Sambodhi 2005 Vol 28

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah, K M Patel
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 33

Vol. XXVIII, 2005
KĀYASTHA - ITS EVOLUTION, A CRITICAL REVIEW
they started giving an air of hatred to the first three varnas that the sudras not prone to detestable a-vocations also became a source of abbhorence. The owners and workers of the Shambles certainly could evoke such a sentiment even though they provided meat diet to the populace.
The Kāyasthas bracketed with Cātas, taskaras, durvrttas, mahāsāhasikas, torturing the people have been made a special target by Yājñavalkya as the antisocial elements. Mităksarā construes them as Lekhakāh ganakāh. Sir Monier Williams and V. S. Apte are of one mind in construing 'Kāyasthas' or Kāyathas as Writers' Class as the descendants of Ksatriya fathers and Sūdra mothers. It means they coincide with the 'Ugras' of Kautilya16, Manu" and Yājñavalkya18. Mahābhārata (XII, 296.88) also refers to "Ugra” and “Nişāda” along with Karana but in the same Parva (135) it relates the tale of Kāyavya'' who was the progeny of a Ksatriya father and a Nişāda mother, an exponant of the Kşātra dharma ((Nişādyām Kșatriyājjātaḥ Kșatradharmānupālakaḥ. Kāyavyo nāma naisādiḥ dosyutvāt Siddhimāptavān) 20. He has been styled as "Pāriyātracarah” (one used to strolling about on the Pariyatra mountain), “Vidhijño mrgajātīnām naisādānām ca Kovidah)" one conversant with the instincts of the fauna and skilled in the way of life of the off-springs or descendants of the Nişādas or Nişāda people21. A warrior of great grit he fought alone against many, protected the Recluses as well as the Brāhmaṇas. He served his blind father and deaf mother in his Sylvan resort; he served the guests and the needy with diet both vegetarian and non vegetarian even though leading the gang of robbers he did not harass the Brāhmanas as well as the women22
Nişāda bearing a Synonym in Pāraśava according to Kautilya (III. - 7.21) Manu (X. 8) and Yājñavalkya (1. 4.91) was the off-spring of a Brāhmana father and Sūdra mother. (Brāhamaṇasya Sūdrāyām Nişādah Pāraśavovā-Kautilya). Being the off-spring of a Nisādi (Nişāda female) and a (Ksatriya male) Kāyavya held to esteem the Brāhmaṇas simply because his mother was the off-spring of a Brāhmaṇa father and a Sūdra mother. Brāhmaṇa father giving birth to a nisāda female through a śūdra wife becomes the maternal grand father of a male child. The Theory of Dr. D. R. Bhandarkar based on Manusmrti X. 64 and Yājñavalkyasmrti 1.4.96 along with commentary Mitaksarā of Vijñaneśvara should characterise Kāyavya as a Brāhmana the Progeny of the Sixth female off-spring marrying a Brāhmana23. But Kāyavyahas been illustrated by Vyāsa as an off-spring of a Kşatriya father and a Sūdra (Nişāda) mother. This illustration of Mahābhārata if construed rigidly falsifies the dictum of Manu and Yājñavalkya.