11-03-2008, 02:43 PM
<b>Unravelling the Shabala and Sagara Episodes</b>
Something happened which caused Kambojas to change their custom from
dakshinatah kapardin in the Paraskara Grhyasutra to the mundah of the
Ganapatha. The influence of the Bhrgu Kavis in the west is the key factor.
Perhaps coupled to this is a war that occurred some time in the west between Ganas, in which a king Sagara was victorious. He is not the ancient king Sagara of Ayodhya, because that was an ancient war between Yadavas and the rest (Kashi-Koshala-Kanyakubja) for supremacy of the Middle country.
The second Sagara or Sagara II, if connected with Ikshvakus, must be a southern (descendants of Yauvanashvas of Mahishmati, one of which may have been Mucukunda in the Kalayavana episode) or western Ikshvaku (descendants of Bharata of Gandhara). Thus, the Sagara episode has nothing to do with the ancient Sagara I and eastern Ayodhya, but with a much later Sagara II (Samudrasena of the MBh?) of the southwest or northwest.
The defeated Ganas, as per Sagara episode, had to change their hairstyle = lost their previous ritual status. Kambojas became mundah.This points to Bhrgus and other Vipras of the frontier states adjoining the Indus becoming the Purohitas of these defeated Vipra Ganas, because they themselves were deprived of this status.
Is there a trace of Kambojas, Yavanas, etc. to their former status before they became the fallen Kshatriyas of the Dharmasmrtis? Yes, there is. We have it in the form of two episodes narrated in the epics: the Shabala and Sagara Episodes. The Shabala Episode gives a surprising origin, see below.
<b>I. Ritual Panca-Ganas connected with the Holy Cow Shabala</b>
Valmiki Ramayana I.55.2-3
tasyaa humkaarato jaataaH kaambojaa ravi sannibhaaH |
uudhasaH tu atha saMjaataaH pahlavaaH shastrapaaNayaH || 1-55-2
yonideshaat ca yavanaH shakrdeshaat shakaaH tathaa |
romakuupeSHu mlecchaaH ca haariitaaH sa-kiraatakaaH || 1-55-3
"From the 'hums' of her mooing Kaamboja-s similar to sunshine are born, from her udder Pahlava-s wielding weaponry are born, from the area of her privates Yavana-s, likewise from her rectal area Shaka-s, and from her hair-roots Mleccha-s, Haariitaa-s along with Kirataka-s are issued forth."
This explanation literally doesn't make sense. The poet used this symbolism to give information of another level. The Holy Cow Kamadhenu as Shabala or Nandini is synonymous to Speech, especially Vedic Vac or Mantra. The different Ganas are connected to different parts of this Holy Cow=Vac. This is what is intended:
1. Kambojas: with Hum a mystical syllable used in spells and magical texts or sentences; in Vedic ritual used immediately before the singing of the Prastâva or prelude as well as during the chanting of the Pratihâra or response ShrS. MBh. Kâv. &c.
"humbhA" of the cow is a stobha that is used in gANa-s of the jaiminIya sAmaveda. In the soma ritual there is a long gAna composed on indraM id gathino bR^ihat... where the stobha-s humbhA are inserted as the "roar of the vR^iShabha". It is possible that vAlmIki had that in mind. (HH)
2. Pahlavas: with Uúdhas N. of a passage in the Mahânâmnî (q.v.) verses LâTy
3. Yavanas: with Yóni N. of the sound e Up.; N. of a partic. verse or formula KâtyShr
4. Shakas: not with shakr but rather with Shákvarii f.pl. (wrongly written shakkarii or sharkarii) N. of partic. verses or hymns (esp. of the Mahânâmnî verses belonging to the Shâkvara-Sâman) RPrât. Gobh.; sg. a cow AV. PaJcavBr. (cf. Naigh. ii, 11) [shákvara = bull]
5. Mleccha Haritas and Kiratakas: with Loman [=roman] du. (with bharad-vaajasya) , N. of Sâman ÃrshBr.
These Shlokas of the Kamadhenu/Shabala episode seem to imply that at some time Ganas who were originally connected with ritual Mantra types, at another later time took to arms. Surprisingly, Kiratakas are also amongst these groups. The word `Shastra' above doesn't denote `arms' or `weaponry', but a recitation of a Hotr: shastrá n. (for 2. under shas) invocation, praise (applied to any hymn recited either audibly or inaudibly, as opp. to stoma, which is sung, but esp. the verses recited by the HotRi and his assistant as an accompaniment to the
Grahas at the Soma libation) VS. Br. ShrS. ChUp.; reciting, recitation ShâGkhBr. The hand is used as a sign to indicate with the word "eShaa=this is the last verse" that the preceding Stotra is followed by the Shastra.
That Vipras took to arms is not surprising. We have, for instance, the Gopayana section fighting in the Mahabharata. (also the Kambojas) Yavanas later adopted a Gargya as their Adhipati.
These Shlokas give the missing information about some Brahmakshatra and Kshatra Ganas which later turned out to be fallen Kshatriyas of the early Kalpasutras and later Dharmashastras.
We know that there were indigenous Shakas in the subcontinent much before the time of the foreign Scythian incursion of the 1st century BCE. Katyayana (shakaparthiva or Shaka king), Panini (kantha in Ushinara and Varnu) and Ganapatha (g. shaNDikaádi) refer to Shakas. Also AV Parishista.
King Sagara II debarred them all from the study of Vedic text and scriptures. (niHsvaadhyaaya vaShaTkaaraaH krtaastena mahaatmanaa || Harivamsha 1.14.17), see below.
<b>II. Debarring the Panca-Ganah from Veda</b>sagaraH svaaM pratijnaaM cha guroH vaakyaM nishamya cha |
dharmaM jaghaana teShaaM vai veSha anyatvaM cakaara ha || 1-14-15
arddhaM shakaanaaM shiraso muNDaM krtvaa vyasarjayat |
yavanaanaaM shiraH sarvaM kaambojaanaaM tathaiva cha || 1-14-16
paaradaa mukta-keshaaH cha pahlavaaH shmashru-dhaariNaH |
niHsvaadhyaaya vaShaTkaaraaH krtaastena mahaatmanaa || 1-14-17
Holding on to his own pledge to root out incompatibles, also keeping
the promise given by his mentor to the same folks in view, sagara let
them off ordering a different identity for them. He ordered half-
shaved heads to shaka-s; clean-shaven heads to yavanA-s; pArada-s and
kAmbojA-s (sic) to hang their head hair loose; pahlavA-s shall grow beards.
He debarred them all from the study of Vedic text and scriptures.
NOTE: Here we have another grouping, based on hairstyles or facial
hairs. The translation is not correct here: Yavanas and Kambojas both
have Munda (!) here. Shakas have Ardha-Munda. Paradas have their hair
straight (Pulasti?), and Pahlavas have Smashru hair, pointing
normally to facial hair (beard and/or moustache)
That both Yavana and Kamboja are Munda points to a post-Paraskarya
Grhya Sutra date, as in that work Bhrgus have Munda and Kambojas have
Dakshinatah Kapardin like all the Aupamanyavas. (that points to the
Humkara or recitation fase in the Nandini Episode in the Ramayana,
when Yavanas were connected with Yoni formula).
He, Sagara II, debarred them all from the study of Vedic text and scriptures.
This means that these Mahatmanaa (Ganaah) lost their Vipra status and right to perform VaSHaT and Svadhyaya, and became Kshatriyas. This is a stage when, according to the Shantiparva these groups followed the Dasyu Dharma, not very different from Arya Dharma. (perhaps coming under influence of proto-Iranic Daeva religion). Then they turned towards the Vrshala-tva or lesser Vrshastatus which gave them their Shudra position. (Zoroastrian influence during Achaemenids?) During Asoka Piyadassi they again came under Indian influence, getting (hybrid) Sanskrit and Prakrit names.
Something happened which caused Kambojas to change their custom from
dakshinatah kapardin in the Paraskara Grhyasutra to the mundah of the
Ganapatha. The influence of the Bhrgu Kavis in the west is the key factor.
Perhaps coupled to this is a war that occurred some time in the west between Ganas, in which a king Sagara was victorious. He is not the ancient king Sagara of Ayodhya, because that was an ancient war between Yadavas and the rest (Kashi-Koshala-Kanyakubja) for supremacy of the Middle country.
The second Sagara or Sagara II, if connected with Ikshvakus, must be a southern (descendants of Yauvanashvas of Mahishmati, one of which may have been Mucukunda in the Kalayavana episode) or western Ikshvaku (descendants of Bharata of Gandhara). Thus, the Sagara episode has nothing to do with the ancient Sagara I and eastern Ayodhya, but with a much later Sagara II (Samudrasena of the MBh?) of the southwest or northwest.
The defeated Ganas, as per Sagara episode, had to change their hairstyle = lost their previous ritual status. Kambojas became mundah.This points to Bhrgus and other Vipras of the frontier states adjoining the Indus becoming the Purohitas of these defeated Vipra Ganas, because they themselves were deprived of this status.
Is there a trace of Kambojas, Yavanas, etc. to their former status before they became the fallen Kshatriyas of the Dharmasmrtis? Yes, there is. We have it in the form of two episodes narrated in the epics: the Shabala and Sagara Episodes. The Shabala Episode gives a surprising origin, see below.
<b>I. Ritual Panca-Ganas connected with the Holy Cow Shabala</b>
Valmiki Ramayana I.55.2-3
tasyaa humkaarato jaataaH kaambojaa ravi sannibhaaH |
uudhasaH tu atha saMjaataaH pahlavaaH shastrapaaNayaH || 1-55-2
yonideshaat ca yavanaH shakrdeshaat shakaaH tathaa |
romakuupeSHu mlecchaaH ca haariitaaH sa-kiraatakaaH || 1-55-3
"From the 'hums' of her mooing Kaamboja-s similar to sunshine are born, from her udder Pahlava-s wielding weaponry are born, from the area of her privates Yavana-s, likewise from her rectal area Shaka-s, and from her hair-roots Mleccha-s, Haariitaa-s along with Kirataka-s are issued forth."
This explanation literally doesn't make sense. The poet used this symbolism to give information of another level. The Holy Cow Kamadhenu as Shabala or Nandini is synonymous to Speech, especially Vedic Vac or Mantra. The different Ganas are connected to different parts of this Holy Cow=Vac. This is what is intended:
1. Kambojas: with Hum a mystical syllable used in spells and magical texts or sentences; in Vedic ritual used immediately before the singing of the Prastâva or prelude as well as during the chanting of the Pratihâra or response ShrS. MBh. Kâv. &c.
"humbhA" of the cow is a stobha that is used in gANa-s of the jaiminIya sAmaveda. In the soma ritual there is a long gAna composed on indraM id gathino bR^ihat... where the stobha-s humbhA are inserted as the "roar of the vR^iShabha". It is possible that vAlmIki had that in mind. (HH)
2. Pahlavas: with Uúdhas N. of a passage in the Mahânâmnî (q.v.) verses LâTy
3. Yavanas: with Yóni N. of the sound e Up.; N. of a partic. verse or formula KâtyShr
4. Shakas: not with shakr but rather with Shákvarii f.pl. (wrongly written shakkarii or sharkarii) N. of partic. verses or hymns (esp. of the Mahânâmnî verses belonging to the Shâkvara-Sâman) RPrât. Gobh.; sg. a cow AV. PaJcavBr. (cf. Naigh. ii, 11) [shákvara = bull]
5. Mleccha Haritas and Kiratakas: with Loman [=roman] du. (with bharad-vaajasya) , N. of Sâman ÃrshBr.
These Shlokas of the Kamadhenu/Shabala episode seem to imply that at some time Ganas who were originally connected with ritual Mantra types, at another later time took to arms. Surprisingly, Kiratakas are also amongst these groups. The word `Shastra' above doesn't denote `arms' or `weaponry', but a recitation of a Hotr: shastrá n. (for 2. under shas) invocation, praise (applied to any hymn recited either audibly or inaudibly, as opp. to stoma, which is sung, but esp. the verses recited by the HotRi and his assistant as an accompaniment to the
Grahas at the Soma libation) VS. Br. ShrS. ChUp.; reciting, recitation ShâGkhBr. The hand is used as a sign to indicate with the word "eShaa=this is the last verse" that the preceding Stotra is followed by the Shastra.
That Vipras took to arms is not surprising. We have, for instance, the Gopayana section fighting in the Mahabharata. (also the Kambojas) Yavanas later adopted a Gargya as their Adhipati.
These Shlokas give the missing information about some Brahmakshatra and Kshatra Ganas which later turned out to be fallen Kshatriyas of the early Kalpasutras and later Dharmashastras.
We know that there were indigenous Shakas in the subcontinent much before the time of the foreign Scythian incursion of the 1st century BCE. Katyayana (shakaparthiva or Shaka king), Panini (kantha in Ushinara and Varnu) and Ganapatha (g. shaNDikaádi) refer to Shakas. Also AV Parishista.
King Sagara II debarred them all from the study of Vedic text and scriptures. (niHsvaadhyaaya vaShaTkaaraaH krtaastena mahaatmanaa || Harivamsha 1.14.17), see below.
<b>II. Debarring the Panca-Ganah from Veda</b>sagaraH svaaM pratijnaaM cha guroH vaakyaM nishamya cha |
dharmaM jaghaana teShaaM vai veSha anyatvaM cakaara ha || 1-14-15
arddhaM shakaanaaM shiraso muNDaM krtvaa vyasarjayat |
yavanaanaaM shiraH sarvaM kaambojaanaaM tathaiva cha || 1-14-16
paaradaa mukta-keshaaH cha pahlavaaH shmashru-dhaariNaH |
niHsvaadhyaaya vaShaTkaaraaH krtaastena mahaatmanaa || 1-14-17
Holding on to his own pledge to root out incompatibles, also keeping
the promise given by his mentor to the same folks in view, sagara let
them off ordering a different identity for them. He ordered half-
shaved heads to shaka-s; clean-shaven heads to yavanA-s; pArada-s and
kAmbojA-s (sic) to hang their head hair loose; pahlavA-s shall grow beards.
He debarred them all from the study of Vedic text and scriptures.
NOTE: Here we have another grouping, based on hairstyles or facial
hairs. The translation is not correct here: Yavanas and Kambojas both
have Munda (!) here. Shakas have Ardha-Munda. Paradas have their hair
straight (Pulasti?), and Pahlavas have Smashru hair, pointing
normally to facial hair (beard and/or moustache)
That both Yavana and Kamboja are Munda points to a post-Paraskarya
Grhya Sutra date, as in that work Bhrgus have Munda and Kambojas have
Dakshinatah Kapardin like all the Aupamanyavas. (that points to the
Humkara or recitation fase in the Nandini Episode in the Ramayana,
when Yavanas were connected with Yoni formula).
He, Sagara II, debarred them all from the study of Vedic text and scriptures.
This means that these Mahatmanaa (Ganaah) lost their Vipra status and right to perform VaSHaT and Svadhyaya, and became Kshatriyas. This is a stage when, according to the Shantiparva these groups followed the Dasyu Dharma, not very different from Arya Dharma. (perhaps coming under influence of proto-Iranic Daeva religion). Then they turned towards the Vrshala-tva or lesser Vrshastatus which gave them their Shudra position. (Zoroastrian influence during Achaemenids?) During Asoka Piyadassi they again came under Indian influence, getting (hybrid) Sanskrit and Prakrit names.