09-10-2008, 06:45 PM
One of the myths is that before the British and Mughals, India was never united. (perhaps admitting a few exceptions, like Ashoka and Samudragupta).
Prayer of Vaidika kings to become supreme emperor of the subcontinent:
May I win all victories, find all worlds, attain the superiority, pre-eminence, and supremacy over all kings and overlordship, paramount rule, self-rule, sovereignty, supreme authority, kingship, great kingship and suzerainty; may I be all encompassing, possessed of all the Earth, possessed of all life, from the one end up to the further side of the Earth bounded by the ocean sole ruler. (AB viii.5)
Aitareya Brahmana viii.21, hereafter, enumerates 11 supreme emperors who âwent around the Earth completely, conquering (her) on every side, letting the horse roam aboutâ (samantaM sarvataH prthiviin jayan pariiyaayaaÅhvena) and were paramount rulers through the Aindrabhisheka and Ashvamedha: Janamejaya II Parikshita (predecessor of Janamejaya III Pandava), Sharyata Manava, Shatanika Satrajita, Ambasthya, Yuddhamshraushti Augrasainya, Vishvakarman Bhauvana, Sudas Paijavana, Marutta Avikshita, Anga, Bharata Dauhshanti and Durmukha Pancala.
Another enumeration, 8 of the ten which are new, is at AB vii.34: Vishvantara Saudasamana, Janamejaya II Parikshita, Somaka Sahadevya, Sahadeva Sarnjya, Babhru Devavrdha, Bhima Vaidarbhi, Nagnajit Gandhara, Sanashruta Arindama, Kratuvud Janaki and Sudas Paijavana.
sarve haiva mahaaraajaa aasur, aaditya iva ha sma Åhriyaam
pratiSHTHitaas tapanti sarvaabhyo digbhyo balim aavahanta
âAll of them were great kings; like the Sun, established in prosperity, they gave warmth, obtaining tribute from all quarters.â
While the first enumeration stresses their paramount sovereignty through their conquering, the second one doesnât. There the surrounding kings accepted the supremacy without being conquered. Notice also that the paramount rulers came from different Vaidika areas, including Gandhara up to Anga, down to Vidarbha.
These Vaidika texts are clear that the whole Earth (subcontinent), bounded by oceans on the other side, was the aim for kings to be ruling over.
We find an enumeration of great emperors in Maitrayaniya Upanishad I.4 of whom these 18 names are given: Sudyumna, Bhuridyumna, Indradyumna, Kuvalayashva, Yauvanashva, Vadhryashva, Ashvapati, Shashabindu, Harishcandra, Ambarisha, Nahusha, Ananata, Sharyati, Yayati, Anaranya, Ukshasena, Marutta and Bharata.
And one of the greatest was considered to be Bharata whose was remembered as the name of the whole Earth.
That the whole Earth was named Bharata, is because his descendants too ruled over the earth: Bharatas with all their branches dominated the north and Bharatas adopted by Marutta Turvasu went south to rule there (see Puranas).
Thus the subcontinent seems to be named after one of its greatest paramount ruler, and this name was continued by his descendants ruling over various parts of the subcontinent, north and south! The Bharata Samskrti had united the people of the subcontinent from ancient times
Prayer of Vaidika kings to become supreme emperor of the subcontinent:
May I win all victories, find all worlds, attain the superiority, pre-eminence, and supremacy over all kings and overlordship, paramount rule, self-rule, sovereignty, supreme authority, kingship, great kingship and suzerainty; may I be all encompassing, possessed of all the Earth, possessed of all life, from the one end up to the further side of the Earth bounded by the ocean sole ruler. (AB viii.5)
Aitareya Brahmana viii.21, hereafter, enumerates 11 supreme emperors who âwent around the Earth completely, conquering (her) on every side, letting the horse roam aboutâ (samantaM sarvataH prthiviin jayan pariiyaayaaÅhvena) and were paramount rulers through the Aindrabhisheka and Ashvamedha: Janamejaya II Parikshita (predecessor of Janamejaya III Pandava), Sharyata Manava, Shatanika Satrajita, Ambasthya, Yuddhamshraushti Augrasainya, Vishvakarman Bhauvana, Sudas Paijavana, Marutta Avikshita, Anga, Bharata Dauhshanti and Durmukha Pancala.
Another enumeration, 8 of the ten which are new, is at AB vii.34: Vishvantara Saudasamana, Janamejaya II Parikshita, Somaka Sahadevya, Sahadeva Sarnjya, Babhru Devavrdha, Bhima Vaidarbhi, Nagnajit Gandhara, Sanashruta Arindama, Kratuvud Janaki and Sudas Paijavana.
sarve haiva mahaaraajaa aasur, aaditya iva ha sma Åhriyaam
pratiSHTHitaas tapanti sarvaabhyo digbhyo balim aavahanta
âAll of them were great kings; like the Sun, established in prosperity, they gave warmth, obtaining tribute from all quarters.â
While the first enumeration stresses their paramount sovereignty through their conquering, the second one doesnât. There the surrounding kings accepted the supremacy without being conquered. Notice also that the paramount rulers came from different Vaidika areas, including Gandhara up to Anga, down to Vidarbha.
These Vaidika texts are clear that the whole Earth (subcontinent), bounded by oceans on the other side, was the aim for kings to be ruling over.
We find an enumeration of great emperors in Maitrayaniya Upanishad I.4 of whom these 18 names are given: Sudyumna, Bhuridyumna, Indradyumna, Kuvalayashva, Yauvanashva, Vadhryashva, Ashvapati, Shashabindu, Harishcandra, Ambarisha, Nahusha, Ananata, Sharyati, Yayati, Anaranya, Ukshasena, Marutta and Bharata.
And one of the greatest was considered to be Bharata whose was remembered as the name of the whole Earth.
That the whole Earth was named Bharata, is because his descendants too ruled over the earth: Bharatas with all their branches dominated the north and Bharatas adopted by Marutta Turvasu went south to rule there (see Puranas).
Thus the subcontinent seems to be named after one of its greatest paramount ruler, and this name was continued by his descendants ruling over various parts of the subcontinent, north and south! The Bharata Samskrti had united the people of the subcontinent from ancient times