Pancha-Gauda

Pancha Gauda is one of the two major groupings of Brahmins in Hinduism, of which the other is Pancha-Dravida.

In Rajatarangini[edit]

According to Kalhana's Rajatarangini (c. 12th century CE), the Pancha Gauda group includes the following five Brahmin communities, which according to the text, reside to the north of the Vindhyas:^[1]^[2]

Sarasvata
Kanyakubja
Gauda
Utkala
Maithila

In the Sahyadri-khanda[edit]

The Sahyadri-khanda, considered a part of the Skanda Purana, also mentions the same classification as the Rajatarangini.^[3] For example, fragments of the Sahyadri-khanda, featured in Hemadri's Chatur-varga-chintamani (13th century), quote Shiva to provide this classification. The text identifies its heroes, the Shenvis, as Sarasvatas. In the text, Shiva also provides an alternative classification of Pancha Gaudas, stating that the ancient sages made these divisions:^[4]

Trihotras
Agnivaisyas
Kanyakubjas
Kanojyas
Maitrayanas

In the kaifiyats[edit]

The Maratha-era kaifiyats (bureaucratic records) of Deccan, which give an account of the society in the southern Maratha country, mention the following Brahmin communities as Pancha-Gaudas^[5]

Kanoji Brahmins
Kamrupi Brahmins
Utkala Brahmins
Maithil Brahmins
Gurjara Brahmins

According to the kaifiyats, the Pancha Gaudas could be either Smarta, Vaishnavas or Bhagavats.^[5]

References[edit]

^ James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z. Rosen. p. 491. ISBN 9780823931804.
^ D. Shyam Babu and Ravindra S. Khare, ed. (2011). Caste in Life: Experiencing Inequalities. Pearson Education India. p. 168. ISBN 9788131754399.
^ J. Gerson da Cunha (1877). Sahyadri-Khanda. Thacker, Viring & Co.; Marathi version edited by Gajanan shastri Gaytonde, published by Shree Katyani Publication, Mumbai
^ Rosalind O'Hanlon (2013). "Performance in a World of Paper: Puranic Histories and Social communication in Early Modern India". Past and Present (219). Oxford University Press / The Past and Present Society: 104. JSTOR 24543602.
^ ^a ^b Krishnaji Nageshrao Chitnis (1994). Glimpses of Maratha Socio-economic History. Atlantic. pp. 95–96. ISBN 978-81-7156-347-0.

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[JGL_2002-1] James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z. Rosen. p. 491. ISBN 9780823931804.

[2] D. Shyam Babu and Ravindra S. Khare, ed. (2011). Caste in Life: Experiencing Inequalities. Pearson Education India. p. 168. ISBN 9788131754399.

[3] J. Gerson da Cunha (1877). Sahyadri-Khanda. Thacker, Viring & Co.; Marathi version edited by Gajanan shastri Gaytonde, published by Shree Katyani Publication, Mumbai

[ROH_2013-4] Rosalind O'Hanlon (2013). "Performance in a World of Paper: Puranic Histories and Social communication in Early Modern India". Past and Present (219). Oxford University Press / The Past and Present Society: 104. JSTOR 24543602.

[KNC_1994-5] Krishnaji Nageshrao Chitnis (1994). Glimpses of Maratha Socio-economic History. Atlantic. pp. 95–96. ISBN 978-81-7156-347-0.

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