LANGUAGE IN INDIA

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Volume 23:3 March 2023
ISSN 1930-2940

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Brahmins (BrahmaNas) in Nepal and India (4th To 8th Century A.D.):
Fragments of Information Gleaned from Inscriptions

Dr. Arpita Tripathy

Abstract

The Licchavis ruled the Nepal Valley from 4th – 8th centuries. At that time according to the Hindu rule of social stratification, the people of Nepal are divided into four main categories – the BrahmaNas, the Khshatriyas, the Vaisyas and the Sudras. The first two are supposed to perform the duties of the priests and protects respectively. The Vaisyas are supposed to handle the trade and business affairs. The remaining group is to provide manual services to the higher one. The Inscription on the pedestal of Chaandeshvara dated 640 A.D.1 from Nepal contains two lines where the expression varNashramodbhaasita (line 1) occurs. In this paper an attempt has been made to show the position and status of the BrahmaNas of ancient Nepal and as well as in ancient India.

The rules prescribed by Manu, Yajnavalkya, Brihaspati, Narada are followed in Indian and Nepal society. But some differences are observed from the inscriptional evidences. There were no hard and fast rules for BrahmaNas in ancient Nepal society. BrahmaNas were dignified and important in the Nepal administration and usually they appear as priests, local administrators and animal raisers also. From the context of the Bungmati Inscription from Nepal it can be assumed that BrahmaNas and others are raising animals like pigs, fowls, etc with the full support of royal administration and the BhaTTaadhikaraNa is strictly prohibited to enter in to the village. Manu, Yajnavalkya prescribed some aapaddharmavrtti (professions can be taken at the time of danger) for BrahmaNas but animals such as pigs, fowls rearing are strictly forbidden for them and no such evidences are found in the inscriptions from India where BrahmaNas are rearing animals with Sudras.

Keywords: BrahmaNas, Inscription, BhaTTaadhikaraNa, Nepal, India.

Introduction

In Nepal BrahmaNas were in a high position from 4th Century A.D. The very first inscription of Manadeva I (464A.D.) talks of BrahmaNas to have received beautiful gifts at the hands of the queen mother and the king. In the Changu Pillar Inscription dated 464 A.D. (I) Dharmadeva used to make sacrificial offerings by pure animals (may be asvamedhayajna). His wife Rajyavati was engaged in a ritual to feed the gods with the help of BrahmaNas as the news of the death of her husband was broken to her suddenly. In the funeral of her husband she distributed her fortune to BrahmaNas. After returning from war Manadeva I also gave BrahmaNas his inexhaustible riches. At the time of Manadeva I BrahmaNas were highly praised but it seems that they did not get the position of the counsellors as there are no such inscriptional evidences at that time. They did sacrificial performances and got wealth as donations.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr. Arpita Tripathy
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Sanskrit, DTSKSM
Debra, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal
Pin-721124, ph. No. 8927589032
arpitaxy@gmail.com
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