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- Title
Brahmins (Brāhmaṇas) in Nepal and India (4th To 8th Century A.D.): Fragments of Information Gleaned from Inscriptions.
- Authors
Tripathy, Arpita
- Abstract
The Licchavis ruled the Nepal Valley from 4th – 8th centuries. At that time according to the Hindu rule of social stratification, the people of Nepal are divided into four main categories – the Brāhmaṇas, the Khṣatriyas, the Vaiśyas and the Śudras. The first two are supposed to perform the duties of the priests and protects respectively. The Vaiśyas are supposed to handle the trade and business affairs. The remaining group is to provide manual services to the higher one. The Inscription on the pedestal of Chaṇḍeśvara dated 640 A.D. from Nepal contains two lines where the expression varṇāśramodbhāsita (line 1) occurs. In this paper an attempt has been made to show the position and status of the Brāhmaṇas of ancient Nepal and as well as in ancient India. The rules prescribed by Manu, Yajnavalkya, Brihaspati, Narada are followed in Indian and Nepal society. But some differences are observed from the inscriptional evidences. There were no hard and fast rules for Brāhmaṇas in ancient Nepal society. Brāhmaṇas were dignified and important in the Nepal administration and usually they appear as priests, local administrators and animal raisers also. From the context of the Bungmati Inscription from Nepal it can be assumed that Brāhmaṇas and others are raising animals like pigs, fowls, etc with the full support of royal administration and the Bhaṭṭādhikaraṇa is strictly prohibited to enter in to the village. Manu, Yajnavalkya prescribed some āpaddharmavṛtti (professions can be taken at the time of danger) for Brāhmaṇas but animals such as pigs, fowls rearing are strictly forbidden for them and no such evidences are found in the inscriptions from India where Brāhmaṇas are rearing animals with śudras.
- Subjects
INDIA; NEPAL; BRAHMANS; INSCRIPTIONS; HINDU priests; LICCHAVIS (Asian people); LOCAL government
- Publication
Language in India, 2023, Vol 23, Issue 3, p36
- ISSN
1930-2940
- Publication type
Article