Prof. Ashok Rana is a well-known OBC historian, speaker, writer, thinker, and editor of the Rationalist Teachers Association Bulletin from Amravati. Delivering the keynote address as the president of First Maratha History Conference at Pune in May 2010, he talked on the “Problem of Kshatriya-hood”. Some excerpts:
Who is Maratha: Mahatma Jotirao Phule called Chatrapati Shivaji as Kulvadi Bhushan, (glory of peasants) in his ballad on Shivaji. From his writings, it emerges that the word Maratha was used by all castes in Maharashtra to identify themselves.
The day-to-day needs, manners and customs, gods and goddesses, and funeral rites are the same among all the castes among the peasants, like blacksmiths, masons, fishermen, carpenters, kunai’s, etc. Opposite is the case of Brahmins; none of their customs are same as non-Brahmins.
Therefore, Mahatma Phule concluded that, “One who is not a Brahmin is a Maratha”.
Jadunath Sarkar said till the beginning of 20th century, Maharashtrian Brahmin, if addressed as Maratha, used to feel insulted and would retort that, “No, No, I am not Maratha; I am southern Brahmin”. I take this subject for discussion because, in history of Maharashtra, the recognition of Kshatriya-hood of Marathas had been a great problem, which was accentuated during times of Shahu Maharaj.
Hiranya-Garbha-kings: Mostly the Budhist kings were given status of Kshatriya by rite of Hiranyagarbha, where he has to pass through a golden vessel under Brahminic mantras. In North India, four Rajput kulas were created by yajnya on Mount Abu.
An arrogant verse is nowadays found under the image of Parshuram. It says, four Vedas on lips, a bow with arrows on back, this Brahmin-hood and Kshatriya- hood, is strong enough to curse and kill by arrow.
Jain defeated Brahmins: Such arrogance was expressed in the form of Parshuram time and again. Kartvirya Arjun was killed by Parshuram. Kartavirya’s son King Subhaum killed Parshuram. Jain history records this event, proving that the Jain kings had defeated Brahminic system.
Jains, who had rejected Chaturvarnya, authority of Vedas and system of yajna’s, later accepted these Brahminic systems. They were, therefore, rewarded with Vaishya status though not Kshatriya-hood. Because the Budhists fought against all these three systems, they were made Shudra’s, and some of them were even degraded to be Untouchables.
One thing is certain from this that, the status of Kshatriya-hood depends on the whims and fancies of Brahmins. And it is restricted to an individual and does not automatically come to whole progeny. For this Brahmins declared that after Nanda Kings, there are no Kshatriyas; only shudras and Brahmins exist.
Those who accepted to remain as subservient to Brahmins, now live under the illusion of their Kshatriya- hood and hypocritically deceive themselves. The castes in India like Marathas, Rajputs, Yadavs, Jats, Reddy’s etc. lost their identity under the illusion of Kshatriya-hood. And they helped the Brahmins to maintain the hierarchy of castes by denigrating castes below them. This created many problems, which need to be understood to solve them.
Maratha race and gotras: After Vedokta episode during times of Shahu Maharaj in early 20th century, a lot of literature was created to prove Kshatriya status of Marathas and relationship with Aryan culture was claimed, forgetting that they were getting themselves enslaved under the Brahminic yoke. They claimed descent from Sun and Moon. If that is true, they become foreigners as Sun worship came from Iran. Some claim Nag-Kula, which came down from Harrapan culture. Marathas also accept the concept of gotra. This word means cattle shed and also body organs. Aryans came with cows. The owners had different names like Vashishtha, Yajnyavalka, Shandilya, Kashyap etc.., which became gotra names. If the second meaning is accepted, it means born from their organs. Those who are proud to declare themselves with gotra names, mean they are progeny of these ancient men.
Thus, the Marathas become the progeny of Brahmins. These people forget that to have the gotra names means they are denying the existence of their own ancestors.
Satavahana’s: They were the first dynasty in Maharashtra, during 230 BCE. They promoted Prakrit language denying Sanskrit and belonged to Nag-Kula. Some kings were Jains and some were Budhists. From them emerged today’s Marathas, though some historians unsuccessfully tried, and even now try, to depict them as of Brahmin kulas.
Their history, thus, goes back to 2,000 years and has been traced by historians through dynasties like Manavya, Haihay, Bhoj, Yadav, Nala, Kadamba, Mourya, Chalukya etc. All these names, today, have become the names of kulas. Many surnames from Nag-Kula are found among all the castes of Bahujans, and hence whole Bahujan Samaj consists of Marathas. P.S.: Those interested in knowing more about Vedokta episode may see my book Maratha Revolt against Brahmanism and for Hiranya-Garbha, see Tirupati Balaji was Buddhist Shrine
