Prachya

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Prachya (प्राच्य) was the name of eastern India during Mahabharata period.

Variants

• Prachya (प्राच्य) (AS, p.591)
• Prachi प्राची दे. Prachya प्राच्य (AS, p.591)
• Prasii (प्रासी) (Megasthenes)

Jat clans

• Palasia

History

Alexander Cunningham writes that....Strabo and Pliny agree with Arrian in calling the people of Palibothra by the name of Prasii, which modern writers have unanimously referred to the Sanskrit prachya, or " eastern." But it seems to me that Prasii is only the Greek form of Palasiya or Parasiya, a "man of Palasa or Parasa," which is an actual and well-known name of Magadha, of which Palibothra was the capital. It obtained this name from the Palasa, or Butea frondosa, which still grows as luxuriantly in the province as in the time of Hwen Thsang. The common form of the name is Parās, or when quickly pronounced Prās, which I take to be the true original of the Greek Prasii. This derivation is supported by the spelling of the name given by Curtius, who calls the people Pharrasii, which is an almost exact transcript of the Indian name Parāsiya. The Praxiakos of Aelian is only the derivative form Palāsaka.

In Mahabharata

Prachya (प्राच्य) is mentioned in Mahabharata (VI.10.57),(VI.18.13), (VI.112.109), (VIII.17.2),(VIII.30.73),

Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 10 describes geography and provinces of Bharatavarsha. Prachya (प्राच्य) is mentioned in Mahabharata (VI.10.57). .....There are other kingdoms in the south. They are the Dravidas, the Keralas, the Prachyas, the Mushikas, and the Vanavashikas; the Karanatakas, the Mahishakas, the Vikalpas, and also the Mushakas;....

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Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 18 describes the large armies of the Kurus and the Pandavas ready for war. Prachya (प्राच्य) is mentioned in Mahabharata (VI.18.13). ....The Abhishahas, the Surasenas, the Sivis, and the Vasatis, the Shalvas, the Matsyas, the Amvashtas, the Trigartas, and the Kekayas, the Sauviras, the Kitavas, and the dwellers of the Eastern, Western, and the Northern countries,--these twelve brave races were resolved to fight reckless of the lives.

प्राच्य

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है .....प्राच्य (AS, p.591): महाभारत के अनुसार 'प्राच्य' पूर्वी भारत का प्राचीन नाम था- 'गोवास दासमीयानां वसातीनां च भारत, प्राच्यानां वाटधानानां भोजानां चाभिमानिनाम्'। महाभारत, कर्णपर्व 73, 17. इस उल्लेख का प्राच्य संभवत: मगध या वंग देश का कोई भाग हो सकता है। प्राच्य की सेनाएँ महाभारत के युद्ध में कौरवों की ओर से लड़ी थीं। प्राच्य या प्राचीन का 'प्रासी' (Prasii) के रूप में उल्लेख चंद्रगुप्त मौर्य की राजसभा में स्थित यूनानी राजदूत मेगस्थनीज़ ने भी किया है। मेगस्थनीज़ के वर्णन से स्पष्ट है कि प्राची या प्राच्य देश मगध का ही नाम था, क्योंकि प्राची की राजधानी मेगस्थनीज़ ने पाटलिपुत्र में बताई है। जान पड़ता है कि भारत के पश्चिमी भागों के निवासी मगध या उसके परिवर्ती प्रदेश को पूर्वी देश या प्राची कहते थे।