Bahlikas

Bahlika (बाह्लिक) finds mention in Atharvaveda, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranas, Vartikka of Katyayana, Brhatsamhita, Amarkosha etc and in the ancient Inscriptions. The inhabitants of Bahlika were known as the "Bahlikas". The other variations of Bahlika are Bahli, Balhika, Vahlika, Valhika, Bahlava, Bahlam/Bahlim, Bahlayana and Bahluva etc.

Geographical Locations

Bahlikas in Balkh or Bactria

According to the "Bhuvanakosha" section of the Puranas, Bahlika was a Janapada located in the "Udichya" (Uttarapatha) division [Vayu I.45.115; Vamana 13.37; Garuda 55.16, Brahamanda, 27.24-52v etc] .

Some hymns of Atharvaveda invoke the fever to go to the Gandharis, Mahavrsas (a tribe of Punjab), Mujavants and, further off, to the Bahlikas. Since Mujavant is the name of a hill (and a people) located in Hindukush/Pamir [Early Eastern Iran and the Atharvaveda, Persica-9, 1980, p 87, Dr Michael Witzel] , therefore, the Bahlikas must lie beyond the Hindukush ranges.

"Atharvaveda-Parisista" juxtaposes the Vedic Bahlikas with the Kambojas (i.e. "Kamboja-Bahlika--") [ AV-Par, 57.2.5; cf Early East Iran and the Atharvaveda, Persica-9, 1980, p 106, Dr Michael Witzel] .

Besides Atharvaveda Parisista, several other ancient texts also associate the Bahlikas with the Kambojas.

:"Shakah.Kamboja.Bahlika.Yavanah.Paradastatha |" [MBH 7/98/13]

:"Kritavarma tu sahitah KambojaivarBahlikaih |" [MBH 6/75/17; 2/27/23-23 etc] .

:"VanayujanParvatiyanKamboj.Aratta.Bahlikan" | [Mahabharata 7.36.36] .

:"Kamboja.vishhaye jatair Bahlikaishcha hayottamaih |" [ Valmiki Ramayana I.6.22.]

Kashmir recension of ancient Ramayana has the following reading:

:"Aratta.Kapisham.Balhim".... ["Ramayana, 4/44/23"]

Sanskrit Acharya Kshmendra of Kashmir has rendered the above text into his Ramayana Manjri as follows:

"Aratta.Bahlika.Kamboja"...... ["Ramayana Manjri, 4/252"] .

According to Dr S. K. Chaterjee, the "Bahlika-Kamboja" is a familiar group in the Mahabharata. Modern Balkh, the ancient Bahlika, though one of the most ancient Aryan countries, has now become Turkish in speech……….” [Cultural Heritage of India, Vol I, Dr S. K. Chatterjee, Ph. D, D.Lit p 44: Introduction by Dr Radha Krishanan/Second President of India] .

Besides Kambojas, Atharvaveda-Parisista also associates the Vedic Bahlikas with the Sakas, Yavanas and Tusharas ("Saka-Yavana-Tukhara-Vahlikaishcha") [Atharvaveda Pari. 51.33; Early Eastern Iran and Atharvaveda, Persica-9, 1980' p 106, Dr Michael Witzel] .

The fact that Puranic evidence locates the Bahlikas in Uttarapatha and further the close association of the Bahlikas with the Kambojas as well as with Tusharas, Sakas and Yavanas in the Atharvaveda Parisista and in some other ancient sources suggests that the Bahlikas were located as a close neighbor to the Tusharas, Sakas, Yavanas and the Kambojas etc. Since the Kambojas were located in Badakshan and Pamirs, the Tusharas on the north of Pamirs and the Sakas on the river Jaxartes and beyond, the Bahlikas or Bahlams, as neighbors to these people should be placed in Bactria.

The Brahmanda Purana attests that river Chaksu (Oxus or Amu Darya) flowed through the land of Bahlavas (Bahlikas).

The Mehrauli Iron Inscriptions of King Chandra (4th c AD) also make mention of Bahlikas as living on the west side of the Indus River. After crossing the seven mouths of the Indus, King Chandra is stated to have defeated the Bahlikas [Indian Historical Quarterly, XXVI, 118n] .

These above several references attest that the Bahlikas were originally located beyond the seven mouths of river Indus in the country of Bactria and the land was watered by the river Oxus. But later, a section of these people had moved from Balkh to Punjab while still others appear to have moved to south-western India as neighbors to the Saurashtras and Abhiras of Sauviras.

Bahlikas in plains of Punjab

Salya, the king of Madra referred to in the Mahabharata has been called a "Bahlika Pungava" i.e foremost among the Bahlikas [MBH I. 67.6; I.112.3] .

Princess Madri from the Madra Royal Family has also been referred to as Bahliki i.e princess of Bahlika clan [MBH I. 124. 21] .

In the digvijay expedition of Pandava Arjuna, there is a reference to a people called Bahlikas whom Arjuna had to fight with [Tatah paramavikrantoBahlikankurunandanah..MBH 2.27.22] . They are stated to be located on the southern side of Kashmir as neighbors to the Ursa and Sinhapura kingdoms [Mahabharata, II.27.20-23] .

A passage in Ramayana attests that on the way from Ayodhya to Kekaya, one had to pass through the country of Bahlikas, located somewhere in Punjab. This shows that ancient Bahlikas had moved to and planted a settlement in Punjab too [Ramayana II.54.18-19; Geographical Data in Early Puranas, p 120, Dr M. R. Singh] . This is also verified from the epic Mahabharata.

This shows that there was yet another Bahlika country besides the one located in Bactria.

Dr P. E. Pargiter points out that there was also another Bahlika settlement in the plains of Punjab alongside or south of Madradesa [The Puranas Text of the Dynastics of the Kali Age, p 50, Dr P. E. Pargiter; op cit, p 127, Dr M. R. Singh] .

Bahlikas in Saurashtra

A third settlement of the Bahlikas is attssted in western India as neighbors to the Saurashtras. Ramayana refers to ("Saurashtrans.bahlikan.chandrachitranstathaivacha"). There is also a similar expression in the Padama Purana i.e. ("Surashtransa.bahlika.ssudrabhirastathaivacha"). These ancient references attest that the Bahlikas were living as neighbors to the Saurashtras and the Abhiras. According to the Puranas, a branch of this people ruled in Vindhyas [Op. Cit, p 127, Dr M. R. Singh; The Purana Text of the Dynastics of the Kali Age, p 50, Dr P. E. Pargiter] .

The "Baraca" of the Periplus is taken to be the same as the Bahlika of the Sanskrit texts [Periplus, p 74; Ethnic Settlements in Ancient India, p 174.] . Puranas attest that a branch of the Bahlikas ruled near Vindhyas [See: Purana Text of the Dynastics of Kali Age, p 50, Dr P. E. Pargiter] .

Legendary Bahlika kings

According to the Puranic traditions, "Dhrshta" was one of the nine sons of Manu. From him came a number of clans called "Dharshtakas" who were reckoned as Kshatriyas. According to Shiva Purana the Dharshtaka princes became rulers of Bahlika.

"Satapatha Brahamana" knows of a king named "Bahlika Pratipeya" whom it calls Kauravya (=Kaurava) [Satapatha Brahamana XII 9.3.3] . It has been pointed out that this Kaurava king is identical with Bahlika Pratipeya of Mahabharata [MBH V, 23.9; 149.27; Journal o Royal Asiatic Society, 1910, p 52] .

According to Mahabharata evidence, the king of Bahlika was present at "Syamantapanchaka" at Kurukshetra on the occasion of a solar eclipse.

The people of Balhika had presented to Yudhisthira as a tribute ten thousand asses (donkeys), numerous blankets of woollen texture, numerous skins of the Ranku deer, clothes manufactured from jute and woven with the threads spun by insects. And they also gave thousands of other clothes possessing the colour of the lotus, soft sheep-skins by thousands, sharp and long swords and scimitars, and hatchets and fine-edged battle-axes, perfumes and gems of various kinds (2.50)

The King of Bahlika presented to Yudhishtra a golden chariot yoked with four white Kamboja studs at the time of Rajsuya ceremony (2.53.5).

Karna had fought with and vanquished Bahlikas along with the Kambojas of Rajpura, the Amvashthas, the Videhas, and the Gandharvas, the fierce Kiratas of the fastness of Himavat, the Utpalas, the Mekalas, the Paundras, the Kalingas, the Andhras, the Nishadas and the Trigartas (7.4.5-6).

King Bahlika had participated in the Kurukshetra War. Mahabharata calls him a mighty ("mahabali") king ["Bahlikan cha mahabalam : 5.155.33".] . Along with his son Somadatta and grandson Bhurisravas, King Bahlika had participated in the Mahabharata war with one Askshauhini (division) army of Bahlika soldiers and had sided with the Kauravas against the Pandavas. Bahlika and his grandson Bhurisrava were amongst the eleven distinguished Generals or Senapatis of the Kaurava army appointed by Duryodhana [Mahabharata 5.155.30-33] .

Kurus-Bahlikas-Kambojas-Madras remote connection?

The Ramayana seems to localize the Uttarakurus in Bahlika country [Ethnic Settlements in Ancient India, p 110] . According to it, Ila, son of Parjapati Karddama, king of Bahli (Bahlika) country, gave up Bahli in favor of his son Sasabindu and founded the city of Pratisthana in Madhydesa. The princes of the Aila dynasty (which is also the dynasty of Kurus) have been called Karddameya [Ramayana, (Lahore Edition), Uttarakanda, 89-3-2, pp 299-300, 309; cf: Ethnic Settlements in Ancient India, p 110] . The Karddameyas obtained their names from river Kardama in Persia and therefore, their homeland is identified with Bahlika or Bactria [Studies in Indian Antiquaries, p 234; Geographical Data in Early Puranas, 1972, p 123-24, Dr M. R. Singh] . This indicates that Bahlika or Bactria was the original home of the Kuru clans.

"Vatsyayana" in his Kamasutra records a peculiar custom prevalent among the Bahlikas i.e several young men marry a single woman in Bahlika country and in Strirajya [Kamasutra of Vatsyayana, p 385] . It is a well known factFact|date=August 2008 that Pandavas (i.e. Kurus) were married to one women, Draupadi. This again implies that the Kurus were originally a people of Bahlika which was identical with Uttarakuru (Dr M. R. Singh). Since Uttarakuru of the "Aitareya Brahmana" is said to lie beyond Himalaya, the Bahlika or Bactria is also beyond Hindukush (i.e. Himalayan range).

Besides the Kurus, the Madras were also originally a people living in/around Bahlika as is suggested by "Vamsa Brahamana" [ Vamsa Brahm,ana 1.18-19.] of the Sama Veda which text refers to one "Madragara Shaungayani" as a teacher of Aupamanyava Kamboja. Dr Zimmer as well as authors of Vedic Index postulate a possible connection between the Iranian Uttaramadras and the Kambojas. Both these people were close neighbors in the north-western part of ancient India [Vedic Index, I, p 84-85, 138; India as Known to Panini, 1953, p 50, Dr Aggarwal; Some Kshatriya Tribes, p 232, Dr B. C. Law; Indian as Known to Panini, p 50; Geographical Data in Early Puranas, pp 65, 164, Dr M. R. Singh. ] . According to Jean Przylusky, the Bahlika (Balkh) was an Iranian settlement of the Madras who were known as Bahlika-Uttaramadras [The Udumbras, Journal Asiatique, 1926, p 11, Jean Przylusky, showing that Bahlika (Balkh) was an Iranian settlement of the Madras who were known as Bahlika-Uttaramadras; Op cit., p 50, Dr Aggarwal; op cit., pp 65, 164, Dr M. R. Singh] .

In Aitareya Brahmana, the Uttarakurus and Uttaramadras are stated as living beyond Himalaya ("paren himvantam") [Aitareya Brahmana, VIII/14.] .

This suggests that in the remote antiquity (Vedic age), the (Iranian settlement of) the Madras was located in parts of Bahlika (Bactria)--the western parts of the Oxus country. These Madras were, in fact, the Uttaramadras of the Aitareya Brahmana (VIII/14) [ In accordance with the views of Dr J. Przyluski, A. B. Keith, A. A. Macdonell, Dr V. S. Aggarwal, Dr M.R. Singh, Dr J. L. Kamboj] . However, in 4th c BC, this Bahlika/Bactria came under Yavana/Greek political control and thus the land started to be referenced as "Bahlika-Yavana" in some of ancient Sanskrit texts.

Thus, the foregoing discussion suggests that the Uttarakurus, Uttaramadras and Kambojas-- all were located beyond the Himalaya/Hindukush ranges. Probably, the Uttarakurus were located in the northern parts of Bahlika, the Uttaramadras were in the southern parts of it and the Kambojas (=Parama Kambojas) were to the east of Bahlika, in the Transoxiana region. The ancient Bahlika appears to have spanned a large expanse of territory. The commentator of Harsha-Carita of Bana Bhatta also defines the Kambojas as "Kambojah-Bahlika-Desajah" i.e the Kambojas originated in/belonged to Bahlika. Thus, it seems likely that in the remote antiquity, the ancestors of the Uttarakurus, Uttaramadras and the Parama Kambojas were one people or otherwise were closely allied and had lived in/around Bahlika (Bactria).

Bahlikas in other references

"Amarkosha" makes references to the Saffron of Bahlika and Kashmira countries [Amarkosha, p 159, Amarsimha.] . Similar reference to Bahlika saffron has also been noticed in the fourth century AD Raghuvamsa play of poet Kalidasa. Raghuvamas states that saffron got adhered to Raghu's horses which they had to shed off by rolling on the banks of Oxus before Raghu undertook to attack the forces of the Hunas and the Kambojas located on either side of Oxus [Raghuvamsa IV.67-70.] .

Brihat Samhita also has references on Bahlikas and mentions them together with Cinas, Gandharas, Sulikas, Paratas, Vaisyas etc.

"Kavyamimamsa" of Rajshekhar (10th c AD) lists the Bahlikas with the Sakas, Tusharas, Vokanas, Hunas, Kambojas, Pahlavas, Tangana, Turukshas, etc. and states them as the tribes located in the Uttarapatha division. [Kavyamimamsa, Ch 17, Rajshekhar.]

The Buddhist play Mudrarakshas of Visakhadutta as well as the Jaina 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; also: Ancient India, 1956, pp 141-142, Dr R. K. Mukerjee; Political and Social Movements in Ancient Panjab, 1964, p 202, Dr Buddha Parkash; The Culture and Art of India, p 1959, p 91; Comprehensive History of Ancient India, Vol II, 1957, p 4, Dr K. A. N. Sastri

:Original text from Mudrarakshasa in Sanskrit: :asti tava Shaka-Yavana-Kirata-Kamboja-Parsika-Bahlika parbhutibhih :Chankyamatipragrahittaishcha Chandergupta Parvateshvara :balairudidhibhiriva parchalitsalilaih samantaad uprudham Kusumpurama ::(See: Mudrarakshasa 2)

] .

Bahlikas as mlechcha kings in Kali Yuga

"The Bahlikas" have been equated to Mlechchas in the later Brahmanical literature. There is a distinct prophetic statement in the Mahabharata that the mlechcha kings of Sakas, Yavanas, Kambojas, Bahlikas etc will rule unrighteously in Kali yuga. (3.188.34-36). [

:viparite tada loke purvarupa.n kshayasya tat.34 :bahavo mechchha rajanah prithivyam manujadhipa . :mithyanushasinah papa mrishavadaparayanah. 35. :Andhrah ShakAh Pulindashcha Yavanashcha naradhipah . :Kamboja Bahlikah Shudrastathabhira narottama. 36. ::(MBH 3/187/28-30) ]

Bahlika horses

Bahlika horses in Mahabharata

Like Kamboja, Bahlika region was famous for its horses. They were used by kings in wars.

*Vasudeva Krishna gave Arjuna hundreds of thousands of draft horses from the country of the Balhikas as his sister, Subhadra’s excellent dower. (1,223)
*Shikhandin's son Kshatradeva used steeds from Balhika in the Kurukshetra war (7,23).
*Bahlika breed of horses were one among the type of horses employed in Kurukshetra war. Many steeds of the Vanayu, the hilly, the Kamboja, and the Balhika breeds, with tails and ears and eyes motionless and fixed, possessed of great speed, well-trained, and ridden by accomplished warriors armed with swords and lances, were seen (7,34).
*Bhagiratha gave away a hundred thousand horses of the Balhika breed, all white of complexion, adorned with garlands of gold. (13,103).
*Dhritarashtra wished to give sixteen cars made of gold, each drawn by four excellent and well-adorned steeds of uniform colour and of the Bahlika breed to Vasudeva Krishna who came to talk to him on behalf of the Pandavas (5,86).

Bahlika horses in other references

Brahamanda Purana refers to the horses from Bahlika [Brahamanda (V), III, Upodghata-Pada, Ch 16.17.] . Similarly, Valmiki Ramayana refers to the horses of Bahlika, Kamboja and Vanayu countries as of excellent breed [ Valmiki Ramayana I.6.22.] . "Upamitibhavaprapanchakatha" singles out horses from Bahlika and those from Kamboja and Turuksha as the best [Upamiti 474; History and Culture of Indian People, The age of Imperial Kanauj, p 405, Dr R. C. Majumdar, Dr A. D. Pusalkar.] . The "Abhidhanaratanamala" also mentions examples of excellent horses from Bahlika, Persia, Kamboja, Vanayu, Sindhu and the land bordering on Sindhu [II, No 511, 284; Op cit., p 405, Dr R. C. Majumdar, Dr A. D. Pusalkar.] .

Bahlika and 'Sammoha Tantra

The "Sammoha Tantra" speaks of the Tantric culture of foreign countries like Bahlika , Kirata, Bhota, Cina, Mahacina, Parasika, Airaka (Iraq), Kamboja, Huna, Yavana, Gandhara and Nepal.

References

ee also

*Bactria
*Bahlika Kingdom