PRE-BUDDHIST OR EPIC PERIOD
Epic ramayan talks about kamboja kashatrya janapada as
The Kambojas did not participate in Ramayana war as they did in Mahabharata but we have references where Ramayana specifically talks about Kamboja Janapada or kingdom in couple of contexts. When the Mata Sita was kidnapped, we read Sugariva directing Shatabal to go and search here whereabouts in several countries including the Kamboja.
Amongs the countries or the Janapadas so mentioned we read the names of Mlechcha, Pulinda, Surasena, Parsathala Bharata, Madardesha, Kuru, Kamboja, Yavana etc. [Ramayana: 4-4-12 cf: Kishkanda, Bhashyakar Pandit Bhagwan Gautam, Parkashak Bholeshwara Pustak Bhandar, Mathura, p 441]. Also Kamboja kingdom is respectably mentioned in reference to its famous powerful breed of horses.(Ramayana: 1-6-22).
Kaambhojavishhaye jaatairbaahlikaishcha hayottamaih
vanaayujairnadiijaihshcha puurNaa harihayottamaiH || (Ramayana : I-6-22)
See also:
Steeds like INDRA'S in their swiftness came from far Kamboja's land,
From Vanaya and Vahlika and from Sindhu's rock-bound strand,
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/dutt/rama01.htm
www.geocities.com/vgpuk/ramayana.html
This abundantly proves that THE KAMBOJA KASHATRYAS WERE RULING FULL BLOOM IN THEIR KAMBOJA COUNTRY, DURING RAMAYANA PERIOD.
EPIC MAHABHARATA MENTIONS THE KAMBOJAS AS A POWERFUL KASHATRYA JANAPADAS:
KASHATRYA JANAPADAS: Anga, Vanga, Kalinga, Magadha, Jasi, Kosala, Vatsa, Garga, Karupa, Paundarak, Avanti, Dakshinatya,Parvartak, Dasherak, Kashmir, Ursa, Paishach, Mudgal, KAMBOJ, Vatdhaan, Chol, Pandya, Trigarta, Malava, Dardas, Khasha, Shaka, Yavana Kashatryas.(see Mahabharata 7/11/15-17).
KAMBOJA KASHATRYAS AND KARANA WAR :
Again during Karana Digvijay also, Karana had to fight with the KAASHATRYAS OF THE JANAPADAS like Kamboj, Avanti, Gandhar, Matsya, Panchal, Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Vanga , Vatsa, Kalinga and Ashmaka Kashatrya Tribes of Bharatavarsha (Mahabharata 8/8/18-20).
KAMBOJA/PARAMKAMBOJA KASHATRYAS AND WAR WITH ARJUNA:
In Arjuna Digvijay, Arjuna had to fight both with (1)KAMBOJA KASHATRYAS as well as (2)PARAM KAMBOJA KASHATRYAS:
SEE EVIDENCE:
Grahitava tu balam saram fhalgun: Pandunandan:/
Dardan saha KAMBOJAI rajyate pakshasini://
Pragutran disham ye che vasantaya tritatya dasayva:/
Nivsanti vanai ye che tansvaranjayat prabhu://
Lohan PARAM KAMBOJAN Nrishkanutranpi/
Sahtastan mahadaj vayajayat pakshasin:// (MBH 2I/27/23-25.
This clearly establishes that KAMBOJA KASHATRYAS were ruling in at least two seperate countries during the time of Mahabharata war. Powerful king Sudakshina Kamboja ruled in the kingdom of KAMBOJA where as another powerful Kamboja king Chander Varman Kamboj was ruling in the country of PARAM KAMBOJA (These Kamboj People, 1979, p p 63-64, K. S. Dardi)
KAMBOJA KASHATRYA REPUBLICS OF MAHABHARATA:
Besides these two specific Kamboja monarchies, Mahabharata also makes a separate mention of several KAMBOJA REPUBLICS in the same time frame of history:
SEE EVIDENCE:
Narayanaashach gopala: Kambojaana che ye ganahas://
Karanayan vijita: purava sangramai shursamata/(Mahabharata 7/91/39).
i.e. the Kamboja Republics which were noted for their valiancy and military power in war and which in the former times Karana had to fight with and reduce them….”
Panini is supposed to have lived around 500 BC. Panini mention 15 very PROMINENT KASHATRYA JANAPADAS including the Kamboja Janapada mentioned in his list of Janapadas. On the other hand, Buddhist texts mentions traditional 16 great Nations or Mahajanapadas and they also include the Kambojas & Gandharas as the two most PROMINENT MAHAJANAPADAS or GREAT COUNTRIES of the Uttaraptatha. Some of the Mahajanapadas mentioned in the Buddhist texts are not seen in the list of Panini's list of Janapadas where as some new ones have taken their place in Panini. Regarding KAMBOJA & GANDHARA, we see them both in Buddhist list of Mahajanapadas and Panini's list of Janapadas. Thus from Buddhist literature, we also find the Kambojas as one of the 16 most prominent RULING KASHATRYA FAMILIES (RAJPUT TRIBES) of Ancient India.[ref: Anguttara Nikaya, P.T.S., Vol-1. 213, Vol-4. 252, 256, 261].
Following Mahajanapada list is based on:
(A)Ancient India 1956 by Dr R. K. mukerjee, p 97
(B)Political History of Ancient India, 1996, Dr B. N. Mukerjee, Dr H. C. Raychaudhury,
page 85,133, 610)
(1)ANGA [east Bihar etc]
(2)MAGADHA [west Bihar etc]
(3)KASI
(4)KOSALA [Avadh etc]
5)VAJJI [noth Bihar etc]
(6)MALLA [Gorakhpore]
(7)CETI/CHEDI [Doab of Jamuna/Narmada etc]
(8)VANSA/VATSA [Allahabad etc]
(9)KURU [Thaneswer, Delhi, Merath]
(10)PANCHALA [Bareli/Badayun/Farukhabad etc]
(11)MACCHA/MATASYA [Jaipur etc]
(12)SURASENA [Mathura etc]
(13)ASSAKA [Godavari/Potna etc]
(14)AVANTI [Mehishmati etc]
(15)GANDHARA [Peshawer/Rawalpindi etc]
(16)KAMBOJA [Kashmir/Kafirstan/Kabol Valley]
Actually, modern scholars locate Kamboja/Param Kamboja in Trans-Hindukush regions. The Kamboja Republics (Kambojaana che ye ganaha)are located in Kashmir/Kabol/Kafirstan.
Ancient Kamboja was indeed a vast tribe and the name applied to general Indo-Iranian Aryan Speakers lying in the geographically, linguistically and culturally transitional regions between the Indo Aryans and Iranian Aryans groups.
See also Buddhist Jataka evidence below:
"Just as though, Visakha, one might have power, dominion and kingship[11] over sixteen great countries abounding in the seven treasures[12] -- that is to say, Anga, Magadha, Kasi, Kosala, Vajji, Malla, Ceti, Vansa, Kure, Pancala, Maccha, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara and KAMBOJA, yet it is not worth a sixteenth part of the Uposatha undertaken with its eight practices. For what reason? Miserable is kingship over men compared with heavenly bliss. [Ref: Buddhist Jataka: Anguttara Nikaya VIII.43: Visakhuposatha Sutta].
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/anguttara/an08-043.html
For further ref: SEE ALSO: BUDDHIST JATAKA: [Anguttara Nikaya (P.T.S.) 1. 213; 4. 252, 256, 261].
Early India (Epic/Post Epic Period).
In India, the ancient kingdoms were called Mahajanapadas. There were several of them all over Northern India. Anga, Ashmak, Avanti, Chedi, Gandhar, Kashi, Kosala, Magadha ( in Bihar and later annexed part of Bangla and adjoining areas when it started expansion), Matsya, Shursen and Vatsa (today: Kasuambi in Bihar, King of Vatsa, Udayana was Buddha's follower) were the major kingdoms. Some Mahajanapadas like Banga, Kamboj, Koliya, Kuru, Lichhavi, Moriya, Panchal, Shakya(Buddha's family ruled here), and Vrijji were republican* states. The REPUBLICAN STATES were not ruled by kings but had assemblies of senior and responsible elders called 'Gana-parishad'. (This is still visible in villages in India.) The Magadha (see map of Mauryan Empire), Kosala (see map of Mauryan Empire), Vatsya (Bihar), and Avanti (Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh) were the most notable kingdoms of ancient India.