*Retired as Deputy General Manager, Research Centre, Escorts Ltd., - TopicsExpress



          

*Retired as Deputy General Manager, Research Centre, Escorts Ltd., Faridabad. *Formerly Faculty Member at I.I.T., Kharagpur and at I.I.T., New Delhi. *Ph.D. (Theoretical & Applied Mechanics, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1972) Antiquity and Origin of the Term Hindu Dr. Murlidhar H. Pahoja* The anti-Hindu historians like Romila Thapar 1 and D.N. Jha 2 have opined that the word Hindu was given currency by the Arabs in the 8th century. They however, do not explain the basis of their conclusion nor do they cite any evidence in support of their claim. Even Arab Muslim writers do not make such an extravagant claim 3. Another theory propounded by European writers is that the word Hindu is a Persian corruption of Sindhu resulting from the Persian practice of replacing S with H. Even here, no evidence is cited. In fact the word Persia itself contains S which should have become Perhia if this theory was correct. The present paper examines the above two theories in the light of epigraphic and litereary evidence available from Persian, Indian, Greek, Chinese and Arabic sources. The evidence appears to support the conclusion that Hindu like Sindhu, has been in use since the Vedic age and that although Hindu is a modified form of Sindhu, its origin lies in the Saurashtran practice of pronouncing H in place of S. 1. Epigraphic Evidence : The Hamadan, Persepolis and Naqsh-I-Rustam Inscriptions4 of Persian monarch Darius mention a people Hidu as included in his empire. These inscriptions are dated between 520-485 B.C.4 This fact establishes that the term Hi(n)du was current more than 500 years before Christ. Xerexes, successor of Darius, in his inscriptios4 at Persepolis, gives names of countries under his rule. The list includes Hidu. Xerexes was ruling between 485-465 B.C.4 On a tomb in Persepolis, another inscription assigned to Artaxerexes (404-395 B.C.)4, there Page 2 of 8 2 are three figures above which are inscribed iyam Qataguviya (this is Satygidian), iyam Ga(n)dariya (this is Gandhara) and iyam Hi(n)duviya (this is Hi(n)du). The Asokan inscriptions (3rd century B.C.)5, repeatedly use expressions like Hida (fgn) for India and Hida loka (fgn yksd) for Indian nation. Hida and its derivative forms are used more than 70 times in the Ashokan inscriptions. For instance in the Jaugadha, separate rock edict II, the lines 3 &4, read, lo eqfulk es itkA vFk itk;s bNkfe fdafr es los.kk fgrlq[ksu ;qts;qA vFk itk;s bNfe fdafr es losu fgrlq[kus ;qt;s w fr fgnykfs xd ikyykfs dd.s k gsoea so e s bN loeqfulslqA (All men are my people. I desire for my people that they may be provided with all welfare and happiness. I desire for my people, including the people of Hind and beyond and I desire for all men.) The Edict further, says in lines 7 & 8, ee fufera p /kea a py;s w fr fgnykxs a p ikyyksx a p vkyk/k;s;Aw (Dhamma may be followed and and the people of Hind and beyond may be served.) The Ashokan inscriptions establish the antiquity of the name Hind for India to atleast third century B.C. In Persepolis Pahlvi inscriptions of Shahpur II (310 A.D.) the king has the titles shakanshah hind shakastan u tuxaristan dabiran dabir, king of Shakastan, minister of ministers of Hind Shakastan and Tukharistan.6 The epigraphic evidence from the Achaemenid, Ashokan and Sasanian Pahlvi records, puts a question mark on the theory about the term Hindu having originated in Arab usage in the 8th century A.D. Literary evidence takes the antiquity of the word Hindu back to atleast 1000 B.C. and possibly 5000 B.C. Page 3 of 8 3 2. Evidence from Pahlvi Avesta : In the Avesta, Hapta-Hindu is used for Sanskrit Sapta-Sindhu7, the Avesta being dated variously between 5000-1000 B.C. This indicates that the term Hindu is as old as the word Sindhu. Sindhu is a Vedik term used in the Rigveda. And therefore, Hindu is as ancient as the Rigveda. In the Avestan Gatha Shatir, 163rd Verse speaks of the visit of Veda Vyas to the court of Gustashp and in the presence of Zorashtra, Veda Vyas introduces himself saying man marde am Hind jijad 8 - I am man born in Hind. Veda Vyas was an elder contemporary of Shri Krishna (3100 B.C.). 3. Greek Usage The Greek term Indoi is a softened form of Hindu where the initial H was dropped as the Greek alphabet has no aspirate9. This term Indoi was used in Greek literature by Hekataeus (late 6th century B.C.) and Herodotus (early 5th century B.C.) 9, thus establishing that the Greeks were using this derivative of Hindu as early as 6th century B.C. 4. The Hebrew Bible : The Hebrew bible uses Hodu 10 for India, which is a Judaic form of Hindu. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is considered earlier than 300 B.C.10 Todays Hebrew spoken in Israel also uses Hodu for India. 5. The Chinese Testimony : The Chinese used the term Hien-tu for Hindu about 100 B.C.11 While describing movements of the Sai-Wang (100 B.C.), the Chinese annals state that the Sai-Wang went towards the South and passing Hien-tu reached Ki-Pin11. Page 4 of 8 4 Later Chinese travellers Fa-Hien (5th century A.D.) and Huen-Tsang (7th century A.D.) use a slightly modified term Yintu 12 but the affinity to Hindu is still retained. This term Yintu continues to be used till today 13. 6. Pre-Islamic Arabic Literature : Sair-ul-Okul14 is an anthology of ancient Arabic poetry available in the Turkish library Makhtab-e-Sultania in Istambul. In this anthology is included a poem by Prophet Mohammeds uncle Omar-bin-e-Hassham. The poem is in praise of Mahadev (Shiva), and uses Hind for India and Hindu for Indians. Some verses are quoted below: Wa Abaloha ajabu armeeman Mahadevo Manojail ilamuddin minhum wa sayattaru (If but once one worships Mahadev with devotion, One will attain the ultimate salvation.) Wa sahabi Kay yam feema Kamil Hinda e Yauman, Wa Yakulam na latabahan foeennak Tawajjaru. ( Oh Lord grant me but one days sojourn in Hind, Where one can attain spiritual bliss.) Massayare akhalakan hasanan Kullahum, Najumam aja at Summa gabul Hindu. ( But one pilgrimage there gets one all merit, And the company of great Hindu saints.) The same anthology has another poem by Labi-bin-e Akhtab bin-e Turfa who is dated 2300 before Mohammed i.e. 1700 B.C. This poem also uses Hind for India and Hindu for Indian. The poem also mentions the four Vedas Sama, Yajur, Rig and Athar. This poem is quoted on columns in the Laxmi Narayan Mandir in New Delhi, popularly known as Birla Mandir (Temple) 8. Some verses14 are as follows: Page 5 of 8 5 Aya muwarekal araj yushaiya noha minar Hinda e, wa aradakallha manyonaifail jikaratun. ( Oh the Divine land of Hind, blessed art thou, thou art chosen land showered with divine knowledge.) Wahalatjali Yatun ainana sahabi akhatun jikra, Wahajayahi yonajjalur rasu minal Hindatun. ( That celetial knowledge shines with such brilliance, Through the words of Hindu saints in fourfold abundance.) Yakuloonallaha ya ahlal araf alameen kullahum, fattabe-u jikaratul Veda bukkun malam yonajjaylatun. ( God enjoins on all, follow with devotion, path shown by Veda with divine percept.) Wahowa alamus Sama wal Yajur minallahay Tanajeelan, Fa e noma ya akhigo mutibayan Yobasshariyona jatun. ( Overflowing with knowledge are Sama and Yajur for Man, Brothers, follow the path which guides you to salvation.) Wa isa nain huma Rig Athar nasahin ka Khuwatun, Wa asanat Ala-udan wabowa masha e ratun, ( Also the two Rig and Athar(va) teach us fraternity, taking shelter under their lusture, dispels darkness.) 7. Hindu in Sanskrit Literature : Another doubt created by the modern day anglicized historian is that the term Hindu is not found used in Sanskrit literature. This misconception can be dispelled by quoting from Sanskrit works15 : Meru tantra (es#rU=) (4th to 6th century A.D.), a Shaiva text, comments on Hindu. ghu a p nw ;R;so fgUnqfjR;qP;rs fiz;As (Hindu is one who discards the mean and the ignoble.) Page 6 of 8 6 The same idea is expressed in Shabda Kalpadruma (kCndYinzqe), ghu a nww k;fRk bfr fgUnAw Brihaspati Agam (c`gLifr vkxe) says, fgeky; a lekjH; ;kofnUnq ljksoje~A r a nsofufeZra ns ka fgUnqLFkku a izp{krAs A (Starting from Himalaya upto Indu waters is this God-created country Hindustan) Parijat Haran Natak (ikfjtkrgj.k ukVd) describes Hindu as, fgufLr rilk ikiku~ nSfgdku~ nqq Vekulku~A gfs rfHk% k=qoxZ a p l fgUnqjfHk/kh;rAs A (Hindu is one who with penance washes ones sins and evil thoughts and with arms destroys ones enemies.) Madhava Digvijaya (ek/ko fnfXot;) states, vkdsa kjeyw eU=k
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 04:43:01 +0000

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