Rajputra

The Sanskrit word Rājputra/Rajaputra means "son of a king". It finds mention in multiple ancient Hindu scriptures and later in various literary works.^[1]^[2]

History[edit | edit source]

The term "Rajputra/Rajaputra" first appears in ancient Hindu scriptures like Rigveda, Ramayana and Mahabharata.^[3] The term "rājaputto" comes in the Buddhist Sutta Nipata composed in the Pali language during 5th-3rd century BC.^[4] In the early medieval period, rajputra has been used by various authors with different connotations. In Kautilya's Arthashastra, it means sons of the king while in Kalidasa's Mālavikāgnimitram, it is used in the sense of nobles. In Banabhatta's Harshacharita, it is used for nobles, while in his Kadambari, it is used for the sons of nobles.^[5] In Sanskrit inscriptions belonging to the Licchavi kingdom (5th to 7th century CE), it has been used to refer to some ministers and high ranking officers.^[6]^[7] It appears in the 7th century Bakshali manuscript from NWFP in the sense of a mercenary soldier, while in the 8th century Chachnama of Sindh, it is used in the sense of elite horsemen.^[8]

References[edit | edit source]

Citations[edit | edit source]

↑ Richard Francis Gombrich, ed. (2005). Valmiki Ramayana Book One Boyhood. Translated by Sheldon I. Polloch; Rosalind Lefeber; Sally J. Sutherland Goldman. New York University Press. p. 166. ISBN 9780814731635. Paritusto 'smi bhadram te rajaputra mahāyasah prityå paramaya yukto dadamy astrăni sarvasah
↑ Peter Scharf (2014). Ramopakhyana - The Story of Rama in the Mahabharata. Taylor & Francis. p. 514. ISBN 9781136846625. राजपुत्रौ कुशलिनौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ rajputrau kushalinau bhratrau ramlakshmanau
↑
- Rima Hooja (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa and Co. p. 181. ISBN 8129115018.
- Jai Narayan Asopa (1976). Origin of the Rajputs. Bharatiya Publishing House. p. 12.
- Richard Francis Gombrich, ed. (2005). Valmiki Ramayana Book One Boyhood. Translated by Sheldon I. Polloch; Rosalind Lefeber; Sally J. Sutherland Goldman. New York University Press. p. 166. ISBN 9780814731635. Paritusto 'smi bhadram te rajaputra mahāyasah prityå paramaya yukto dadamy astrăni sarvasah
- Peter Scharf (2014). Ramopakhyana - The Story of Rama in the Mahabharata. Taylor & Francis. p. 514. ISBN 9781136846625. राजपुत्रौ कुशलिनौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ rajputrau kushalinau bhratrau ramlakshmanau
↑
- Bkra-śis-rgyal-mtshan (Śar-rdza) (2005). Samten Gyaltsen Karmay (ed.). The Treasury of Good Sayings: A Tibetan History of Bon. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 106. ISBN 9788120813557. Na brāhmaṇo no 'mhi, na rājaputto, na vessāyano, uda koci no 'mhi
- इतिवुत्तकपाळि ; सुत्तनिपातपाळि. Vipaśyana Viśodhana Vinyāsa. 1995. p. 149. ISBN 81-7414-049-2. न ब्राह्मणो नोम्हि न राजपुत्तो, नोम्हि न वेस्सायनो उद कोचि नोम्हि।
- Upinder Singh (2009). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th century (PB). Pearson Education. p. 258. ISBN 978-9332569966. The first four books of the Sutta Pitaka (the Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta, and Anguttara Nikayas) and the entire Vinaya Pitaka were composed between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. The Sutta Nipata also belongs to this period.
↑ Rima Hooja 2006, p. 181: "Rajputras have been referred to in Kautilya’s Arthasastra, Kalidasa’s Malvikagnimitra, Asvaghosha’s Saundarananda and Banabhatta’s Harshacharita and Kadambari. The word has been used with different connotations by these authors. In Kautilya’s work it implies sons of the king while by Kalidasa and Asvaghosha it is used for nobles. Banabhatta in the first work uses it in the sense of nobles and in the latter work as sons of the nobles.
↑ Vajracharya 1975, p. 239"...Kshatriyas also occupied a leading position because of their special role in politics. References have been made to Rajputras (Kshatriyas) in mány Licchavi inscriptions. The inscription of Sikubahi (Shankhamul) mentions the names of Rajputra Vajraratha, Babhruvarma and Deshavarma. Babhruvarma and Deshavama were "dutakas" during the reign of Ganadeva and Amshuvarma respectively. The inscription of Sanga mentions the name of Rajputra Vikramasena, who was a "sarvadandanayaka." The inscription of Deopattan mentions Rajputra Shurasena, and the inscription of Adeshwar mentions the Rajaputras Nandavarma, Jishnuvarma and Bhimavarma. This shows that the number of Kshatriyas was large in the Licchavi period and that they occupied top posts."
↑ Raniero Gnoli (1956). Nepalese Inscriptions in Gupta Characters: Text. University of Virginia. p. 52,55,70,97,108,120.
↑ Sabita Singh (27 May 2019). The Politics of Marriage in India Gender and Alliance in Rajasthan. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199098286.

[1] Richard Francis Gombrich, ed. (2005). Valmiki Ramayana Book One Boyhood. Translated by Sheldon I. Polloch; Rosalind Lefeber; Sally J. Sutherland Goldman. New York University Press. p. 166. ISBN 9780814731635. Paritusto 'smi bhadram te rajaputra mahāyasah prityå paramaya yukto dadamy astrăni sarvasah

[2] Peter Scharf (2014). Ramopakhyana - The Story of Rama in the Mahabharata. Taylor & Francis. p. 514. ISBN 9781136846625. राजपुत्रौ कुशलिनौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ rajputrau kushalinau bhratrau ramlakshmanau

[3] 
Rima Hooja (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa and Co. p. 181. ISBN 8129115018.

Jai Narayan Asopa (1976). Origin of the Rajputs. Bharatiya Publishing House. p. 12.

Richard Francis Gombrich, ed. (2005). Valmiki Ramayana Book One Boyhood. Translated by Sheldon I. Polloch; Rosalind Lefeber; Sally J. Sutherland Goldman. New York University Press. p. 166. ISBN 9780814731635. Paritusto 'smi bhadram te rajaputra mahāyasah prityå paramaya yukto dadamy astrăni sarvasah

Peter Scharf (2014). Ramopakhyana - The Story of Rama in the Mahabharata. Taylor & Francis. p. 514. ISBN 9781136846625. राजपुत्रौ कुशलिनौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ rajputrau kushalinau bhratrau ramlakshmanau

[4] Rima Hooja (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa and Co. p. 181. ISBN 8129115018.

[5] Jai Narayan Asopa (1976). Origin of the Rajputs. Bharatiya Publishing House. p. 12.

[6] Richard Francis Gombrich, ed. (2005). Valmiki Ramayana Book One Boyhood. Translated by Sheldon I. Polloch; Rosalind Lefeber; Sally J. Sutherland Goldman. New York University Press. p. 166. ISBN 9780814731635. Paritusto 'smi bhadram te rajaputra mahāyasah prityå paramaya yukto dadamy astrăni sarvasah

[7] Peter Scharf (2014). Ramopakhyana - The Story of Rama in the Mahabharata. Taylor & Francis. p. 514. ISBN 9781136846625. राजपुत्रौ कुशलिनौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ rajputrau kushalinau bhratrau ramlakshmanau

[4] 
Bkra-śis-rgyal-mtshan (Śar-rdza) (2005). Samten Gyaltsen Karmay (ed.). The Treasury of Good Sayings: A Tibetan History of Bon. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 106. ISBN 9788120813557. Na brāhmaṇo no 'mhi, na rājaputto, na vessāyano, uda koci no 'mhi

इतिवुत्तकपाळि ; सुत्तनिपातपाळि. Vipaśyana Viśodhana Vinyāsa. 1995. p. 149. ISBN 81-7414-049-2. न ब्राह्मणो नोम्हि न राजपुत्तो, नोम्हि न वेस्सायनो उद कोचि नोम्हि।

Upinder Singh (2009). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th century (PB). Pearson Education. p. 258. ISBN 978-9332569966. The first four books of the Sutta Pitaka (the Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta, and Anguttara Nikayas) and the entire Vinaya Pitaka were composed between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. The Sutta Nipata also belongs to this period.

[9] Bkra-śis-rgyal-mtshan (Śar-rdza) (2005). Samten Gyaltsen Karmay (ed.). The Treasury of Good Sayings: A Tibetan History of Bon. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 106. ISBN 9788120813557. Na brāhmaṇo no 'mhi, na rājaputto, na vessāyano, uda koci no 'mhi

[10] इतिवुत्तकपाळि ; सुत्तनिपातपाळि. Vipaśyana Viśodhana Vinyāsa. 1995. p. 149. ISBN 81-7414-049-2. न ब्राह्मणो नोम्हि न राजपुत्तो, नोम्हि न वेस्सायनो उद कोचि नोम्हि।

[11] Upinder Singh (2009). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th century (PB). Pearson Education. p. 258. ISBN 978-9332569966. The first four books of the Sutta Pitaka (the Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta, and Anguttara Nikayas) and the entire Vinaya Pitaka were composed between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. The Sutta Nipata also belongs to this period.

[FOOTNOTERima_Hooja2006181-5] Rima Hooja 2006, p. 181: "Rajputras have been referred to in Kautilya’s Arthasastra, Kalidasa’s Malvikagnimitra, Asvaghosha’s Saundarananda and Banabhatta’s Harshacharita and Kadambari. The word has been used with different connotations by these authors. In Kautilya’s work it implies sons of the king while by Kalidasa and Asvaghosha it is used for nobles. Banabhatta in the first work uses it in the sense of nobles and in the latter work as sons of the nobles.

[FOOTNOTEVajracharya1975239-6] Vajracharya 1975, p. 239"...Kshatriyas also occupied a leading position because of their special role in politics. References have been made to Rajputras (Kshatriyas) in mány Licchavi inscriptions. The inscription of Sikubahi (Shankhamul) mentions the names of Rajputra Vajraratha, Babhruvarma and Deshavarma. Babhruvarma and Deshavama were "dutakas" during the reign of Ganadeva and Amshuvarma respectively. The inscription of Sanga mentions the name of Rajputra Vikramasena, who was a "sarvadandanayaka." The inscription of Deopattan mentions Rajputra Shurasena, and the inscription of Adeshwar mentions the Rajaputras Nandavarma, Jishnuvarma and Bhimavarma. This shows that the number of Kshatriyas was large in the Licchavi period and that they occupied top posts."

[7] Raniero Gnoli (1956). Nepalese Inscriptions in Gupta Characters: Text. University of Virginia. p. 52,55,70,97,108,120.

[sab-8] Sabita Singh (27 May 2019). The Politics of Marriage in India Gender and Alliance in Rajasthan. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199098286.

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