regarding chitpavan brahmins origins from jews

Submitted by hiranyakeshin (India), Apr 11, 2009 at 05:39

I have some reliable information on the origin of chitpavan brahmins as opposed to the mere mythical and conjectural propositions. I would like to share it with other Chitpawans.
PART-I

Brief Details

Source-1.

Independent: Korati Sri Niwas Rao's book on SRI RAGHAVENDRA
CHARITRA (kannad)

Original Shashtik Brahmins(of 60 Kulas --like Chitpawans hold)----move
South from North from Ahichchatrapur( Rampur -Bareilly--Ujjain) to
(Pratishthan- Paithan-Ambejogai) to Vanavasi-Vaijayanti near Shimoga in
Karnataka in the times of Trinetra Sharma of Kadamba Dynasty-father of
Mayur Sharma-(230 BC) for performing Ashwamedha and other Yagnas.
Some of these families later on move over to Ratnagiri in Kokan. they
were called 'Agnihotra-pawan'- due to performing 'Agnihotra'--then just 'Pawan'
and later on 'Chitpawan'-purified of 'chit' by 'Agnihotra'.

Source-2.

VYADESHWARODAYA KAVYA (1628 AD) by VISHWANATH

After creating Kokan-Parshuram and Muni Vyadi established a Shivalinga at Guhagar-Parashuram visited river Kaveri-met Brahmins residing on the bank of river Payaswini (Payoshni) - invited them to come to the settlement created by him-

Named as Chitpavan-all Brahmins residing there called Chitpawan since then.

PRESENTATION

The following is a presentation reconstructing and researching from inter alia the independent historic information provided in Korati Sri Niwas Rao's book "Sri Sri Raghavendra Swamigalu Charitra"(Kannad) and further amplified with reference to Vydashwarodaya Mahakavya by Vishwanath.

1. ANCESTORS:

1.1:These Brahmins were called "Shashtik" in the past (meaning of 60 Kulas like the original surnames of the Chitpawans) precisely what the Chitpawans hold that they had originally 60 Kula surnames. The ancestors were at Ahichchatrapur (Rampur-Bareilly in present day UP) and later on at Ujjain for long periods of time in the proto-historic days. This is borne out by information in "Charanvyuha"-an old authoritative book(as per details given in the "Mantrashastra" of Sri Sri Shankaracharya Khareshastri, ed. by G.P.Bhave, in very old times, there were simultaneously the two Veda branch Brahmins viz. Ashwalayan Rig-Veda and Hiranyakeshi Yajur-veda at Varanasi-Banaras in UP) (which are current in few Dwivedi or Trivedi Brahmins like Chitpawans).The Chitpawans are Dwivedis in as much as they practice both the Rig-Veda and the Yajur-Veda-that too the Mul or the Krishna Yajurveda-the oldest of the two Yajurvedas. since olden times. The Sam Veda is automatically included in the recital of the two Vedas since it is just the melodious singing of the Rig-Veda richas.

1.2: Thus the Chitpawans practiced the oldest known Veda (of three branches Rig, Yajus and Sama) the "Mul Veda" in contrast to later day other single Veda Brahmins like the Shukla Yajurvedis etc. Thus they are more ancient than these single Veda Practising Brahmins. They thus also trace their antiquity to the days of Veda Vyasa who trifurcated the Veda into three branches Rig-Veda, Yajur Veda and the Sam Veda. It must have taken good time for the practice of limited single Veda to take effect. This practice of single Veda had not taken roots until the Chitpawans moved away from the main land of Brahmins in the Gangetic/Saraswati belt in the North India to the South. That is why the later day migrant Brahmins were single Veda practitioners as juxtaposed to the Mul Veda practising Chitpawans.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".