Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 05
Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

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Page 392
________________ 330 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [DECEMBER, 1876. kora. Other tribes in these parts were the others held it to be a continuation of Taurus. Masiani, Nysæi, and Hippasii. The mountains belonging to the range which Nysa, being the birth-place of Bacchus, lie to the north of the Kabul river are called: was, as is well known, bestowed as a name on Nisha dha, a Sanskrit word which appears various places noted for the cultivation of the perhaps in the form Paropauisus, which is that vine. "General Cunningham refers its site to a given by Ptolemy. According to Pliny, the point on the Kophes above its junction with Scythians called Mount Caucasus Graucathe Choës. The city may, however, have ex- sis, a word which represents the Indian name isted only in fable. of Paropamisos, Gravakshas, which Ritter Massaka (other forms are Massaga, Masaga, translates "splendentes rupium montes." Acand Mazaga.)-The Sanskrit Masak â, near cording to General Cunningham, the Mount the Gauri, already mentioned. Curtius states Paresh or A parasin of the Zendavesta that it was defended by a rapid river or its corresponds with the Paropamisos of the Greeks. eastern side. When attacked by Alexander, In modern maps Hind û Kush generally it held out for four days against all bis as. designates the eastern part of the range, and saults. Paropa misos the western. According to Peu kelaitis (other forms-Peukelaitis, Sir Alexander Burnes, the name Hinda Kush l'enkolitæ, Peukelaötis).—"The Greek name," is unknown to the Afghans, but there is a partisays General Cunningham, "of Peakelaotis cular peak and also a pass 'bearing that name or Peukolaitis was immediately derived from between Afghanistan and Turkestan. Pukkalaoti, which is the Pali or spoken form Emodos (other forms-Emoda, Emodon, of the Sanskrit Push kalavati. It is Hemodes).-The name generally designated that also called Peukelas by Arrian, and the part of the Himalayan range which extended people are named Peuk a lei by Dionysius along Nepal and Bhútan and onward towards the Periegetes, which are both close transcripts ocean. Lassen derives the word from the Sansof the Pali Pukkala. The form of Prokloïs, krit hainavata, in Prakrit haimota, 'snowy.' If which is found in Arrian's Periplus of the this be so, 'Hemodos" is the more correct form. Erythræan Sea and also in Ptolemy's Geogra. Another derivation refers the word to "hémádri" phy, is perhaps only an attempt to give the (hema, gold, and adri, mountain), the golden Hindi name of Pokhar, instead of the Sans- mountains,'--so called either because they were krit Pushkara." The same authority fixes thought to contain gold mines, or because of the its position at the two large towns Parang and aspect they presented when their snowy peaks Chársada, which form part of the well-known reflected the golden effulgence of sunset. Hashtnagar, or eight cities,' that are seated Imau s.-Related to the Sanskrit himavata, close together on the eastern bank of the lower snowy.' The name was applied at first by the Swát river." The position indicated is nearly Greeks to the Hindû Kush and the Himalayas, seventeen miles to the north-east of Peshawar. but was in course of time transferred to the BoPush kala, according to Prof. Wilson, is lor range. This chain, which runs north and still represented by the modern Pekhely or south, was regarded by the ancients as dividing Pakholi, in the neighbourhood of Peshawar. Northern Asia into "Scythia intra Imaum" and The distance of Peukelaitis from Taxila (now "Scythia extra Imaum," and it has formed for represented by the vast ruins of Manikykla) is ages the boundary between China and Turkegiven by Pliny at sixty miles. stîn. Pliny calls Imaus a promontorium of CHAP. II.--Para pamisos (other forms- the Montes Emodi, stating at the same time that Paropamisos, Paropamissos, Paropanisos). This in the language of the inhabitants the name denotes the great mountain range now called means ' snowy.' Hind û Kush, supposed to be a corrupted Pattala.—The name of the Delta was proform of "Indicus Caucasus," the name given to perly Påtalene, and Patala was its capital. the range by the Macedonians, either to flatter This was situated at the head of the Delta, Alexander, or because they regarded it as a con, where the western stream of the Indus bifurtinuation of Caucasus. Arrian, however, and cated. Thatha has generally been regarded Lassen, u. 8. 141, 681.

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