Naga
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Naga (नागा) Nag (नाग) is gotra of Jats found in Nagaur, Tonk and Sikar districts of Rajasthan; Kargone, Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh. Dilip Singh Ahlawat has mention it as one of the ruling Jat clans in Central Asia. [1] It was a group of various vanshas who had symbol of serpent on their flags. They were called Nagavanshi. [2]
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History of Nagas
Nagas were a group of Mongoloid people spread throughout India during the period of the epic Mahabharata. The demi-god tribe called Suparnas (in which Garuda belonged) were arch-rivals of the Nagas. However, the Nagas near Kashmir seems to be the original abode of all of them. Places like Anantnag attests this theory.
- Naga Ananta was the first among all the Naga kings.
- The second Naga chief Vasuki had the kingdom near Kailasa (hence the connection of Vasuki with lord Siva).
- The third chief Takshaka, in Takshasila both not far from Anantnag.
- The kingdoms of other Nagas like Karkotaka and Airavata (near river Iravati (Ravi, one among the five rivers of Punjab) were also not far away.
Nagas had kingdoms in Nagaland and Andhra Pradesh. Arjuna's wife Ulupi was from one of such Naga kingdom (in Gangetic Plain) Arjuna's another wife Chitrangada who also was known to Ulupi was from Manipuri (location uncertain). She was probably from a Dravidian tribe. There are now many Naga worshiping places in South India, especially in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
Naga race was almost exterminated by Janamejaya, the Kuru king in Arjuna's line, who conducted the massacre of Nagas at Takshasila. This massacre was stopped by Astika, a Brahmin whose mother was a Naga (Vasuki's sister Jaratkaru).
According to a story in Matsya Puran, quoted in chapter X of a book India of the Dark Ages the Nagas ruled for 100 years as renegades (this because they were Buddhist). Later, it is said they purified themselves with water of the Ganga, performed ten Asvamedha Yagyas and were thus accepted, into the folds of Vaishnavism.
The Naga Rulers of the North and Central India
- This content is from Chapter-12 of Dr Naval Viyogi's Book - "The Ancient Rulers of India, Their Origins and History (The History of the Indigenous people of India Vol. 2)", Published by Originals (an imprint of Low Price Publications), Delhi, 2002, ISBN 81-7536-287-1, p.330-336
Page 330
Nagas of Vidisa
The Nagas were serpent worshipping non-Aryaan civilized race of ancient India. Many localities and cities were named after them e.g. Nagpur, Nagardhan (Nagar-Vardhan), Nagar, Karkotnagar Nagarkhonda, Nagarkot, Nagarkoil etc. They flourished in North, East, Central and South India in ancient time. The evidences from the Puranas and other sources show that the Naga kings ruled at Takshila, Tankshar, Singhpur, Tonk, Mathura,Karkotanagar, Mathura, Indaurpura, Padmavati, Kantipuri, Vidisa, Purika, Nagpura, Nandi-Vardhan, Eran, Paithan, etc. In Mahabharata period these Nagas were ruling in North West with their capital at Takshila and at Patalpuri around present Karachi and Hyderabad. From tl1ere they drifted to south and east i.e. from the Panjab to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in a time which cannot be ascertained now. The Puranas l divide the Naga dynasty of Vidisa into two parts: To the first part belonged those kings who flourished before the end of the Sungas with their capital at Vidisa. (31 B.C.). The Kings before this period in the Naga dynasty were Sesha, Bhogin, Ramchandra, Nakhvan, Dhanavarman or Dharma Varnan and Vangara.
At this period the Andhra Kings '2' had taken Susarman (The, last Kanva King) a prisoner and destroyed whatever had been left of the Sunga power at at time (at Vidisa). This statement of Puranas refer to the Andhra or Satavahana period, when they became emperors of Aryavarta in addition to their being the emperors of Dakshinapath at about 31 B.C. 3 It means, perhaps due to pressure from Satavahanas they shifted their capital to Padmavati.
Before proceeding further let us see how the Vayu Purana has called these Vidisa Nagas, Vrisha or Siva's bull i.e. Nandi, with which, the names of the kings coming after the close of the Sunga dynasty, end. It seems that the title Bharsiva which was taken up later is connected conceptually with the Vrisha of the Vayu and the Nandi. 4 It means these Nagas were ethnically5 related to Bharsivas or Nav Nagas (Taka a family
Foot notes:-
1.Mahajan V.D., "Ancient India" P-377.
2.Jayaswal KP. "History of India" P-9.
3.JBORS I P-1l6.
4.Jayaswal KP. P-lO.
5.Jayaswal K.P. P-18.
Page 331
of Panjab see Chapter VI P-144 of later priod. We know Indus Valley people were also worshipers of God Siva. 6
The second part of these Nagas belonged to those kings who flourished after the end of the Sungas. The names of these post Sunga Nagas were Bhuta Nandi or Bhutinandi, Sisunandi and Yasonandi. It appears that from the time of Bhutanandi, when the dynasty was reestablished, they made Padmavati their capital. There is a positive confirmation of the existence of these post Sunga Nagas in the first century A.D. At Padmpawaya, which is the site of Padmavati, a statue of Yaksha Manibhadra was dedicated by some members of a public body in the fourth year of the reign of "King Svami Sivanandi"7. Similarly a famous Sivalingam called Swarn-Vindu was also established there. The plat form of the Swarn-Vindu Siva has been discovered by Mr. Garde at Pavaya. 8 An image of Nandi, with human body and Bull's head has been found there .
Let us take series of coins which according to Jayaswaal9 belongs to
this early Naga dynasty. Some of the Coins are generally assigned to Mathura. In the British Museum there are coins of Seshadata, Ramdata and Sisuchandra-data. The script of the Seshadata's coin is the oldest and belongs to the first century B.C. In the same series, there are coins of Ramadata. These coins, according to the opinion of Jayaswal, are identical with Sesha-Naga, Ram-chandra and Sisu Nandi of this dynasty.
As the Puranas generally omit the names when a dynast comes under an over Lordship, Shiva nandi was probably the king superseded by Kanishka. It is stated in the Puranas that Padmavati passe under a ruler named Vinvasphani, who is to be identified with the viceroy of Kanishka, Mahakshatrapa Vanaspara.11 It proves that during the period 80-175 AD comes the Kushana rule with the withdrawal of the Naga Kings to Purika and Nagpur-Nandi-Vardhana in the central provinces. 12
After a lot of discussion K.P. Jayaswal gave the following pedigree and chronology of the Nagas of Vidisa :
(1) Sesha Naga 110-90 BC
(2) Bhogin 90-80 BC
(3) Ramachandra 80-50 BC
(4) Dharma Varman 50-40 BC
(5) Vangara 40-31 BC
- Kings (S.No. 1-5) ruled at Vidisa before the end of the Sungas
At this time Satavahanas destroyed Sunga Kanvas.
(6) Bhuta Nandi 20-10 BC
(7) Sisu Nandi 10 BC-25 AD
(8) Yash Nandi 25-~0 AD
- Kings (S.No. 6-8) ruled at Padmavati after the end of Sungas
Foot notes -
6.Rao S.R., "Lothal and the Indus civilization" P-190.
7.ASR 1915-16 P-106 Plate LXI.
8.ASR 1915-16 PP-lOO FF.
9.Jayaswal KP. P-12.
10.ASR Vol XII P-43.
11.Jayaswal KP. poll.
12.Jayaswal K.P. P-14.
Page 332
(9) Purusha data
(10) Uttam data
(11) Kama data
(12) Bhava data
(13) Siva Nandi or Sivadata 78 AD. superseded by Kushanas
- These five kings (S.No. 9-13) are known from the inscriptions & coins and their order of succession is also uncertain.
Jayaswal has pointed out that last five kings are known only from inscriptions and coins. Their order of succession is also uncertain. All the 13 Naga Kings covered a period of about 200 years from 110 BC to 78 AD. 13
The Nava Naga or Bharsiva
The Nagas had, under the evident pressure of the Kushanas left Padmavati. We have the definite statement in the Puranas that Vinvasphani ruled at Padmavati and ruled upto Magadha. 14 Therefore, we may take it that about 80-100 AD the Naga dynasty takes shelter, away from the trunk road between Mathura and Vidisa, into the inner jungles of the central provinces. 15
The Bharsivas, re-issuing from the jungles of Hoshangabad and Jabalpur seem to have reached the Ganges through Baghelkhand. They established their capital at Kanti or Kantipuri. 16 Now it is a large mud fort about a mile long on the Ganges. The fort was destroyed in the muslim period and the king's seat was removed into the neigbouring hills at Vijaypur and an Manda, where the family, now in two branches: resides. The local tradition at Kanti is that long before 'the Gahadwala' the fort belonged originally to the Bhar Kings. The 'Bhar' kings here are evidently a corruption of the 'Bharsiva' kings 17 or Bharshiva.
The origin of the word 'Bharhut' or 'Bharhut' would have been from 'Bhar-Bhukti', which means 'country of Bhars'. 18 Till today-the people of Bhar tribes reside in this region, who seem to be the remnants Of 'Bhar Naga tribe' to which ruling family belonged. Jayaswal does not agree to this view, but I am Its strong supporter: in view of new archaeological findings and their scientific interpretation, as glven in previous chapters. However some evidences are produced below: It is to be noted, that in ancient period, the indigenous Naga people in particular used to organize themselves into guilds. (See chapter VI PP 124-25) As the system in origin l9, was a tribal evolution, hence guild's people and their elders or chiefs (Khalifah, or Sresthis) infact were from a single blood. These Khalifah or Sresthis in later, Mauryan period were known as kings. These kings, some times later, became more powerful and hereditary too, who being non-Aryan Kshatriyas, were known as Raj-putra or Rajputs of medieval period. 20 Sometimes this period of evolution,from tribe to royal Rajput family, is very long and uncountable. One person,
Foot notes -
13. Jayaswal KP.-15.
14.V.P. (Wilson) II P-659.
15.Jayaswal KP. P-16.
16.Jayaswal KP. P-29.
17.Ibid.
18.Ibid.
19.(a) Jayaswal KP. "Hindu Polity" P-46 ..
(b) Bhandarkar D.R. "Lecture on the Ancient History of India" PP-169-70.
20.Katyayan comments on Panini IV -1-168.
JANAPAD SHABDĀT KSHATRIYĀTDN.।
KSHATRIYĀ DEKARĀJĀ TSANGHA PRA TISHE DHARTHAM." ।।
Nagas, the Ancient Rulers of India, their Origin and History 363
Page 333
belonging to the same blood or tribe became kig. others who were pushed to Jungles or hills still remained tribe. Some of the Bhars and the Rajbhars of this region (U.P.) still known as Rajputs 21 others are still Sudras by caste. Hence Jayaswal cannot say that Bhar tribes of this region cannot be blood relatives of royal families of Manda and and Vijayapur.
Another argument of Jayaswal goes in my favour. He says. "The Bhar Deul Siva's temple, as indicated by learned scholar is covered all over with the figures of naga (serpent) kings. As recorded by Kittoe in whose time it was called the temple of KarKota Nag" . ThiS evidently supports this view that the Bhar here stands for Bharsivas. 22 This is to be noted that Karkota Nag was worshipped by the Takas 23, who were progenitor of Bharsivas. These Takas or Takka or Takshak Nagas according to the Mahabharata account were non-Aryan Native Naga tribe and sworn enemies ot Aryan Pandavas {See chapter VI P-144 and X P-261 for detail .
Re-establishment of Nagas
The Bharsivas, in the later days of imperial Kushanas or about 150 A.D. reached Kantipur on the Ganges, they performed their Ashwamedha and coronations at or near Banaras where the place Nagwa, the present site of the Hindu University seems to be associated with their name. From Kantipur, they moved westwards under Virasena, who strikes coins extensively and whose coins are found from Ahichchhatra, regains Padmavati and Mathura.
It is stated in the Vayu and Brahmand Puranas that rule of Navanaga was not only confined to SamayuktaPrant alone but also to the east and the western Bihar also because their capital was in Mathura as well as in Champavati-Bhagalpur. 25 The Puranas, give to the Padmavati and the Mathura Nagas or in view of the Vishnu, to the Padmavati, Kantipuri-Mathura Nagas,-seven successions. This is fully borne out by the names gathered from the coins and inscriptions as tabulated below after Jayaswal :
Bharsivas Rise at Kantipuri (140 A.D.)
| Padmavati | Kantipuri | Mathura |
|---|---|---|
| (Taka Dynasty) | (Bharsiva Dynasty) | (Yadu dynasty) |
| 210-230 AD | 210-245 Haya Naga | name unknown |
| Bhima Naga | (years 30 on coin) |
Foot notes -
21. Sherring Rev M.A.; Hindu Tribes and Castes. PP 357-73.
22. Jayaswal KP., "History of India' P-30.
23. Jayaswal KP. P-39.
24. Jayaswal KP. P-31.
25. Jayaswal KP. P-32.
Page 334
| Padmavati | Kantipuri | Mathura |
|---|---|---|
| 230-250 AD | 245-250 | name unknown |
| Skanda Naga | Traya Naga | |
| 250-270 AD | 250-260 | name unknown |
| Brahaspati Naga | Barhina Naga (years 7 on coin) | |
| [Vakataka Suzerainty begins 284 AD] | ||
| 270-290 AD | 260-290 | .... |
| Vyaghra Naga | Charaja Naga (year 30 on coin) | |
| 290-310 AD | 290-315 AD | 315-340 AD |
| Deva Naga | Bhava Naga | Kiritsena |
| 310-344 Ad | (315-344 AD) | 340-344 AD |
| ganapati Naga | Rudrasena at Purika | Naga Sena |
According to Vakataka 26 inscriptions (Fleet G I. PP-237)
Gautamiputra, son of the Emperor Pravarsena an ather of Rudrasena I, did not succeed, but Rudrasena I, both as the grand-son of Pravarsena and as the gran son of the Bharsiva-Maharaja Bhavnag, succeeded. The Nava Naga ruled from three capitals Padmavati, Mathura and Kantipuri. But Rudrasena I ruled from Purika.
Sometimes before Samudragupta, (335-375 AD) the Naga kings were ruling over Eran. As,27 Padmavati, Kantlpuri and Mathura were three centres of their rule>, the Eran- Vidisa was fourth. Naga coins have been recovered in a very large number from this region. All these four kingdoms were inter-related with each other and perrhaps, they all unitedly encountered the attacks of Kushanas and Scythians and pushed them back from their motherland. These Naga kings were great warriors. According to Cunningham, from the lonly finding of a coin, from the remains of Eran, we get information from its writing, which is in Brahmi, that ancients name of the City was 'Erikiran' which was most porobable named after some famous Naga King of similarr name. 28 The coins of Ravli- Naga, Basu-Naga and Ganapati-Nagas have been recovered in a very large number from Vidisa and Eran.
Bharsivas of Padmavati; A confederacy of Naga Rulers of North
We have already thrown light in Chapter V and VI (PP - 132-33) that the basis of Naga polity was tribal republican confederacy or Gan Sangha system very similar to that of Sumerian. 29
Foot notes -
26. Jayaswal KP. P-17.
27. Jayaswal KP .. P-15.
28. Bajpai Atima, "Madhyapradesh Ke Nagbanshi Sikke" PP 115-17.
29. Hawkes Jacquetta, 'The First Great Civilization" PP 160-161.
Page 335
We know the West Asia was original home of Nagas from where this tradition was transferred to Indus Valley along with their migration in Neolithic-Chalcolithic Age and was prevalent among the native people in Vedic and later Vedic period.
During the life time of Buddha and later period there were many such confederacies of Naga people in North as well as in South India such as Malava-Kshudraka, Andhaka-Vrishani, Vaishali-Videha, Videha-Lichchhavi, Lichchavi-Malla, Vujji, Trigarttashashtha 30 (in north and west), Naga (chera) Mandal in south.
Jayaswael31 KP gives an account of political organization of Bharsivas as follows -
- "The system of the Naga government was a federation consisting of (1) tree mam monarchial Naga families, one of which, the Bharasiva, was the imperial leader (chief), with a number of gubernatorial families under him, (2) a number of republics. Two branches at Padmavati and Mathura were set up by the Bharsivas, with distinguishing dynastic titles of their own. The Padmavati dynasty had the official designation the Taka Bansha, which is given in the Bhavasataka a book dedicated to Ganapati-Naga. The Mathura family had the official title-the Yadu-Bansha which is mentioned in the drama Kaumudimahotsava writtten about the same time as the Bhavasataka. The two titles incidentally furnish ethnological data of the Nava Nagas .... Padmavati family was thus a sovereign family, and their subordination to the Bharsiva was evidently of an Imperial type. The Mathura family and the family to which Nagadatta (father of Maharaja Mesvara Naga of the Lahore seal) beelonged and who ruled somewhere in Ambala district probably at the old capital Shrughna, seem to have been under the direct control of the Bharsiva. There was a ruling family near Indrapura (Indorkhera) in the district of Bulandshahar. As regards Bharsivas they had their two centres, Kantipuri and Padmavati. The Mathura family never minted any coin but the Padmavati family did so from the beginning to the end. They were thus a sovereign family." It is obvious Bharsivas were racially -Yadavas and of Taka Bansha . Political confederacy system was their peculiarity.
An Invincible and Prosperous Confederacy
We have earlier (Chapter-VI PP 133-34) told that the Nagas were great warriors, that is why they pushed back Kushanas and Scythians from Northern India. The sworn enemy of these non-Aryan republicans, Kautilya 32 has expressed his view that these republicans were invincible. K. P. Jayaswal also puts forth his remarks on this issue 33 - "The other chief feature of their (republican) constitution was that they emphasized on their citizens the duty to acquire military skill. In other words they
Foot notes -
30. Jayaswal KP. "Hindu Polity" PP 38, 50-52, 54-55.
31. Jayaswal KP., "History of India" PP 33-34.
32. Jayaswal KP., "Hindu Polity" P-119.
33. Jayaswal KP., "Hindu Polity" PP-54-55.
Page 336
had a citizen army. Each state was a nation-in-arms. Conversely, the other class, where the 'king' consul constitution obtained, probably had, like monarchs a regular or hired army. The nation-in-arms class, however, did not become purely military, for their constitution also required their citizens to devote attention to industry and agriculture (VĀRTIĀSASTROPAJIVINAH, A.S. XI-I-160 P-376). Hence they were most wealthy as well as powerful" It shows while in peace, citizens were kept engaged in craft activities and trade which was their main occupation.
Padmavati; the Capital of Bharsivas
There is a small village named Karavati, situated on the Dabra (Distt-Gwalior) Shivpuri road. At a distance of 10 K.M. to the west of this village at the junction of rivers Sindh and Parvati (Sindhu and Para) the ancient grand City of Padmavati 34 was situated. Now-a-days this place is known as Pavaya or Padam Pavāya. It is very interesting to note that during the rainy season, a very large number of coins belonging to the Naga rulers appear at the surlace.35 These coins have made the historians enable to identify this ancient Naga city. The first mention of this city as Padmavati, is made in the Vishnupurana 36, where it is stated that the Nava-Nagas made, Padmavati, Kantipuri and Mathura their capitals and ruled for seven generations. 37
Bhavabhuti 38 has stated that 'Padmavati is situated near the junction of the rivers Sindhu, Para' Lavana and Madhumati. Later following the information given by M.B Lele 39 in his Marathi book titled 'Malatimadhava sar ani kiwar', the Department of Archaeology discovered this ancient site. According to a critical study of coins, Virsena was the founder of the kingdoms of Padmavati and Mathura.
Nava Nagas founded a large mint in Padmavati, from where coins were issued in a very large number, on the basis of which it is surmised that the Navanagas, in addition to their high virtues of being most expert and talented rulers, were also most prosperous. One of the well known peculiarities of Naga coins is that they are all dated. They have figures of palm trees and a human figure seated on a throne. 40The palm tree is a Naga symbol. Since Sanskrit word for mint is Tak-shala [[[Taka]] (Bharsiva) + Shala] this shows these Taka-Bharsiva had some hand in establishing new technique or workshop of casting of coins.
The demolished remains of strong fort on the junction of the rivers still give a reminiscent view. From the defence point of view, because it, was surrounded by in-exhaustable flow of river water from two sides and, on the other two sides by deep trenches, it was most safe and invincible. The trenches were 20 feet deep and were occupied by either furious lions or river water. The traces of these trenches are still visible.41
Foot notes -
34. ASR (1915-16) P-103.
35. ASR (1915-16) P-105.
36. V.P. (Wilson) II P-659.
37. Jayaswal KP. - "History of India" PP 20-21 and 35.
38. ASR (1915-16) P-102.
39. ASR (1915-16) P-103.
40. (a) Jayswal KP. PP 20-27. (b) Smith V.A., "Coins of Indian Museum" P-191.
41. ASR 1915-16 P-lOO Footnote.
Pages 337
Bhavabhuti 42, the famous Sanskrit poet of seventh century A. D. composed his valuable scripture, at Padmavati. Bhavabhuti got constructed a large Yajnashala (sacrificial lace) at the bank of river Paravati, its remains are still in good condition.
Virasena
In about 175 or 180 A.D., we find a Naga king named Virasena reestablirtiing Naga sovereignty at Mathura. According to Dr. Jayaswal,43 the rise of Virasena was a turning point not only in the Naga history but also in the history of Aryavarta. His coins have been found in Northern India, almost all over Uttar Pradesh and in the Punjab. They are most common around Mathura. He occupied Mathura and ruled all over the Aryavarta Doab. An inscription of Virasena was discovered by Sir Richhard Burn. There are a number of broken sculptures and carved pieces and the inscription is on the head and mouth of a sculptured animal.44 The inscription is dated in the 13th year of the reign of Svamin Virasena. Virasena 45 assumed full sovereignty from the first year of his reign. It appears that he ousted the Kushanas from Mathura and the whole of the Doab between the Ganga and the Yamuna. Virasena had a fairly long reign and according to Dr. Jayaswal he ruled from about 170 A.D. to 210 A.D. The same writer is of the opinion that 'The intimate connection between his coins and coins of the undoubted Bharasiva king, the Naga emblem on his coins as if to complete his name, the period of his rise and his establishing himself at Mathura mark Virasena out as one of the earliest Bharasiva Nagas of the inscriptions and the Nava Nagas of the Puranas.'
Bhava Naga
According to Jayaswal,46 there were four kings after Virasena. Haya Naga, Traya Naga, Brahina Naga, Charaja Naga. Bhava Naga ruled from about 290 to 315 A.D. Dr. Jayaswal made it clear that he had fixed the date of Bhava Naga on a consideration of the Vakataka and Gupta chronology. Bhava Naga was a contemporary of Pravarsena I who was an elder contemporary of Samudra Gupta. Bhava Naga is described as belonging to, the family of the Bharasivas 47 whose royal line owed its origin to the great satisfaction of Siva that was caused by their carrying a Sivalinga placed as a load upon their shoulder" and "who were besprinkled on the forehead with the pure water of the Bhagirathi that had been obtained by their valour. "
Foot notes -
42. ASR 1915-16 P-lOl.
43. Jayaswal KP. P-19.
44. Jayaswal KP.-21.
45. Jayaswal KP.-23.
46. Jayaswal KP. P-27.
47. Jayaswal KP. P-17.
Nāgas in Hindu religion
A festival of Nāga panchami is celebrated in Hindus to pay respect to Nāgas. The five Nāgas worshipped on Nāga panchami are Ananta, Vāsuki, Taxak, Karkotaka and Pingala. According to a Puranic myth Brahma’s son Kashyapa had four wives. Kashyapa’s first wife gave birth to Devas, second to Garudas, third to Nagas and fourth to Daityas. (Dainik Jagran, 25 July 2006). The third wife of Kashpa was called Kadroo, who gave birth to Nāgas. So Nāgas are also known as Kadroojā. They were the rulers of Pātāl-Loka. There is a Sanskrit shloka to remember important nine Nāgas as under: (Dainik Bhaskar 30 July 2006)
अनन्तं वासुकिं शेषं पद्मनाभं च कम्बलम् । Anantam Vāsukim Shesham Padmanābham cha Kambalam
शंखपालं धार्तराष्ट्रं तक्षकं कालियं तथा ।। Shankhapālam Dhārtarāshtram Taxakam Kāliyam tathā
एतानि नवनामानि च महात्मनाम् । Etāni navanāmāni cha mahātmanām
Nagas in Mahabharata
The Mahabharata Book 2: SECTION IX Sabha Parva Kisari Mohan Ganguli, tr.1883-1896 mentions names of following naga kings who attended the Sabha of Yudhishthira:
Vasuki and Takshaka, and the Naga called Airavata; Krishna and Lohita; Padma and Chitra endued with great energy; the Nagas called Kamvala and Aswatara; and Dhritarashtra and Valahaka; Matimat and Kundadhara and Karkotaka and Dhananjaya; Panimat and the mighty Kundaka, O lord of the Earth; and Prahlada and Mushikada, and Janamejaya,--all having auspicious marks and mandalas and extended hoods;--these and many other snakes. These have been described from shloka 8 to 11 as under:
- वासुकिस तक्षकश चैव नागश चैरावतस तदा
- कृष्णश च लॊहितश चैव पद्मश चित्रश च वीर्यवान ।।8।।
- कम्बलाश्वतरौ नागौ धृतराष्ट्र बलाहकौ
- मणिमान कुण्डलधरः कर्कॊटक धनंजयौ ।।9।।
- परह्लाथॊ मूषिकादश च तदैव जनमेजयः
- पताकिनॊ मण्डलिनः फणवन्तश च सर्वशः ।।10।।
- एते चान्ये च बहवः सर्पास तस्यां युधिष्ठिर
- उपासते महात्मानं वरुणं विगतक्लमाः ।।11।।
Naga is clan of Jats
According to historian RS Joon, The facts are, however, different. This dynasty belonged to Madrak Jat gotra of Yadav Vansh and was devotees of Shiva. They had a number of ruling dynasties such as Takshak Nag, Bachak Nag, Kilkil Nag, Karkotaka, Kaliramna etc all of which are Jat gotras. Mathura, Padmavati and Kantipur were capitals of Naga dynasty. Nagas of Padmavati were called Taank, which is also a Jat gotra, and are found in 24 villages near Sonipat.
In chapter 29 of "India of the Dark Ages" the ancestor of Tanks is mentioned as Raja Gajvkatra. In chapter 42 of the same book it is mentioned that Malla Jat Republic extended from Eastern Punjab to the Ganga and Yodhya republic extended into Rajasthan. Nagpur belonged to the Nagas. Nagar Brahmins also originated from there.
The Pauranic prejudice in the story is understandable. The Jats who followed Buddhism were considered renegades and those who adopted Vaishnavism became staunch Hindus.
Naga gotra (clan) of Jats are found in Nagaur and Sikar districts of Rajasthan and Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh. The villages inhabited by Naga Jats in Sikar district are - Dujod, Kanwarpura, Rampura, Sikar. In Madhya Pradesh Naga Jats are found in Badwah and Khargone.
Genealogy of Nāga kshatriyas
The list of rulers in the genealogy of Nāga kshatriyas, as provided by Kishori Lal Faujdar, is as under:
Shesha, Vāsuki, Arāwati, Taxak, Karkotak, Dhananjay, Kāliya, Manināth, Āyūraṇa, (Pauniya), Pinjarak, Alāwat, Vāman, Nīl, Anīl, Kalmāsha, Shabal, Āryak, Ugrak Kalash, Pok, Sumand, Dīghamukh, Nimal Pindak, Shankh, Bāl Shiv, Vishtāvak, Imeguh, Nahush, Pingal, Bahya Varṇa, Hastipad, Mundar, Pindak, Karal, Ashwatar, Kālīshak, Pahal, Tūn Danvartak, Shankhamukh, Kushmāndak, semak, Chindāraka, Karvīr, Pushpadand, Vilvak, Pāndhūr, Mūshakād, Shankhasirā, Pūrṇāmadra, Haridraka, Aparājita, Jotika, Pannaga, Srāvaha, Kauravya, Dhritarashtra, Shankhapind, Virjā, Suvahu, Shālipinda, Haritpinda, Pithraka, Sumukha, Koṇaya, Dashan, Kuthara, Kunjar, Prabhākara, Kusad, Halak, Kumudāksha, Tittar, Mahāsarpa, Kadanma, Bahumūlaka, Karkara, Kundaudara, Mahodara.
Nagavanshi kings in Mahabharata
Mahabharata counts following more Naga clans – Ahi, Shivatra, (Khet) Ashit, Serbhak, Sevridha, Astin, Kantat, Spaj, Anat, Kulik, Shankhapāl, Darvī, Achāswa, Ajgar, Āligī, Vilagī, Orīvisha, Karikrat, Kasṇīnla, Tirashcha Raji, Naimarat, Prīdākū, Prīdāmī, Rajju, Lohitāhī, Ratharvī, Vāhas, Serbhā.
The Nagavanshi kings had a symbol of Naga or serpent on their coins and flags. The coins of Nagavanshi rulers are still found at village Āhār in Bulandshar district in Uttar Pradesh. These coins depict symbols of Nagas on them. There is mention of Nagas in Mahabharata in a story in which Duryodan poisoned Bhima to kill and threw into Ganga River. When he was foating inriver he reached village Āhār where the Nagavanshi rulers took him out from Ganga River and gave treatment to cure. After treatment he was sent to Hastinapur.
Distribution in Rajasthan
Villages in Alwar district
Villages in Sikar district
Dujod, Kanwarpura, Rampura (Nathawatpura), Shyampura, Sikar,
Villages in Tonk district
Naga (नागा) Jats live in the villages: Kookad (4), Miya ki Dhani (2), Pratappura Katwa (2), Surajpura (2),
Nag (नाग) Jats live in villages: Keria (3), Morla (1),
Villages in Jaipur district
Naga (नागा) Jats live in the villages: Nayagaon (2), Kareda Khurd (1), Akhepura,
Distribution in Madhya Pradesh
Villages in Khargone district
Villages in Ratlam district
Villages in Ratlam district with population of this gotra are:
Barbodana 2, Dheekwa 1, Piploda 10, Ratlam 5, Salakhedi 1,
References
- ↑ Dilip Singh Ahlawat: Jat viron ka Itihasa
- ↑ Dr Mahendra Singh Arya, Dharmpal Singh Dudee, Kishan Singh Faujdar & Vijendra Singh Narwar: Ādhunik Jat Itihasa (The modern history of Jats), Agra 1998, p. 259
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