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SPECULATIONS ON THE ORIGIN OF THE CHAVADAS.
MAY, 1875.]
married his sister, was a master of the Tirthikas
and was versed in Vyakarana, according to the principles of which he composed a refutation of the Kosa, a work of Vasubandhu, who for his defence wrote Sane-shi-erle-ping (32 Articles), in which he refuted all the objections. The Vyakarana was lost, and there remained only the other composition. The king gave him as a reward a laksha of gold, and his mother gave him two; with this Vasubandhu erected an idol in each of the three kingdoms of Kipine, Purushapura, and Ayodhya. The Tirthika, red with shame, wishing to humble Vasubandhu, brought from India to Ayodhya the master Siñ ha bhadra, who composed two works to refute the Kosa: in the one (Gurne-sane-ma-ié), in 10,000 gáthas, he explained the meaning of the Vaibhashya; and in the other (Sui-shi-lune), in 12,000 gúthas, he defended himself and overturned the opinions of the Kosa. After having finished these works, Siñhabhadra provoked Vasubandhu to discussions, but the latter removed himself under pretext of his old age, referring them to wise people to judge them. At first this master, who had plunged into the study of the ideas of eighteen schools, had devoted himself to the Hinayâna, and did
SPECULATIONS ON THE ORIGIN OF THE CHÂVADAS.
BY MAJOR J. W. WATSON.
The celebrated clan of the Ch â vadas differs in one respect from the other Rajput races. Of these a portion, the Suryavansas, claim descent from the Sun; while an equally illustrious branch, the Chandravansas, claim the Moon as their common ancestor. Other famous tribes derive their origin from the Abu fire-fount, while some of more obscure lineage claim to be sprung from celebrated sages. But the Châvaḍas, while many different origins have been assigned to them, are by no means unanimous on this point. Though as celebrated a race as any in India, and though their alliance is still eagerly sought by the proudest houses, while the Châvada kings of Anhallawâdâ fill a prominent place in history, yet the important question of their origin is still involved in obscurity. Colonel Tod seems to think that the Châvaḍas were a foreign race who landed in Saurashtrâ, and thence spread northwards
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not believe in the Mahâyâna,-he said that the doctrine of Buddha was not in it. Asañga, apprehending that his brother would write a refutation of the Mahâyâna, called Vasubandhu to Purushapura, where he himself dwelt, and converted him to the Mahâyâna. Vasub and hu repented of his former criticisms of the Mahâyâna and wished to cut out his tongue, but his brother sought to persuade him that it would be better to write an explanation of the Mahâyâna, which he indeed composed after the death of Asañga. It is to him that the commentaries on the Avantansaka, the Nirvana, the Saddharmapundarika, the Prajnápáramitá, the Vimalakirti, and other Sútras belong; besides these he composed Vei-shi-lune, in which is contained the whole conception of the whole Mahâyâna, and also Gane-lu-mine and the other Sastras of the Mahâyâna. All that was composed by this master is distinguished for excellence of style and ideas: it is for that reason that, not only in India, but also in other countries, beyond the frontiers, the partizans both of the Hinayana and the Mahâyâna have adopted his works as authoritative. Heretics grow pale with fear when they hear his name. He died at Ayodhya, at the age of 80 years.
until Vanarâ ja founded the kingdom of Pattan. Mr. Kinloch Forbes in his interesting volumes speaks of "the still mysterious race of Kanaksen," but does not allude to this point. I am myself inclined to think that the Châvadas may be a branch of the wide-spread race of Parmar, who everywhere seem to underlie modern races, so much so indeed as to have given rise in former times to the well-known saying, "The world is the Parmâr's." Throughout Gujarât it is difficult to mention any famous town or chiefdom which was not originally held by Parmârs. Thus Paṭṭan is said before the advent of the Châvadas to have been ruled
by Parmar s proper, and it is said that Ânhal, in truth, merely discovered a large hoard of the ancient Parmår sovereigns in the ruins of their capital, which was known by the name of Pattan. Paṭṭan is said to have been laid waste by a northern invader-possibly the same who
