Indian Antiquary Vol 48

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 81

JUNE, 1919)
DEKKAN OF THE SATAVÂHANA PERIOD
DEKKAN OF THE SÂTAVAHANA PERIOD. BY PROF. DR. BHANDARKAR, M.A.; CALCUTTA.
( Continued from Vol. XLVII, p. 156.)
Religious, Social and Economic History. IN the preceding chapter I have given the political history of the Dekkan during the
Sâta vahana period. The inscriptions, which throw light on this history, throw light also on the religious, social, and economic, condition of Maharashtra. Let us first see what they tell us about the religious condition. Of course, Buddhism was in an exceedingly flourishing state. Almost all the early caves so far found in the Dekkan are dedicated to Buddhism, and, what is strange, were excavated during the Satavahana period. They were of two kinds, one called Chaitya-gļihas or temples, and the other Layanas or residential quarters for Bikshus or Buddhist mendicante. The first are with vaulted roofs and horse-shoe shaped windows over the entrance, and have interiors consisting of a nave and side aisles with a small slúpa at the inner circular end.. They are thus remarkably similar to Christian basilicas, and were most probably their prototypes. The second class consists of a hall surrounded by a number of cells, each cell containing as a rule a stone bench for the monk to sleep upon. Each Layana cave had one or two rock-cut cisterns attached to it. Different parts of all these caves, whether Chaitya-gļihas or Layanas, were caused to be excavated, i.e. the expense of cutting them in solid rock was borne, by all sorts and conditions of men, showing what hold Buddhism had over the popular mind. They not only incurred the cost of excavating these caves or any parts thereof but made ample provisions for their repairs and for the maintenance of the Bhikshus who resided there. For repairs villages were generally granted. For feeding the Bhikshus pieces of land and sometimes villages also were given. It was also a custom in the Dekkan at any rate to supply them with new robes (chivara) and a coin to boot. Provision for these items was generally made by investing large sums of money in a neighbouring guild, the annual interest on which was used for that purpose. The Bhikshus occupied the caves during the rainy season only, the remainder of the year being spent by them on religious tours just as Jaina sådhus do to the present day. It appears that certain caves were reserved for certain sects of the Buddhist monks. Thus Cave No. 3 at Nasik, as we have seen, was assigned to the Bhadrâyaniyas by Gautamiputra Satakarvi's mother. The cave at Kârle belonged to the Mahasanghikas, and at least one cave at Junnar to the Dharmottariya sect. The caves at Kârle and Junnar are situated in the passes leading from the Konkan to the Ghats. It appears that the Buddhist mendicants were travelling freely from the Konkan to the Ghâts and from the Châts to the Konkan. Nay, they seem to have travelled by sed also. This explains why we have caves at Chiplun, Mahid and Kudâ situated on the crdeks.
Brahmanism also was in an equally flourishing condition. We have seen that Satakarni I. and his queen performed a number of sacrifioes the description of which has been partly preserved in the mutilated inscription at Nânâghår.1 They seem to have
celebrated no less than twenty sacrifices. Ašvamedha was twice performed: so also -Gavâmayana. Some of the other sacrifices were Agnyâdheya, Râjasûya. Áptoryâma and so forth. The dakshind or sacrificial fee consisted of villages, kârshậpapas, ordinary and milch cows, elephants and horses, horse-chariots, silver pots, silver ornaments, dresses
ASWI., V, 60-1.