The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c7.s3.16

v1.c7.s3.16

The only fact that lends support to the Kshatriya affinity of the Sātavāhanas is that in the inscription in question Gotamī Balaśrī describes herself as one who fully worked out the ideal of Rājarṣi’s wife. It is true that Rājarṣis are distinct from Brahmarṣis and Devarṣis. But the term Rājan is suggestive indeed of royalty, of position, but not of caste, though it is true that the kings were mostly Kshatriyas. As has been shown above, Brāhmanism demanded urgently that Brāhmans should hold the reins of government and administration and the Sātavāhanas did not fail to respond to this demand. As a result of the long sway of Buddhism the old social order had become very much impaired. The attempt to build it anew was bound to allow for some sort of relaxation in all those rules of conduct laid down of old for the four castes of Hindu society. Otherwise no Brāhman would have been eligible for the kingly office. But Śuṅgas and Kaṇvas were Brāhmans and yet were kings. No Brāhman was permitted to perform Aśvamedha and Rājasūya sacrifices which were carried out exclusively by ambitious princes of the Kshatriya clan. Yet Puṣyamitra Śuṅga did perform Aśvamedha. It is against this background that we must picture and interpret the actions of Śrī Sātakarṇi described in the Nānāghāṭ record. To establish his sovereignty he performed these sacrifices, which had long come to be regarded as the preserves of Kshatriya princes alone. In spite of all such practices Pushyamitra remained a Brāhman. We need not at all surmise either that Śrī Sātakarṇi lost his caste. We should, therefore, always bear in mind that after the fall of the Mauryas the rājās were no longer necessarily of the Kshatriya caste. A good many of the ruling families came to be Brāhman by caste. And if Gotamī Balaśrī adhered so strictly to all those observances as to merit the appellation rājarṣivadhū, we need not deny her Brāhman caste, but rather praise her for remembering and practising all her life the observances and functions taken over and maintained by her husband and his forefathers.