The History and Culture of the Indian People v1.c19.s3.t2.27

v1.c19.s3.t2.27

Under the Pratīchyas or Westerners come the Nīchyas and Apāchyas, as also Bāhīkas and Ambashṭhas. The Nīchya occurs as the designation of certain tribes of the Punjab and Sind. Nothing is known about the Apāchyas. The Bāhīkas are spoken of as people of the west of the Punjab in the *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* (I.7.3.8) which refers to their calling Agni by the name of Bhava, as distinct from the Prāchyas who called it Śarva. The Ambashṭhas, corresponding to the Abastanoi of Arrian, who were settled on the lower Asiknī in Alexander’s time, are referred to in the *Aitareya Brāhmaṇa* (VIII. 21). Their king is stated to have been consecrated with the Aindra Mahābhisheka. They were probably in the Punjab in Vedic times.