Kambojas in Indian Literature - Etymology of Parama-Kamboja

Etymology of Parama-Kamboja

The prefix Parama- can be interpreted in the sense of (1) Uttara or northern (2) Furthest or beyond and (3) Greater/supreme.

The Parama- with a sense of northern/Uttara sounds logical since the Parama- branch of the Kambojas was located in Uttara or north direction to Kambojas. Moreover, this name also sounds similar to Uttara-Madra and Uttara-Kuru which nations were their immediate neighbors in the Trans-Himalayans. The Parama- in the sense of Greater also makes good sense since the trans-Hindukush branch the Kambojas was original and perhaps the Greater or bigger section of the Kambojas. Some scholars, like Dr Fauja Singh, Dr L. M. Joshi have interpreted Parama- in the sense of "beyond", which also looks senseful since Parama-Kamboja was located beyond the Kamboja, when seen from India. Dr J. Muir interprets Parama Kamboja as the Furthest Kamboja while others call it Distant Kamboja. Some writers however, translate it as Eastern Kamboja. In Pāṇini's Ashtadhyayi, the term "Parama-" stands for "the best-". This meaning may imply that Parama Kamboja, like Uttara-kuru, was perhaps regarded as the more exalted land as compared to the Kamboja.