Mingling of Cultures (C): The Maitrakas

The inscriptions of several post-Gupta kings clearly prove to the fact that under their toleration rule, Brahmanism, Buddhism, and Jainism met with peaceful and prosperous coexistence along with vedic traditions. The Maitraka were followers of the Śiva except for the King Dhruvasena I who was vaiṣṇava (Parama-bhāgavata) and Dharāpada who was sun-worshipper (Parama-Saura). They all used the title of Parama-Māheśvara before the names of king except those two. However, H.D. Sankalia^[1] and U.P. Shah^[2] have ascribed them to Jainism while M.R. Majumder^[3] calls them Buddhist as numerous carved clay seals and stūpas bearing the image of Buddha were discovered from Vāla (Valabhī). Another king of this dynasty Gūhasena granted four villages for the purpose of repairing the fallen and broken parts of the monastery and for procuring frankincense, lamps, oil, flowers and procuring food, etc., to the great vihāras established by Dāddā , where the community of Buddhist monks used to assemble.^[4]

Many Buddhist monuments were built during their reign and about fifteen vihāras at Vāla are mentioned. M.R. Majumdar^[5] has listed fourteen Buddhist vihāras from Valabhī while H.D. Sankalia^[6] suggests there were ten such vihāras, and Valabhī had about one hundred Buddhist monasteries said Chinese traveler Xuan zung.^[7]

Palitānā Plates of Dhruvasena (c. 571 CE)^[8] issued by the King Dhruvasena-I, records a grant to the Brāhmaṇas Kumāraśarman and Jarabhajyi of Chāndogya branch of Sāmaveda for their performance of rites of bali, caru, vaiśvadeva (first three of the five great Sacrifices). Dhruvasena-I was a devout worshipper of Bhāgavat (Viṣṇu). Amreli Plates of Kharagraha I (c. 616-617 CE)^[9] issued by the King Kharagraha I records the grant of two vāpis to a sabrahmacārī of the Vājasaneya branch of Yajurveda (white Yajurveda), who hailed from (vāstavya) tramadī having emigrated from Kāśahrada.

Nogāwa Plates of Dhruvasena II-A (c. 639-640 CE)^[10] issued by the King Dhruvasena II records a land grant to two Brāhmaṇas Agnisvāmin (emigrated from Udumbaragahvara) and Saṅgaravi (migrated from Jambūsara), of Vājasaneya śākhā (white Yajurveda) for the augmentation of merit to his parents. Dhruvasena II himself was a great devotee of Maheśvara (Śiva). Similarly, his inscription Nogāwa Plates of Dhruvasena II-B (c. 640-641 CE)^[11] records a grant of a village to two Brāhmaṇas Dattasvāmi (emigrated from Udumbara-gahvara) and Kukārasvāmi for the augmentation of merit of his parents. Both the brāhmaṇas associated to the Yajurveda.

Kāpaḍvaṇaj Plates of Dhruvasena III” (c. 653-654 CE)^[12] issued by the King Dhruvasena III records a grant to a village to a Brāhmaṇa Bhaṭṭibhaṭa (emigrated from Mahichhaka) of Vājasaneya śākhā. However, Dhruvasena III himself was a follower of the Śiva.

Lunsaḍī Plates of Śilāditya II-B (c. 671-672 CE)^[13] issued by the Māheśvara King Śilāditya II records a land grant to Brāhmaṇa Magopadattaīnāma (emigrated from Ānandapura) who was an Adhvaryu.

Jesar Plates of Śilāditya III (c. 676-677 CE)^[14] issued by the King Śilāditya III records a grant to a vedic brāhmaṇa. Parama-Māheśvara Śilāditya (III) has granted an enormous land property with the due oblation of water as dharmadeya to Dīkṣita, who was a Vājasaneya sabrahmacāṟī (emigrated from Pushyasāmbapura).

Not only to the brāhmaṇas associated to the Yajurveda, but the Parama-Māheśvara Maitraka kings also granted land properties to the brāhmaṇas belonging to the different go tras and caraṇas. Those brāhmaṇas were specially associated to the gveda and Sāmaveda branch. Besides they were cāturvidyasāmānya (well-versed in all four Vedas). Maitraka kings granted lands to these learned brāhmaṇas for the augmentation of the merit of their parents to promote vedic education at that time.

For example, in Navalākhī Plates of Śilāditya (c. 605 CE),^[15] King Śilāditya granted the village Bhoṇḍānaka to forty-four brāhmaṇa s belonging to different go tras and caraṇas who were engaged in austerities and studies (emigrated from Saṃgapurī). Again, in Dāna Plates of Dhruvasena II (c. 632 CE)^[16] issued by the King Dhruvasena II records a land grant to Brāhmaṇa Bhaṭṭi-Viṣṇu, who a student of Bahvṛca branch of the gveda. Another inscription The Goras Plate of Dhruvasena II (c. 632 CE)^[17] issued by him records a land grant to Devakula who was a brāhmaṇa of Chāndo gya branch of Sāmaveda.

Alīnā Plates of Dhruvasena IV (c. 649-650 CE)^[18] issued by the King Dhruvasena IV records a land grant to cāturvidya-sāmānya Brāhmaṇa Nārāyanamitra of Baḥvṛca branch as dharmmadeya agrahāra, who was emigrated from Ānarttapura. Again, in Alīnā Plates (c. 656-657 CE)^[19] the King Kharagraha II granted the village Paṅgulapallikā to sāmānya Brāhmaṇa Nārāyaṇa of Baḥvṛcha branch, who was migrated from Ānandapura. Both the kings (Dhruvasena IV and Kharagraha II) were followers of the Śiva.

From the above discussion of vedic references found in the copper plate inscriptions of Maitrakas, mention religious edifices. The Maitrakas ruled from their capital at Valabhī. They regained their independence after Harṣa’ s death. Harṣavardhana, who was strict Māheśvara (Śiva)-devout during the early stage of his life, later turned into a Buddhist. Maybe that was the reason that there were a large number of Buddhist vihāras in the Maitraka kingdom.

Some Brahmanical shrines can be seen very often. This includes Śiva temple at Vātāpadra (before c. 609 CE), Bhartiśvara temple (extant in c. 631 CE), Goddess Kotammahika temple at Trisangamaka (extant in c. 639 CE, built during or before the reign of Droṇasiṃha) and Pāndurārya (c. 502 CE inscription) and other temples such as Sun temple at Vaṭapadra (c. 609 CE) and among others.

Thus, we may conclude as the Maitrakas were tolerant of all religions and made donations and grants to all of them without any partiality. However, despite all these socio-religious upheavals, the vedic sacrifices were performed, and vedic texts were studied with utmost attention at that time.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

H.D. Sankalia, Archaeology of Gujarat, pp. 65, 235 (and Appendix K, p. 83-84).

[2]:

U.P. Shah, and M.A. Dhaky, Aspects of Jaina Art and Architecture, pp. 277-78.

[3]:

M.R. Majumdar, Historical and Cultural Chronology of Gujarat, p . 213.

[4]:

IA, vol. IV, p. 104.

[5]:

M.R. Majumdar, op. cit., pp. 200-201.

[6]:

H.D. Sankalia, op. cit., p. 231.

[7]:

T. Watters, op. cit., vol. II, p. 246.

[8]:

USVAE, vol. III, pp. 370-373.

[9]:

Ibid., vol. IV, part I, pp. 688-691.

[10]:

Ibid., pp. 501-507.

[11]:

Ibid., pp. 516-520.

[12]:

Ibid., part II, pp. 29-36.

[13]:

Ibid., pp. 275-281.

[14]:

Ibid., pp. 349-354.

[15]:

Ibid., pp. 159-166.

[16]:

Ibid., part I, pp. 466-471.

[17]:

Ibid., pp. 447-452.

[18]:

Ibid., pp. 587-593.

[19]:

Ibid., part II, pp. 79-84.