The
Kayastha trace their genealogy from Adi Purush Shri Chitraguptaji
Maharaj. It is said that after Lord Brahma had created the four Varnas
(Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras), Yama snonym Dharamraj
requested Lord Brahma to help him record the deeds, good and evil, of
men, and administer justice.
Lord Brahma went into meditation for 11000 years and when he opened
his eyes he saw a man holding pen and ink-pot in his hands and a sword
girdled to his waist. Lord Brahma spoke: Thou hast been created from my
body (Kaya), therefore shall thy progeny be known as the Kayasthas. Thou
hast been conceived in my mind (Chitra) and in secrecy (gupta), thy
name shall also be Chitragupta. Brahma then enjoined him to dispense
justice and punish those who violated the dharma. Thus, the Kayasthas
were accorded a dual caste, Brahmin/Kshatriya.
In the legends of Shree Chitraguptaji Maharaj, he is referred to as
the greatest King, while the rest are rajakas or little kings.
चित्र इद राजा राजका इदन्यके यके सरस्वतीमनु ।
पर्जन्य इव ततनद धि वर्ष्ट्या सहस्रमयुता ददत ॥ RIG VEDA 8/21/18
पर्जन्य इव ततनद धि वर्ष्ट्या सहस्रमयुता ददत ॥ RIG VEDA 8/21/18
In the Garud Puran, Chitragupta is hailed as the first man to give the script.
“Chitragupta namastubhyam vedaksaradatre”
(Obeisance to Chitragupta, the giver of letters)
(Obeisance to Chitragupta, the giver of letters)
The Rig Veda mentions an invocation to be made to Chitragupta before
offering sacrifice. There is also a special invocation to Chitragupta as
Dharmraj (Lord of Justice) to be made at the performance of shradh or
other rituals.
“Om tat purushaya vidmahe Chitragupta dhimahi tena lekha prachodayata.”
The priests also pay reverence to Shri Chitragupta :
“Yamam Dharmarajya Chitraguptaya vain namah.”‘
* Vedah.net, which presents a list of the main sub-divisions of
Brahmins, lists the Kayasthas as one of the 31 main sub-divisions of
Brahmins. Vedah.net
* Kamat.com puts forward a comprehensive list of more than 50 Brahmin Communities in India, the Kayasthas are also listed. Kamat.com
* The Sanskrit dictionary at Hindunet.org defines ‘Kayastha’ as follows:
* Kamat.com puts forward a comprehensive list of more than 50 Brahmin Communities in India, the Kayasthas are also listed. Kamat.com
* The Sanskrit dictionary at Hindunet.org defines ‘Kayastha’ as follows:
ka_yastha, ka_yata a man belonging to the writer-caste; a tribe of
bra_hman.as whose employment is writing (Ka.)(Ka.lex.) Sanskrit
Dictionary at Hindunet.org
The 12 clans of Brahma Kayastha:
The 12 clans of Brahma Kayastha:
- Mathur
- Bhatnagar
- Srivastava
- Saxena
- Surdhwaja
- Ambashtha
- Gour
- Nigam
- Karna
- Asthana
- Kulashreshtha
- Valmik
Sons of Mata Shobhawati (Iravati)
* Shree Charu (Mathur): He was a disciple of sage Mathure, Rashi name
was Dhurandhar, was married to Devi Pankajakshi and worshipped Devi
Durga. Mathureshwari. Maharaj Chitraguptji sent Shree Charu to establish
a Kingdom in the Mathura region. His descendants were known as the
Mathurs. After defeating the demons, a term regularly used for the
anti-Vedic tribes, they established the Kingdom of Mathura. This done,
they also propagated to other part of Aryavartha. In the meanwhile they
were further divided into 3 sub-divisions 1.The Mathurs of Mathura,
2.The Pancholi or Panchali of Pnachal Kingdom, 3.The Kacchi of Gujrat.
The Mathurs seem to enjoy a long history of Ruling many Kingdoms, to
mention the most important, Ayodhya was ruled by them before the
Raghuvanshis took the reign. They are divided into 84 Als. According to
Madan Kosh by Madanlal Tiwari of Etawah (P.220)they established Pandya
Kingdom covering Madurai Trinivelli etc. Their emissary went to Augustus
Ceaser of Roman Empire.
* Shree Sucharu (Gaur): He was a disciple of sage Vashista, Rashi
name was Dharamdutta and worshipped Devi Shakambari. Maharaj
Chitraguptji sent Shree Sucharu to establish a Kingdom in the Gaud
region. Shree Sucharu married Devi Mandhiya, the daughter of Nagaraj
Vasuki. The gauds are divided into five divisions: 1.Khare, 2.Doosre,
3.Bengali, 4.Dehlavi, 5.Vadanyuni. Gaud Kaystha have been further sub
divided in 32 Als. Bhagdutta of Mahabharat and Rudradutta of Kalinga
were famous.
* Shree Chitraksh (Bhatnagar): He was a disciple of sage Bhat, was
married to Devi Bhadrakalini and worshipped Devi Jayanti. Maharaj
Chitraguptji sent Shree Chitraksh to establish a Kingdom in the region
of Bhat river at Bhattdesh and Malwa. They established Chittor and
Chitrakoot He settled then there and his progeny came to be known as
Bhatnagar. They are divided into 101 Als.
* Shree Matiman (Saxena): This illustrious son of Mata Shobhawati
(Irawati) was married to Devi Kokalesh and worshipped Devi Shakambari.
Maharaj Chitraguptji sent Shree Matimaan to establish a Kingdom in the
Shak region. His (Shree Matimaan’s) son was a great warrior and
established his kingdom in the modern day Kabul-Kandhar and Eurasia
region. As they were Sakha (friends of Sena) and also from Shak kingdom,
their progeny was called Shaksena or Saksena. A part of modern Iran was
under their rule. Today they are abundantly found in the regions of
Kannuaj, Pilibhit, Bareli, Shahjahanpur, Badayun, Farrukhabad,
Etah,Etawah, Mainpuri, Aligarh. They are divided into Khare and Dusare
and have 106 main Als at present.
* Shree Himavan (Ambashth): His Rashi name was Sarandhar, was married
to Devi Bhujangakshi and worshipped Devi Amba-Mata. Settled in Girnar
and kathiawar area called Amba-sthan, hence the name. Shree Himvaan had
five divine sons Shree Nagasen, Shree Gayasen, Shree Gayadatta, Shree
Ratanmool and Shree Devdhar and they married Gandharvyakanyas. These
five Sons settled at different locations and accordingly their lineage
spread their rule over these and were further divided into : Nagasen: 24
Als, Gayasen: 35 Als , Gayadatta: 85 Als, Ratanmool: 25 Als, Devdhar:
21 Als. Later they settled in Punjab after their defeat by Alexander’s
general and then by Chandragupt Maurya.
* Shree Chitracharu (Nigam): His Rashi name was Sumant, was married
to Devi Ashgandhmati and worshipped Devi Durga. Maharaj Chitraguptji
sent Shree Chitracharu to establish a Kingdom in the Mahakoshal and the
Nigam region (on the bank of river Saryu). His progeny were very
proficient in the rules laid in Vedas and the Shastras, hence Nigam.
Today they live in Kanpur, Fatehpur, Hamirpur, Banda, Jalon, Mahoba.
They are divided into 43 main Als.
* Shree Aruncharu (Karna): His Rashi name was Damodar, was married to
Devi Kamakala and worshipped Devi Laxmi. They were Vaishnavites.
Maharaj Chitraguptji sent Shree Aruncharu to establish a Kingdom in the
Karna region (modern day Karnataka). His progeny slowly migrated to the
Northern Kingdoms and now live abundantly in the present day Nepal,
Orissa and Bihar. The Bihar branch is further divided into two; namely
the ‘Gayaval Karna’ who settled in Gaya and the ‘Maithil-Karna’ who
settled in the Mithila region. The Maithil Karna Kayasthas are
characteresied by their usage of Panjis, a system of genealogical
records. They are divided into an astounding 360 Als; this huge figure
is attributed to the families who migrated in different phases from
South. The clan has nothing to do with Karna of Mahabharata.
* Shree Jitendriya (Kulshreshtha): His Rashi name is Sadananda, was
married to Devi Manjubhashini and worsipped Devi Laxmi. Maharaj
Chitraguptji sent Shree Atiyendriya (also known as Jitendra) to
establish a Kingdom in the Kannauj region. Shree Atiyendriya was one of
the most religious and pious ascetic of the twelve Sons. He was known as
‘Dharmatama’ and ‘Pundit’ and was a master of passions; His progeny
came to be known as Kulshrestha. Today the Kulshresthas live abundantly
in Mathura, Agra, Fawrookhabad, Etta, Etahwa and Mainpuri. A few are in
Nandigaon, Bengal.
Sons of Mata Nandini (Dakshina)
* Shree Shribhanu(Srivastava): His Rashi name was Dharamdwaj. Maharaj
Chitraguptji sent Shree Shribhanu to establish a Kingdom in the
Shrivaas(Srinagar)region in Kashmir and Kandhar. He was married to
Nagaraj Vaasuki’s daughter Devi Padmini and two divine sons named Shree
Devdatta and Shree Ghanshyam were born. Shree Devdatta got the rulership
over Kashmir and Shree Ganshyam got the rulership over the banks of
Sindhu river. They were called Srivastava ‘Khare’ born from second wife
Kheri. Two divine sons named Shree Dhanvantari and Shree Sarvagya were
born. They were called Srivastava ‘Doosre’.The Srivastavas are divided
into 65 main Als.
* Shree Vibhanu (Suryadhwaj): His Rashi name was Shyamsunder, was
married to Devi Malti. Maharaj Chitraguptji sent Shree Vibhanu to
establish the Kingdom in northern parts of the Kashmir region. Since
Mother Dakshina was the daughter of Suryadev, the progeny of Shree
Vibhanu carried the emblem of the Sun God on their flags and were called
Suryadhwaj. Jarasandha of Mahabharat and Jamnaya of Taxila were well
known. Later they settled at Magadh
* Shree Vishwabhanu (Valmik): His Rashi name was Deendayal and
worshipped Devi Shakumbhari. Maharaj Chitraguptji sent Shree Vishwabhanu
to establish a Kingdom in Valmiki region near Chirakoot and Narmada.
Shree Vishwabhanu was married to Nagakanya Devi Bimbvati. He’s known to
have spend a great part of his life practicing intense
meditation(Tapasya) on the banks of river Narmada, when covered with the
leaves of creeper Valmiki. His progeny were known as Valmiki. They
became Vallabhpanthi. His son Shree Chandrakant settled in Gujarat while
the other Sons migrated with their families to the North, near river
Ganga and the Himalayas. Today they live in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
They are also known as ‘Vallabhi Kayastha’ in Gujarat.
* Shree Viryabhanu (Asthana): His Rashi name Madhavrao, was married
to Devi Singhdwani. Maharaj Chitraguptji sent Shree Viryabhanu to
establish a Kingdom in Adhisthana. His progeny came to be known as
Asthana as Ramnagar-Varanasi’s king bestowed them with eight jewels.
Some say that they had no fixed sthan, hence the name. Today the
Asthanas live abundantly in various districts of U.P. In Bihar they live
in Saran, Sivaan, Champaran, Mujjafarpur, Sitamadhi, Darbhanga,
Bhagalpur regions. Their population is also notable in U.P.’s
neighboring state M.P. They are divided into 5 main Als.
ALs
These twelve sub-castes are further divided into ALs. A Vansh
originates from a King, a Rishi or a Deity and as it grows it divides
itself in to several branches. The descendants start to build their own
sub-Vansh depending upon the places and situations met, at the same time
acknowledging their submission to the MOOL Vansh. These sub-Vansh add
specific nouns to their names which in case of the Chirtagupta
Vansha(Chitranshi) are called the Als (Kindly be clear upon the point
that the 12 main sub-castes are acknowledged divisions based on the
family of the 12 Sons, they are not called Als, their further divisions
are what Als are) One has to be careful to avoid confusing them with
Gotra. Gotra goes after the name of a Vedic Rishi, who was either a
Guru, RajGuru or Progenitor of that Vansh. The gotra for a MOOL Vansh is
always the same. It is Kashayap for the Kayasthas. Thus, a Vanshaz can
be known from his Gotra and Al (The term Kul is often used for Al,
though the former has a much broader meaning).The Als can be thousands
in number and must be added to the name in conjunction with one of the
12 main sub-castes. The ignorance of this law is precisely the reason
why so many can not find their surnames mentioned amongst the 12 main
sub-castes.
NOTE: The second sub-group of Kayasthas is called CHANDRASENIYA
KAYASTHA PRABHU of Maharastra and Punjab. Their linkage is from
Sahastrajita-Haihey- Sahastrarjuna Chandrasen and Somsen.
Aspects of Kayastha culture
Aspects of Kayastha culture
Endogamy
Kayasthas practice family exogamy and caste endogamy preferring to
marry only within their sub-castes. The individuals of same Al can not
intermarry, while those of same caste and different Als can. Thus an
individual from Srivastava subcaste and Pandey Al should not marry
another Pandey of the same subcaste but can marry an individual
belonging to another Al of the same subcaste. Though not required, it is
still widely practiced as a tradition.
Worship
Kayasthas worship ShreeChitraguptaji and on Bhai-Dooj, they celebrate
Kalam-Dawaat Pooja (pen, ink-pot and sword worship), a ritual in which
pens, papers and books are worshipped. This is the day when Shree
Chitraguptji was created by Lord Bramha and Yamaraj got relieved of His
duties and used this leave to visit His sister Devi Yamuna; hence the
whole world celebrates Bhaiya dooj on this day and the Kayastha
celebrate ShreeChitraguptajayanti, i.e. the ‘Birthday’ of their
progenitor.
By worshipping Chitragupta who is their ancestor, kayasthas have the
singular distinction of being the only “Ancestor-worshipping” sect of
Hinduism.
Food
Unlike most Baniya (Vaishya) or Brahmins, Kayasthas eat onions,
garlic, meats like mutton and chicken, fish and eggs, though a large
number are also vegetarians. Meat eating kayasthas do avoid beef as the
cow is considered sacred for Hindus.
Kayasthas of holy towns like Prayag, Mathura, Varanasi, etc. are
purely vegetarians, while in other areas they may be mixed. It is said
that Kayasthas started eating meat during the Muslim period when they
socially mixed with the Muslims.
History
Kayastha ministers find mention in Hindu mythology. Prior to the
Raghuvanshis, Ayodhya was ruled by Mathur Rulers, progeny of Shree
Chitraguptaji.
The Kayastha who are represented by the “Kayats” or the hereditary caste of the scribes of the present day, formed originally a sub-military class. The Anthropological Survey of India conducted a survery during the British Raj which concluded that the Kayastha community were also influential during the Mauryan period as administrators. Also, many proof have been found that the Hindu Kings used to grant lands to the Kayasthas, a practise enjoyed only by a particular caste. Also, it is but logical to consider the status of the Kayasthas when Sanskrit was the state language under the Hindu Kings.
The Kayastha were one of the most influential Caste in Kashmiri politics around 7th century. The economic status of the Kayastha community bettered than that of other castes when the Muslims conquered India. Other Indian castes would typically not find employment under the Muslim rulers, as they could not learn the Muslim languages of Persian and Arabic. On the other hand, the Kayastha community as a whole traditionally put a lot of emphasis on education and prospered during the Islamic period of India.
The Kayastha who are represented by the “Kayats” or the hereditary caste of the scribes of the present day, formed originally a sub-military class. The Anthropological Survey of India conducted a survery during the British Raj which concluded that the Kayastha community were also influential during the Mauryan period as administrators. Also, many proof have been found that the Hindu Kings used to grant lands to the Kayasthas, a practise enjoyed only by a particular caste. Also, it is but logical to consider the status of the Kayasthas when Sanskrit was the state language under the Hindu Kings.
The Kayastha were one of the most influential Caste in Kashmiri politics around 7th century. The economic status of the Kayastha community bettered than that of other castes when the Muslims conquered India. Other Indian castes would typically not find employment under the Muslim rulers, as they could not learn the Muslim languages of Persian and Arabic. On the other hand, the Kayastha community as a whole traditionally put a lot of emphasis on education and prospered during the Islamic period of India.
Kayasthas down the ages
Kayasthas were valued in the second millennia by most kingdoms and princely states as desired citizens or immigrants within India. They were treated more as a race rather than a caste because they developed expertise in Persian (the state language in Islamic India), learnt Turkish and Arabic, economics, administration and taxation. This gave them an edge over the Brahmins (the priestly caste), who traditionally had reserved the study of Sanskrit shastras to themselves. They successfully adapted themselves as scribes and functionaries under Islamic rule and later on under the British. Their secular viewpoint to life, adaptability and lifestyle was an asset which allowed them to succeed. The Kayastha community also adapted to changes, such as the advent of the British rule in India. They learnt English, the more affluent ones sent their children to England, they became civil servants, tax officers, junior administrators, teachers, legal helpers and barristers. They rose to the highest positions accessible to natives in British India.
Kayasthas were valued in the second millennia by most kingdoms and princely states as desired citizens or immigrants within India. They were treated more as a race rather than a caste because they developed expertise in Persian (the state language in Islamic India), learnt Turkish and Arabic, economics, administration and taxation. This gave them an edge over the Brahmins (the priestly caste), who traditionally had reserved the study of Sanskrit shastras to themselves. They successfully adapted themselves as scribes and functionaries under Islamic rule and later on under the British. Their secular viewpoint to life, adaptability and lifestyle was an asset which allowed them to succeed. The Kayastha community also adapted to changes, such as the advent of the British rule in India. They learnt English, the more affluent ones sent their children to England, they became civil servants, tax officers, junior administrators, teachers, legal helpers and barristers. They rose to the highest positions accessible to natives in British India.
Kayasthas in modern India
Post independence Kayasthas rose to the highest positions including
the first President of India , Dr. Rajendra Prasad,third Prime Minister
of India , Lal Bahadur Shastri , judges, top civil servants and high
ranking officers in the Indian armed forces. Kayasthas also emigrated to
the West in the 1970s and 80s, most of them as knowledge workers in
medicine, academia, engineering, computing etc.
Prominent Kayasthas
Main article: List of Kayasthas
With the passing of time, the Kayasthas have surged ahead. They have
broken new grounds in vocations other than those relating to writing and
record-keeping, and excelled in them. Thus, in public life, Dr Rajendra
Prasad rose to become the first President of the Republic of India,
whereas Lal Bahadur Shastri succeeded Jawaharlal Nehru as the Prime
Minister. Dr Sampuranand was the Chief Minister of U.P. and Governor of
Rajasthan, besides being a literary figure. Jayaprakash Narayan brought
down Indira Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose fought the British rule
militarily. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, and Jagdish Chandra Bose were
eminent scientists. Munshi Prem Chand, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Raghupat
Sahai “Firaque” Gorakhpuri, Dr Vrindavan Lal Verma, Dr Ram Kumar Verma
and Dr Dharm Vir Bharti have been men of letters. Swami Vivekanand and
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi were philosophers. Alakh Kumar Sinha, C.I.E,
O.B.E, was the first Indian Inspector-General of Police , his son
Mithilesh Kumar Sinha, KPM, President’s Police Medal, was the longest
serving Inspector-General of Police and a noted philanthropist, and his
grandson Gen. S.K. Sinha, PVSM, has served as Indian Ambassador to
Nepal, Governor of Assam and Governor of Jammu & Kashmir. Amitabh
Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha have excelled in the film world, Mukesh
and Sonu Nigam in the world of music.
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