Solar culture and Sun worshippers in Pragjyotishpur

Khagendra Nath Dev Sarma

(President, Brahman Mahasabha, Asom)

PART-II

Surjya Vipras/Daivajna Brahmans of Assam are found to be Sauras as seen and as smarta in the sense they are vedic, followers of the Sukla Yajurved/Kanna Sakha. They undergo the Dasha Sanskaras in the sense “Janmanat jayate sudra sanskarat dvija uchyate Brahmong janatiti brahmanah” (one is born as sudra, from the sanskar one is known is dvija, and one who knows the brahma is called brahmana). It is worth mentioning that, as per Graha Jamal during the Dwapar Yug before the birth of Shri Krishna, there were irreligious, impious, and ungodly conditions in the society in India. That is why Shri Krishna had to take birth in Mathura on the principle “yada yadahi dharmashya glanir bhawati bharata, abhyuthanam adharmashya tadatmanong srijamyahang,” etc. Meaning when there is chaos in religion, oh, bharata, I take birth to save the honest ones, to kill the wicked ones, etc. It is known that before His birth, the Gayatri mantra was forgotten by the brahmanas at that time. And the Vedic culture was about to be dropped. That is why Shri Krishna got birth to restore the Vedic culture, and with the help of his son Samba (in this guise through a curse), Shri Krishna brought the superior Brahmans called Maga Brahmans or Magi priests from Saka Dwipa, which was Sourastra; its present name is Gujrat, but there is a difference of opinion in the matter. They are known as Saka Dwipi Brahmans, Surjya Vipras, etc. The chaos in religion and society at that time has been well described in Devi Bhagawata a Mahapuran, 12 Skandha Chapter 9. It is obvious that the Swaka Dwipi Brahmans were of superior quality to other Brahmans in India. And it was acknowledged by Shri Krishna; therefore, they were brought to Jambu Dwipa with the help of his son Samba. The above story is also found in the Samba Puran, Bhabisya Puran, and other important Purans. As described in the Samba Puran, Samba, a son of Shri Krishna, was stricken with leprosy as he was cursed by his father, Shri Krishna. Samba was cured of the disease through the worship of the sun, which he erected at the temple of the sun god at Mitravana on the bank of the river Chandrabhaga. None of the local Brahmans were authorised to worship the sun god, as they were declared ‘Debal’ at that time at Jambu Dwipa, as recorded in the Samba Puran, Page No. 160, Chapter No. 26. The Saka Dwipi Brahmans were known as Maga Brahmans or Magi priests while they were at Saka Dwipa, and they were also known as ‘Surjya Vipras’ when they arrived in Jambudwip (Skonda Puran, Nagar Khanda, Page No. 4329). The Magas did not confine themselves to Sambapura/Mitraban, they soon spread over parts of India, eg.- they were known at Swaradwipa as Vedagni, at saka Dwipa as siddhati, at Bhumadhya Pradesh as brahmachari, at Dwarakapur as Daivajna, at Dravir and Mithila as graha vipra, at Dharmanga Pradesh as dharma bakta, at Panchal as Sastri, at Saraswat as Subhamukha, at Gandhar as Chitrapandit, at Trihut as Tithibat, at Kamrupa or Natak as Rikshmasushak, at Rudralaya as Jyotishi Brahmana, at Brahma Pradesh as Bidhidharaka, at Babhrate as Jogbetta, at Netal Pradesh as Devapujaka, at Rarha Pradesh as Upadhya, at Gaya Pradesh as Tantradharaka, at Kalinga Pradesh as Jnayavipra, at Goura Pradesh as Acharya etc. (Source: Brahma Jaml). They are awarded 21 titles, e.g., 1) Sambatsari, 2) Jyotishi, 3) Daivajna, 4) Ganak, 5) Graha Vipra, 6) Dwija Srestha, 7) Sarba Sastra Visarada, 8) Acharya, 9) Brahmanendra, 10) Ghatak, 11) Sarba Vedika, 12) Sukhi, 13) Sakhi, 14) Barenya, 15) Agni, 16) Sat-Karma, 17) Graha Bhusura, 18) Mauhurtiki, 19) Mauhurtagyani, 20) Kartantiki, 21) Grahangsha Brahmana. (source: Brahma Sidhanta)

The composers of the Rig Ved are found to be the Swaka Dwipi Brahmans, and another name of the Rig Ved is Sakal Sanghita to honour the name of Saka Rishi.

While describing the physical geography of India in the Vishnu Purana, the saka Dwipi Brahmans are shown as superior Brahmans amongst all other Brahmans, as described in the 2nd part, 4th chapter, slok 69–70.

It is expressly laid down in the Brihat Samhita that it was the Magas who were entitled to install ceremonially the images of the Surjya in temples. Assam abounds in images of the Surjya belonging to the mediaeval and earlier periods. It is therefore obvious that the descendants of the Maga Brahmans settled in large numbers in this tract, i.e., the Brahmaputra Valley. In the Navagraha mandir, Guwahati, it is found that the Surjya Vipra are priests there. In the Kamakhya temple, a Surjya vipra, viz., Kendukalai, was the first priest appointed by Koch king Naranarayana during his rule. In the present Kamakhya temple, priests are also found to be Daivajna (Ganak) (source: Saktipith Kamakhya by Manik Chandrad Bhattacharya).

In the earliest period as well as the mediaeval age, particularly during the rule of the Koch kings and the Ahom kings, the Surjya Vipras and Daivajna Brahmans were held in high steem. Some of the Daivajna Brahmans were with the royal courts as specialists in astrology/astronomy, politics, religion, medicines, music, literature, and as priests, etc. The Assamese Daivajna Brahmans, being the followers of the Sukla Yajurved, were judged the best Brahmans in society and in the royal courts (Yujurvedi Brahmans are superior to all the Brahmans, Padma Puran, 63 chapter, slok no. 42). “The Daivajnas of Assam have contributed a great deal to the uplift of their motherland, mainly in the cultural and political spheres, and a few distinguished names may be mentioned as examples: Srijut Harakanta Majindar Baruah Sadar Amin of the Sonamua family, author of Assam Buranji, published by D.H.A.S.: Rai Bahadur Srijut Madhab Chandra Bordoloi of Rudrakhari family, the editor and publisher of Madhab Kandali’s Ramayana in Assamese; Srijut Radhanath Changkakati of Chakradhar family, founder of the English weekly “Times of Assam”; Srijut Rajani Kanta Bardoloi of Bijoykhari family, premier Assamese novelist; Srijut Nabin Chandra Bardoloi of Rudrakhari family, a patriot and a man of letters; Srijut Kriti Nath Bardoloi, a reputed musician, versed both in the theory and practice of the art and a man of letters; Mrs. Nalinibala Devi of Rudrakhari family, poetess; and Srijut Gopinath Bardoloi of Uzir family, the Prime Minister of Assam under the Government of India Act of 1935. – S.K. Bhuyan, 23-12-1946”.

“In the spiritual world, from among the Daivajnas, the three great luminaries are the three brothers, Harihar, Haribar, and Haricharan. But the most brilliant was Shri Shri Bangshi Gopal Guru, who was a descendant of Haribar’s branch. It is he who founded the famous Kuruabahi Satra (Hindu Vaisnava monastery). He established several other satras. But what is most important is the fact that it is from him that the principal chari satras (four monasteries), Auni-Ati, Garamur, Kamalabari, and Dakshin pat satras of Assam have arisen. These four notable satras and the Kuruabahi satra are providing spiritual light and culture to lakhs of people in Assam, in the eastern region of India. These have been contributing to the spiritual and religious unity of people (Surjya and Surjya Vipra, 9).The lyrics of Dr. N. P. Bardoloi and Mukul Barua are pervading the air in Assam. Hem Barau, an ex-MP and a man of letters, hails from a Daivajna family. Some of the Daivajna Brahmans were brought during the Ahom rule and the Koch king rule from Kanauj and Gour Pradesh, and they were given settlement in Assam, out of which some distinguished Daivajna Brahmans were honoured with gifts of Upabit/Jeneu made of gold and with titles like Surjya Khari, Bardoloi, Sagar Khari/Samudra Khari, etc. Patanjali, Panini, and Chanakya were Surjya Vipra/Daivajna Brahmans.

In spite, some Assamese historians have made efforts to defame the Surjya Vipras/Daivajna Brahmans mostly without conducting proper inquiries and research works on them, as a result of which the position of the Surjya Vipras/Daivajna Brahmans in society is found to be uncomfortable, and the students and researchers are fed some wrong data on the Surjya Vipras/Daivajna Brahmans, which are to be checked by the authorities concerned.