Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahabharata: Upayana Parva c6.130

c6.130

Pārada. M.B., II, 47, 61, 10, 48, 12. The Pāradas are mentioned twice in the *Upāyanaparva*. Once they are placed to the west of the Indus (M.B., II, 47, 9) and the second time their connection with the Bāhlīkas or Bactrians is indicated. They are also mentioned by the *Mahāmāyūrī*¹⁴¹ (95, 2), Varāhamihira (*Bṛhatsaṃhitā*, XIV, 21) places them with the Vokkāṇas and Rāmaṭhas among the peoples of the west. In the *Rāmāyaṇa* (IV, 44, 13) they are placed with the Yavanas and Śakas before the Bāhlīkas. They are also mentioned in the *Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa* (LVII, 37). In the *Harivaṃśa* (XIII, 763-64; XIV, 775—83) they are said to have been degraded by the king Sagara who made them wear long hair and that they were Mlecchas and Dasyus (*Ib.*, CXV, 6440—42). Manu (X, 43-44) says that they were Kṣatriyas who became degraded because of the extinction of sacred rite. Ptolemy’s Paradēnē (VI, 21, 4) which signified all the interior country in Gedrosia could be equated with the Pāradas mentioned in the *Upāyanaparva* (M.B., II, 47, 9). Nearly all the trace of the Pāradas has however disappeared from Makrān. In the centre of Panjgur oasis however a little above Chitkān is situated the Pardān-damb, the remains of which proved to consist of three successive stone embankments solidly constructed of large unhewn. The name Pardān and its ancient archaeological remains may perhaps connect the place with the ancient Pāradas.¹⁴²