Vaishya
Vaishya (Sanskrit: वैश्य Vaiśya) is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.[1][2]
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[edit] Origin
[edit] Duties of Vaishyas
According to the Hindu texts, the duties of a Vaishya, as described, are Vāṇijyaṃ (trade), Vaiśya karma (work) and Vvabhāvajaṃ (born of his own nature). The Vaisyas eventually became land-owners, money-lenders and influential traders and are often credited for the evolution of capitalist ideologies in India.[3] The Vaisyas, along with the Kshatriyas, claim to be of the 'twice born' (dvija) castes of the classical theory.[4] Indian traders were widely credited for the spread of Indian culture to regions as far as southeast Asia.[5]
Historically, Vaisyas have played a much larger role in Indian affairs apart from trade and commerce, according to many historians Gupta dynasty of the Gupta Empire was a Vaishya dynasty, according to historian, Ram Sharan Sharma, Guptas were a Vaishya dynasty, "who may have appeared as a reaction against oppressive rulers".[6] A.S. Altekar, a historian and archaeologist, who has written and several books on Gupta coinage,[7] also regarded the caste of the Guptas as Vaishya on the basis of the ancient Indian texts on law, which prescribe the name-ending with Gupta for a member of the Vaishya caste. In opinion of famous art historian Dr. R. A. Agarawala, "Guptas" are said to be of Agrawal Vaishya community, as their Dharana Gotra is one of the gotras among the seventeen and half gotras of Agrawals. The historian H.C. Raychaudhuri, also holds that the Guptas belonged to the Dharana Gotra. According to Raichaudhuri, the Guptas were related to queen Dharini of Agnimitra, wife of the son of king Pushyamitra Shunga. Raychoudhuri drew this theory about the pedigree of the Guptas based on the Riddhapura copper-plate inscription of Prabhabati Gupta, daughter of Chandragupta II. In her records she claimed herself to be a descendant of the Dharana Gotra
[edit] Modern Communities
The Vaisya community consist of several jātis, notably the Agrawals, the Barnwals, the Gahois, the Kasuadhans, the Patwa, the Khandelwals, the Mathurs, the Oswals, Aroras, Rastogis, Lohanas and the Maheshwaris of the north; the Arya Vaishyas of the south, the Vaishya Vanis of Konkan and Goa and the Modh, Beesa Neema, Dasa Neema, Dasore, Parekhs and Patidars of the west. Some jātis are of mixed heritage. For example, according to legend, the Agrawals trace their origin to Suryavansha who later adopted Vaishya traditions.[8][9]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Vedas: Sacred Texts CHAPTER X.
- ^ Encyclopaedia of Hinduism By Nagendra Kumar Singh
- ^ The First Great Political Realist By Roger Boesche
- ^ Western sociologists on Indian society By Gurmukh Ram Madan
- ^ Asia in western and world history By Ainslie Thomas Embree, Carol Gluck
- ^ "Early medieval Indian society: a study in feudalisation - R.S. Sharma - Google Books". Books.google.co.in. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=i_sIE1sO5kwC&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=%22vaishya+dynasty%22&source=bl&ots=QuhWaaE1Nw&sig=AI73RxSGEWFgdvKSbSb6ylxZTNM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=W4z8TtSeKY3SrQely93jDw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22vaishya%20dynasty%22&f=false. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
- ^ List of Altekar's publications in the Open Library.
- ^ Singh, Kumar Suresh; B. V. Bhanu (2004). People of India. Popular Prakashan (Mumbai), Anthropological Survey of India (Kolkata). p. 46. ISBN 8179911004. OCLC 58037479. http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN8179911004&id=DEAlCTxJowUC&pg=PA46&lpg=PA46&dq=agarwal+agroha. Retrieved 2007-04-19.
- ^ History of Ancient India - By J.P. Mittal
