09-29-2008, 10:25 PM
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Yavanas and their identity
The Shantiparva gives a very important reference to the ancient status of several groups, one of which are the Yavanas:
I<b>. Ancient Dharma of Yavanas etc.</b>
<i>yavanâH kirâtâ gândhârâÅh cînâH ÅhabarabarbarâH | Åhakâs tuSHârâH kahvâÅh ca pahlavâÅh cândhramadrakâH
oDrâH pulindÄ ramaTHâH kâcÄ mlecchâÅh ca sarvaÅhaH | brahmakSHatraprasûtâÅh ca vaiÅhyâH ÅhûdrâÅh ca mânavâH ||b12.c065.v013-014||
("Mandhatri said,) 'What duties should be performed collectively by the Yavana, Kirata, Gandhara, Cina (ishwa: Shina), Shabara, Barbara, Shaka, Tushara (ishwa: high mountaineer), Kahvas (var. Kanka), Pahlava, Andhra, Madraka, Odra (var. Paundra), Pulinda, Ramatha and Mleccha (var. Kamboja) Vaishyas and Shudras and offshoots of Brahma-Kshatras, (all these) Manavas?
kathaM dharmaM careyus te sarve viSHayavâsinaH | madvidhaiÅh ca kathaM sthâpyâH sarve te dasyujîvinaH ||b12.c065.v015||
What are those duties again to the observance of which kings like ourselves should force those tribes that subsist by robbery?
etad icchâmy ahaM ÅhrotuM bhagavaMs tad bravîhi me |tvaM bandhubhÅ«to hy asmâkaM kSHatriyâNâM sureÅhvara ||b12.c065.v016||
I desire to hear all this. O illustrious God, instruct me. O chief of all the deities, thou art the friend of us Kshatriyas.'
mâtâpitryor hi kartavyâ ÅhuÅhrûSHâ sarvadasyubhiH | âcârya guruÅhuÅhrûSHâ tathaivâÅhramavâsinâm ||b12.c065.v017||
"Indra said, 'All the robber tribes should serve their mothers and fathers, their preceptors and other seniors, and recluses living in the woods.
bhûmipâlânâM ca ÅhuÅhrûSHâ kartavyâ sarvadasyubhiH | veda dharmakriyâÅh caiva teSHâM dharmo vidhîyate ||b12.c065.v018||
All the robber tribes should also serve their kings. The duties and rites inculcated in the Vedas should also be followed by them.
pitryajñâs tathâ kûpâH prapâÅh ca Åhayanâni ca | dânâni ca yathâkâlaM dvijeSHu dadyur eva te ||b12.c065.v019||
They should perform sacrifices in honour of the Pitris, dig wells, (and dedicate them to universal service), give water to thirsty travellers, give away beds and make other seasonable presents unto Brahmanas.
ahiMsâ satyam akrodho vrtti dâyânupâlanam | bharaNaM putradârâNâM Åhaucam adroha eva ca ||b12.c065.v020||
Abstention from injury, truth, suppression of wrath, supporting Brahmanas and kinsmen by giving them their dues, maintenance of wives and children, purity, peacefulness,
dakSHiNâ sarvayajnânâM dâtavyâ bhûtim icchatâ |pâkayajnâ mahârhâÅh ca kartavyâH sarvadasyubhiH ||b12.c065.v021||
making presents to Brahmanas at sacrifices of every kind, are duties that should be practised by every person of this class who desire his own prosperity. Such a person should also perform all kinds of Paka-yajnas with costly presents of food and wealth.
etâny evaM prakârâNi vihitâni purânagha | sarvalokasya karmâNi kartavyânîha pârthiva ||b12.c065.v022||
These and similar duties, O sinless one, were laid down in olden days for persons of this class. All these acts which have been laid down for all others should be done by persons of also the robber class, O king.'</i>
This is from the Shantiparva, according to the standard works a late section. The (Kshatriya) Dharma of these groups, who are designated as Mlecchas (12.65.14) and living like Dasyus (12.65.15) is discussed here, their live style is not much different from Aryas:
1. serve their mothers and fathers, their preceptors and other seniors, and recluses living in the woods.
2. serve their kings.
3. follow duties and rites inculcated in the Vedas.
4. perform sacrifices in honour of the Pitris, dig wells, give water to thirsty travellers, give away beds and make other seasonable presents unto Brahmanas.
5. Abstention from injury, truth, suppression of wrath, supporting Brahmanas and kinsmen by giving them their dues, maintenance of wives and children, purity, peacefulness,
6. making presents to Brahmanas at sacrifices of every kind, are duties that should be practised by every person of this class who desire his own prosperity. Such a person should also perform all kinds of Paka-yajnas with costly presents of food and wealth.
Then, after enumerating the Dharma of these groups, it is concluded with this important information:
<i>âThese and similar duties, O sinless one, were laid down in olden days for persons of this class. All these acts which have been laid down for all others should be done by persons of also the robber class, O king.' â</i>
It speaks of duties laid down in olden days! Yavanas first followed this Dharma (possibly in remoter times the Arya Dharma) and later neglected or changed their duties.
<b>II. Neglect or Change of Dharma</b>
The same Shantiparva contains the form Yauna. Mentioned together with Kambojas, Gandharas, Kiratas and Barbaras in the north. Yauna m. pl. N. of a people (prob. = yavana) MBh. [ 859,2]
uttaraapathajanmaanaH kiirtayiSHaami taan api
yaunakaambojagaandhaaraaH kiraataa barbaraiH saha ||b12.c200.v040||
Nowhere in the epics do we find the Pali form Yona or Yonaka. The Shantiparva, with the late form Yauna at another place, also points to all these having more Varnas. The Assalayanasutta, with a form Yona later than the Shantiparva Yauna, points to Kambojas and Yonakas having only 2 Varnas!
One can find a gradual deterioration of the position of (Kambojas and) Yavanas in the epic in the next book, the Anushasanaparva, which means that the group following the Dasyu mode of life did not follow the Ancient Dharma anymore. They turned away from their former Kshatriya status towards Vrshala-tva. Ganguli translates this word as âstatus of Shudrasâ. But the importance lies in an intimate relation or contrast of Kshatriya(jati) with Vrshala(tva). Vrshala is a diminutive of Vrsha(n): vRSHa m. the chief of a class or anything the most excellent or preeminent or best of its kind. MBh. Kâv. etc.. A VrSHa-la, then, is either a little chief literally, or rather in this context a chief who isnât looked upon as having a full status in the eyes of other chiefs. Now, this is exactly what the Shantiparva describes: former Kshatriya-jatis who previously followed their Kshatriya Dharma, at that time not living according to their Ancient Dharma, have fallen to the status of fallen Kshatriya-tva (=Vrsha-tva), which is Vrshala-tva, or diminished Vrsha=Kshatriya status.
The Anushasanaparva gives a hint to this change:
<i>Åhakâ yavanakâmbojâs tâs tÄH kSHatriyajâtayaH | vrSHalatvaM parigatâ brâhmaNânâm adarÅhanât ||b13.c033.v019||
It is in consequence of the absence of Brahmanas from among them that the Sakas, the Yavanas, the Kamvojas and other Kshatriya tribes have become fallen and degraded into the status of Sudras.
dramiLâÅh ca kalingâŠca pulindâÅh câpy uÅhînarâH | kaulâH sarpâ mâhiSHakâs tâs tâH kSHatriyajâtayaH ||b13.c033.v020|| vrSHalatvaM parigatâ brâhmaNânâm adarÅhanât |b13.c033.v021ab|
The Dravidas, the Kalingas, the Pulindas, the Usinaras, the Kolisarpas, the Mahishakas and other Kshatriyas, have, in consequence of the absence of Brahmanas from among their midst, become degraded into Sudras.
mekalÄ dramiDâH kâÅâH pauNDrâH kolla girâs tathâ | ÅhauNDikâ daradâ darvâÅh caurâH Åhabara barbarâH ||b13.c035.v017||
kirâtâ yavanâÅh caiva tâs tâH kSHatriyajâtayaH | vrSHalatvam anuprâptâ brâhmaNânâm adarÅhanât ||b13.c035.v018||
The Mekalas, the Dravidas, the Lathas, the Paundras, the Kollagiras, the Saundikas, the Daradas, the Darvas, the Chauras, the Savaras, the Varvaras,
the Kiratas, the Yavanas, and numerous other tribes of Kshatriyas, have become degraded into the status of Sudras through absence of Brahmanas.</i>
The mentioned groups lost their ancient Kshatriya status, and the reason given is: absence of Brahmanas.
1. primary deduction: The presence of Brahmanas presupposes the maintenance of the Ancient Dharma. Which gives the rulers amongst the mentioned Jatis a Kshatriya status. The reverse, an absence of Brahmanas, means that there were no Brahmanas anymore to perform the Abhishekas. The other Kshatriyas or Vrshas didnât consider these non-consecrated as Kshatriyas, thus they were called Vrsha-las.
2. secondary deduction: The absence of Brahmanas implies that the Brahmanas of those Jatis didnât follow their ancient Dharma anymore too and were considered as fallen Brahmanas. Letâs call these Brahmanas Rshi-kas. These Rshi-kas, thus, neglected or changed their Dharma. This points to a development from various Shramana and alike groups turning heretical and preceding the time of Buddha and Jina.
We get this overall picture:
- the Shantiparva reference to the Ancient Dharma of the âDasyuâ groups and Anushasanaparva reference to their Neglected or Changed Dharma neatly falls in the time frame of the rise of heretical groups from Shramanas and alike, and preceding the time of Buddha and Jina.
- the Shantiparva form Yauna precedes Pali form Yona.
- the Yavanas as Jati precede the time of Buddha (with centuries). They probably first fell within the Arya Dharma before they followed the Ancient Dharma as Yavanas, then turned to the Neglected or Changed Dharma initially as Yavanas and finally as Yaunas, all preceding the time of Buddha when they were known as Yonas.
- The Yavanas changed from more Varnas (Brahma-kshatra, Vaishya and Shudra) to two Varnas, together with the Kambojas in the Assalayanasutta.
- the Kalayavana episode referring to the forced migration of Yadavas from Mathura to Dvaraka, and which thus precedes the submerging of Dvaraka, falls neatly within the internal Mahabharata time frame.
Neither the word Yavana nor the persons falling under that word have any remote connection with Ionians or Bactrian Greeks. The Yavanas are simply indigenous.
Perhaps a vague hint to their identity is given through the name of one of their kings: Yavanadhipati CâNura. The names sound very tribal, perhaps supporting the epic identity of Yavanas with Turvasus (SE India, tribal areas), and a remoter Pauranika connection of Turvasus with S.Indian groups.
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->Yavanas and their identity
The Shantiparva gives a very important reference to the ancient status of several groups, one of which are the Yavanas:
I<b>. Ancient Dharma of Yavanas etc.</b>
<i>yavanâH kirâtâ gândhârâÅh cînâH ÅhabarabarbarâH | Åhakâs tuSHârâH kahvâÅh ca pahlavâÅh cândhramadrakâH
oDrâH pulindÄ ramaTHâH kâcÄ mlecchâÅh ca sarvaÅhaH | brahmakSHatraprasûtâÅh ca vaiÅhyâH ÅhûdrâÅh ca mânavâH ||b12.c065.v013-014||
("Mandhatri said,) 'What duties should be performed collectively by the Yavana, Kirata, Gandhara, Cina (ishwa: Shina), Shabara, Barbara, Shaka, Tushara (ishwa: high mountaineer), Kahvas (var. Kanka), Pahlava, Andhra, Madraka, Odra (var. Paundra), Pulinda, Ramatha and Mleccha (var. Kamboja) Vaishyas and Shudras and offshoots of Brahma-Kshatras, (all these) Manavas?
kathaM dharmaM careyus te sarve viSHayavâsinaH | madvidhaiÅh ca kathaM sthâpyâH sarve te dasyujîvinaH ||b12.c065.v015||
What are those duties again to the observance of which kings like ourselves should force those tribes that subsist by robbery?
etad icchâmy ahaM ÅhrotuM bhagavaMs tad bravîhi me |tvaM bandhubhÅ«to hy asmâkaM kSHatriyâNâM sureÅhvara ||b12.c065.v016||
I desire to hear all this. O illustrious God, instruct me. O chief of all the deities, thou art the friend of us Kshatriyas.'
mâtâpitryor hi kartavyâ ÅhuÅhrûSHâ sarvadasyubhiH | âcârya guruÅhuÅhrûSHâ tathaivâÅhramavâsinâm ||b12.c065.v017||
"Indra said, 'All the robber tribes should serve their mothers and fathers, their preceptors and other seniors, and recluses living in the woods.
bhûmipâlânâM ca ÅhuÅhrûSHâ kartavyâ sarvadasyubhiH | veda dharmakriyâÅh caiva teSHâM dharmo vidhîyate ||b12.c065.v018||
All the robber tribes should also serve their kings. The duties and rites inculcated in the Vedas should also be followed by them.
pitryajñâs tathâ kûpâH prapâÅh ca Åhayanâni ca | dânâni ca yathâkâlaM dvijeSHu dadyur eva te ||b12.c065.v019||
They should perform sacrifices in honour of the Pitris, dig wells, (and dedicate them to universal service), give water to thirsty travellers, give away beds and make other seasonable presents unto Brahmanas.
ahiMsâ satyam akrodho vrtti dâyânupâlanam | bharaNaM putradârâNâM Åhaucam adroha eva ca ||b12.c065.v020||
Abstention from injury, truth, suppression of wrath, supporting Brahmanas and kinsmen by giving them their dues, maintenance of wives and children, purity, peacefulness,
dakSHiNâ sarvayajnânâM dâtavyâ bhûtim icchatâ |pâkayajnâ mahârhâÅh ca kartavyâH sarvadasyubhiH ||b12.c065.v021||
making presents to Brahmanas at sacrifices of every kind, are duties that should be practised by every person of this class who desire his own prosperity. Such a person should also perform all kinds of Paka-yajnas with costly presents of food and wealth.
etâny evaM prakârâNi vihitâni purânagha | sarvalokasya karmâNi kartavyânîha pârthiva ||b12.c065.v022||
These and similar duties, O sinless one, were laid down in olden days for persons of this class. All these acts which have been laid down for all others should be done by persons of also the robber class, O king.'</i>
This is from the Shantiparva, according to the standard works a late section. The (Kshatriya) Dharma of these groups, who are designated as Mlecchas (12.65.14) and living like Dasyus (12.65.15) is discussed here, their live style is not much different from Aryas:
1. serve their mothers and fathers, their preceptors and other seniors, and recluses living in the woods.
2. serve their kings.
3. follow duties and rites inculcated in the Vedas.
4. perform sacrifices in honour of the Pitris, dig wells, give water to thirsty travellers, give away beds and make other seasonable presents unto Brahmanas.
5. Abstention from injury, truth, suppression of wrath, supporting Brahmanas and kinsmen by giving them their dues, maintenance of wives and children, purity, peacefulness,
6. making presents to Brahmanas at sacrifices of every kind, are duties that should be practised by every person of this class who desire his own prosperity. Such a person should also perform all kinds of Paka-yajnas with costly presents of food and wealth.
Then, after enumerating the Dharma of these groups, it is concluded with this important information:
<i>âThese and similar duties, O sinless one, were laid down in olden days for persons of this class. All these acts which have been laid down for all others should be done by persons of also the robber class, O king.' â</i>
It speaks of duties laid down in olden days! Yavanas first followed this Dharma (possibly in remoter times the Arya Dharma) and later neglected or changed their duties.
<b>II. Neglect or Change of Dharma</b>
The same Shantiparva contains the form Yauna. Mentioned together with Kambojas, Gandharas, Kiratas and Barbaras in the north. Yauna m. pl. N. of a people (prob. = yavana) MBh. [ 859,2]
uttaraapathajanmaanaH kiirtayiSHaami taan api
yaunakaambojagaandhaaraaH kiraataa barbaraiH saha ||b12.c200.v040||
Nowhere in the epics do we find the Pali form Yona or Yonaka. The Shantiparva, with the late form Yauna at another place, also points to all these having more Varnas. The Assalayanasutta, with a form Yona later than the Shantiparva Yauna, points to Kambojas and Yonakas having only 2 Varnas!
One can find a gradual deterioration of the position of (Kambojas and) Yavanas in the epic in the next book, the Anushasanaparva, which means that the group following the Dasyu mode of life did not follow the Ancient Dharma anymore. They turned away from their former Kshatriya status towards Vrshala-tva. Ganguli translates this word as âstatus of Shudrasâ. But the importance lies in an intimate relation or contrast of Kshatriya(jati) with Vrshala(tva). Vrshala is a diminutive of Vrsha(n): vRSHa m. the chief of a class or anything the most excellent or preeminent or best of its kind. MBh. Kâv. etc.. A VrSHa-la, then, is either a little chief literally, or rather in this context a chief who isnât looked upon as having a full status in the eyes of other chiefs. Now, this is exactly what the Shantiparva describes: former Kshatriya-jatis who previously followed their Kshatriya Dharma, at that time not living according to their Ancient Dharma, have fallen to the status of fallen Kshatriya-tva (=Vrsha-tva), which is Vrshala-tva, or diminished Vrsha=Kshatriya status.
The Anushasanaparva gives a hint to this change:
<i>Åhakâ yavanakâmbojâs tâs tÄH kSHatriyajâtayaH | vrSHalatvaM parigatâ brâhmaNânâm adarÅhanât ||b13.c033.v019||
It is in consequence of the absence of Brahmanas from among them that the Sakas, the Yavanas, the Kamvojas and other Kshatriya tribes have become fallen and degraded into the status of Sudras.
dramiLâÅh ca kalingâŠca pulindâÅh câpy uÅhînarâH | kaulâH sarpâ mâhiSHakâs tâs tâH kSHatriyajâtayaH ||b13.c033.v020|| vrSHalatvaM parigatâ brâhmaNânâm adarÅhanât |b13.c033.v021ab|
The Dravidas, the Kalingas, the Pulindas, the Usinaras, the Kolisarpas, the Mahishakas and other Kshatriyas, have, in consequence of the absence of Brahmanas from among their midst, become degraded into Sudras.
mekalÄ dramiDâH kâÅâH pauNDrâH kolla girâs tathâ | ÅhauNDikâ daradâ darvâÅh caurâH Åhabara barbarâH ||b13.c035.v017||
kirâtâ yavanâÅh caiva tâs tâH kSHatriyajâtayaH | vrSHalatvam anuprâptâ brâhmaNânâm adarÅhanât ||b13.c035.v018||
The Mekalas, the Dravidas, the Lathas, the Paundras, the Kollagiras, the Saundikas, the Daradas, the Darvas, the Chauras, the Savaras, the Varvaras,
the Kiratas, the Yavanas, and numerous other tribes of Kshatriyas, have become degraded into the status of Sudras through absence of Brahmanas.</i>
The mentioned groups lost their ancient Kshatriya status, and the reason given is: absence of Brahmanas.
1. primary deduction: The presence of Brahmanas presupposes the maintenance of the Ancient Dharma. Which gives the rulers amongst the mentioned Jatis a Kshatriya status. The reverse, an absence of Brahmanas, means that there were no Brahmanas anymore to perform the Abhishekas. The other Kshatriyas or Vrshas didnât consider these non-consecrated as Kshatriyas, thus they were called Vrsha-las.
2. secondary deduction: The absence of Brahmanas implies that the Brahmanas of those Jatis didnât follow their ancient Dharma anymore too and were considered as fallen Brahmanas. Letâs call these Brahmanas Rshi-kas. These Rshi-kas, thus, neglected or changed their Dharma. This points to a development from various Shramana and alike groups turning heretical and preceding the time of Buddha and Jina.
We get this overall picture:
- the Shantiparva reference to the Ancient Dharma of the âDasyuâ groups and Anushasanaparva reference to their Neglected or Changed Dharma neatly falls in the time frame of the rise of heretical groups from Shramanas and alike, and preceding the time of Buddha and Jina.
- the Shantiparva form Yauna precedes Pali form Yona.
- the Yavanas as Jati precede the time of Buddha (with centuries). They probably first fell within the Arya Dharma before they followed the Ancient Dharma as Yavanas, then turned to the Neglected or Changed Dharma initially as Yavanas and finally as Yaunas, all preceding the time of Buddha when they were known as Yonas.
- The Yavanas changed from more Varnas (Brahma-kshatra, Vaishya and Shudra) to two Varnas, together with the Kambojas in the Assalayanasutta.
- the Kalayavana episode referring to the forced migration of Yadavas from Mathura to Dvaraka, and which thus precedes the submerging of Dvaraka, falls neatly within the internal Mahabharata time frame.
Neither the word Yavana nor the persons falling under that word have any remote connection with Ionians or Bactrian Greeks. The Yavanas are simply indigenous.
Perhaps a vague hint to their identity is given through the name of one of their kings: Yavanadhipati CâNura. The names sound very tribal, perhaps supporting the epic identity of Yavanas with Turvasus (SE India, tribal areas), and a remoter Pauranika connection of Turvasus with S.Indian groups.