|
Abhira Dynasty
The Abhira dynasty was a dynasty that ruled over the western Deccan, where it perhaps succeeded the Satavahana dynasty. From 203 to roughly 270 or 370, this dynasty formed a vast kingdom. The Abhiras had an extensive empire comprising modern-day Maharashtra, Konkan, Gujarat and parts of southern Madhya Pradesh. Some scholars regard the Abhiras as a great almost an imperial power in the third century A.D. Origin Though often referenced in ancient Indian literature, the origin of the Abhiras is obscure. According to the Mahabharata, the Abhiras lived near the seashore and on the bank of the Sarashvati, a river near Somnath in Gujarat. The '' Mahābhashya'' of Patañjali simply mentions them as a tribe distinct from the Shudras. The Puranic texts associate the Abhiras with Saurashtra and Avanti. According to Balkrishna Gokhale, the Abhiras have been well-known since epic times as a martial tribe. The Bhagavata calls the Abhiras, "Saurashtra" and "Avantya" rulers (Saurashtra- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Traikutaka Dynasty
The Traikutakas were a dynasty of Indian kings who ruled between 388 and 456. The name "Traikutakas" seems to be derived from the words for a three-peaked mountain ("Tri-kuta"). The Traikutakas are mentioned in Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa, in which they are located in the area of northern Konkan, Kokan. The dominions of the Traikutakas further included Aparanta and northern Maharashtra. The coins of the Traikutaras are found extensively in southern Gujarat, and southern Maharashtra beyond the Ghats. Their design is very close to that of the Western Satraps, from which they probably inherited some territories, and traces of the obverse legend with Greek alphabet, Greek letters can still be seen. History Some scholars theorize that the Traikutakas were a branch of the Abhira dynasty, Abhiras, and refer to them as the "Abhira-Traikutakas". These scholars assume that the Traikutaka records were dated in the so-called Kalachuris of Mahishmati, Chedi-Kalachuri era, starting in 249 CE. Howev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Konkan
The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the east. The hinterland east of the coast has numerous river valleys, riverine islands and the hilly slopes known as the Western Ghats; that lead up into the tablelands of the Deccan. The Konkan region has been recognised by name, since at least the time of Strabo, in the third century CE. It had a thriving mercantile port with Arab tradesmen from the 10th century onwards. The best-known islands of Konkan are Ilhas de Goa, the site of the Goa state's capital at Panjim; also, the Seven Islands of Bombay, on which lies Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra & the headquarters of Konkan Division. Definition Historically, the limits of Konkan have been flexible, and it has been known by additional names like " Aparanta" and "Gomanchal", the lat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simuka
Simuka (Brahmi:𑀲𑀺𑀫𑀼𑀓, ''Si-mu-ka'') was an ancient Indian king belonging to the Satavahana dynasty, which ruled the Deccan region. He is mentioned as the first king in a list of royals in a Satavahana inscription at Nanaghat. In the Puranas, the name of the first (Satavahana) king is variously spelt as Shivmukha, Sishuka, Sindhuka, Chhismaka, Shipraka, Srimukha, etc. These are believed to be corrupted spellings of "Simuka", resulting from copying and re-copying of manuscripts. Based on available evidence, Simuka cannot be dated with certainty. According to one theory, he lived in 3rd century BCE; but he is generally thought to have lived in the 1st century BCE. Epigraphical evidence strongly suggests a 1st-century BCE date for Simuka: Simuka seems to be mentioned as the father the acting king Satakarni in the Naneghat inscription dated to 70-60 BCE, itself considered on palaeographical grounds to be posterior to the Nasik Caves inscription of Kanha (probably Si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avanti (region)
Avanti was an ancient Indian Mahajanapada (''Great Janapada''), roughly corresponding to the present-day Malwa region. According to the Buddhist texts, the ''Anguttara Nikaya'', Avanti was one of the ''solasa mahajanapadas'' (sixteen great realms) of the 6th century BCE. The ''janapada'' was divided into two parts by the Vindhyas, the northern part had its capital at Ujjayini and the southern part had its centre at Mahishmati. The Avantis, the ancient people belonging to this realm, were described as ''mahavala'' (very powerful) in the Udyoga Parva (19.24) of the Mahabharata.Law, B.C. (1973). ''Tribes in Ancient India'', Bhandarkar Oriental Series No.4, Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, pp.337-43 According to the Vishnu Purana (II.3), the Bhagavata Purana (XII.I.36) and the Brahma Purana (XIX.17), the Avantis were associated with the Malava, the Saurashtras, the Abhiras/Yadavas, the Suras, the Karushas and the Arbudas and were described as dwelling along t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saurashtra (region)
Kathiawar (), also known as Saurashtra, is a peninsula in the south-western Gujarat state in India, bordering the Arabian Sea and covering about . It is bounded by the Kutch district in the north, the Gulf of Kutch in the northwest, and by the Gulf of Khambhat in the east. In the northeast, it is connected to the rest of the state and borders on the low, fertile hinterland of Ahmedabad. It is crossed by two belts of hill country and is drained radially by nine rivers which have little natural flow aside from in monsoon months, thus dams have been built on some of these. Kathiawar ports have been flourishing centres of trade and commerce since at least the 16th century. It was formerly a state of India. Etymology and history The name Kathiawad seems to have been derived from the early settlements of Kathikas or Kathis who entered Gujarat from Sindh in early centuries of the Common Era. The name "Saurashtra" itself is from Sanskrit (, ), the vṛddhi form of (, ), deri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Puranic
Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on "Puranas", , page 915) are a vast genre of Indian literature that include a wide range of topics, especially legends and other traditional lore. The Puranas are known for the intricate layers of symbolism depicted within their stories. Composed originally in Sanskrit and in Languages of India, other Indian languages,John Cort (1993), "An Overview of the Jaina Puranas" in ''Purana Perennis: Reciprocity and Transformation in Hindu and Jaina Texts,'' (Editor: Wendy Doniger), State University of New York Press, , pages 185-204 several of these texts are named after major Hindu deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, and Mahadevi, Devi. The Puranic genre of literat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shudra
Shudra or ''Shoodra'' (Sanskrit: ') is one of the four varnas of the Hindu class and social system in ancient India. Some sources translate it into English as a caste, or as a social class. Theoretically, Shudras constituted a class like workers. According to Richard Gombrich's study of Buddhist texts, particularly relating to castes in Sri Lankan Buddhist and Tamil Hindu society, The word ''Shudra'' appears in the ''Rigveda'' and it is found in other Hindu texts such as the ''Manusmriti'', ''Arthashastra'', dharmaśāstras and jyotiḥśāstras. In some cases, Shudras participated in the coronation of kings, or were amatya "ministers" and rajas "kings" according to early Indian texts. History Vedas The term ''śūdra'' appears only once in the ''Rigveda''. This mention is found in the mythical story of creation embodied in the '' Puruṣasuktam''. It describes the formation of the four varnas from the body of a primeval man. It states that the brahmin emerged from hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patañjali
Patanjali (, , ; also called Gonardiya or Gonikaputra) was the name of one or more author(s), mystic(s) and philosopher(s) in ancient India. His name is recorded as an author and compiler of a number of Sanskrit works. The greatest of these are the ''Yoga Sutras'', a classical yoga text. Estimates based on analysis of this work suggests that its author(s) may have lived between the 2nd century BCE and the 5th century CE. An author of the same name is credited with the authorship of the classic text on Sanskrit grammar named ''Mahābhāṣya'', that is firmly datable to the 2nd century BCE, and authorship of medical texts possibly dating from 8th-10th centuries CE. The two works, ''Mahābhāṣya'' and ''Yoga Sutras'', are completely different in subject matter, and Indologist Louis Renou has shown that there are significant differences in language, grammar and vocabulary. Before the time of Bhoja (11th century), no known text conflates the identity of the two authors. There ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahabhashya
''Mahabhashya'' (, IAST: '','' , "Great Commentary"), attributed to Patañjali, is a commentary on selected rules of Sanskrit grammar from Pāṇini's treatise, the ''Aṣṭādhyāyī'', as well as Kātyāyana's ''Vārttika-sūtra'', an elaboration of Pāṇini's grammar. It is dated to the 2nd century BCE. Overview Patañjali is one of the three most famous Sanskrit grammarians of ancient India, other two being Pāṇini and Kātyāyana who preceded Patañjali (dated to c. 250 BCE). Kātyāyana's work (nearly 1500 verses on ) is available only through references in Patañjali's work. It was with Patañjali that the Indian tradition of language scholarship reached its definite form. The system thus established is extremely detailed as to ''shiksha'' (phonology, including accent) and '' vyakarana'' (grammar and morphology). Syntax is scarcely touched, but ''nirukta'' (etymology) is discussed, and these etymologies naturally lead to semantic explanations. People interpret h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prabhas Patan
Prabhas Patan, historically named Dev Patan, is a locality in Veraval, Gujarat. As the site of the Somnath temple and its associated Jyotirlinga (an aniconic representation of the god Shiva), it is an important place of Hindu pilgrimage. Places of interest Junagadh Gate serves as the principal entrance to Somnath, facilitating passage into the revered temple town of Veraval. Esteemed for its historical importance, this triple gate stands as an ancient architectural marvel erected centuries ago. Adorned with intricate carvings along its walls, the gate symbolizes a rich cultural heritage. Notably, Junagadh Gate bears witness to significant events of the past, including the incursion led by Mahmud of Ghazni. During this infamous invasion, Mahmud breached the gate's defences, gaining access to the sacred city of Somnath. Subsequently, he orchestrated the desecration of its temples and the plundering of its considerable wealth, leaving an indelible mark on the region's history ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sarasvati River
The Sarasvati River () is a Apotheosis, deified myth, mythological Rigvedic rivers, river first mentioned in the Rigveda and later in Vedas, Vedic and post-Vedic texts. It played an important role in the Historical Vedic religion, Vedic religion, appearing in all but the fourth book of the Rigveda. As a physical river, in the oldest texts of the Rigveda it is described as a "great and holy river in north-western Indian subcontinent, India," but in the middle and late Rigvedic books it is described as a small river ending in "a terminal lake (samudra)." As the goddess Saraswati, Sarasvati, the other referent for the term "Sarasvati" which developed into an independent identity in post-Vedic times, the river is also described as a powerful river and mighty flood. The Sarasvati is also considered by Hindus to exist in a Metaphysics, metaphysical form, in which it formed a confluence with the sacred rivers Ganges, Ganga and Yamuna, at the Triveni Sangam. According to Michael Witzel, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abhira Tribe
The Abhira people (Devanagari: आभीर) were a legendary people mentioned in Outline of ancient India, ancient Indian Indian epic poetry, epics and Religious text, scriptures. A historical people of the same name are mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. The Mahabharata describes them as living near the seashore and on the bank of the Sarasvati River, near Prabhas Patan, Somnath in Gujarat and in the Matsya Kingdom, Matsya region also. History Sunil Kumar Bhattacharya says that the Abhiras are mentioned in the first-century work of classical antiquity, the ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea''. He considers them to be a race rather than a tribe. Scholars such as Ramaprasad Chanda believe that they were Indo-Aryan peoples. But others, such as Romila Thapar, believe them to have been indigenous. The Puranas, Puranic Abhiras occupied the territories of Herat; they are invariably juxtaposed with the Kalatoyakas and Haritas, the peoples of Afghanistan. In the Padma-p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
