Fwd: Yaudheyas

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IndiaArchaeology , " Kishore patnaik "

<kishorepatnaik09 wrote:

 

Dear all,

 

I am writing here on Yaudheyas, mostly dependent on wikipedia. I

invite comments and other information.

 

Yaudheya

 

Yaudheya or Yaudheya Gana was an ancient tribal confederation who

lived in the area between the Indus river and the Ganges river. They

find mention in Panini's Ashtadhyayi and Ganapatha. There are other

references to them namely in Mahabharata, Mahamayuri, Brihatsamhita,

Puranas, Chandravyakarana and Kashika.

 

They are identified with the modern Joiyas or Johiyas etc.

 

Puranas (e.g. Brahmanda, Vayu, Brahma and Harivamsha) described

Yaudheyas as the descendants of Ushinara and Nrigu

 

From Mbh, we can derive that they were the descendants of Sibi and

were primarily, vassals of Sindhu kingdom. They can be placed in

western Rajasthan. They have related to Yudhistir by marriage and

paid tribute to him at the time of his Rajasuya Sacrifice but

finally were allied with Kauravas along with the other tribal

confederations such as Malavas. This is possible since they owed

basic allegiance to Saindhava, who was a natural ally of Kauravas.

 

The name of the bride they have given away is variously described in

different texts as Devika (mother of Devaka), Yaudheyi(daughter of

Yaudheyas) and Pouravati (A bride hailing from a republic

confederation).

 

That the Mbh refers to the historically known Yaudheyas is clear from

the above name. One more aspect that supports this point is that MBh

always refers to them along with Malavas, another noted confederation

in the region.

 

We also find mention of Yaudheyas in Ashtadhyayi (V.3.116-17 and

IV.1.178) of Panini (c.500 BCE) where Yaudheyas are mentioned amongst

Ayudhajivin Sanghas. (Tribe living on weapons)

 

Later, the Junagadh rock inscription (c. 150 CE) of Rudradaman I[7]

acknowledged the military might of the Yaudheyas " who would not

submit because they were proud of their title " heroes among the

Kshatriyas " " , although the inscription explains that they were

ultimately vanquished by Rudradaman.[8][9]

 

" Rudradaman (...) who by force destroyed the Yaudheyas who were loath

to submit, rendered proud as they were by having manifested their'

title of' heroes among all Kshatriyas. "

 

—Junagadh rock inscription [10]

 

The Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta[11] also mentioned

about the Yaudheyas. Varahamihira in his Brihatsamhita (XIV.28 and

XVI.22) placed them in the northern division of India.

 

The modern Indian scholars think that the confederate nature of

Yaudheyas, along with other eight such confederations (such as

Malavas) in Rajasthan was destroyed by Samudra Gupta.

 

There isn't much known about ancient tribes which are mentioned in

ancient literature and inscriptions but the existence of a powerful

clan known as Yaudheyas has come to light mainly from their coins and

coin-moulds found in large number in this area. A large number of

their coins depicted the god Brahmanyadeva or Karttikey.

 

It is interesting that they depict Karikeya for three reasons:

 

1. There are people who believe that the concept of Kartikeya or

Kumara is owed to Alexander. The coin finds negate this belief

 

2.Kartikeyan is, now, mostly a South Indian God, more specifically of

Tamilians. A detailed history of the spread of Kumara culture into

South India is to be traced.

 

3.There is a story by Rahu Samkrityayen describing an angry Yaudheya

criticizing Kalidasa for depicting Kumara gupta as Kumara in Kumara

sambhava. As per the author, his anger is well placed since he

attributes the destruction of Yaudheyas to samudra gupta.

 

 

As an aside, it may be noted that the diffused Yaudheyas described

themselves as Brahmins, rather than as Ksatriyas.

 

 

kishore patnaik

 

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