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Tocharians in Indian literature
The Atharavaveda-Parishishta associates the Tusharas with the Sakas, Yavanas and
the Bahlikas. (Saka. Yavana.Tushara.Bahlikashcha). It also juxtaposes the
Kambojas with the Bahlikas (Kamboja-Bahlika.... . This shows the Tusharas
probably were neighbors to the Shakas, Bahlikas (Bactrians), Yavanas or Yonas
(Greeks) and the Kambojas in Transoxiana.
The Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata associates the Tusharas with the Yavanas,
Kiratas, Gandharas, Chinas, Kambojas, Pahlavas, Kankas, Sabaras, Barbaras,
Ramathas etc. and brands them all as Barbaric tribes of Uttarapatha, leading
lives of Dasyus.
The Sabha Parva of the Mahabharata states that kings of the Kambojas, Sakas,
Tusharas, Kankas and Romakas, etc., had brought with them as tribute camels,
horses, elephants and gold on the occasion of Rajasuya Yajna performed by
Yudhisthira at Hastinapura. Later the Tusharas, Sakas and Yavanas had joined the
military division of the Kambojas and had participated in the Mahabharata war on
Kauravas' side. Karna Parva of Mahabharata describes the Tusharas as very
ferocious and wrathful warriors.
At one place in Mahabharata, the Tusharas find mention with the Shakas and the
Kankas. At another place they come with the Shakas, Kankas and Pahlavas. And at
other places they come with the Shakas, Yavanas and the Kambojas etc.
Puranic texts like Vayu Purana, Brahmanda Purana and Vamana Purana, etc.,
associate the Tusharas with the Shakas, Barbaras, Kambojas, Daradas, Viprendras,
Anglaukas, Yavanas, Pahlavas etc and refer to them all as the tribes of Udichya
i.e. north or north-west.
Puranic literature further states that the Tusharas and other tribes like the
Gandharas, Shakas, Pahlavas, Kambojas, Paradas, Yavanas, Barbaras, Khasa, and
Lampakas, etc., would be invaded and annihilated by King Kalki at the end of
Kaliyuga. And they were annihilated by king Pramiti at the end of Kaliyga.
According to Vayu Purana and Matsya Purana, river Chakshu (Oxus or Amu Darya)
flowed through the countries of Tusharas, Lampakas, Pahlavas, Paradas and the
Shakas etc.
The Brihat-Katha-Manjari of Pt Kshemendra relates that around 400 AD, Gupta king
Vikramaditya (Chandragupta II) had "unburdened the sacred earth by destroying
the barbarians" like the Tusharas, Shakas, Mlecchas, Kambojas, Yavanas,
Parasikas, Hunas etc.
Rajatarangini of Kalhana attests that king Laliditya Muktapida, the eighth
century ruler of Kashmir had invaded the tribes of the north and after defeating
the Kambojas, he immediately faced the Tusharas. The Tusharas did not give a
fight but fled to the mountain ranges leaving their horses in the battle field.
This shows that during 8th century AD, a section of the Tusharas were living as
neighbors of the Kambojas near the Oxus valley.
By the sixth century CE the Brhatsamhita of Varahamihira also locates the
Tusharas with Barukachcha (Bhroach) and Barbaricum (on the Indus Delta) near the
sea in western India. The Romakas formed a colony of the Romans near the port of
Barbaricum in Sindhu Delta. This shows that a section of the Tusharas had also
moved to western India and was living there around Vrahamihira's time.
Exiting the Iron Pass, the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang entered Tu-huo-lo (Tushara)
country which lay to the north of the great snow mountains (Hindukush), to the
south of Iron Pass and to the east of Persia. During the time of Xuanzang, the
country of Tushara was divided into 27 administrative units, each having its
separate chieftain The Kiumitos of Xuanzang's accounts (or the Kumijis of Al-Maqidisi)
appear to be Kambojas who were living neighbors to the Tusharas north of the
Hindukush in the Oxus valley
The tenth century CE Kavyamimamsa of Rajshekhar lists the Tusharas with several
other tribes of the Uttarapatha viz: the Shakas, Kekeyas, Vokkanas, Hunas,
Kambojas, Bahlikas, Pahlavas, Limpakas, Kulutas, Tanganas, Turushakas, Barbaras,
Ramathas etc. . This attests that the Tusharas were different from the
Turushakas with whom they are often confused by some writers.
There is also a mention of Tushara-Giri (Tushara mountain) in the Mahabharata,
Harshacharita of Bana Bhata and Kavyamimansa of Rajshekhar.
The Rishikas are said to be same people as the Yuezhi. The Kushanas or Kanishkas
are also the same people. Aurel Stein says that the Tukharas (Tokharois/Tokarais)
were a branch of the Yuezhi. P. C. Bagchi holds that the Yuezhi, Tocharioi and
Tushara were identical. Thus, the Rishikas, Tusharas/Tukharas (Tokharoi/Tokaroi),
Kushanas and the Yuezhi were probably either a single people, or members of a
confederacy.
George Rawlinson observes that: "The Asii or Asiani were closely connected with
the Tochari and the Sakarauli (Saracucse?) who are found connected with both the
Tochari and the Asiani".
If the Rishikas were Tukharas, then the observation from Rawlinson is in line
with the Mahabharata statement which also closely allies the Parama Kambojas (=Asii/Asio)
with the Rishikas and locates them both in the Sakadvipa.
On the other hand, based on the syntactical construction of the Mahabharata
verse 5.5.15 and verse 2.27.25 , the outstanding Sanskrit scholar Ishwa Mishra
believes that the Rishikas were a section of the Kambojas i.e. Parama Kambojas.
Dr V. S. Aggarwala also relates the Parama Kambojas of the Trans-Pamirs to the
Rishikas of Mahabharata and locates them in the Sakadvipa (or Scythia) .
According to Dr B. N. Puri, the Kambojas were a branch of the Tukharas. . Based
on the above Rishika-Parama Kamboja connections, some scholars also claim that
the Kambojas were a branch of the Yuezhi themselves
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