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TRIBES IN ANCIENT INDIA
Mārkandeya Purāna in giving the above reading. We cannot, however, identify or locate the people.
The Mārkandeya Purāna gives a list of peoples (Vāhyatonarāh) h who evidently dwelt on the borders of India. Among
has these mention is made of the Kāmbojas, Daradas, Barbaras, Harşavardhanas, Cīnas and Tukhāras. Instead of Harsavardhanas, the Vāyupurāna reads Priya-laukikas. But there is no clue whatsoever to the identification of these names. The Vāyupurāna reads Kaśerukas and Matsya Daserakas
instead. But none of them can be identified Kuśerukas
ukas satisfactorily. Daserakas are, however, mentioned in the Mahābhārata 1 as taking part in the Kuruksetra war. The Hamsamārgas are mentioned in the Mārkandeya Purāna as
also in the Bhīşmaparvan list of the Mahābhārata. Hamsamārgas
According to the Matsyapurāņa, the river Paosni flowed through the countries inhabited by Tamaras and Hamsamārgas. The description of the Matsyapurāna seems to locate the two tribes in the region east of Tibet. The Vāyupurāna reads Ahukas or Ahūkas instead. They may
be the same as the Kurus of the Matsyapurāna Kuhakas
who are said to have dwelt on the Indus (CXX,
46-8). The name Satapatha is unintelligible and obviously erroneous.
Pataccara is indeed a better reading, for a people of Satapatha
this name is found in the Mahābhārata.2 The Matsyapurāna reads Ātta-khandikas or Cātta-khandikas
and the Bhīşmaparvan list of the Mahābhārata Carmakhandikas
(IX, 355) Carmamandalas instead. These names are not identifiable. Pargiter's suggestion of its identification with Samarkand is interesting. For Gabalas, the Vāyu and Matsya Purānas read Yavanas, which
undoubtedly is the correct reading (for details see Gabalas
Yonas or Yavanas). The Satadrujas are the people who dwelt along the river Sutlej. Satadrujas
The Vāyupurāna reads Sakas and Hradas (XLV, 116),
the Matsya reads Sakas and Druhyas instead. The Sakas were a well-known people who left their traces on Indian history. They were at first a northern or north-western people but later on they extended their dominions to the south, east and west. They are known to have established royal families as far east as Mathurā (Muttra) and as far south and west as Ujjain and Surāstra
1 Bhīşmaparvan, L, 2080; CXVIII, 5483; Dronaparvan, XI, 397; XX, 798. 2 Sabhāparvan, XIII, 590-91 ; XXX, 1108; Virātaparvan, I, II-2.
