4^1 ON MOUNT CAUCASUS. 



Paro Famifujy Paro Fantfu:^ 



Parpmiieus, Parpaneus. 



Parapamlfm or Parapamein appears to be a compound ; 

 the lirfl; part, I conceived at firft, to be the word Pahdr^ 

 ■which, in the fpoken dialedts of India, fignifies a moun- 

 tain. In this Tuppofition, the whole compound, flript 

 of its Greek termination, would fignify the mountains 

 o^Vdmf, or Bdrnt, commonly called Bdmfyan, a famous 

 city fituated in the centre of this hilly country. Un- 

 fortunately the word Pabdr, which is not of Sanfcht 

 origin, is a diflyllable ; and moreover the fecond fylla- 

 ble being long, and marked with a ftrong accent, it 

 cannot of courfe be prefixed. Befides, the word Pa^ 

 hdr is never ufed in that country; but they fay Ghar 

 above DSra-Ifmdil; and Roh below it, amongfl the Ba^ 

 loches. Roh is a Tartarian word, and indeed the Balo- 

 ches feem to be the remains of fome colony o\ Tartarian 

 origin ; it was originally the fame with Oros in Greek. 



The word Pahdr is fometimes prefixed : but then it is 

 in another fenfe; as for inftance, Pahdr-pur (literally 

 Hill-burgh) fignifies a town fituated on, or near, a 

 mountain. 



The word Parapamifus, or Para Famifus, is obvioufly 

 derived from the Sanfcrit Para-Vdmi, or the pure and 

 excellent city o^ Vd?rJ, commonly called Bdmyari. It 

 is called in Sanfcrit Vdmlnagari, Vd?m-grdm, and in a de- 

 rivative form Yamiyan^ or the moft beautiful and excel- 

 lent city. It is a place of great antiquity; and wa:> 

 confidered at a very early period, as the metropolis of 

 the feet of Buddha; hence it was called emphatically 

 Buddha- Bdmi )'an ; but the Mufulmans have malicioufly 

 diltorted this venerable title, into But-Bdmiyan or Bd~ 

 mian of the evil fpirit, or of the idols. ParUy which 

 fignifies purs and holy^ is alfo one of the thouiand names 

 of Vishnu. Para or Paras is obvioufly the fame with 

 the Latin purus; for the letter a here founds exadlly 

 like u in murmur in E^rgUJh. Para or Paras is for the 

 3 mafculine. 



