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43-688: According to Anant Sadashiv Altekar , numismatic evidence indicates that the territorial dominion of the Yaudheyas extended from Bahawalpur in the South-West to Ludhiana in the North-West, encompassing Delhi in the South-East and Saharanpur in the East. However, his research suggests that the Yaudheyas comprised not just one unified entity, but rather three separate republics. In addition to

86-663: A claim of political control, as he does not assert their territory as part of his own kingdom. It is thought that the Kushans then became suzerains of the Yaudheyas when they endeavored to hold the Mathura area. An indication is the fact that the Kushan ruler Huvishka featured Maaseno on his coins, the Kushan incarnation of the Hindu god Karttikeya , or Skanda , whose epithet was " Mahasena ". This god being particularly important to

129-517: A specific domain. The term rajanya unlike the word Kshatriya essentially denoted the status within a lineage. Whereas Kshatra , means "ruling; one of the ruling order". Jaiswal points out the term Brahman rarely occurs in the Rig-veda with the exception of the Purusha Sukta and may not have been used for the priestly class. Based on the authority of Pāṇini , Patanjali , Kātyāyana and

172-597: A territory, and symbolising ownership over clan lands. This later gave rise to the idea of kingship. In the period of the Brahmanas (800 BCE to 700 BCE) there was ambiguity in the position of the varna. In the Panchavimsha Brahmana (13,4,7), the Rajanya are placed first, followed by Brahmana then Vaishya. In Shatapatha Brahmana 13.8.3.11 , the Rajanya are placed second. In Shatapatha Brahmana 1.1.4.12

215-523: A tribal assembly (called Samiti), which included women. The Rajan protected the tribe and cattle; was assisted by a priest; and did not maintain a standing army, though in the later period the rulership appears to have risen as a social class . The concept of the fourfold varna system is not yet recorded. The hymn Purusha Sukta to the Rigveda describes the symbolic creation of the four varna-s through cosmic sacrifice (yajña). Some scholars consider

258-622: A village in Kolhapur district , Maharashtra . In 1936, at the invitation of the local government, he conducted an archaeological and historical survey of Kotah , and made many discoveries there, including the excavation of many old forts and temples; the most important of his discoveries from this expedition were three stone pillars dated to the year 295 of the Vikrama Era (AD 238), the second-oldest Vikrama inscriptions known. From 1951 to 1955 he led another excavation at Kumhrar , under

301-578: Is assigned to the kshatriya class, along with a mantra, intended to impart physical vitality or 'ojas'. The Vedas do not mention kshatriya (or varna) of any vamsha (lineage). The lineages of the Itihasa - Purana tradition are: the Solar dynasty (Suryavamsha); and the Lunar dynasty (Chandravamsha/Somavamsha). There are other lineages, such as Agnivanshi ("fire lineage"), in which an eponymous ancestor

344-635: Is believed that his conquests and the resulting fame were significant factors in persuading frontier rulers and tribes, including the Yaudheyas, to submit to his authority willingly, without engaging in any hostilities. This particular period marked the gradual disintegration of the Yaudheya republic. (Lines 22–23) ( Samudragupta , whose) formidable rule was propitiated with the payment of all tributes, execution of orders and visits (to his court) for obeisance by such frontier rulers as those of Samataṭa , Ḍavāka , Kāmarūpa , Nēpāla , and Kartṛipura , and, by

387-539: Is one of the four varnas (social orders) of Hindu society and is associated with the warrior aristocracy . The Sanskrit term kṣatriyaḥ is used in the context of later Vedic society wherein members were organised into four classes: brahmin , kshatriya, vaishya , and shudra . The administrative machinery in the Vedic India was headed by a tribal king called a Rajan whose position may or may not have been hereditary. The king may have been elected in

430-645: Is replaced by the Brahmi script , emphasising the significance of the triumph. Yaudheya coinage from the post Kushan period extend to modern day Himachal Pradesh with a large hoard excavated in Kangra , indicating their rule over the region. The Yaudheyas are mentioned in the Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta , a ruler of the Gupta Empire . According to historical records, the Yaudheyas acknowledged

473-567: The Mahabharata , Jayaswal believes that Rajanya was the name of political people and that the Rajanyas were, therefore, a democracy (with an elected ruler). Some examples were the Andhaka and Vrsni Rajanyas who followed the system of elected rulers. Ram Sharan Sharma details how the central chief was elected by various clan chiefs or lineage chiefs with increasing polarisation between

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516-712: The Cis-Sutlej region, such as the Arjunayanas and Kunindas , played a crucial role in dealing a significant blow to the Kushans . As a result, the Kushans ceased to have a presence in the Eastern Punjab. Numismatic evidence further supports this claim, as Yaudheyan coins proudly commemorate this victorious event. Notably, these coins exhibit a distinctive feature wherein the Kushan Kharosthi script

559-464: The Kshatriyas "", although the inscription claims that they were ultimately vanquished by Rudradaman. Rudradaman (...) who by force destroyed the Yaudheyas who were loath to submit, rendered proud as they were by having manifested their' title of' heroes among all Kshatriyas. Alexander Cunningham proposes that Rudradaman's victory over the Yaudheyas was likely plundering expedition rather than

602-754: The Maurya Empire by Chandragupta Maurya . They also annexed the Pauravas . Chandragupta, under the tutelage of Chanakya , won over local kingdoms and republics in Punjab before conquering the Nanda Empire . Chandragupta heavily relied on the Yaudheya Gana in his campaigns. His military had a high representation of the Yaudheya Gana and similar republicans. Additionally, Yaudheya elites and chiefs were appointed in imperial positions. As recorded in

645-518: The Mālavas , Ārjunāyanas , Yaudhēyas , Mādrakas , Ābhīras , Prārjunas, Sanakānīkas, Kākas, Kharaparikas and other ( tribes )." Puranas (e.g. Brahmanda, Vayu, Brahma and Harivamsha) described Yaudheyas as the descendants of Uśīnara and Nrigu. There are other references to them namely in the Mahabharata , Mahamayuri, Brihatsamhita , Puranas , Chandravyakarana and Kashika. In the Mahabharata ,

688-441: The rajanya (aristocracy helping the ruler) and the vis (peasants) leading to a distinction between the chiefs as a separate class ( raja, rajanya, kshatra, kshatriya ) on one hand and vis (clan peasantry) on the other hand. The term kshatriya comes from kshatra and implies temporal authority and power which was based less on being a successful leader in battle and more on the tangible power of laying claim to sovereignty over

731-703: The yajnas of the historical Vedic religion , which led to religious ideas developed in the Upanishads . The Kshatriyas studied Vedas, gave gifts and performed fire sacrifice. The gaṇa sangha form of government was an oligarchic republic during the period of the Mahajanapadas (c. 600–300 BCE), that was ruled by Kshatriya clans. However, these kshatriyas did not follow the Vedic religion, and were sometimes called degenerate Kshatriyas or Shudras by Brahmanical sources. The kshatriyas served as representatives in

774-747: The Bijoygarh inscription commissioned around Ashoka 's reign, the Yaudheya-gana-puraskrta appointed a chief who held the title of Maharaja - Senapati . This chief of the Yaudheya republic was appointed the Mahasenapati (Field Marshal) for the Mauryan Army. The Arthashastra written by Chanakya described the field marshal as adept in all modes of warfare (sarvayudha), all weapons (praharana), possessing modesty and restraint (vidyavinita), and capable of controlling all four wings of

817-592: The Deccan. Writing in the context of how the jajmani system operated in the 1960s, Pauline Kolenda noted that the "caste function of the Kshatriya is to lead and protect the village, and with conquest to manage their conquered lands. The Kshatriyas do perform these functions today to the extent possible, by distributing food as payments to kamins and providing leadership." In rituals, the nyagrodha ( Ficus indica or India fig or banyan tree) danda , or staff,

860-494: The Mahajanapada period, most of the prominent royal dynasties in northern India were not kshatriyas. The Nanda Empire , whose rulers were stated to be shudras, destroyed many kshatriya lineages. After the collapse of the Maurya Empire , numerous clan-based polities in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan claimed kshatriya status. The Shakas and Yavanas were considered to be low-status kshatriyas by Brahmin authors. In

903-957: The Present Day (1938) was the first historical survey of the status of women in India . Altekar's other books include In 1947 Altekar was elected the first chairman of the Numismatic Society of India , and in 1960 the Journal of the Numismatic Society of India published a commemorative volume in his honour. Altekar also chaired the All India Oriental Conference in 1958. Kshatriya Traditional Kshatriya ( Sanskrit : क्षत्रिय , romanized :  Kṣatriya ) (from Sanskrit kṣatra , "rule, authority"; also called Rajanya )

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946-520: The Purusha Sukta to be a late interpolation into the Rigveda based on the neological character of the composition, as compared to the more archaic style of the Vedic literature. Since not all Indians were fully regulated under the varna in the Vedic society, the Purusha Sukta was supposedly composed in order to secure Vedic sanction for the heredity caste scheme. An alternate explanation is that

989-668: The Yaudheya coins into two distinctive kinds; the older and smaller class A coins dating from before the 1st century BCE, and the larger Class B coins from the 3rd century CE during the decline of the Indo-Scythian power. Cunningham states that the later coins evidently copied from the Indo-Scythians money. John Allan classified Yaudheya coins into six classes, while Vincent Arthur Smith previously gave three types. The classification used by Allen has been mostly followed by scholars till today. Yaudheya coins were found in

1032-524: The Yaudheyas and Arjunayanas emerged victorious through military prowess, achieving triumph through the sword which is stated on their minted coinage. During the second century CE, the Yaudheya gana confronted the Indo-Scythians but they were defeated by Rudradaman I . The Junagadh rock inscription of Rudradaman (c. 150 CE) acknowledged the military might of the Yaudheyas "who would not submit because they were proud of their title "heroes among

1075-658: The Yaudheyas likely had a significant presence in southern Rajasthan during the Western Satraps invasion, suggesting that contact between the two would not have been possible otherwise. The Yaudheyas emerged as an entity following the decline of the Kuru Kingdom (c. 1200 BCE–c. 525 BCE). The Yaudheyas would eventually encompass the land formerly belonging to the Kurus, including their former capitals Indraprastha , Hastinapur , and Āsandīvat . The Kuru Kingdom which

1118-446: The Yaudheyas, it may have been incorporated into Kushan coinage when the Kushans expanded into Yaudheya territory. In Kanishka's rock Rabatak inscription , he describes campaigning into "the realm of the kshatriyas " in India, which presumably includes the Yaudheya's territories. Furthermore, Kanishka refers to commissioning statue of various local Iranian and Indian deities, including the deity Mahasena or Mahaseno ( Kartikeya ) which

1161-641: The aforementioned region, another republic was situated in Northern Rajasthan while a further one existed in Northern Pañcāla . He describes the capital as being situated in modern-day Rohtak . The Bijayagarh pillar inscription of the Yaudheyas, discovered in the Bharatpur district , also serves as further evidence that reinforces the Yaudheyas establishing and maintaining territory within Northern Rajasthan . According to Alexander Cunningham

1204-421: The ancient capital of Khokrakot (modern Rohtak ), and Naurangabad . Based on the early coins produced by the Yaudheyas, it can be safely said that Karttikeya was considered their Iṣṭa-devatā . Anant Sadashiv Altekar Anant Sadashiv Altekar (24 September 1898 – 25 November 1960; Marathi : अनंत सदाशिव अळतेकर ) was a historian, archaeologist , and numismatist from Maharashtra , India. He

1247-741: The army (chaturangini sena). Following the decline of the Mauryan Empire the Western Punjab was captured by the Indo-Greek Kingdom . However, it was not until the reign of Menander I that the Eastern Punjab supposedly came under their dominion. Subsequently, a series of conflicts ensued between the Indo-Greek successors and various Eastern Punjab republican entities. The Trigarta Kingdom , for instance, minted their own coins, indicating their independent status. Meanwhile,

1290-768: The ashes of the Buddha . Altekar corresponded in 1932 with Gandhi concerning Hinduism and the untouchable castes. His 1934 book Education in Ancient India provided a comprehensive review of all aspects of education in India until around AD 1200, with some additional treatment of topics up to the start of the British Raj . In his book, Altekar collected extensive historical information on education in India from Sanskrit , Brahminic, Pali and Buddhist literature, along with inscriptions and accounts by foreign travellers. He also included defects in his study in

1333-575: The assembly at the capital, debated various issues put before the assembly. Due to the lack of patronage of Vedic Brahmanism, the kshatriyas of the gana sanghas were often patrons of Buddhism and Jainism . In the Pali canon , Kshatriya is referred as khattiya . In the kingdoms of the Mahajanapadas, the king claimed kshatriya status through the Vedic religion. While kings claimed to be kshatriya, some kings came from non-kshatriya origins. After

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1376-540: The auspices of the Jayaswal Institute; his discoveries there confirmed the theories of David Brainard Spooner that the site, which Altekar described as "probably the earliest huge stone-pillared structure to be built by Indian architects", was a relic of the Maurya Empire . On display at the Patna Museum is a casket excavated by Altekar at a Buddhist monastery near Vaishali in 1958, said to contain

1419-471: The authority of Samudragupta and submitted to his rule, however this submission appears to have occurred without any armed resistance. Upinder Singh , a historian, notes that there is no specific mention of the Yaudheyas providing troops to Samudragupta , suggesting that their relationship with the empire was relatively loose. Notably, Samudragupta's successful military campaigns in the regions of Āryāvarta and Dakshinapatha greatly enhanced his reputation. It

1462-541: The first instance in the extant Vedic texts where four social classes are mentioned for the first time together. Usage of the term Rajanya possibly indicates the 'kinsmen of the Rajan' (i.e., kinsmen of the ruler) had emerged as a distinct social group then, such that by the end of the Vedic period, the term rajanya was replaced by Kshatriya ; where rajanya stresses kinship with the Rajan and Kshatriya denotes power over

1505-570: The kshatriyas of the epics and Puranas. Dynasties began affiliating themselves with the Solar and Lunar dynasties and this gave them legitimation as rulers. In return the newly christened kshatriyas would patronize and reward the Brahmins. The Sanskritic culture of the kshatriyas of this period was heavily influential for later periods and set the style that kshatriyas of later periods appealed to. This process took place both in North India and

1548-626: The land Bahudhanyaka is stated to be among the countries subjugated by Nakula , the fourth Pandava . Bahudhanyaka was the first to fall to Nakulas conquest in of the western direction toward Sakastan , which agrees with the Rohtak - Hisar area. Varahamihira in his Brihatsamhita (XIV.28 and XVI.22) placed them in the northern division of India. They are mentioned in Pāṇini's Ashtadhyayi and Ganapatha . The Yaudheyas only utilized Brahmi script on their coins and seals. Alexander Cunningham divided

1591-720: The last chapter. In the book, Altekar proposes a theory of steady decline in Indian literacy from an earlier golden age, which later scholars such as Hartmut Scharfe dismissed as "sheer phantasy". Scharfe called Altekar an apologist, that his anti-British theory may have been influenced by his participation in the freedom struggle against British colonialism in 1930s when the book was first published. Scharfe acknowledges Altekar collected useful historical information. Altekar's book The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization From Prehistoric Times to

1634-565: The order is—Brahmana, Vaishya, Rajanya, Shudra. The order of the Brahmanical tradition—Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra—became fixed from the time of dharmasutras (450 BCE to 100 BCE). The kshatriya were often considered pre-eminent in Buddhist circles. Even among Hindu societies they were sometimes at rivalry with the Brahmins, but they generally acknowledged the superiority of the priestly class. The Kshatriyas also began to question

1677-520: The third to fourth centuries CE, kingdoms in the Krishna and Godavari rivers claimed kshatriya status and performed Vedic rituals to legitimate themselves as rulers. During his visit to India in the 7th century, Hieun Tsang noted that kshatriya rulers were ruling the kingdoms like Kabul, Kosala, Bhillamala, Maharashtra and Vallabhi. In the era from 300 to 700 CE, new royal dynasties were bestowed kshatriya status by Brahmins by linking them to

1720-466: The word 'Shudra' does not occur anywhere else in the Rig-veda except the Purusha Sukta , leading some scholars to believe the Purusha Sukta was a composition of the later Rig-vedic period itself to denote, legitimize and sanctify an oppressive and exploitative class structure that had already come into existence. Although the Purusha Sukta uses the term rajanya , not Kshatriya , it is considered

1763-919: Was the Manindra Chandra Nandy 's Professor and Head of the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi , India, and later the director of the Kashi Prasad Jayaswal Research Institute and University Professor of Ancient Indian History and Culture at the Patna University , both in Patna , India. Anant Sadashiv Altekar was born into a Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin family on 24 September 1898 in Mhakave ,

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1806-443: Was the chief deity of the Yaudheyas and was often depicted in their coinage. (Line 4) In the year one it has been proclaimed unto India, unto the *whole of the realm of the *kshatriyas..." (Lines 10-11) ...and he is called Maaseno... and he likewise gave orders to make images of these gods who are written above..." According to R. C. Majumdar , approximately 180 CE, the Yaudheyas, in conjunction with other Janapadas situated in

1849-523: Was the prominent power in the Vedic age fell in importance when compared to the other Mahajanapadas . The earliest references of the existence of the Yaudheyas is in Pāṇini 's Ashtadhyayi (V.3.116-17 and IV.1.178) of (c.500 BCE) and the Ganapatha . In his works the Yaudheyas are mentioned as ayudha-jivin sanghas i.e., a community living by the profession of arms. The Yaudheyas were incorporated into

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