Origin of Rajputs

The Rajputs (from the Sanskrit tatpurusha compound rājaputra, "son of a king") are a community of the Indian subcontinent.^[1] Rajputs are the descendents of warriors of the Kshatriya subdivision of Indian society who claim descent through one of three dynasties: Suryavanshi, Chandravanshi, and Agnivanshi.

Chandravanshi Rajputs claim descent from Chandra (the Vedic moon deity). Gujarat and Jaisalmer were ruled by Chandravanshi Rajputs. Agnivanshi Rajputs claim descent from Agni, the Vedic god of fire. Bundi, Kotah, Jalore, Sirohi, and Delhi were ruled by Agnivanshi Rajputs. The Suryavanshi claim descent from the sun god Surya. Suryavanshi Rajputs had territories in Northern India: in Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

Ancient texts

Abhimanyu's son Parikshit is called Rajput in Bhagavata Purana, an important Hindu religious text. Bhagwan Ram and Lakshmana are referred to as being Rajputs in the Ramayana, an ancient Sanskrit epic poem. Buddha was also referred to as Rajput in Buddhist texts. Rajaputras were referred to in Arthashastra by Kautilya (350–283 BC), the play Mālavikāgnimitram by Kālidāsa (1st century BC), Soundaranand by Aśvaghoṣa (80–150 AD), Harshacharita and Kadambari by Bāṇabhaṭṭa (7th century AD), and Rajatarangini by Kalhana (12th century AD).

An inscribed copper plate found at the village of Damodarpur, from the era of Kumaragupta III (533 AD), records that Rajaputra-Dev-Bhattaraka, the Governor of the territorial division of Pundravardhana, was a son of the emperor, who bore the title "Uparika Maharaja" (viceroy) and "render[ed] his homage to the king". Rajputs are also mentioned in the Sumandala copper plate inscription of Prithvigraha, which also dates to the Gupta Empire (570 AD). There are Rajput references in many Licchavi inscriptions;^[2] the Licchavi Kingdom was extant in Nepal from around 400 to 750 AD. Rajputs named Vajraratha, Babharuvarma, and Deshavarma are mentioned in inscriptions found at Sikubahi (Shankhamul), which describe the reigns of Licchavi kings Gangadeva (567–573 AD) and Amshuvarma (605–621 AD). The inscriptions of Sanga mention the name of Rajputra Vikramasena. The Gnoli inscription mentions Rajaputra Jayadeva. The inscription at Deopatan mentions Rajputra Shurasena, and the inscriptions of Adeshwar mention the Rajaputras Nandavarma, Jishnuvarma, and Bhimavarma.

The Agni-kunda legend

The Agni-kunda legend is the best-known traditional account that deals with the origin of the Rajputs. This account begins with the Puranic legend wherein the traditional kshatriyas (warriors) were exterminated by Parashurama, an Avatar of Vishnu. Later, the sage Vasishtha performed a great yagya (fire sacrifice), to seek from the gods a provision for the defense of righteousness on earth. In answer to his prayer, one or more youths arose from the flames of the sacrificial fire.^{[citation needed]}

Sometime during 16–17th century, the legend came to be applied to the Parihar (Gurjara Pratihara), Chauhans (Chahamanas), Solankis (Chalukyas), and Paramara (Parmar) clans.

Evolution of the legend

A number of inscriptions and texts have come to light since the mid-19th century that allowed researchers trace the evolution of this legend. The story is first found in the Nava-sahasanka-charita by Padmagupta, a fictional romance where the hero is identifiable as the Paramara king Sindhuraja, the patron of the author. This work mentions that the progenitor of the Paramaras was created from fire by the sage Vashishtha. During the period of decline of the Paramaras of Dhar, the story is mentioned in several royal inscriptions. Later, the story is expanded to include two or three other Rajput clans. Eventually, some scholars proposed that all of the Rajputs were created from the Agnikunda.

Historiography

• 949 AD: First known Paramara copperplate found at Harsola. Mentions Paramara Siyaka as a feudatory of the Rashtrakuta ruler Akalavarsha. It mentions the Paramaras as being of the same clan (kula) as the Rashtrakutas.
• 975, 986 AD: Vakpati Munja assumes the Rashtrakuta name Amoghavarsha and the titles Srivallabha and Prathvivallabha, indicating that he regarded himself as being a successor of the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta. There is no mention of the Agnikunda legend in the early records; the Paramaras appear as a branch of Rashtrakutas, as proposed by D.C. Ganguli.
• 1005 AD: Padmagupta writes the fictional Navasahasanka-charita during the rule of the Parmar king Sindhuraj of Dhara (c.995–1055). This is the first mention of the legend wherein the first Paramara is created from an Agnikinda by Vashistha.
• 1000–1055 AD: Bhoja: no mention of the Agnikunda in his copperplates or inscriptions.
• 1042 AD: Vasantgarh inscription mentions a Paramara origin from Agnikunda.
• 1070–1093 AD: Udayaditya, Udayapur Prashasti mentions a Paramara origin from Agnikunda.
• uncertain date: The epic poem Prithviraj Raso is composed, the oldest copies of which do not mention the Agnikunda legend. It is attributed to the poet Chanderbardai, who lived during the rule of Prithviraj Chauhan (1165 to 1192). However, the language of available manuscripts appears to be much more recent.
• Ain-i-Akbari by Abul Fazl (1551–1602) mentions creation of a Dhanji from an Agnikunda, somewhere in the Deccan, to fight Buddhism. That fire-born warrior goes to Malava (Malwa) and establishes his rule. When Puraraj, fifth in line from him, dies childless, a Paramara is selected to succeed him.
• 16th–17th century: The Agnikunda legend inserted into the Prithviraj Raso, where three clans, Pratihar, Chalukya, and Paramara, are mentioned as having been created from the Agnikunda. The legend is not present in the Udaipur manuscript of 1585.
• 1832 AD: James Tod presents his theory that the Agnikunda legend symbolizes the elevation of Sakas, Hunas, and others to the status of Kshatriyas; by implication, all Rajaputs are descendants of Central Asian invaders.
• 1954 AD: Tod's view is repeated by A. L. Basham in his book The Wonder That was India. By now, the view becomes accepted.
• Uncertain date: The Agnikunda legend in the Bhavishya Purana mentions four clans: Paramara, Chauhan, Chalukya, and Parihara, as having been created from fire to annihilate Buddhists during the time of Ashoka.
• One version of the legend is that four warriors, Agnikul, Yadavkul, Suryakul, and Odak, whose names are given to Rajput clans, sprang from the sacred fire (Agni-kunda) in a ceremony performed by the sage Vasistha near Mount Abu. Vasistha undertook this sacrifice to develop warriors who could help ordinary mortals against demons.
• There is another myth which states the Rajputs were descendants of Rishabh, a founding Tirthankara of Jainism.

See also

• Rajput
• Rajput clans
• History of Rajputs

References

1. ^ http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=113109&rog3=PK
2. ^ Recorded in D.R. Regimi's Inscriptions of Ancient Nepal; Abhinav Publications, ISBN 0-391-02559-7

Sources

• H.V. Trivedi, "Inscriptions of the Paramaras, Chandellas, Kachchhapaghatas and two minor Dynasties", part 2 of the 3-part Vol III of Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, 1974 (published in 1991).
• A.K. Warder "An Introduction to Indian Historiography", Popular Prakashan 1972.
• Thakur Udaynarayan Singh , "Kshatriya Vamshavali" (in Hindi), Khemaraj Shrikrishnadas, 1989.
• Updendra Thakur, "Some aspects of ancient Indian history and culture", Abhinav Prakashan, 1974.
• R.C. Majumdar, Ed., "The Age of Imperial Kanauj", The history and Culture of the Indian People, Vol. 4, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1955.
• "Historiography, Religion, and State in Medieval India" By Satish Chandra, Published 1996 Har-Anand Publications ISBN 81-241-0035-7