|
The Indian Analyst
|
North Indian Inscriptions |
SOCIAL CONDITION
maṇas. They are now noticed in large numbers in Koṅkaṇ.[1] It is noteworthy that some persons named Sēṇavai are mentioned in a well-known stone inscription at Paṇḍharpur.[2] They may have been Brāhmaṇas of this sub-caste. .. Two grants of the reigns of the Kolhāpur Śilāhāras mention the Sahavāsī Brāhmaṇas as donees.[3] They are probably the precursors of the modern Savāśē Brāhmaṇas who are noticed in fairly large numbers in the Kolhāpur, Karhāḍ, Miraj, Sānglī, Athaṇī and Kāgal tālukās of Mahārāshṭra and in the Hāvērī, Mysore, Hubaḷī and Aḍhvaṇī subdivisions of Karnāṭaka. They are said to have immigrated into Mahārāshṭra from Karnāṭaka and all of them are Vaishṇavas. Their name Sahavāsī (a companion) is explained variously. Some say that they were so called because they lived with Rāma in Daṇḍakāraṇya. This is hardly plausible ; for they are not mentioned in more ancient records. Another possible explanation is that they were so called because they lived in the company of the Vaishṇava Āchārya Madhva Ānandatīrtha, the founder of the Dvaita Vēdānta, who flourished in this period (circa A.D. 1197-1276) in Karnāṭaka. This explanation also is not plausible ; for these Brāhmaṇas are mentioned in records incised before the time of Madhvāchārya. In course of time the Sahavāsī Brāhmaṇas came to be known as Savāśē, which is a corrupt form of their original name. As Savāśē means also one hundred and twenty-five, it gave rise to the fantastic story of their being descendants of the Brāhmaṇas of that number who were excommunicated for some reason. The name Sahavāsī of this group of Brāhmaṇas occurring in the Śilāhāra records, though not definitely explicable now, shows that the current story about these Brāhmaṇas is quite unfounded.[4] .. The surnames of the Brāhmaṇas had not yet come into vogue. The epithets Kramavid, Shaḍaṅgavid, Chaturvēdin and Dvivēdin noticed in Śilāhāra records indicate the learning of the recipients of the gifts.
..
Though some Brāhmaṇas may have been leading a pious and religious life strictly
according to the dictates of the Smṛitis, there must have been many others who took other
avocations. Yājñavalkya and other authors of Smṛitis allow Brāhmaṇas to follow other professions in times of adversity.[5] Many Brāhmaṇas must have taken to agriculture as they do even
now in Koṅkaṅ. While stating the boundaries of the donated fields, mention is often made of
the fields of Brāhmanas (bhatṭas).[6] These must have been cultivated by their owners with the
help of servants, as is done at present. Some must have entered Government service. Unfortunately, the caste of royal officers named in the inscriptions is rarely mentioned. So our
information in this respect is very meagre. The Khārepāṭaṇ plates of Anantadēva I mention
Ṛishibhaṭṭa as the king’s Mahā-sāndhivigrahika. [7] His name leaves no doubt that he belonged
to the Brāhmaṇa caste. So also must have been many of the Mahāpradhānas, Mahāmātyas, Bhāṇdāgāra-sēnas and other high officers whose names end in aiya, which is the Kannaḍa suffix
corresponding to Sanskrit ārya. See e.g. Kēśapārya,[8] Jhañjhamaiya[9], etc. Notice the name
[1] Some derive śeṇavaї from Kannaḍa Shaṇbhōga which is used as an affix showing respectability.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| > |
|
>
|