Indian Antiquary Vol 61

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 51

MARCH, 1932 ]
THE NAGAR BRAHMANS AND THE BENGAL KAYASTHAS
41
INDIAN STUDIES
No. 3. THE NÅGAR BRÅHMANS AND THE BENGAL KAYASTHAS.
BY PROF. DR. BHANDARKAR, PH.D., F.A.S.B. TWENTY years ago I published an article in this Journal, Vol. XL p. 32 ff., showing that there was a racial identity or rather affinity between the Kayasthas of Bengal and the Någar Brâhmans of Bombay Gujarât. There were no less than thirteen Sarmans or 'nameendings' which were in vogue among the Någar Bråhmans nearly 700 years ago. They are also called Åmushyâyaņas, which means clan names. Some of these Sarmans or Amushyâyanas were Datta, Ghosha, Varman, Nâga, Mitra and so forth. These are now to be found as surnames amongst the Kayasthas of Bengal. But that they were in use amongst the Någar Brahmans 700 years ago and even much earlier was shown by me by reference to some of the Valabhi inscriptions which go back to the sixth century A.D. It was pointed out that such Amushyâyaņas as Mitra, Tråta and Datta were found attached to the personal names of many Brâhman grantees of these epigraphs who hailed from Anandapura (Vadnagar) and who consequently could be no other than the Någar Brâhmans. The conclusion was thus irresistible that there was some sort of racial affinity, if not identity, between the Någar Brahmans of Gujarat and Kashiâwâr and the Kayasthas of Bengal.
The chain of evidence was not, however, regarded as complete at that time, as it was not prov. ed, in the first place, that the surnames now used by the Bengali Kayasthas were in vogue in Bengal as early as the Valabhi inscriptions and, secondly, that they were prevalent also amongst the Bråhmang of ancient Bengal and Orissa, as they doubtless were among the Nagar Brâhmans of ancient Gujarât. No epigraphic evidence of irrefragable character was available when my article was published. Epigraphy has, however, made considerable progress during the last twenty years, and we are now in a position to say something definite on each point. As regards the first question, a careful study of the inscriptions clearly shows that the Kayastha surnames were in existence long long before the Muhammadan invasion of Bengal. Thus in the copperplate grants of the Sena kings Vijayasena, Ballalasena and Lakshmaṇasena, we trace such names as Saladda-Någa, Hari-Ghosha, and Narayana-Datta' among those of the Officers specified at the end. But it is no wonder if these Kayastha surnames are found in these and other Bengal records of the eleventh and twelfth century A.D., because this period is contiguous with the Muhammadan invasion, with which begins the medieval and modern history of India. What we are principally concerned with here is to ascertain to what earliest age the Bengali KĀyastha surnames can be traced. And in this connection it is not at all necessary to take note of every inscription which contains such a name or names. Let us pass over at least five or six centuries and see whether we can detect any Kayastha surnames earlier. One such group of inscriptions was found more than twenty years ago in the Faridpur district of Bengal. They were four copper-plate grants pertaining to the sixth century A.D. Two of these were issued by Dharmaditya, one by Gopachandra and one by Samacharadeva. The first three were edited by F. E. Pargiter and the last by Mr. Nalinikanta Bhattasali. All these records specify the names of officials belonging to manifold ranks, from the provincial governor right down to petty village officials. And here it is not at all difficult to perceive that their names end in what are known at present as Kayastha surnames. Thus among the provincial gover. nors we have to notice Sthåņu-Datta, Naga-Deva and Jiva-Datta. Some of the minor officials named are Naya-Sena, Kula-Chandra, Satya-Chandra, Guna-Chandra, Soma-Ghosha and so forth. It will be seen that the name endings here, such as Datta, Deva, Chandra and
1 They are called both Sarmans and Amushyâyanas in the Ndgara-pushpanjali, Part III. p. 65 ff. and p. 78 it. Någarot patti by Gang bankar Pancholi, however, speaks of them as Amushy Ayanas only (pp. 24 and 30). The term dmushydyana is explained as eponymous clans in the Ndgarakhanda of the Skandapurana, Chap. 107, v. 73 ff.
? Insor. of Bengal (Varendra Res. Soc.), Vol. III. pp. 64, 75, 88, 97 and 103. 3 Ind. Ant., 1910, pp. 195-6, pp. 200.), and pp. 204-5; Ep. Ind., Vol. XVIII pp. 70-7.