Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahabharata: Upayana Parva c5.37

c5.37

Now let us examine at some length as to what the *Mahābhārata* has to say about the Ṛṣikas, though unfortunately its information is rather meagre. In the *Ādiparva* (M.B., I. 61. 30) the homage of the eponymyous Ṛṣika King is traced from Candra and Diti. In this connection it is interesting to note Prof. Charpentier’s²⁹ suggestion that the word Yüe-Chï could be translated as ‘the moon clan.’ It is difficult to trace the connection of the Ṛṣikas with the Moon God, except the *Mahābhārata*. The Ṛṣikas again appear in the *Udyogaparva* (V. 4. 15) where they are mentioned in the company of the Śakas, Pahlavas, Daradas, Kāmbojas, and Paścimānūpakas. It is worthy to note that here as well they are placed side by side with the Kambojas. In the variant text of Kāmboja (D’jā) *ṛṣika-rājñamca* the adjectival form of *Ṛṣika* is also found. We shall discuss its import later on. Then we meet the Ṛṣikas in the north-easterly direction of Kamboja country (M.B., II, 24, 24-23) or Badakshān. In the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute’s edition of the *Sabhāparva* the Prākṛt form of the Ṛṣika namely Iṣi and Iṣī have been noted among the variants. These forms are very important as we shall presently see that the Greek historians were acquainted with both the Sanskrit and Prākṛt forms of the Ṛṣika. In another couplet (M.B., II. 24, 25) describing a battle between Paramarṣika and Arjuna, the adjectival form of the substantival form Paramārṣika is found. Thus we find that the *Mahābhārata* knew of the Ṛṣika, its adjectival form Ārṣika, its Prākṛt forms Iṣika and Iṣīka, and the adjectival form of Paramarṣika—Paramārṣika.