Madala Panji

KAYASTHAS AND KARANAS IN ORISSA—A STUDY ON INSCRIPTIONS—
Author(s): Biswarup Das

Source: Proceedings of the Indian History Congress , 1980, Vol. 41 (1980), pp. 940-944
Published by: Indian History Congress
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KAYASTHAS AND KARANAS IN ORtŚŚA
- A STUDY ON INSCRIPTIONS -
Biêwarup Das
Since very early times, caste system has been most deep-rooted
and unique feature of the Hindu society. The earliest mention of
the four-fold classification is made in the Purusasukta of the
Rigveda. In course of time the social life became more and more
complicated with the rise of a number of vocations. As a result,
several professional classes came into existence in the Hindu society.
The heredity principle and the guild system led to the crystalisation
of these classes into several castes. The Kayasthas and the Karanas
come under these castes.
Ksirasvami, the commentator of Amarakosa regards Kayasthas

and Karanas as synomymous. A careful study of the duties of the
two in the medieval inscriptions clearly shows that they belonged
to the same caste 1 Originally both of them belonged to the writer
class. The writers of Ratnapur inscription of Jajalladeva2 and
Sahetmahat inscription of Govindachandra8 were Kayasthas.
Similarly, the writers of Bilhari4 and Khajuraho5 inscriptions were
Karanas. The earliest reference to Kayasthas is found in the
Visnudharmaêutra. It mentions that the King appointed them for
writing public documents in the Court.® A perusal of the epigraphs
of early medieval period would reveal that Karanikas were employ-
ed for writing legal documents. Karani Kayasthas, who were
developing into a separate caste, are mentioned in the Harsacharitd 7
as scribe- accountants.
In course of time both Kayasthas and Karans tried to get key

posts in the State. In the Gurmah copper plate of Kayaditya8, the
Karanin and the Kayastha are stated as Mahamantri or Prime
Minister Mahaksapatalika or Chief record keeper respectively. The
Sunaka grant of Chalukya king Karna I9 mentions a Kayastha as
940

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941
Mahaksapałalika. The medieval inscriptions also state both

Kayasthas and Karanas as Sandhivigrahika or Minister of War and
peace.
The inscriptions of Orissa indicate the existence of Kayastha

asacaste for the first time during the 10th century A.D. The
Dasapaila grant of Devananda II mentions a Kayastha named
Yasodatta as Minister of War and Peace10. D C. Sircar has rightly
observed that Yasodatta's epithet Kayastha indicates "his caste and
not his profession." He further points out that the Dasapaila Grant
"supplies valuable information about the crystali?ation of the
professional community of scribes into the caste of Kayasthas as
well as their honoured social position in early Orissa". Another
instance of a Kayastha rising to the status of a high royal executive
is found in the records of the time of Vajrahasta V (who belonged
to the 11th century A.D.) in which Vachchhapaya of the Kayastha
family was the Dutaka or Ambassador of the feadatory kind
Darparaja12. An illustration of a Kayastha rising to the highest
position in the Armed Forces occurs in the records of the time of
the aforesaid Ganga King in which Madhuriya of the Kayastha
family was the Senapati or Commander of Royal Army in the reign
of Vajrahasta V13. Thus Kayasthas in the medieval Orissa were
entrusted with highly responsible duties of ministers, executives and
commanders.
The Orissa inscriptions of medieval times preserve instances

of Kayasthas working as scribes. The Kalibhana copper plate in-
scription of Mahabhavagupta I Janamejaya was written by
Kayastha Koi Ghosa.14 The Patna copper plate inscription of the
same Somavamsi ruler was written by Kayastha Vallabh Ghosa.15
It is very likely that these professional scribes crystalised into a caste
and aspired for higher positions in the administration of medieval
Orissa.
It is, however, not known whether the Karanas in medieval

Orissa functioned as scribes, like the Kayasthas, though the former,
like the latter, figure prominently in the Orissan inscriptions of our
period. The view of some historians that "the Karanas appear to
tiave been originally an East Indian tribe, who gradually merged

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942
themselves in the community of scribe-accountant? possibly for

their predilection for the profession in question",16 can be brushed
aside, because Karanas as a caste at present exist only in Orissa
and nowhere in India. The Karanas seem to have crystalised into
a caste group in about the 10th century A.D. i.e. the same time as
the Kayasthas. The Pettasara copperplate of Nettabhanja17 and the
Vanjulvaka copperplate of Silabhanja (Tribhuvana Kalasa)18 men-
tion Karanas along with Brahmanas. In both the inscriptions the
form runs as follows.
" Brahmana - Karana - Pur oga- Niva si. 9 1 D C. Sircar points

out that "the mention of Karanas along with Brahmanas at the
head of the local population not only indicates their crystalisation
into a caste group but their rank in society"19 Since Brahmanas
and Ksatriyas were two important castes in the society in all ages,
we may equate Karanas of the aforesaid inscription with Ksatryias.
Our assumptions is strengthened by the fact that persons for key
posts in medieval Orissa, were recruited from among Antarangas ,
i.e. kinsmen of the king and Rajaputras i.e. princes.80
The Sady adhikar ana of the Bhauma - Kara records was the
Chief Judicial Officer of a district.21 The Srikarana of the Jagan-
natha Temple inscription of Anangabhima III seems to have
occupied the Office of Accountant General in the Ganga Period.22
The Koathakarana of the Siddhesvara temple inscription of
Narasimha IV88 appears to be a top administrative Officer in the
said period. We also come across Ghhamukarana, i.e. Private
Secretary to the king and Deula Karana i.e. Temple administrator
in medieval Orissa. In course of time the name-ending Karana
became the name of a caste. This caste is found only in Orissa be-
cause the Officers mentioned above are noticed in Orissa and now-
here in India. As such, Karanas were very likely connected with
royal families in the medieval Orissa since Sadyadhi Karana , Sri
Karana , Kostka Karana , Chhamu Karana, Deula Karana etc. were all
important assignments in Orissa in medieval period. Our view can
be corroborated by the fact that the world Saminla, which at pre-
sent, prefixes the names of aristocratic Karana families of Orissa,
used to connote tributary kings in medieval Orissa The Ksatriya
çustom of Sati was observed in the Karana families till the time of

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943
Lord William Bentinck. Another Ksatriya custom of brata is obser-

ved even at present in aristocratic Ksatriya families of Orissa. We
may state here that Soddhala, the author of Udayasundarikatha
was born in the caste of the Kayastha, the founder of which was
"an ornament of the Ksatriyas", named Kaladitya".24
Thus, Kayas'has and Karanas belonged to the caste of

Ksatriya. In course of time, the Ksatriyas were divided into two
branches - those, who remained in charge of protection of their own
kingdoms as well as conquest of neighbouring kingdoms, were
known as Ksatriyas and those, who, remained in charge of adminis-
tration of kingdoms in various spheres, were known by Kayasthas
and Karanas. Gradually they emerged as "unequalled in the essence
of the sastras"26, "the establisher truth of the doctrines of Kasyapa
and of Aksapada26" lion to apponent disputants27 "ocean of learn-
ing"18, "expert in Sanskrit language"29 etc. besides being appointed
in key posts of the State.
REFERENCES
1. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarm, IV Clxviii.

2. Epigraphia lnica, I, 34.
3. Ibid, XI, 25.
4. Ibid, VI, 124.
5. H.C. Ray, Dynastic History of Northern India, II, 685.
6. Visnudharmasutra, VIII, 3.
7. Epigraphia Indica, I, 330, 333, IV, 25, 253, XII, 75.
7. a. Harsacharita, VIII, 89.
8. Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal, II, 92.
9. Epigraphia Indica, XII, 59.
10. Ibid, XXIX, 188.
11. Ibid, 186.
12. Ibid, III, 224.
13. Journal of Andhra Historical Research, VII, 113.
14. Indian Historical Quarterly, XX, 22 1.
15. Epigraphia Indica, III, 344.
16. Ibid, XXVIII, p. 273, f.n.l.
17. ibid, XXVIII, 339.

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944
18. Ibid, XXVIII, 277.

19. Ibid, 273.
20. B. Das, Bhauma- Karas and their times, 117.
21. Ibid, 133.
22. H. Mabtab, History of Orissa, I, 261.
23. Epigraphia Indica, XXXIX, 105.
24. Udyasundarikatha, 11.
25. Epigraphia Indica, I. 34.
26. Ibid, 40.
27. Ibid, 41, 42.
28. Ibid, XXIII, 6.
29. H.C. Ray, DHNI, 11, 685.

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KAYASTHAS AND KARANAS IN ORISSA—A STUDY ON INSCRIPTIONS—

Author(s): Biswarup Das

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44141924

This content downloaded from

Ksirasvami, the commentator of Amarakosa regards Kayasthas

In course of time both Kayasthas and Karans tried to get key

This content downloaded from

Mahaksapałalika. The medieval inscriptions also state both

The inscriptions of Orissa indicate the existence of Kayastha

The Orissa inscriptions of medieval times preserve instances

It is, however, not known whether the Karanas in medieval

This content downloaded from

themselves in the community of scribe-accountant? possibly for

" Brahmana - Karana - Pur oga- Niva si. 9 1 D C. Sircar points

This content downloaded from

Lord William Bentinck. Another Ksatriya custom of brata is obser-

Thus, Kayas'has and Karanas belonged to the caste of

1. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarm, IV Clxviii.

This content downloaded from

18. Ibid, XXVIII, 277.

This content downloaded from

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