Kambojas of Panini: Encyclopedia II - Kambojas of Panini - Special rule for Kamboja

Kambojas of Panini - Special rule for Kamboja

For Kamboja (and only the Kamboja) Panini recommends Luk of an affix with janapada of Kamboja (sutra 4.1.175: Kambojal.Luk) which importantly informs us of an EXCEPTION for KAMBOJA, such that the Kshatriya word Kamboja does not need any affix ('aÑ, Ñyan, iÑ etc) to be added to it to obtain a derivative to denote the descendents of Kamboja Kshatriyas as well as the Kshatryia ruler of Kambojas.

This means that the word KAMBOJA itself denotes not only (i) the Kamboja country/janapada and (ii) the Kamboja Kshatriya tribe, but, unlike other Kshatriya janapadas, it also denotes (iii) the descendents of Kamboja Kshatriyas and (iv) the Kshatriya ruler/king of the Kamboja janapada.

References: (Ancient Kamboja, People and the Country, p 29-31, Dr J. L. Kamboj; cf : Carmichael Lectures, 1918, pp 6-7, Dr D. R. Bhandarkar; Some Kshatriya Tribes of ancient India, p 234, Dr B. C. Law; Panini Kaleen Bharat (Hindi), 1955, p 61; India as Known to Panini, p 427, Dr V. S. Aggarwal; cf: Early East Iran and Atharvaveda, Persica, 1980, ffn 47, Dr Michael Witzel).

Kambojas of Panini - Comments on special rule for Kamboja

The Kambojas were a well known republican people since Epic Age. Mahabharata refers to several Ganah (or Republics) of the Kambojas (MBH 7/91/39). Kautiliya’s Arthashastra (11/1/4) and Ashoka's Edict No. XIII also attest that the Kambojas followed republican constitution. Panini's sutras (IV.1.168-175), though tend to convey that the Kamboja of Panini was a Kshatriya monarchy, but the special rule and the exceptional form of derivative Panini gives to denote the ruler of the Kambojas implies that the king of Kamboja was probably a titular head (king consul) only (Dr K. P. Jayswal, Dr J. L. Kamboj).

See: Republican Kambojas

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Special rule for Kamboja", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki