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The Indian Analyst
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North Indian Inscriptions |
SOCIAL CONDITION
they are called Karahāṭaka Brāhmaṇas[1]. Their sub-caste Karhāḍē appears to have been then in the process of formation. .. The Brāhmaṇas of the Taittirīya Śākhā of the Black Yajurvēda were few in number. The aforementioned donee of the Panhāḷe plates, who was specially invited from Vārāṇasī, belonged to this Śākhā. The Brāhmaṇas of the Mādhyandina Śākhā of the White Yajurvēda predominate now almost throughout Mahārāshṭra, but they are found in a small number in North Koṅkaṇ. In the Śilāhāra records also they are rarely mentioned. The donee of the Ṭhāṇā plates of Nāgārjuna, who hailed from Hastigrāma in the Madhya-dēśa, belonged to the Yajurvēda,[2] but his Śākhā has not been mentioned. Only two Brāhmaṇas of the Mādhyandina Śākhā find mention in the grants of the Northern Śilāhāras. One of them was from Muñjasthāna in the Madhyadēśa.[3] The other received the Vaḍavalī grant from Aparāditya I,[4] but his original place of residence has not been recorded in it. .. Some Śilāhāra grants mention Sāmavēdī Brāhmaṇas. As the Sāmavēda had a thousand Śākhās, these Brāhmaṇas are said to be referred to as gṛithīta-sahasra[5] (those who had mastered the Vēda of a thousand Śākhās). This epithet has now been corrupted into the surname of Ghaisāsa. It is, however, noteworthy that the Brāhmaṇa donee of the two Janjirā sets of plates, viz., Haridēva, though described as gṛihīta-sahasra in them, belonged to the Bahvṛicha Śākhā (i.e. the Ṛigvēda).[6] One Sāmavēdī Brāhmaṇa is mentioned as having hailed from Gauḍadēśa or Western Bengal.[7] He belonged to the Kauthuma Śākhā. Bhṛigukachchha (modern Broach) was the home of the Sāmavēdins. A Brāhmaṇa of the Rāṇāyanī Śākhā of this Vēda is mentioned in the Prince of Wales Museum plates of Mummuṇirāja.[8] Another Brāhmaṇa of this Vēda received a grant from Chhittarāja as recorded in the Bhāṇḍup plates,[9] but his original place of residence has not been mentioned therein.
.. The Brāhmaṇas of the Atharvavēda were very rare. None has been mentioned in any Śilāhāra inscription. At present there are a few Brāhmaṇas of this Vēda in the eastern parts of the Sātārā District. They belong to the Śaunaka Śakha. .. As stated before, the present sub-castes of the Mahārāshṭrīya Brāhmaṇas had not been rigidly formed in those days, but they appear to be in the process of formation. We have already referred to the Brāhmaṇas of Karahāṭa, who had immigrated into North Koṅkaṇ. They later formed the sub-caste of Karhāḍe Brāhmaṇas. It is noteworthy that they are referred to as Karahāṭaka Brāhmaṇas in two late records of the Kolhāpur Śilāhāras[10] in order to distinguish them from the Sahavāsī Brāhmaṇas, about whom we shall have to say more hereafter. Similarly, the Vāvailaka Brāhmaṇas are mentioned in the Ṭhāṇā plates of Mummuṇi.[11] They appear to have formed a separate group in that age. Their modern representatives are not known.
..A Seṇāvaї Brāhmaṇa is mentioned in the Balipattana plates of Raṭṭarāja.[12] He represents
perhaps a group of Brāhmaṇas, who, in course of time, came to be known as the Śēṇavī Brah-
[1] No. 59, line 11.
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