Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c9.s7.251

c9.s7.251

It may be argued that the Lichchhavis, though originally non-Aryans or foreigners, ranked as Kshatriyas when they were admitted into the fold of Brāhmaṇism like the Drāviḍians referred to in Manu's *śloka* and the Gurjara-Pratīhāras of mediæval times. But unlike the Pratīhāras and Draviḍas, the Lichchhavis never appear to be very friendly towards the orthodox form of Hinduism. On the contrary, they were always to be found among the foremost champions of non-Brāhmaṇical creeds like Jainism and Buddhism. Manu testifies to their heterodoxy when he brands them as the children of the *Vrātya Rājanyas*. The great mediæval Rājput families (though sometimes descended from foreign immigrants) were never spoken of in these terms. On the contrary, they were supplied with pedigrees going back to *Śri* Rāma, Lakshmaṇa, Yadu, Arjuna and others. A body of foreigners who did not observe ceremonies enjoined in the Brāhmaṇic code, could hardly have been accepted as Kshatriyas. The obvious conclusion seems to be that the Lichchhavis were indigenous Kshatriyas who were degraded to the position of *Vrātya* when they neglected Brāhmaṇic rites and showed a predilection for heretical doctrines. The *Rāmāyaṇa*, as we have seen, represents the Vaiśālika rulers as Ikshvākuids. The Pāli commentary *Paramatthajotikā*¹ traces their origin to Benares. The comparison of the Lichchhavis to the “Tāvatiṁsa gods” hardly accords with the theory that represents them as kinsmen of snub-nosed peoples who lived beyond the Himalayas.² “Let those of the brethren” we are told by a personage of great eminence “who have never seen the *Tāvatiṁsa* gods, gaze upon this company of the Lichchhavis, behold this company of the Lichchhavis, compare this company of the Lichchhavis—even as a company of *Tāvatiṁsa* gods.”