History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v2.c28.s1.83

v2.c28.s1.83

Now it may be asked how a Kshatriya born in the lunar or solar line i. e., from the moon or the sun can have these Pravara Rishis or composers of Vedic hymns in their ancestry. But if we scan the list of the Pravara Rishis, we find therein many names of kings of the solar and lunar line. In fact it would be a revelation to many that the composers of Rigveda hymns were drawn from all classes, Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaiśyas. Thus, for instance, Māndhātā, Ambarīsha, Yuvanāśva, Trasadasyu, Purukutsa etc. who are Pravara Rishis are names of noted solar line kings. while Śunahotra, Ajamīdha etc., are lunar race kings. It seems that the Bhrigu gaṇa and the Āngirasa gaṇa Pravaras mostly contain names of Kshatriya kings, a fact which we proceed presently to show. But we may first notice the fact that an examination of the several Pravaras given in the Pravarādhyāyas also shows that many Kshatriyas became Brahmins even in Vedic times. We will enumerate these cases. First we have the case of Garga who was originally a Kshatriya being a son of Bhumanyu, son of Vitatha, son of Bharata, son of Dushyanta a well-known lunar line king. This Garga and his descendants became Brahmins as is stated in the Vāyu Purāṇa also, दायादाश्चापि गर्गस्य शिनिवृद्धाद्भव ह । स्मृताश्चैते ततो गार्ग्याः क्षत्रोपेता द्विजातयाः ॥ १६१, अ. १९०. Now the Pravarādhyās show that the Gārgyas are mentioned among the Āngirasa gaṇas. Thus Āśvalāyana says गर्गाणामङ्गिरस बार्हस्पत्य भारद्वाज गार्ग्य शैत्येति ॥ आङ्गिरस शैत्य गार्ग्येति वा । Here we have to explain how the Gargas could go into the Āngirasa stock, being themselves lunar race Kshatriyas. The only explanation possible is that they were, when they became Brahmins, adopted into the Āngirasa stock through Śini. The alternative idea of Āchāryaship cannot be entertained as started by Mr. Pargitar who has touched this subject in his study of the Purāṇas and of the solar and lunar dynasties and who observes (J. R. A. S. 1919 Pañchāla dynasty) " Kshatriyas who became Brahmins were incorporated into Brahmin families, either in the Āchārya gotra or by adoption and were not allowed to start a new line like Viśvāmitra." For the idea of Āchārya gotra is inconsistent with the basic idea of Pravara viz., that the Yajamāna or sacrificer has to pray to Agni and identify him with his ancestral Vedic Rishi. The only way Garga could do this was by way of adoption into the Āngirasa family for he could then pray to Agni “Kindly look upon me as my ancestor Angiras who has praised thee in such and such a hymn.” The second thing we glean from this episode is that these Brahmins are called by the Vāyu Purāṇa क्षत्रोपेता द्विजातयः or Brahmins endowed with Kshatriya power. From this we can gather the importance of the term Brahma-Kshatra-Kulīna often applied to Kshatriyas, an importace of which we will take notice further on.