So I'm officially confused know. Please read this
Kanishka (Kanishka the Great), (Sanskrit: कनिष्क, Bactrian language: Κανηϸκι, Middle Chinese: 迦腻色伽 (Ka-ni-sak-ka > New Chinese: Jianisejia)) was a Turushka (or Turko-Tatar) emperor[1] of the Kushan dynasty (127–151) who ruled an empire extending fromTurfan in the Tarim Basin to Pataliputra on the Gangetic plain and famous for his military, political, and spiritual achievements. His main capital was at Purushpura (Peshawar in present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan) with regional capitals at the location of present-day Bagram in Afghanistan and Mathura in India.
Kanishka was a Kushan of probable Yuezhi ethnicity. He used an Eastern Iranian, Indo-European language known as Bactrian (called "αρια," i. e. "Aryan" in the Rabatak inscription), which appears in Greek script in his inscriptions, though it is not certain what language the Kushans originally spoke; possibly some form of Tocharian – a "centum" Indo-European language. The "Aryan" language of the inscription was a "satem" Middle Iranian language,[2] possibly the one spoken in "Arya" or "Ariana" (the region around modern Herat) and was, therefore, quite possibly unrelated to the original language of the Kushans (or the Yuezhi), but adopted by them to facilitate communication with local people.
Source:
The Turushka (Sanskrit: तुरुष्क turuṣka; also Turuška, Turushaka, Turuksha, Tushkara or Turukha) were the people ofTurkistan. In Sanskrit and Persian sources they are known as the Indo-Scythians[1] or Turks,[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] who, underKanishka and other kings of the people, held Northern India.[1] Generally, Turushka, a Sanskritized form of Turk,[11] is used as an ethnic term for people from central Asia.[12] The Tamil word Tulukkan, denoting "Muslim", is in correspondence withSanskrit Turushka.[13] Sanskrit Turushka can also denote for Turan or Turkistan.[14]
Identity and history
The Turkish Shahi rulers (Kābulshāhs or 'Turk-Shāhi') of north-west India, who were identified as 'Turks' in the Arab conquest literature,[15] claimed Kushana ancestry, a circumstance which would suggest that they could be seen as representing a certain historical continuity linked to central Asia.[12] In the chronicle of Kashmir, also known as Rājataraṃgiṇī, there are recorded three Kushan king names, Hushka, Jushka and Kanishka, which were members of the Turkic Turushka tribe.[16][17]In Kashmir we do hear about Turks and Turushkas until the period of the Ghaznavids in the 11th and 12th centuries.[15]Kalhana, the author of Rajatarangini, comments on certain Mleccha customs that the kings of Kashmir allegedly adopted from the Turks, such as the iconoclasm of 'Harsharājaturushka' and the keeping of excessively large seraglios of women.[15]The Turkish Shāhi dynasty continued up to the late 9th century, when it was replaced by Brahman dynasty of the same title. Names of apparent Turkish origin, such as Toramāna, survived even among these Hindu 'Shāhi' king.[18] 'The Turushkas', states the Pṛthivirāja-vijaya (S. VI), 'came across the desert (marusthali); by the time they reached the Cāhamāna dominions they were so thirsty that according to Jonarāja they had to drink the blood of their horses'.[19] It is also supposed that many Turushka horsemen in the army of Deva Raya II were possibly of Turkic origin.[20] There are three main conditions supporting the Turkic identity of the Turushkas:[21]
In a 13th-century Sanskrit text, it is mentioned that Turushka (Turkic) costumes tended to cover the body from the neck to the feet.[23] In addition, the Persian historian Al-Biruni reports that Kanishka, a descendant of the Turk family called "Shahiya", was dressed in Turkish manner, a short tunic open in front, a high hat, boots and arms.[24] The physical traits of the Turushka Kushana depicted on coins may reflect Turkic or Mongoloid origins (see Turanid race).[25] It is also mentioned inHemachandra's Abithana Chintamani (959) that the Turks were also called Sakhas: "Turushkas tu Sakhayah syuh".[5][26]
A Kushan Tamga also seems to be connected with that of a Göktürk tribe called «Ta-A-she-tê» by the Chinese.[27]
Name
The original form of Turukha or Turuška is most likely traceable to the Turkic-Altaic ethnonym Türk or Türük.[28][29][30]Turushka can also serve for the designation of the Kushana or Indo-Scythians.[31] J. Marquardt, Zeki V. Togan and Berthold Laufer postulate the same Turkic etymology.[31][32][33] The name "Turuška" also occurs in Ancient Egypt around 1400 BC.[34]
So the Budhhist Kabul Shahis who defended South Asia from the Muslim invasions of Saffarids and Ghaznavids were actually Turks and not Indo-Europeans? Why are Turks called Sakhas? I thought that Sakas were an Eastern Iranian people?
Kanishka (Kanishka the Great), (Sanskrit: कनिष्क, Bactrian language: Κανηϸκι, Middle Chinese: 迦腻色伽 (Ka-ni-sak-ka > New Chinese: Jianisejia)) was a Turushka (or Turko-Tatar) emperor[1] of the Kushan dynasty (127–151) who ruled an empire extending fromTurfan in the Tarim Basin to Pataliputra on the Gangetic plain and famous for his military, political, and spiritual achievements. His main capital was at Purushpura (Peshawar in present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan) with regional capitals at the location of present-day Bagram in Afghanistan and Mathura in India.
Kanishka was a Kushan of probable Yuezhi ethnicity. He used an Eastern Iranian, Indo-European language known as Bactrian (called "αρια," i. e. "Aryan" in the Rabatak inscription), which appears in Greek script in his inscriptions, though it is not certain what language the Kushans originally spoke; possibly some form of Tocharian – a "centum" Indo-European language. The "Aryan" language of the inscription was a "satem" Middle Iranian language,[2] possibly the one spoken in "Arya" or "Ariana" (the region around modern Herat) and was, therefore, quite possibly unrelated to the original language of the Kushans (or the Yuezhi), but adopted by them to facilitate communication with local people.
Source:
- "KANISHKA" in the Encyclopædia Indica. Retrieved 9 March 2007: "“Hushka, Jushka, Kanishka.” These are the names recorded in the Raja Tarangini of three great Turushka, that is Turk or Tatar, kings, who were of the Buddhist religion." (see also: "A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History and Literature]" by John Dowson. D. K. Printworld Ltd., New Delhi, India, 2005. page 148.)
The Turushka (Sanskrit: तुरुष्क turuṣka; also Turuška, Turushaka, Turuksha, Tushkara or Turukha) were the people ofTurkistan. In Sanskrit and Persian sources they are known as the Indo-Scythians[1] or Turks,[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] who, underKanishka and other kings of the people, held Northern India.[1] Generally, Turushka, a Sanskritized form of Turk,[11] is used as an ethnic term for people from central Asia.[12] The Tamil word Tulukkan, denoting "Muslim", is in correspondence withSanskrit Turushka.[13] Sanskrit Turushka can also denote for Turan or Turkistan.[14]
Identity and history
The Turkish Shahi rulers (Kābulshāhs or 'Turk-Shāhi') of north-west India, who were identified as 'Turks' in the Arab conquest literature,[15] claimed Kushana ancestry, a circumstance which would suggest that they could be seen as representing a certain historical continuity linked to central Asia.[12] In the chronicle of Kashmir, also known as Rājataraṃgiṇī, there are recorded three Kushan king names, Hushka, Jushka and Kanishka, which were members of the Turkic Turushka tribe.[16][17]In Kashmir we do hear about Turks and Turushkas until the period of the Ghaznavids in the 11th and 12th centuries.[15]Kalhana, the author of Rajatarangini, comments on certain Mleccha customs that the kings of Kashmir allegedly adopted from the Turks, such as the iconoclasm of 'Harsharājaturushka' and the keeping of excessively large seraglios of women.[15]The Turkish Shāhi dynasty continued up to the late 9th century, when it was replaced by Brahman dynasty of the same title. Names of apparent Turkish origin, such as Toramāna, survived even among these Hindu 'Shāhi' king.[18] 'The Turushkas', states the Pṛthivirāja-vijaya (S. VI), 'came across the desert (marusthali); by the time they reached the Cāhamāna dominions they were so thirsty that according to Jonarāja they had to drink the blood of their horses'.[19] It is also supposed that many Turushka horsemen in the army of Deva Raya II were possibly of Turkic origin.[20] There are three main conditions supporting the Turkic identity of the Turushkas:[21]
- the rulers of the Kushana were called "Turushka".
- various Turkic tribes are referred to as "Turushka".
- the dress of the Turushka resembles to that of the Göktürks.
In a 13th-century Sanskrit text, it is mentioned that Turushka (Turkic) costumes tended to cover the body from the neck to the feet.[23] In addition, the Persian historian Al-Biruni reports that Kanishka, a descendant of the Turk family called "Shahiya", was dressed in Turkish manner, a short tunic open in front, a high hat, boots and arms.[24] The physical traits of the Turushka Kushana depicted on coins may reflect Turkic or Mongoloid origins (see Turanid race).[25] It is also mentioned inHemachandra's Abithana Chintamani (959) that the Turks were also called Sakhas: "Turushkas tu Sakhayah syuh".[5][26]
A Kushan Tamga also seems to be connected with that of a Göktürk tribe called «Ta-A-she-tê» by the Chinese.[27]
Name
The original form of Turukha or Turuška is most likely traceable to the Turkic-Altaic ethnonym Türk or Türük.[28][29][30]Turushka can also serve for the designation of the Kushana or Indo-Scythians.[31] J. Marquardt, Zeki V. Togan and Berthold Laufer postulate the same Turkic etymology.[31][32][33] The name "Turuška" also occurs in Ancient Egypt around 1400 BC.[34]
So the Budhhist Kabul Shahis who defended South Asia from the Muslim invasions of Saffarids and Ghaznavids were actually Turks and not Indo-Europeans? Why are Turks called Sakhas? I thought that Sakas were an Eastern Iranian people?
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