PDA

View Full Version : Inscription of JIT SALINDRA



ravichaudhary
January 30th, 2003, 08:34 AM
Memorial of a Gete or Jit or Jat prince of the fifth century,
discovered 1820, in a temple at Kunswa, near the Chumbul (modern
Chambal) river south of Kotah, (Rajasthan, India)


********
May the Jit'ha be thy protector! What does this Jit resemble? Which
is the vessel of conveyance across the waters of life, which is
partly white, partly red? Again, what does it resemble, where the
hissing- angered serpents dwell? What may this Jit'ha be compared to,
from whose root the roaring flood descends? Such is the Jit'h, by it
may thou be preserved. (1)

The fame of RAJA JIT! Now I shall tell, by whose valour the lands of
Salpoora (2) are preserved. The fortunes of RAJA JIT are as flames of
fire devouring his foe. The mighty warrior JIT SALINDRA (2) is
beautiful in person, and from the strength of his arm esteemed the
first amongst the tribes of the mighty: make resplendent, as does the
moon, the earth, the dominions of SALPORI. The whole world praises
the JIT prince, who enlarges the renown of his race, sitting in the
midst of haughty warriors, like the lotus in the waters, the moon of
the sons of men. The foreheads of the princes of the earth worship
the toe of his foot. Beams of light irradiate his countenance,
issuing from the gems of his arms of strength. Radiant is his array:
his riches abundant: his mind generous and profound as the ocean.
Such is he of SARYA (3) race, a tribe renowned amongst the tribes of
the mighty, whose princes were ever foes to treachery, to whom the
earth surrendered her fruits, and who added the lands of their foes
to their own. By sacrifice the mind of this lord of men has been
purified: fair are his territories, and fair is the FORTRESS OF
TAK'HYA (4). The string of whose bow is dreaded, whose wrath is the
reaper of the field of combat: but to his dependents he is as the
pearl on the neck: who makes no account of battle, though streams
ofblood run through the field. As does the silver Lotus bend its head
before the fierce rays of the sun, so does his foe stoop to
him, while the cowards abandon the field.

From this lord of men (Narpati) SALINDRA sprung DEVANGLI, whose deeds
are
known even at this remote period?

From him was born SUMBOOKA, and form him DEGALI, who married two
wives
of the YADU race (5). And by one a son named VIR NARINDRA pure as a
flower from
the fountain.

Amidst groves of AMBA, on whose clustering blossoms hand myriads of
bees,
that the wearied traveler may repose, continue while the ocean rolls,
or while the moon, the sun, the hills endure. Samvat 597. -- On the
extremity of MALWA, this minister (MINDRA) was erected, on the banks
of the river TAVELI, by SALICHANDRA (6), son of VIRACHANDRA.

Whoever will commit this writing to memory, his sins will be
obliterated.
Carved by the sculptor SEVANARYA, son of DWARASIVA, and composed by
BUTENA, chief of the bards.


_____________


Notes of Col. Todd:


(Note 1). - In the prologue to this Valuable relic, which
superficially viewed would appear to a string or puerilties, we have
conveyed in mystic allegory the mythological origin of the Jit or
Gete race. From the members of the chief of the gods ISHWARA or
MAHADEVA, (Shivaji) the god of Battle, many races claim birth: the
warrior from his arms, the charun from his spine: the prophetic Bhat
(Vates) from his tongue: and the Geta and Jit, derive from his Tiara,
serpents, emblematic of TIME (kal) and DESTRUCTION, are wreathed;
also implicative that's the JITS who are of the TAKSHAC, or the
serpent race, are thereby protected. The " roaring flood" which
descends from the Jit'ha is the river Goddess, Ganga, daughter of
Mira, wife of Ishwar. The mixed color of his hair, which is partly
white, partly of reddish (panduranga) arises from his character of
ARD'Hnari or Hermaphroditus. All these characteristics of the god of
war must have been brought by the Scythic Gete from the Jaxartes,
where they worshiped him as the Sun ( Balnath), and as Xamolscis(
Yama vulg. Jama) the infernal
divinity.

The 12th chapter of the Edda in describing Balder, the second son of
Odin,
particularly dwells on the beauty of his hair, whence " the whitest
of all vegetables is called the eyebrow of Balder, on the columns of
whose temples, there are verses engraved, capable of recalling the
dead to life".

How perfectly in unison is all this of the Jits of Jutland and the
Jits of Rajasthan. In each case the hair is chief object of
admiration; of Balnath as balder, and the magical effect of the Runes
is not more powerful than that attached by the chief of the Scalds or
of our Gete prince at the end of our inscription, fresh evidence in
support of my hypothesis, that many of the Rajpoot races and
Scandinavians have a common origin - that origin Central Asia.

(Note2) _ Salpoora is the name of the capital of this prince, and his
epithet of
Sal- indra is merely titular, as the Indra or lord of Sal- poori, '
the city of Sal', which the fortunate discovery of an inscription
raised by Komarpal, king of Anhilwara (Nehrwalla of D'Anvile) dated
Samvat1207 ha enabled me to place " at the base of the Sewaluk
Mountains". In order to elucidate this point, and to give the full
value to this record of the Jit princes of the Punjab, I append (No.
V.) A translation of the Nehrwalla conquerors inscription, which will
prove beyond a doubt that these Jit princes of SALPOORI in the
Punjab, were the leaders of that very colony of the YUTI from the
Jaxartes, who in the
fifth century, as recorded by De Guignes, crossed the Indus and
possessed themselves of the Punjab; and strange to say, have again
risen to pwer, for the Sikhs (disciples) of Nanuk are almost all of
Jit origin.

(Note 3) - Here the Jit is called SARYA SAC'HA, branch or
ramification of the
saryas.; a very ancient race which is noticed by the genealogist
synonymously with the SARIASPA, one of the thirty six royal races,
and very probably the same as the SARWYA of Komarpal Charitra, with
the distinguished epithet" the flower of the martial races"(Sarwya
c'shatrya tyn Sar).

(Note 4) - " The Fortress of Takshac". Whether this TAKSHAC- NAGARI
or castle
of the Tak, is the stronghold of Salpoori or the name given to the
environs of the place, whence this inscription, we can only surmise,
and refer the reader to what has already been said of Takitpoora. As
I have said repeatedly, the Taks and the Jits are of one race.

(Note 5) - As the Jits intermarried with the Yadus at this early
period, it is evident they had forced their way among the thirty-six
royal race, though they have again lost
this rank.

(Note 6) Salichandra is the sixth in descent from the first- named
prince JIT
SALINDRA, allowing twenty - two years to each descent = 132, S 597 -
date of ins , is S465 - 56 years = A.D. 409. the period of the
colonization of the Punjab by the Getes, Yuti, or Jits, from the
Jaxartes.

****************

Ravi's notes:

1. The inscription is dated Samvat 597, or AD 541.

2. Jit is just a variation of the Jat name, as is Jut and Gete.


2. It shows that the Jat raja Salindra was ruling in this area in the
5th century AD.

3. Col. Todd (1782 - 1835) wrote his much acclaimed book Annals
and
Antiquities of Rajasthan in about 1829.

The book is the product of a lifetime's work spent in Rajasthan
accumulating
manuscripts, inscriptions, on his part, getting them translated, and
putting into a readable book from the legends surrounding the Rajputs
of Rajasthan.

The challenge Todd runs into is that in that period the Rajputs were
being
glorified in Indian literature, which was averse to the history and
deeds of other people.

The Rajputs as a class/caste were a newly minted lot, (after the Mt
Abu
ceremony, ) 8th century AD??) a result of some Jat, Gujar, Abhira
clans and tribes having accepted an alliance with the Priests of the
new Brhamanical religion, accepting a position of subservience to the
Priest. In return the rulers were designated as Rajputs and new
Kshatriyas. and glorified in their literature.

It was an alliance that worked well, and kept the population is
subservience and
ignorance.

The rest who did not so submit were ridiculed, denigrated, in
Brahminical
literature, as Mlechas, Sudras, and so on.


The Jats, with the fierce sense of independence, and democratic
republican
ideas, and aversion to superstition, idol worship, cruel sacrifices
of animals, and their attitude to women, particularly their the age
old Vedic custom of widow remarriage or Niyoga, which was for some
unknown reason was anathema to the noveau Brahmin class, especially
became a target.

In Rajasthan, the Jats suffered the wrath of the combined Muslim-
Rajput/Brahmin onslaught, depredations and cruelties were their fate,
and they were pushed down the economic and social scale.

In subsequent centuries a number of Jat clans moved north to the
Punjab , UP
and Haryana - some names - Solanki, Ahlawat, Rathi, Nehra, Dahiya to
name just a few.

When Todd came to Rajasthan this was the state of affairs, and this
was the
picture that he was shown and the picture that he saw. He world view
stopped at the word Rajput, and he could not see beyond that
metaphorical nose.

The history of the Jats had been usurped by the Rajput/Brahmin
combine.

Todd though had his difficulties, when he wrote his book.

He was unable to reconcile the fact that every inscription, every
legend he ran
into, had the Jats at the end of it. Yet the Jats were being depicted
as lower caste and shudra.

It was the Jat or Jit that he connected with the Gete, of Central
Asia and Europe. It was their commonality of customs that struck him,
so much so that he had in his book to take the position that the Jats
as one of the 36 royal races but fallen from their position of Glory.

All the inspirational evidence pointed to the Jats, the Bal clan of
Vallabipur, the Solanki of Anhilwarra. Everywhere he looked he came
up clans names that were
unmistakably jat, but the Rajput tradition claimed those clans as
their own, though no where could he find even the word Rajput
attested, prior to the 9th century.

Todd's discomfort is evident, when he writes in the words of Hume,
the author of
annalist and annalists of the Saxon Hierarchy, and he says". What
Hume remarks of the annals and annalists of the Saxon Hierarchy, may
be applied with equal truth to those of Rajput seven states _ Mewar,
Marwar, Amber, Bikaner, Kotah and Boondhi, " they abound in names,
but are extremely barren of events; or they are related so much
without circumstances and causes, that the most profound and eloquent
writer must despair of rendering them instructive or entertaining to
the reader. The monk"(for which we may read " Brahmins"), " who lived
remote from public affairs, considered the civil transactions as
subservient to the ecclestical, and were strongly affected with
credulity, with the love of wonder, and with a propensity to
imposture"

Despite this discomfort, Todd has produced a book, which contains a
wealth of
historical data.

It is a story of how the Jat territories were lost to Petty
Monarchies, who could never unite and face down the invader, so busy
were they in reaching accommodation to preserve their own sterile
existence and accept any bone that was thrown to them.

To appreciate the book one must ignore the rhetoric of the Rajput
Bard, and
replace the word Rajput with Jat, and watch the panorama of Jat
History unfold,
.


Ravi

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JatHistory/message/42

urmiladuhan
January 31st, 2003, 08:14 AM
The Jats, with the fierce sense of independence, and democratic
republican
ideas, and aversion to superstition, idol worship, cruel sacrifices
of animals, and their attitude to women, particularly their the age
old Vedic custom of widow remarriage or Niyoga, which was for some
unknown reason was anathema to the noveau Brahmin class, especially
became a target.
*****************************************
In Rajasthan, the Jats suffered the wrath of the combined Muslim-
Rajput/Brahmin onslaught, depredations and cruelties were their fate,
and they were pushed down the economic and social scale.
***************************
Are there any references to this effect that i could read?
******************************
In subsequent centuries a number of Jat clans moved north to the
Punjab , UP
and Haryana - some names - Solanki, Ahlawat, Rathi, Nehra, Dahiya to
name just a few.
***************************
in your opinion, was this the only reason for their migration? or are their other stories out there to explain migration of Jats, although i'm almost convinced that persecution of Jats is the reason for their migration otherwise Rajputs and other castes would have migrated too, but they didn't.
*****************************
When Todd came to Rajasthan this was the state of affairs, and this
was the
picture that he was shown and the picture that he saw. He world view
stopped at the word Rajput, and he could not see beyond that
metaphorical nose.

The history of the Jats had been usurped by the Rajput/Brahmin
combine.

Todd though had his difficulties, when he wrote his book.
****************
He was unable to reconcile the fact that every inscription, every
legend he ran
into, had the Jats at the end of it.
*************************
Does he specifically mention this!!
***************************
Yet the Jats were being depicted
as lower caste and shudra.

It was the Jat or Jit that he connected with the Gete, of Central
Asia and Europe. It was their commonality of customs that struck him,
so much so that he had in his book to take the position that the Jats
as one of the 36 royal races but fallen from their position of Glory.
*****************
Wow!!
*****************
All the inspirational evidence pointed to the Jats, the Bal clan of
Vallabipur, the Solanki of Anhilwarra. Everywhere he looked he came
up clans names that were
unmistakably jat, but the Rajput tradition claimed those clans as
their own, though no where could he find even the word Rajput
attested, prior to the 9th century.

Todd's discomfort is evident, when he writes in the words of Hume,
the author of
annalist and annalists of the Saxon Hierarchy, and he says". What
Hume remarks of the annals and annalists of the Saxon Hierarchy, may
be applied with equal truth to those of Rajput seven states _ Mewar,
Marwar, Amber, Bikaner, Kotah and Boondhi, " they abound in names,
but are extremely barren of events
*******************
What events is Todd refering to?
*********************
; or they are related so much
without circumstances and causes, that the most profound and eloquent
writer must despair of rendering them instructive or entertaining to
the reader. The monk"(for which we may read " Brahmins"), " who lived
remote from public affairs, considered the civil transactions as
subservient to the ecclestical, and were strongly affected with
credulity, with the love of wonder, and with a propensity to
imposture"

Despite this discomfort, Todd has produced a book, which contains a
wealth of
historical data.
*********************

It is a story of how the Jat territories were lost to Petty
Monarchies, who could never unite and face down the invader, so busy
were they in reaching accommodation to preserve their own sterile
existence and accept any bone that was thrown to them.
****************
Does Todd specifically mention "Jat territories"?
****************

To appreciate the book one must ignore the rhetoric of the Rajput
Bard, and
replace the word Rajput with Jat, and watch the panorama of Jat
History unfold,
.


Ravi

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JatHistory/message/42[/quote]

chashokverma
January 31st, 2003, 02:26 PM
It is heartening to note that the work of Col Todd is being recognized. The man had made a honest attempt to carry out a fair judgment about the social status of Jats based on whatever information was available to him. Though there are some serious mistakes. There are few other works, which give out valuable information about Jats. A Mathura memoirs by Mr Grouse published in 18th centuary is one of them.


As the reference made to the Jit king. I will name Senjit from the Kul of Puru, Sahastrajit, Shatjit, Ayutajit from the Jadu Kul and many more as jit kings. But This is not a sur name. It is pronounced as Jit the t of Tarajoo not T of Jat or Jit of Col Todd. These were the common names jit means victor. Or the way one calls Jeetey in Jats. The writings of Mitra, sen, jit, pal, chand, varma after the names was a common practice among Chndra Vanshi Kings.

A very important fact which has been mentioned in most of the Vedic and puranic literature is that only from Chndra Vansh the kings moved out of the country to rule in North and West. Nad many of them were downgraded. Like; the descendants of Raji the son of Pururava, Turu, Dhrahumi and Anu all sons of Yayati moved out of Aryarvart to North and west and became Dharma Brashta. Who were these people? Were they the same people those came back as Sakas, Kushans and Yuetchis?

ravichaudhary
February 1st, 2003, 03:11 AM
Ashok writes> As the reference made to the Jit king. I will name Senjit from the Kul of Puru, Sahastrajit, Shatjit, Ayutajit from the Jadu Kul and many more as jit kings. But This is not a sur name. It is pronounced as Jit the t of Tarajoo not T of Jat or Jit of Col Todd. These were the common names jit means victor. Or the way one calls Jeetey in Jats. The writings of Mitra, sen, jit, pal, chand, varma after the names was a common practice among Chndra Vanshi Kings

Ravi>

Ashok your consfusion with respect, is that you are confusing Jeet with Jit.

Thus in inscription is not talking of Salindrajit, or Salindrajeet, and so on.


It is very specific.

The word JIT is by itself.

“May the Jit'ha be thy protector! What does this Jit resemble?”

What may this Jit'ha be compared to,

Such is the Jit'h

The fame of RAJA JIT!

The fortunes of RAJA JIT

The mighty warrior JIT SALINDRA


resplendent, as does the
moon, the earth, the dominions of SALPORI.

The whole world praises the JIT prince,

From this lord of men (Narpati) SALINDRA sprung

*********

In all these specific quotes, nowhere is ‘Jeet’ an adjective or a suffix to the name .

We should find Salindrajit, but, no, we find the Jit Salindra, the Jit prince,
The word Salindra is all by itself

We find Jit, Jit’h Jit’ha all by themselves, that to denotes a noun.

To me it looks to be just a variant of the name Jat, they are known as Jits in the western parts

I am glad you are not accepting this uncritically.

Let us thrash it out and understand the inscription.

Best regards

Ravi

\ P.S. as an aside you may have noted a trend for people to put Rajput, Jat after their names today.

I did not see this before, but I ma noting it now.

Tis is common in Pakistan, where often the word Jat appears after the first name.