Nishadas
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Nishada (niṣāda) is a tribe mentioned in ancient Indian literature (such as the epic is stated to be an archer of a Nishada tribe in the text.
In the epic Ramayana, a king named Guha of the Nishada clan assists Rama during his period of exile.
Identity
In the earliest of the Indo-Aryan texts, the term "Nishada" may have been used as a generic term for all indigenous non-Aryan tribes rather than a single tribe.
Linguist
The Nishadas are sometimes confused with the
Physical appearance
The
Occupation
Various ancient texts associate the Nishadas with hunting and fishing.[9]
Nishadas are presented as hunters in the
The Manusmriti and the Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata mention fishing as the profession of the Nishadas.[11] The Vishnu Smriti also seems to consider subsistence on fishing a characteristic of the Nishadas, as attested by Nanda-pandita's commentary on the text and the Katha-sarit-sagara.[9]
The
Maskarin's commentary on
Several ancient texts present the Nishadas as progeny of parents from different occupational classes, called the
Relations with the early Indo-Aryans
The Nishadas appear to have been among the first
- The Apastamba-Shrauta-Sutra and the Latyayana-Shrauta-Sutra indicate that the Nishadas lived in villages: the performance of the Vishvajit Vedic ritual sacrifice required the performer to live with the Nishadas for three nights, and share their food.[7]
- The Shrauta-Sutras of Apastamba, Katyayana, and Varaha, mention the participation of Nishadas in a sacrificial ceremony: A Nishada official (sthapati) makes offerings to fire to propitiate the deity Rudra, although this ceremony does not involving chanting of the Vedic mantras.[7]
- The Manava-Shrauta-Sutra explicitly prescribes a Shrauta (Vedic) sacrifice for a Nishada chief.[7]
- The Satyashadha-Shrauta-Sutra mentions a Nishada (a Nishada chief according to a commentary) in connection with the agnihotra and darsha-purna-masa rituals.[7]
- The varnas ("traivarnika"). It concludes that the sthapati should be a tribal chief.[13]
- The Itihasa, the Atharvaveda, the art of snake-charming (sarpa-vidya), and demonology (deva-jana-vidya). The other groups included the Asuras, the Gandharvas, the selagas (possibly robbers or thieves), the snake-charmers, the bird-catchers etc.[14]
These references suggest that the Indo-Aryans made efforts to assimilate the Nishadas into their own social order, but the Vedic ritual status granted to the Nishadas was limited in nature. Historian Ramaprasad Chanda speculates that the Nishadas were too numerous and too powerful to be eliminated, enslaved, or expelled by the Indo-Aryans: this may explain the limited attempts to assimilate them.[14]
It is possible that only the high-class among the Nishadas were inducted into the Indo-Aryan society, while the majority of them remained unassimilated.
Social status
The Rudra Adhyaya of the ancient Yajurveda Samhita shows reverence to the Nishadas, among others.[12]
Nevertheless, the Nishadas held a low status in the Indo-Aryan society:[16]
- varnas of the Indo-Aryan society, quoting Aupamanyava.[17] The text explains the meaning of the word "Nishada" as a being in whom "sin or evil sits down".[14]
- Baudhayana Dharmasutra and Arthashastra state that a Brahmana's son from a Shudra woman should inherit one-tenth of his father's property. Both these texts describe Nishadas as progeny of Brahmana men and Shudra women, but do not apply the inheritance rule to the Nishadas. The Baudhayana Dharmasutra states that a Nishada son should not receive any inheritance, while the Arthashastra allows only a maintenance for a Nishada son.[11]
- The Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata states that the Nishada originated from the pierced thigh of the tyrant king Vena.[14]
In what appears to be an attempt to define the status of the Nishadas in the
- Multiple sources describe the Nishadas as the children of
- Gautama, according to his commentators Maskarin and Haradatta, describes the Nishadas as the progeny of a Brahmana father and a Vaishya mother.[18]
- The Anushasana Parva (48.12) and the
Gradually, the Nishadas were relegated to the status of untouchables in the Indo-Aryan society.[11]
Description in Ramayana
The main profession of Nishadas was fishing and hunting. According to one telling, once, a Nishada had killed one bird from a pair, causing the other bird to be aggrieved by its loss and experience the pangs of pain. Observing this deep pain inspired the sage Valmiki to write about the legend of king Rama of Ayodhya and his dutiful wife queen Sita, who lived in separation due to her capture by the rakshasa king Ravana.[20] In the Ramayana, the king of the Nishadas, named Guha, is stated to be an ally of Rama. He helps Rama and Sita to cross the Ganges river near Shringiverapura.
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References in Mahabharata
The
Aushmikas, and Nishadas, and Romakas were mentioned as bringing tribute to king Yudhishthira during his Rajasuya sacrifice (2,50).
Nishada Kingdom of Ekalavya
Ekalavya, the king of the Nishadas, always used to challenge
Arjuna proceeded to the dominions of the Nishada king, viz., the son of Ekalavya. The son of Ekalavya received Arjuna in battle. The encounter that took place between the Kuru hero and the Nishadas was furious. Unvanquished in battle, the valiant son of Kunti defeated the Nishada king who proved an obstacle to the sacrifice. Having subjugated the son of Ekalavya, he proceeded towards the southern ocean. (14,83).
Nishadas on the banks of Saraswati
A spot named Vinasana on the banks of Sarasvati River is mentioned as the gate to the kingdom of the Nishadas.[citation needed] There the river is completely dried up and exist as a dry river channel (3,130).[citation needed] Pandavas were led to this place by their guide viz sage Lomasa, during their pilgrimage all over India.[citation needed]
Nishada Kingdom in the South India
This kingdom was visited by
This Nishada's battled for the sake of
Nishada Kingdom of Manimat
Manimat had his kingdom to the south of
Nishada Kingdom close to Kalinga and Vanga
A prince named Ketumat is mentioned as battling along with the Kalingas against Bhima, in the Kurukshetra War. He was mentioned as the son of the Nishada king. He could be the son of Manimat the Nishada king, who was defeated formerly by Bhima. Ketumat was slain by Bhima along with the Kalinga heroes (6,54).
The Kalinga, the Vanga, and the Nishada heroes, riding on elephants were said to attack Arjuna in Kurukshetra War (8,17).
Mekalas (a kingdom close to
Nishadas in Kurukshetra War
On Pandava Side
Nishadas were mentioned as battling for the sake of
On Kaurava Side
Nishada prince Ketumat was mentioned who was slain by
A Mountain Range named Nishada
A mountain range in ancient India is named Nishada, mentioned along with other mountains like Meru, Mahendra, Malaya, Sweta, Sringavat, Mandara, Nila Dardurna, Chitrakuta, Anjanabha, the Gandhamadana mountains and the sacred Somagiri (13,165).
Nishada as a musical note
Shadaja, Rishabha, together with Gandhara, Madhyama, and likewise Panchama; after this should be known Nishada, and then Dhaivata (14,50). The seven original notes are Shadja, Rishabha, Gandhara, Mahdhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata and Nishada (12,183).
Other References
- Swords of excellent quality were manufactured in the country of the Nishadas. Pandavas possessed such swords (2,42).
- The Utpalas, the Mekalas, the Paundras, the Kalingas, the Andhras, the Nishadas etc. were mentioned as defeated by Karna (7,4).
- The story of a robber of the name of Kayavya, born of a Kshatriya father and a Nishada mother is mentioned at (12,134).
- In a remote region in the midst of the ocean, the Nishadas have their fair home (1,28).
- Nishada king is equated with an Asura tribe called Krodhavardhana (1,67)
- In Indian music, Nishada is the seventh note (swara) of the octave.
See also
- Kingdoms of Ancient India
References
- ISBN 9780895816351. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2014-08-03). "Nishada, Niṣāda, Nisāda, Nisada, Nisha-ada: 24 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
- ISBN 9788187649076. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
- ISBN 9789351861447.
- ^ Vivekanand Jha 1974, pp. 67–68.
- ^ a b Vivekanand Jha 1974, p. 68.
- ^ a b c d e f Vivekanand Jha 1974, p. 69.
- ^ Haripada Chakraborti (1981). Vedic India: political and legal institutions in Vedic literature. Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar.
The Niṣādhas, residing in the Niṣādha country were obviously Aryan tribes and they should not be confused with the Niṣāda, the non-Aryan tribe.
- ^ a b Vivekanand Jha 1974, pp. 73–74.
- ^ a b c Vivekanand Jha 1974, p. 74.
- ^ a b c d e Vivekanand Jha 1974, p. 73.
- ^ a b Vivekanand Jha 1974, p. 67.
- ^ Vivekanand Jha 1974, pp. 69–70.
- ^ a b c d Vivekanand Jha 1974, p. 70.
- ^ Vivekanand Jha 1974, pp. 71–72.
- ^ Vivekanand Jha 1974, p. 76.
- ^ Vivekanand Jha 1974, pp. 68, 70.
- ^ a b Vivekanand Jha 1974, pp. 72–73.
- ^ Vivekanand Jha 1974, p. 72.
- ^ Ramayana by Valmiki, Gita Press publication, Gorakhpur, India
- ^ The Cultural Process in India by Irawati Karve, Vol. 51, Oct., 1951 (Oct., 1951), pp. 135-138
Bibliography
- Vivekanand Jha (1974) [1958]. "From tribe to untouchable: the case of Niṣādas". In R. S. Sharma (ed.). Indian Society: Historical Probings in memory of D. D. Kosambi. Indian Council of Historical Research / People's Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7007-176-1.
- Kisari Mohan Ganguli, The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose, 1883–1896.
