Indian Antiquary Vol 62

SR No.: 032554
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 450
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

Page 144

132
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JULY, 1933
I have given other reasons elsewhere" for placing the Nabhaka and the Nabha parkti, or Nabha lines,' in Gandhára, on the authority of the grammatical literature, where they appear as Nabháka and Urna53 Nabha, Parkti is a synonym of seni, line,' which is often used to denote a league of republicans. The Nábhakas and Nabha-pamtis had their confederacy of eight city-states. If we take the second member as Nabha Pami(as we already have the Nábhakas), the Pamti would be the Pamtis ' in league with the Nabhas, and would be identical with the Paktyes or people of the Paktyika or Paktyike country named by Herodotus.54 The Nabhas occupied the country just to the south of the gold-trading Dardistânis,
Nabhaka and Nabhåka occur as designations of Rishis in the Rigveda. Nabha-nedistha Månava is well-known as one who was left out in partition by his father, Manu. Nábha. nedistha, nearest in descent,'has retained that meaning in the Avesta (Vidic Index, i. 442). The Nabhas appear to have been a Vedic community.
The Nábhas are now the Pathâns of the Swát valley. Their seat (dhana) was the 'way' (páța, or váļa), and Pata-dhana or Váța-dhana was merely a descriptive title, not an ethnic name, as Pathân or Pâthân is today. It was evidently the ancient Nabhas or Nabhakas who were described by Varkhamihira as the city states' (grûmc-rástrani) of the Vatadhanes, who are located along with the Yaudheyas and Trigartas, etc. :
Traigartta-Paurava-Ambasha-Párata-Vatadhana-Yaudheyah, Sarasvatu-Arjundyana- Matsyardha-gráma-rastrâni (Byihal-S., XVI, 22). V. Asoka's International Conquest by Dharma, and his so-called
" Ashashu” (Correctly, Ashurshu=' in Syria'). In Rock Proclamation XIII we have (quoting Hultzsch's translation) "and that Dharma-vijaya ("Conquest by Dharma) of Devânâmpriya has been,
again, obtained (a) "here (ila, idha); (6) "and in all the antas (frontier states of neighbours-shaveshu cha arteshu); (c) “Ashashupi yojanashateshu (K. reading of Hultzsch) where the Yavana king
Amtiyoka (lives or rules) (yatra Artiyoko nama yona-laja (Shahtazgashi); (d) "beyond this Antiochus (where) the four kings (rule)....(param cha tena
Atiyokena chature rajani,.... (Shabbâzgashi); (e) "to the south-in Choda-Panda down to Ceylon (Tambapani);
(1) "similarly here in the non-monarchical vishaya-amongst the Yonas.. (etc.), everywhere (i.e., in all the above places) Devânâmpriya's Dharma-anushasti (in. struction or command on Dharma) is followed ; (0) "and even there where the envoys of Devânâmpriya do not go (the peoples)
having listened to the Devânâmpriya's Dharmarutan (the law of conduct,) ridhanan (authoritative rules and ceremonies) (and) Dharmánućasti
(Dharma commands) obey them (anuvidhiyamte)." We may note, in passing, that dharma-rutan is a technical term of Buddhism,55 meaning the seven points of proper conduct (satta vuta-padan), viz., supporting one's parents, revering one's elders, kind language, abstinence from backbiting, abstinence from selfishness, truthfulness, and restraining anger (Dh., 185, 186, 189). This is in effect the Dharma preached by Asoka 56 Here the conquest of Dharma by the emperor in his own empire, including
63 Hindu Polity, i, 145.
63 Compare the modern name, ONA (Pashtu, Unra), of the lofty ridge in eastern Swat identified by Air Aurel Stein with the Aornos of Alexander's campaign (A. S. I. Mem. 42, pp. 89, 00).-C.E.A.W.O., Jt.. Editor.
54 See Cary's trans., iii, 102 ; iv. 44. 68 Childers, Pali-English Dictionary, p. 591, 8.0., vuta padan. 66 Pillar, VII, EE, HH, Hultzach, p. 138 ; Rock, III, IV, IX, XI, XII, G.; Brahmagiri.