Purity of Blood in Buddhist Era

 Purity of Blood in Buddhist Era 

It was making of India from Indo-Iranian tribes

The Vratya (Bihar) Saka and Persians tribes did not follow Vedic Brahminical order and Manu’s laws. They also opposed the marriages between Vratya and Brahminical Kshatriya tribes. 

There is a Buddhist story of humiliation of King Prasenjit and Viddhubha of Kosala (Videha) when they went to Vaishali to either marry Shakya Princess or to visit the King of Vaishali Mahanama. Prasenjit was rebuffed by the Shakya assembly but was offered a Shakya slave girl from their harem, fathered by Mahanama. She became queen of the Videha kingdom and bore Prasenjit a son named Viddhubha. 

Vidudabha with the complicity of ministers conspire to overthrow his father Prasenjit who went to seek help from King of Maghadha Ajatshatru his son-in-law and nephew at the same time but Prasenjit died on his way.

Mahanama, the king of Vaishali was a debauch and rumored to have also fathered Ambapali and made her courtesan. Viddhubha was sixteen years old when he became a king of Videha and decided to visit Sakyan Princes and Princesses along with his Grandfather King Mahanama of Vaishali. He was given hospitality deserving of a king by the Shakya clan of Vaishali. All Younger Sakyan Princes were sent away to other villages during his visit, so they don’t have to pay respect to Viddhubha born out of a slave girl or another repeated demand of marriage in the Shakaya family does not take place like it did in the life of his father. 

After a few days of hospitality, Viddhubha and his entourage left leaving a maid to help clean up. She overheard the insulting remark from the Vaishalian helper regarding Viddhubha’s mother (a slave girl). Viddhubha’s mother who was a Sakyan slave girl was kept secret from Viddhubha and the revelation caused great discomfort and humiliation. When Viddhubha grasped what had transpired and felt isolated, he attacked the Shakya clan of Vaisali on basis of this insult and defamation to the king and destroyed them while sparing only Mahanama his grandfather, and his mother for lying to his dead father. 

This highlights the rivalry and hostility between two Kshatriya clans and their emphasis on the need to keep “purity of blood”.

Casteism in India is an ancient disease. 

Punamchand 

12 November 2022