9.2 Origin of the Bisen Community

9.2.1 From the Maitraka Rajput dynasty of Saurashtra, Gujarat

Jawala Prasad Mishra, while tracing the lineage of Bisens, listed event very similar to that happened with Karna in the epic Mahabharata. While explaining, the author quoted about the Brahmins not dining with the Kshatriyas. However, it is well known that any such system was not prevalent in the era of Parashurama (early Vedic period) and came into existence only after the Gupta Empire of 5th century AD. It seems that the author attempted justification of the ‘Brahma-Kshatriya’ title for Bisens by linking them with the mythical story of Parashurama killing all Kshatriyas. Moreover, Dhruvasena II, who married the daughter of Harshavardhana, was a Buddhist and belonged to Maitraka rulers of Vallabhi (present day Saurashtra in Gujarat) [6]. A Buddhist ruler and his descendants getting the title of Brahma-Kshatriya in the epicenter of Brahmanic society is highly controversial in nature. Further the land of Maharashtra where Bisva Sen had born, according to his work, or in Saurashtra where Maitrakas ruled, no community with Bisen title is found. Just because, Brahmin Mayur Bhat facilitated the marriage, the Bisens adopted or given the Mayurvanshi title seems highly illogical. From population angle too, the lineage is not justified as it showed Dhruvasen II of 6th century AD as the first person of entire Bisen population which numbered approximately 0.3 million (3 lakh) in 2011 and live in the central and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Historically, however, the region of Saurashtra and Malwa had a king named Visva Sen from 293-304 AD. He belonged to Western Kshatrapas or Saka rulers who invaded northwestern India from 200 BC- 400 AD and given the status of Kshatriya after assimilation in the Brahmanical fold.

9.2.2 From the Kadamba dynasty of Karnataka

Shivnath Bhaskar and Jagdish Narayan Singh tried to link the Bisens with Kadamba dynasty of Karnataka by considering Mayur Bhat same as Mayur Sharma who founded the dynasty in 345 AD. According to Talagunda (present Shimoga district of Karnataka) inscriptions, Mayur Sharma was a Vaidiki Brahmin scholar. He belonged to an orthodox Brahmin family with Manavya Gotra that descended from Hariti. His father’s name was Bandhushena. Talagunda inscription also tells that Mayur Sharma went to Kanchi, the important learning center and capital of the Pallavas, to pursue his Vedic studies. He was accompanied by his guru and grandfather Veer Sharma. There, he was insulted by a Pallava guard. In a rage he gave up his Brahminic studies and took to the sword to avenge. He, thus, acquired Kshatriya character and established the Kadamba dynasty in later period. His descendants took the Kshatriya title of ‘Varma’ and continued to rule over southern India. The dynasty ruled till 550 AD and used Kannada as its administrative language. It seems that the authors linked Bisens with Mayur Sharma of Kadamba dynasty to justify their Brahma Kshatriya and Mayurvanshi titles. In the process, Jagdish Narayan singh went one step ahead and showed the lineage of Mayur Sharma from the ancient Malla Kshatriyas of Gorakhpur. However this very attempt is against the Talagunda inscriptions which say that Mayur Sharma was of Brahmin origin. From population angle too, the origin of huge Bisen populations from Kadamba dynasty is not justifiable.

9.2.3 From the Brahmanic Kshatriyas of Kosala - Malla Mahajanpada

It is reported that the Bisens are Suryavanshi Kshatriyas with five gotras and nearly the same number of clans. The literary meaning of Gotra is ‘cow shed’ which is used for a clan first time in the AtharvaVeda. The use of Gotra for a clan in the Hindu social system indicates that the families are derived from the same male without breaking the lineage. According to the Baudhayana Srauta Sutra, Vishvamitra, Jamadagni, Bhardwaja, Gautama, Atri, Vashistha, Kashyapa and Agastya are 8 sages and the progeny of these eight sages is declared to be gotras. Later many sages were included in the list and together these are known as Paravara. Initially the system was adopted by Brahmin class only to demarcate their clans with other Brahmins. In later period, the same was adopted by Kshatriya and Vaishya class populations, probably from the late Vedic period. As Bisen populations have five Gotras, it indicates them to be formed from at least five groups of Kshatriyas from the period when Gotra or Parvara system was extended to the Kshatriya class.

The Bisens are not mentioned in Rajputana anywhere and were never a historical figure before the period of Mughal Emperor Akbar. They rose to prominence only after their good services to Mughal Empire and after migration of Rajputs in these regions in the medieval period. The literary meaning of Bisva Sen, big population number spread across some districts which is the land of initial Buddhism, five different clans and gotras support the view of A.H Bingley that Bisen is probably a title adopted or given to a group of Kshatriya tribes. Since the literary meaning of Bisva Sen in Sanskrit is ‘entire army’, it probably refers to those kshatriyas who were still holding their arms and doing the job of Kshatra-dharma when most other Kshatriyas laid down their arms and adopted agriculture or other occupations under the influence of Buddhism and Jainism. Further the title of Brahma-kshatriya given to Bisens possibly indicates that they were the ones who followed ‘Brahamanism’ when other Kshatriyas inclined towards Buddhism, Jainism and other aboriginal cults in the region of Kosala and Mall Mahajanpada. The Malla epithet and the very high regard commanded by Chief of Majhauli amongst all Bisens possibly indicate the same bifurcation process wherein all Brahmanic Kshatriyas grouped under the leadership of one of the Malla chief out of nine Malla republic chiefs just like the Buddhist Kshatriyas grouped under the Mallas of Kusinara (Sainthwar). Historically that one Malla chief can be speculated from the five Malla chiefs of Pava who did not participate in the funeral process of Buddha. The same is also evident from the fact that even though Bisens are thickly settled in Gonda, Balarampur and Faizabad districts (refer table 8.8.3), still they trace their origin from the Bisen clan of Majhauli, Deoria. Therefore it can be said that after the great bifurcation process of ancient Kshatriyas on religious lines, which must have stopped all social ties between them, both groups survived as Santhavara and BisvaSena over a period of next hundreds of years before the advent of Rajputs in these regions after which the political dominance of Bisens rose significantly higher than the Sainthwars.

The title of ‘Mayurvanshi’, which forced many historians to link Bisens with some historical figures like Mayur Sharma of Karnataka or poet Mayur Bhat of Harshavardhana court, seems to be related with the ancient Mauryas of Pipphalivana who are referred as Mayur, Mayura etc. in the various ancient texts. Mauryas are still found in Deoria district where the chief family of Bisens also resides. It looks more convincing that the chief family title of ‘Mayur Vanshi’ was adopted by one of the King of this clan who was born from the wedlock between Malla prince (of Pava) and Mauryan princess following Brahmanism. The period of his birth must be after Buddha when most Mauryas were still following Brahmanism faith but before Ashoka Maurya when they adopted Buddhism. But how the title of ‘MayurVanshi’ when the Indo-Aryan society was patriarchal in nature? As mentioned earlier, after the rise of Buddhism and Jainism in Malla Mahajanpada, Kshatriyas could have broadly divided into:

1. Buddhist Shakya who formed an endogamous group.
2. Malla, Koliya and few Maurya-Shakyas of Pipphalivana and other Kshatriyas following Buddhism (Mall-Sainthwar)
3. Malla, Maurya, Lichchhavi and other Kshatriyas following Brahmanism (Bisen)
4. Malla, Lichchhavi and other Kshatriyas following Jainism

It is well recorded that all these Kshatriya tribes were influenced by the culture of Indian aboriginals as the region was on the extreme end of Aryavrata. Therefore, even though the Aryan society was patriarchal, there are references of Kings taking pride of their mother’s clan. The prominent examples are King Ajatshatru and King Samudragupta of Magadha. Ajatshatru was contemporary of Buddha and Mahavira. He glorified himself as Videha-dauhitra meaning ‘the son of a Videha daughter’. Around 335-375 AD, the greatest military personality Samudragupta of Gupta Empire also glorified himself as Lichchhavi-dauhitra meaning ‘the son of a Lichchhavi daughter’. The Kings of Magadha taking pride in associating with mother’s clan reflects the same respect to women which is characteristics of Dravidian civilization. It should be noted that till present time in southern India, people take pride in mother’s clan and reflect their name on certain social events as ‘nephew of Mr. X’ or ‘grandson of Mr. X’. Ajatshatru glorifying him with the name of mother clan indicates that by the time of Buddha and Mahavira, many traditions of Indian aboriginals were already adopted by their Aryan counterparts. So the title of Mayurvanshi by the Bisens of Majhauli indicates the same respect to his Mauryan clan mother by then chief of Majhauli. As the chief proudly described himself as ‘Mayurvanshi’ and the clan remained follower of Brahmanism, it puts the period of that chief probably after Chandragupta Maurya but before the Buddhist Ashoka Maurya when Mauryas as a clan ruled over entire subcontinent and hence pride in associating with the clan name. However when Mauryas accepted Buddhism and their social position as a community started degrading in the orthodox Brahmanic society, any linkage with the title must have become taboo for the Bisens. It is then the title of Mayurvanshi could have been given Brahmanical holiness in the form of its origin from the mythical Brahmin figure Mayur Bhat which later formed the much believed tradition within Bisens about their origin.

9.3 The Bisen Rajas of Majhauli - click here to read

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References:
[6] Joshi, L. M. (1977). Studies in the Buddhistic Culture of India, p. 41 (2nd Ed.). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

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Index   Chapter 1   Chapter 2   Chapter 3   Chapter 4   Chapter 5   Chapter 6   Chapter 7   Chapter 8   Chapter 9   Chapter 10

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