India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c8.s6.t1.29

c8.s6.t1.29

Pāṇini has an interesting *sūtra*, *Pānaṁ deśe* (VIII.4.9), which apart from its grammatical interest (*i.e.* cerebralisation) acquaints us with the fact that different countries were named after their popular drinks. Of the four illustrations on this *sūtra* the first cited by the *Kāśikā* and repeated in the *Chāndra-vṛitti* (VI.4.109) refers to the people of Uśīnara country as being fond of drinking milk (*Kshīra-pāṇā Uśīnarāḥ*). The information seems to be grounded in fact. Uśīnara or the ancient Śibi *janapada* had its capital at Shorkot near the bank of the lower Chenab, and roughly corresponded with parts of Jhang, Multan and Montgomery districts famous for their breed of cows. The geographical term *Pāna-Sindhu* (*Kāśikā*, VII.3.9) should be identified with the south-half portion of Sindhu *janapada* (Sind-Sagar Doab) which was an extension of Uśīnara for its prosperity in cattle wealth and of which the inhabitants were fond of dairy products in their dietary. Charaka informs us that the people of Sindhu (*Saindhavāḥ*) were fond of milk (Chikitsā-sthāna, 30-31). *Saktu-Sindhu* denoted the northern portion of Sindhu *janapada* where the people eat groats to this day. Eastern India was fond of wines (*surā-pāṇāḥ Prāchyāḥ*) Bālhīka of *sauvīra* (a kind of sour drink); Gandhāra of *kashāya* wine.