in the Sakadvipa (or Scythia). ["India as Known to Pāṇini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashṭādhyāyī", 1953, p 64, Vasudeva Sharana Agrawala - "India; A Grammatical Dictionary of Sanskrit (Vedic)": 700 Complete Reviews of the ..., 1953, p 62, Vasudeva Sharana Agrawala, Surya Kanta, Jacob Wackernagel, Arthur Anthony Macdonell, Peggy Melcher - India.] According to Dr B. N. Puri, the Kambojas were a branch of the Tukharas. ["Buddhism in Central Asia", p. 90.] . Based on the above Rishika-Kamboja connections, some scholars also claim that the Kambojas were a branch of the Yuezhi themselves ["Journal of Tamil Studies", 1969, pp 86, 87, International Institute of Tamil Studies - Tamil philology.] . Dr Moti Chander also sees a close ethnic relationship between the Kambojas and the Yuezhi [Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahābhārata: Upāyana Parva, 1945, p 19, Dr Moti Chandra - India.] ["The Cultural Heritage of India" also sees a close ethnic relationship between the Kambojas, the Tukharas (=Rishikas = Yue-chis) and the modern Tajik race. It calls the modern Tajik race to be descendants of the Tukharas and Kambojas, thus assuming Kambojas as a component of the Tukharas or vice-versa (The Cultural Heritage of India: Sri Ramakrishna Centenary Memorial, 1936, p 151). Cf: "The Kambojas indicate the people of Tajikistan speaking Ghalcha..." (See: Trade and Trade Routes in Ancient India, 1977, p 94, Dr Moti Chandra). For Kambojas as the ancestors of the Tajiks, Cf: Bhart Bhumi Aur Unke Nivasi, p 313-314, 226, Bhartya Itihaas Ki Mimansa, p 335 by Dr J. C. Vidyalanka; Prācīna Kamboja, jana aura janapada =: Ancient Kamboja, people and country, 1981, pp 164-65, Dr Jiyālāla Kāmboja, Dr Satyavrat Śāstrī.] .

Modern scholars are still debating the details of these connections without coming to any firm consensus. [Mallory, J. P. and Mair, Victor H. (2000). "The Tarim Mummies: Ancient China and the Mystery of the Earliest Peoples from the West", pp. 91-99. Thames & Hudson, London. ISBN 0-500-05101-1.] [Lebedynsky, Iaroslav (2006). "Les Saces: Les "Scythes" d'Asie, VIII^e siècle av, J.-C.— IV^e siècle apr. J.-C.", p. 63. Edition Errance. Paris. ISBN 2-87772-337-2.]

See also

*Kingdoms of Ancient India

References

*Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, translated to English by Kisari Mohan Ganguli