1897.] F. E. Pargiter— Ancient Countries in 'Eastern India. 93 
reasonable supposition that (apart from the deliberate fabrication of 
genealogies for the purpose of gratifying vanity, ambition or religions 
arrogance) all ancient genealogies and legends would be gradually 
modified by the substitution of current words in lieu of obsolete words, 
in order to render them intelligible to new generations and without any 
intention to falsify them. 
The estimation in which these five nations were held by the 
brahmans of Madhya-de^a varied remarkably. The curious harangue 
in which Karna abused (Jalya, king of Madra, and (Jalya’s retort 
(Karna-p., xl.-xlv.) disclose some strange and inconsistent remarks on 
the composition and character of various races in India, which no 
doubt represent the handiwork of different authors and ages. 
(^alya asserts that it was the custom in Agga to abandon the sick 
and sell one’s wife and children ( xlv. 2112); and in one passage it is 
said that the Kalirjgas should be shunned as unrighteous, together with 
certain other people picked here and there out of Southern and Western 
India (xliv. 2066-7). Yet in other passages it is said—the Aggakas 
(Aggas) and Magadhas when old live according to the rules of righteous¬ 
ness which they have learnt (xlv. 2101); and Paundras, Kaliggas and 
Magadhas are held up to honour along with the people of Madhya-de^a 
as being conversant with eternal righteousness (xlv. 2084-5). 
Originally these nations did not belong to the Aryan stock ; they 
appear to have been mlecchas. The story of the five brothers no doubt 
indicates that these nations were brought within the Aryan pale, yet 
they did not rank high, for even at the time of the Great War the Agga 
prince is styled a mleccha (Karna-p., xxii. 877 and 880), and if such a 
term could be applied to him, when Agga was the foremost of these 
nations, it is certain the others must have been in a lower plight. The 
elevation of the Aijgas, Kaliggas and Paundras to the same degree of 
esteem, which the nations of Madhya-de^a enjoyed, must be a later deve¬ 
lopment, and be the sign of some marked change which passed over 
Northern India. The alteration is mcst marked in the estimation of 
the Kaliggas. Does it represent the opinion of the age when Brahmanism 
hard-pushed by Buddhism found a refuge in Orissa ? 
The Aitarej'a Bralimana says the Paundras, the Andhras and cer¬ 
tain rude tribes in Central India are most degraded ; they were Vi^va- 
mitra’s descendants and were reduced to that state by his curse (vii. 3. 
18). Manu says, the Paundrakas, Odras and Dravidas and various 
well-known nations on the northern and north-western confines of India 
were ksattriyas and sank gradually to the rank of £udras by reason of 
the neglect of sacred rites and the absence of brahmans (x. 43-4.) 
J. i. 13 
