India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c7.s2.1

c7.s2.1

*GEOGRAPHICAL HORIZON*—Pāṇini knew of a wider geographical horizon. The extent of the country known to him is indicated by several landmarks mentioned in the *sūtras*. The western-most point is Prakaṇva corresponding to the term *Pari-kanioi* mentioned by Herodotus and to the modern country of Ferghana. It may be noted that Pāṇini names Ṛishi Praskaṇva in *sūtra* VI.1.153 and from this name is derived as a counter-example, as given by the *Kāśikā*, the name of the country called Prakaṇva. To the south of Ferghana lay Kamboja (IV.1.175), which as will be shown later may be identified with the region of Badakshan-Pamir. South of it lay Kāpiśī (IV.2.99), capital of the kingdom of Kāpiśa, which may be identified with modern Kafiristan, south-east of the Hindukush. South of Kāpiśī was situated Gandhāra (IV.1.169) comprising the valley of the Kabul river, with its frontier outpost at Takshaśilā (IV.3.93).