ACCEPTANCE OF KAMBOH BY ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA

Encylopedia Britannica accepts the existence of Kamboja Janapada since Vedic times.
“…..Buddhist writings and other sources from the beginning of this period mention 16 major states (mahajanapada) dominating the northern part of the subcontinent. A FEW OF THESE, SUCH AS GANDHARA, KAMBOJA, KURU-PANCHALA, MATSYA, KASI, AND KOSALA, continued from the earlier period and are mentioned in Vedic literature. The rest were new states, either freshly created from declining older ones or new areas coming into importance, such as Avanti, Asvaka, Surasena, Vatsa, Cedi, Malla, Vrjji, Magadha, and Anga. The mention of so many new states in the eastern Ganges Valley is attributable in part to the eastern focus of the sources and is partly the antecedent to the increasing preeminence of the eastern regions…………….(See map, India c. 500 BC.)”
(EXCERPTS TAKEN FROM: On Line Encylopedia Britannica)

Ref also to following website:

http://www.omhros.gr/Kat/History/Ancient/India2.htm

This clearly establishes that the KAMBOJA JANAPADA was in existence since as early as the Rig Vedic Times. Or, put it another way, the Kamboja Kashatryas had been A RULING KASHATRYA TRIBE since as early as the Rig Vedic time.

The Atharvaveda and Yajurveda texts also strongly attest to the existence of Kamboja Kashatrya Janapada.

States Dr K. P. Jayswal: “Kambojas are known to Panini for he gives rules for the derivative to denote their king. This would indicate that Panini is referring to a Monarchy. But the special rule and exceptional form of the derivative raises a doubt as to weather the RAJA of the Kambojas was monarch or a consul. In the time of Kautalya, their constitution certainly did not admit of even a titular ‘king'……”(ref: Hindu Polity, A Constuttional History of India In Hindu Times, 1978, p 52, Dr Jayswal).

Perhaps during times of Panini, Kambojas were in the transition from Monarchy to pure Republican constitution.

But Dr Jayswal also writes:

“…Katyana, commenting on Panini, IV.1.168, says that the rule (of the ‘an' partaya or affix) in making a derivative from the national designation of KASHATRYA will hold good only if the KASHATRYA is not a member of a SANGHA or REPUBLIC, for the rule is limited to the case of a Monarchy only” (ref: Hindu Polity, A Constuttional History of India In Hindu Times, 1978, p 29, Dr Jayswal).

According to Dr Romila Thapar, in ancient India, “The Sangha (or Republican) and Monarchical form of Governments were not very rigid and mutually exclusive and change from one form to another was not unheard of. Kamboja for example changed from Monarchy to Republican form of Governments (Ref: History of India Vol I, p 53 by Dr Romila Thapar).

“......During the earlier periods, the Kambojas were ruled by kings, but in Kautalya's times, they had a non-monarchaical form or Sangha type of government. (History and Culture of India, Age of Imperial Kanauj, p 15, By Dr B. C. Law).

“......The Epic makes mention of their kings Chandravarmana and Sudakshana. In later times, however, the monarchy gave place to Sangha or Republican form of government. The Kautalya Arathashastra speaks of Kambojas as a ‘Varta-shaster-opajivin' Sangha, that is to say a confederation of agriculturists, herdmen, traders and warriors. Corporations of Kambojas (Kambojana cha ye ganhas…MBH 7/91/39) are also mentioned in Mahabharata” (Political History of ancient India, 1996, p 135, Dr H. C. Raychaudhury, Dr B. N. Mukerjee).

Kamboja did not abruptly change from ‘Monarchy' (kingly constitution) to Coroporation of warrior (kingless Republic constitution). It had a transitional stage where, at first, the Monarchy gave place to king-consul constitution (=Raja-sabad-opajivi) which later time hadgone further changes and became VARTA-SHASTER-OPAJIVI (NATION-IN-ARMS constution) at the time of Kautalya.