Vratas depicted in the Gangajala (study)
by Maitreyee Goswami | 2018 | 55,000 words
This page relates 鈥楢ssam as a seat of Vedic culture鈥� of the study dealing with the Vratas (vows) depicted in the Gangajala鈥攁 Smriti-Nibandha, i.e., a text belonging to the Kamarupa School of Dharma-shastra literature which deals with social topics, religious rites and local traditions. The term Vrata refers to ritual vows aimed at spiritual and moral purification. This essay explores its socio-religious implications reflecting medieval Assam.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 5 - Assam as a seat of Vedic culture
Assam is a land of heterogeneous culture. It has been facing a good deal of cultural fusion as well as exchanges between the new entrants i.e., the Aryan settlers and the aboriginal pre-Aryan tribes and races. The Aryans however could establish their supremacy over the non-Aryans to a great extent but the process of Aryanyzation remains incomplete. Assam was always a seat of Vedic culture i.e., brahmanical learning from the days of yore. There are found a few Vedic works viz., 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 and 艢补峁僰丑腻测补苍补驳峁沨测补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补 that hinted stray references of 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 or 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁 on different occasions. The Copper plate grants, the two epics referred to stray information about 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补. Many brahmanical works like 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 厂惫补濒辫补尘补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 驰辞驳颈苍墨迟补苍迟谤补, several 碍补耻尘耻诲墨蝉, Nibandhas were written here in this land.
The inscriptions of ancient kings of Assam, accounts of foreign travellers, old manuscripts, archaeological documents, matrimonial relations, pilgrimages, and episodes are some of the source materials to assess the position of Assam as a seat of Vedic culture.
1 Vedic Works
The 础驳苍颈惫颈诲别驳丑补尘腻迟丑补惫补 episode that finds place in the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 questionably indicates Aryanyzation of Assam in olden days. It refers to river 厂补诲腻苍墨谤腻 that stands as the boundary between the two lands, namely 碍辞艣补濒补 and Videha initially supposed to be impure. But question arises as to whether 厂补诲腻苍墨谤腻 may be identical with that of 碍补谤补迟辞测腻 as done by 厂腻测补峁嘺 in his commentary.[1]
碍补谤补迟辞测腻 in question is a river that stands as the western boundary of the old 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补. This is found stated both in the 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 and 驰辞驳颈苍墨迟补苍迟谤补. Now researchers on the ground of 艢膩ya峁嘺鈥檚 interpretation find scope to establish accomplishment of Vedic culture in the eastern part of 碍补谤补迟辞测腻.[2] Virtually this episode has nothing to do with the spread of Vedic culture in ancient Assam.
The word 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁 that was inserted in the text of 艢膩峁僰h膩yana 骋峁沨测补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补 does not speak about the land 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁 or 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补. What it means according to Prof. Mukunda Madhava Sharma is 鈥榖efore the appearance of any light鈥�. This word was used in connection with a ritual named 鈥�艢腻办办补谤补惫谤补迟补鈥�.[3] The word 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁 of the 骋峁沨测补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补 tempted researchers to believe that, it stands for the land called 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁 or 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补. It does not focus the spread of Vedic culture in ancient Assam during the period of this 骋峁沨测补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, although the word Pragjyoti峁 appeared in it.
2 The 搁腻尘腻测补峁嘺 Period
With some leaning to a historical work, Hem Barua wanted to assert with no mention about the source, that there was an Aryan king Am奴rtar膩ja by name at 惭补诲丑测补诲别艣补.[4] He migrated to 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁pura with some of his Aryan followers and founded a kingdom 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁pura. His father was 碍耻艣补 of the 搁腻尘腻测补峁嘺. This evidently shows that, Assam came under Vedic culture in early times. In his words 鈥槹宄静拱璨� or 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁 was recognized as a center of 产谤腻丑尘补苍颈肠补濒 艢腻办迟补 and Buddhist tantrism by the Aryans at a very early date鈥�. It was probably done sometimes during the second half of the first millennium of CE.[5]
3 The 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补
The Udyogaparva of 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 states that, Bhauma Naraka was living at 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁. He stole away the earrings of Aditi. All the Gods including Indra could not withstand him. Lord 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 killed Naraka and recovered the lost earrings from him. That Naraka鈥檚 stealing the earrings, his death at the hands of Lord 碍峁涐梗峁嘺, 碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 recovery of the above earrings and rescue of thousands of girls from Naraka鈥檚 possession etc., all are found repeatedly narrated in the later puranic literature and inscriptional writings of the ancient kings of Assam. The 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 however spoke nothing about the relation between Naraka and 痴颈峁ａ箛耻. It is noticed in the 顿谤辞峁嘺辫补谤惫补 that 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 at the request of 笔峁泃丑惫墨 presented Naraka a 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫腻蝉迟谤补 which has finally reached Bh膩gadatta of 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁pura. But here also no relation between Bh膩gadatta and Naraka came to light. Whatsoever, from the above episode of the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 that the process of Vedic culture had flourished in Assam could be understood easily.
4 The 笔耻谤腻峁嘺 and Tantra
The 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 written in Assam serves as a mine of information in respect of the Aryan culture pervading in Assam since the reign of Naraka at 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁pura. It is particularly devoted to the glorification of 艢补办迟颈 cult with special reference to the Goddess 碍腻尘腻办丑测腻. According to this 笔耻谤腻峁嘺, Naraka was born of the mother 叠丑奴尘颈 by 痴颈峁ａ箛耻.[6] Janaka an Aryan king of Videha had reared him up till the latter attained the age of sixteen.[7] Naraka was well versed in the Vedic lore. He settled the people of Aryan race in 笔谤腻驳箩测辞迟颈峁. His 蝉补峁僺办腻谤补 karmas beginning from 苍腻尘补办补谤补峁嘺 etc., were performed according to Vedic injunctions under the priesthood of sage Gautama.[8] It is said that this Naraka deserves the glory of becoming the first king to be respectful to the Aryan Gods and Goddesses and protector of Vedic culture in his kingdom.[9] But subsequently as soon as he came into contact with 叠腻峁嚹乻耻谤补 of 艢onitpur, a devotee of 艢颈惫补, he forthwith began to disobey the tenets of Vedic culture as suggested earlier by 痴补谤腻丑补-痴颈峁ａ箛耻. His negligence to Brahmanism and instant refuse to sage 痴补艣颈峁ａ弓丑补 to worship 碍腻尘腻办丑测腻 at N墨lakuta finally caused him to face death in the hands of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺. This episode pertaining to Naraka suggests stronghold of Vedic culture spread in 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补.
The 厂惫补濒辫补尘补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, an 鲍辫补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 that deals with the Vedic rites, 蝉补峁僺办腻谤补s etc., was composed at 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 earlier than 11th century CE. Exposition of the Vedas being the objective of the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺s, the 痴颈峁ａ箛耻dharma, 痴颈峁ａ箛耻-dharmottara and 顿丑补谤尘补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 are found extensively quoted by the nibandhakaras of this land. These works were composed in 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 in the 13th century CE. The 驰辞驳颈苍墨迟补苍迟谤补, (16th century CE.) which is a socio-cultural and religious document of 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 referred to king Vi艣vasi峁僪a (1515-1534 CE.) as the founder of Koch dynasty. He embraced Hinduism and brought many 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 from Kanauj and other places and settled them in his kingdom. Another trantric work namely the 叠峁沨补诲驳补惫腻办峁, divides 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 into four parts viz., Rantap墨峁環a, Suvar峁嘺p墨峁環a, 碍腻尘补辫墨峁环补, and 厂补耻尘腻谤补辫墨峁环补[10] and stands as a document concerning the history of old 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补.
5 Sm峁泃inibandha
Assam made a large contribution of 蝉尘峁泃颈苍颈产补苍诲丑补 for the propagation of Vedic culture in this land since 13th century CE. Most of the 蝉尘峁泃颈苍颈产补苍诲丑补 and the 蝉尘谤迟颈苍颈产补苍诲丑补办腻谤补蝉 ranging from 13th-18th centuries CE are found discussed elaborately by Prof. Naliniranjan Sharma. The writers of the above nibandhas bear similarities with those digest writers of the 骋补耻岣峚 and 惭颈迟丑颈濒腻 School of 顿丑补谤尘补艣腻蝉迟谤补 on certain fundamental rules pertaining to Vedic religion in vogue in medieval 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补.[11]
6 Inscription and Seal
鈥淥ne can get mines of information pertaining to the Indian culture hidden in the dynastic epigraphs鈥�, so remarked Dr. S.C. Roy Choudhary in his Presidential Address of 狈腻驳辫耻谤 History congress.[12] In that sense in Assam context, the local epigraphs may be classified into four classes. They are-a) rock gravings, b) engravings on clay and metal seals, c) copper plate grants of the kings and lastly d) stone idol-inscriptions.
Three rock engravings are taken for discussion here to help in discussing the spread of Vedic culture in Assam. The Um膩cal Rock inscription (5thcentury CE.) of Guwahati refers to construction of the cave temple in honour of Balabhadra.[13] If this Balabhadra is intended to mean 叠补濒补谤腻尘补 of the Caturvyuha (comprising the group with 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补, 艢a峁僰arsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha) then it may warrant prevalence of worshipping Balabhadra since a long time in Assam. [14][16] That this tradition of worshipping Hayagriva 惭腻诲丑补惫补 at Manikut Hill is found in the 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 stands as evidence.[16] From the Barg膩峁単膩 rock inscription it comes to light that king Bhutivarma (518-542 CE) proved himself to be a performer of 础艣惫补尘别诲丑补 sacrifice. He also established religious hermitage which is an example of 颈峁ａ弓腻辫奴谤迟补-karma with a view to earn longevity in life.[17] It has relevancy with the 腻测耻峁补-karma of the Atharvaveda
The Nag膩jari-khanikara G膩on inscription of early 5th century CE has depicted the land grant accorded to one Brahmadatta with a view to earn fame. Here the 诲腻苍补诲丑补谤尘补 is described as a means to generate fame. The practice of Vedic way of life-is the teaching of this inscription.
The two seals attached to the Dubi copper plate and 狈腻濒补苍诲腻 clay seal of 7th century of 叠丑腻蝉办补谤补 痴补谤尘腻 equally referred to the performance of two horse sacrifices each by two kings viz., Mahendra 痴补谤尘腻 and 艢r墨sthira 痴补谤尘腻.[18] The Dubi copper plate displayed that Vajradatta was a good reader of the Vedas along with its auxiliary texts and performer of horse sacrifice.[19] It also refers to king Balavarm膩 as a performer of several sacrifices accompanied by precious gifts on the occasion of sacrifices.[20] That the study of various 艢腻蝉迟谤补蝉 along with the Vedas attained a covetous position during the rule of Sristhira 痴补谤尘腻 is evident from this plate.[21]
The Nidh膩npur copper plate grant (620-640 CE) re-issued by 叠丑腻蝉办补谤补 痴补谤尘腻 is a glittering specimen to know the prevalence of the Vedic culture in ancient Assam from different aspects. It is said that, 叠丑腻蝉办补谤补 痴补谤尘腻 had reestablished the 惫补谤苍腻艣谤补尘补诲丑补谤尘补 which was confused for a long time past.[22] It further stated that the king successfully revealed the light of Aryan culture dispelling the darkness of kali age[23] It gives a detailed list of the 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 attached to a particular Veda including its 艢腻办丑腻, Gotra etc., they belonged to. The researchers could learn from here the relation of the 厂惫腻尘墨 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 belonged to RV, YV and the SV besides 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别颈艣腻办丑腻, 颁丑腻苍诲辞驳测补艣腻办丑腻, 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补艣腻办丑腻, etc. This plate altogether refers thirty eight Gotras starting from 笔谤补肠别迟腻 ending with 叠丑补谤补诲惫腻箩补.[24]
Interestingly this plate reads it鈥檚 all the donees with the surname or name suffix 厂惫腻尘颈. According to 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 Up膩dh膩ya, the present class of 厂惫腻尘墨 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 is a representative of old 蝉惫腻尘颈苍 who earns legitimacy for land grants.[25]
The Guwahati grant of Indrap膩la is to be lauded for its containing the details of one division of the duties of the four 痴补谤峁嘺蝉 and the four 膧艣谤补尘补蝉 among the subjects.[26] Study of the Vedas with its branches and practice of Vedic culture by one Bhijjat, a 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 of merit in the Tezpur copper plate grant of 痴补苍补尘腻濒补 痴补谤尘腻 is also found. Bhijjat who studied YV along with its auxiliaries belonged to 艢膩ndilya Gotra.[27] His marriage 蝉补峁僺办腻谤补 involves brahma system where the bridegroom is required to be well versed in Vedic lore.
There is not found any reference to 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 belonging to 碍腻苍惫补艣腻办丑腻 in the Nidhanpur grant of Bh膩峁ara 痴补谤尘腻. But it is found mentioned in many grants of the later period. For example, the Uttara Borbil Copper plate of Balavarm膩 iii (9th century CE) referred 办腻峁噕补 School of YV. It hinted that the study of all the Vedas including other 艣腻蝉迟谤补蝉, performances of sacrifices with their rules of application were found to be a matter of discourse in each family of the reputed 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉.[28]
Unlike most of the plates the Khan膩mukh Copper plate of 顿丑补谤尘补辫腻濒补 (12th century CE) mentioned a 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, Ummoka by name. He was a ritualist, performer of sacrifices, proficient in the 痴别诲腻峁単补蝉 and a charioteer. He was born in 惭补诲丑测补诲别艣补. Most of the epigraphs in record depict 惭补诲丑测补诲别艣补 as a prominent area wherefrom the 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 started to migrate to other parts of the country for livelihood. In fact 惭补诲丑测补诲别艣补 before 10_11th century CE was the stronghold of brahmanical culture. For this reason this area earned the epithet 艢颈峁ａ弓丑补产丑奴尘颈, a place of spiritual prominences.[29]
While considering the inscriptions belonging to kings outside Assam concerning ancient Assam it may be noted that in this respect Prof. Mukunda Madhava Sharm膩 has made an exhaustive discussion in his Inscriptions of Ancient Assam[30] Only three amongst them are considered sufficient for assessment of the quantum of Vedic culture spread over the ancient land of 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补.
i. The Allahabad stone pillar inscription of Samudragupta (350 CE) referred to 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 in it as one 鈥�pratyanta鈥� country.[31] Paying taxes to it is indirectly hinted that the people who were concerned with the royal affairs tented to exert influence Gupta culture upon the people of 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 in those days. This tendency may be justified from the fact that the king Harjara 痴补谤尘腻 introduced 驳耻辫迟腻产诲补 in his kingdom.[32] ii. The grant of king 础惫补苍迟墨 痴补谤尘腻 referred to one 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 Som膩c膩rya, a resident of 艢峁涐箙gatik膩grah膩ra of 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补. He was well-versed in the Vedas and 痴别诲腻峁単补蝉 and belonged to 笔补谤腻艣补谤补 Gotra. All these information hint at the Vedic culture in vogue in 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 in 10th century CE[33] iii. Silimpur stone slab inscription contains the record that king 闯补测补辫腻濒补 of 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 made a special type of gift known as 迟耻濒腻辫耻谤耻峁诲腻苍补. This gift bears other similar names such as Hematulyad膩na, Kanakad膩na and Tul膩puru峁d膩na as seen in several mediaeval inscriptions of north India.[34] This gift was considered as one of the sixteen 尘补丑腻诲腻苍补蝉 which got reference in the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺s viz., 厂办补苍诲补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 (ch.274), 础驳苍颈辫耻谤腻峁嘺 (ch.210) and LP (Ch.28), besides other 顿丑补谤尘补艣腻蝉迟谤补 This practice was found prevalent among the Hindu kings of Kanauj and Bengal as quoted in these inscriptions which is found followed in ancient 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补.
7 Engraving on Cannons, Coins, Idols etc.
Dr. Maheswar Neog furnished a list of sixteen inscriptions engraved on cannons.[35] A few of the cannons were captured by the Ahom kings from their attackers, but some of them were of their own manufactured ones. The latter type containing expressions of reverence to some puranic deities certainly indicate at the spread of Vedic culture in medieval Assam. Showing the date of manufacture in 艣补办补 era in brackets the kings, viz., Gad膩dhar 厂颈峁僪补 (1616 CE), Rudra 厂颈峁僪补(1634 CE), Bararaj膩 Phule艣var墨 (1651 CE) and 艢颈惫补si峁僪a (1661 CE) had shown commendable step in this regard.
The 狈腻谤腻测补峁嚹玬耻诲谤腻 issued by 狈补谤补苍腻谤腻测补峁嘺 in 1447 艣补办补 era bears records of conveying reverence to Lord 艢颈惫补.[36] The text i.e., 鈥�艣谤墨 艣谤墨 艣ivacara峁嘺 kamala madhukarasya鈥� engraved in the reverse side the 尘耻诲谤腻 (coin) is evident to justify the prevalence of Vedic culture in Assam.
The idol of Deop膩n墨 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 (9th century CE) being preserved at the Assam State Museum, Guwahati bears an inscription engraved on its body in Sanskrit. The other metal icons of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 and 顿耻谤驳腻 of this museum are valuable source ascertaining the spread of Vedic culture in Assam since past.[37]
Thus from this brief discussion relating to the Vedic literature, the popular literature, the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺s, the inscriptions etc. it may be asserted that the Vedic culture bit by bit spread into Assam even before the time of the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 war dating between 1400 BCE to 1000 BCE.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Sharma, M.M., Inscriptions of Ancient Assam, Introduction, p. 0.1
[2]:
碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, LXXVIII.7
[3]:
YT., XI.16-18
[5]:
Ibid., p.47
[6]:
[8]:
atha tasya n峁沺a艣re峁ａ弓ho gautamena mahar峁峁嚹�/
蝉补峁僺办腻谤补峁� k膩ray膩m膩sa vidhin膩 m膩nu峁峁嘺 tu//
Ibid., XXXVIII. I
[9]:
[10]:
Shastri, Manoranjan, Contribution of Assam to Sanskrit Literature, p.34
[11]:
Sharma, N.R., 碍腻尘补谤奴辫补 School Of 顿丑补谤尘补艣腻蝉迟谤补, P.133
[13]:
产丑补驳补惫补迟补岣� balabhadra 蝉惫腻尘颈苍膩ya ida峁� guham/ Inscriptions of Ancient Assam, p.5
[15]:
Epigraphic Indica, vol. xxxi, pp. 68-69
[16]:
尘补峁噄办耻峁璦岣� 蝉迟丑颈迟补岣� p奴rve hayagr墨vo hari峁ta岣�/
sa hayagr墨var奴pe峁嘺 vi峁ａ箛urhatv膩 jvar膩suram// 碍腻濒颈办腻辫耻谤腻峁嘺, ch.78, 74
[17]:
Sharma, M.M., Inscriptions of Ancient Assam, p.5
[18]:
艣谤墨 mahendravarma dvisturagamedh膩hart膩鈥︹�︹�︹��..dvira艣avamedhay膩j墨 艣谤墨sthira varm膩//
Ibid., pp. 33,35
[19]:
艣谤墨 惫补箩谤补诲补迟迟补岣� k峁tipo mah膩tm膩dhitya ca a峁単ascaturrotha ved膩n v膩kyam pram膩峁嘺m鈥︹�︹�a v膩jimedhairayajanmahadbhi岣�//
Ibid., p.12
[20]:
balavarmasa峁僯帽膩ka岣� bhukt膩mah墨m k膩帽canaratnabh奴峁tami峁ａ弓膩 canaikai岣� kratubhi岣� sudak峁峁嘺i岣�//
Ibid., p.13
[22]:
bhagavat膩 kamalasambhaven膩vak墨r峁嘺var峁嚹伵沘ramadharma pravibh膩g膩ya nirmito//
Ibid., P.42
[24]:
Ibid., pp.76-81
[25]:
Upadhaya, Vasudeva, Socio-Religious Conditions of North India, P.57
[26]:
[27]:
[29]:
Upadhaya, Vasudeva, Socio-Religious Condition of North-India, p.35
[30]:
cf., Sharma, M.M., Introduction of Inscriptions of Ancient Assam, pp.0.15-0.18
[32]:
Sharma, M.M., Inscriptions of Ancient Assam, P.83
[33]:
Baura, B.K., A Cultural History of Assam, p.121
[34]:
Upadhaya, Vasudeva, The Socio-Religious Conditions of North India, p.307
[36]:
Rajkhowa, Jyotiprasad, Generalissimo Chilarai and His Time, p.164
[37]:
Housing Assam's Rich Heritage, p.15