+Persons

Governence, politics, war, civil reform.

Days of the early epics

kRRiShNArjuna

  • manu vaisvata, pitR, the likely progenitor of 100M of us R1a carrying Indo Aryans [MT], first king of the solar dynasties, a the great lawgiver and ritualist, who among other things sagely advised wariness towards shUdra-s and mlecCha-s of his time [here].
    • वैवस्वतो मनुर् नाम माननीयो मनीषिणाम्। आसीन् महीक्षिताम् आद्यः प्रणवश् छन्दसाम् इव॥ इति कालिदासः।
  • Some non v2s. Especially
    • parashu-rAma, the bhArgava revolutionary; and other bhArgava heroes .

panchajana-wave

  • sudAsa (contemporary of purukutsa) of the uttara-pAnchAlas, great grandson of rAjarShi divodAsa (RV mandala 6), who won the 10 king war, much honored in the veda-s.
    • “We come across an interesting account in the mahābhārata, which only mentions the defeat of saṃvaraṇa, the then king of the main hastināpura line at the hands of an unnamed “pañcala king” who went to “conquer the earth” with several akṣauhiṇīs of troops in all directions. The great king of the kurus, the first among equals to be called the “bhāratas”; saṃvaraṇa was defeated & had to flee far west. How far? To the west of the sindhū river! Such was the terrifying vīrapratāpaḥ of one blessed by indra, sudāsa of eternal fame. Now, the sāmaveda’s jaiminīya brāhmaṇa speaks of “bhāratas” residing on the west of sindhū river during a difficult time but doesn’t mention the name of the king of the bhāratas.”
    • He appears in RV 3rd: when his purohita was a vaiśvāmitra ṛṣi and RV 7th: when a vāsiṣṭha ṛṣi is his purohita here (the lore of the vasiShTha-vidveShi verses of vaishvAmitras are pertinent here as per tradition).
  • trasadasyu, born to Purukutsa by his wife, Purukutsānī, at a time of great distress, energetic king of the purus settled along the sarasvatI, a famous sacrificer of ancient times.
  • bhIShma, the one of the steadfast vow, who repulsed the attack of the cruel ugrāyudha the pAnchAla (grandson of noble dvimIDhas), who .
  • kRShNa, leader of the yadu-s, who likely repulsed the sAlva invasion historically [SS], famously naughty and **violent** as a kid [MT], great guide, clever manipulator, the symbol of dharma in action at the social level (his role as a personification of the universe’s mockery of silly humans’ best plans and dharmas is entirely separate).

ikShvAku wave

  • bhagIratha, whose stupendous determination brought ganga to the earth and pAtAla, liberating his forefathers.
  • janaka, knower of brahman, patron of brAhmaNa-s.
  • rAma, rAjA of ayodhyA, maryAdA-puruShOttama, keeper of the dharma, the symbol of family-consciousness.
    • On his abandonment of sItA: uttarakANDa is probably a later insert into the epic. Nevertheless, rAma gets criticized in sanskrit literature (eg: kAlidAsa puts regret in rAma’s mouth in raghuvaMsha). Also, a fair analysis here.
  • vibhIShaNa, who defected to do the right thing.
  • satya-harIshachandra, who did not forsake the truth.

kuru-s among puru-s

  • vidura, the dAsI-putra, wise and honest counselor.
  • yuyutsu, son of dhRtarAShTra from gAndhArI’s vaishya maid, who aided the pANDava-s and the upholding of dharma in their contest against his own kaurava kin.
  • vikarNa, the noble kaurava, who like yuyutsu vocally abhorred kaurava adharma, but stayed loyal to family, as is proper.
  • shakunI, clever manipulator - one man felled the entire kuru clan.
  • karNa, dAna-vIra-shUra, generous king, loyal friend, great warrior.

pANDava wave

  • bhIma, so filled with kShatra and power, taunted his enemies, exacted his revenge by plucking out the beating heart of duHshAsana and eating it, before dying draupadii’s hair with that blood. But more - he knew dharma (and thus counselled and scolded yudhiShThira as necessary). Knowing the difference between greater and lesser dharma, who killed an elephant on his side named ashvatthAman and told droNa of it, draining his will to fight. Who showed great composure at the death of his son, ghaTotkacha {PS18}. Of whom madhva said: “भक्तिर्ज्ञानं सवैराग्यं प्रज्ञा मेधा धृतिः स्थिथिः। योगः प्राणो बलं चैव वृकोदर इति स्मृतः॥”
  • draupadii pAnchAlI of five husbands, who desired and obtained revenge for her humiliation.
  • abhimanyu, the hero who entered and died in a trap.

yavana (Ionian) invasions:

  • kRpA/ cleophis, queen of the ashvaka-s, who fought alexander and forced him to come to more honorable terms, only to be betrayed [Wiki].
  • chandragupta 1, a shUdra who started the empire with the aid of chANakya, overthrowing the nanda-s and subduing opposition.
    • Not to be confused with Ashoka’s descendent of the same name who became a jain muni in karNAtaka (according to some).
  • chANakya kauTilya, AchArya at takShashIla, author of arthashAstra, who guided chandragupta, checked the yavanas. [नीतिः।]
  • Khāravela of kalinga, who led a resurgent kalinga, whose annual accomplishments are recorded in hAtigumpha hill, who was gifted in war (beating kings of magadha, tamil country and yavana-ruled punjaab), as well as in the gandharva lore of music and dance, who undertook major waterworks and patronized various spiritual sects.
  • pushyamitra-shunga, who put an end to ineffective maurya dynasts and set the stage for a solid imperial renewal. An ancestor of agnimitra of mAlavIkAgnimitra fame.
  • vikramAditya, rAjA of ujjayanI, the wise vanquisher of the vEtAla, vanquisher of shakas.
  • gautamIputra shAtakarNI shAlivAhana/ shAtavAhana, vanquisher of shakas, yavanas and pahlavas; he who is said to have created soldiers out of mud and breathed prANa into them (ie inspired and organized ordinary people) after the decimation of warriors.
  • kaniShka the kuShAna, mahArajAdhiraja (Emperor of India), Kaisara (for the romans), Kshatriya-tama (for the Persians), and deva-putra (for the Chinese), one of the rare Indian powers who defeated the Chinese and kept them at bay, under whom the kaumAra-shAsana rose in hindu thoughtscape; under whom sogdiana was referred to by the chIna-s as uttarApatha; under whom Indic thought flowed over to central asia. [MT]

Non-heroes: ashOka chakravartI dEvanAmapriya, who - contrary to legend - did not give up warfare after the kaLinga carnage, who led to a temporary decline in brAhmaNa patronage.

Era of invasions of shakas and huNas, consolidations:

ajantA

  • samudragupta parAkramAnka, chakravartin, great conqueror, son of chandra the first major gupta ruler and the lichChavi princess, chosen as successor over his (some elder) brothers, created an expansive kingdom starting from his base in prayAga + pATalIputra, parton of scholars, excellent musician, fine poet, wise king, devotee of viShNu whose standard was the garuDa. This wise vaidika/ tAntrika king included vasubandhu the bauddha among his advisors. He performed the ashvamedha in full splendour. Barbarians such as kushAna-s and shaka-s from far away as Bactria and lanka submitted to him and sought his protection with gifts. He destroyed nAga-s, vAkaTaka-s and gaNa-s such as yaudheya-s and mAlva-s. As a dhArmika conqueror, he defeated and restored kings ranging from kAmarUpa and vanga to kanchi. His conquests probably inspired kAlidAsa.
  • chandragupta 2 “vikramAditya”, patron of scholars (probably including mahAkavi kAlIdAsa), husband to multiple queens (including a nAga princess). The gupta empire patronized universities at nalanda, vikramashIla, ujjainI. Fa Hien tells us his country had no trouble from robbers.
    • According to a fragmentary copy of a play devI-chandragupta by vishAkadatta (which ought to have been based on a tale well known in his times), he came to power by (unknowingly?) killing his jealous elder brother rAmagupta and marrying his dhruvadevI wife who he had earlier rescued from being captured by shaka-s after being surrendered to them by rAmagupta to save his life.
  • skandagupta, who defeated the shveta-huNa invaders, whose western wing led by Atilla had recently defeated Romans, had trounced the Persians (MT).
  • bhadravarman, ruler of champa, reigned from 380CE to 413 CE and Sanskrit inscriptions from his reign show that he had learned the recitation of the vedic saMhitA-s and performed vedic rituals. He calls himself a devotee of rudra, and he celebrated the grace of rudra in securing his victory over the chIna-s by building the glorious temple for shiva termed shrI bhadreshvara. [MT]
  • harShavardhana, parton of art and scholarship, whose big and well governed empire was visited by Xuanzang.
  • vikramAditya 2 the chAlukya, who avenged pallava occupation of vAtApi by occupying kanchi without harm to its subjects, and whose son checked the arabs in sindh.
  • amOghavarSha nRpatunga the rAShTrakUTa, who himself produced works in kannaDa and saMskRta, and also patronized other scholars (often under feudatories).
  • rAjEndra chOLa, whose vigorous maritime trade with South east asia, China and the Arabs brought prosperity, whose wide conquests (maritime and otherwise) were gentle.
  • akkadevI, wise chAlukya queen, under whom brAhmaNa-s prospered, who was called Gunadabedangi, meaning “beauty of virtues”; and “as courageous as Bhairavi in war”.
  • rudrama-devI (aka rudradeva mahArAja), queen of the kAkatIya-s, who took over the reigns of the kingdom when it was in disarray, led some firmly loyal generals and ministers thwarting rebellions and land+sea invasions by the choLa-s, pANDya-s and yAdava-s, thwarted her husband vIrabhadra the vengi chAlukya prince (cutting him up in a fight but letting him live at one point). She was the grandmother, through her daughter of pratAparudra, her successor.

Rule of the European invaders:

See anti-preta

Dumbocratic India

  • Radha-Binod Pal, the dissenting juror in the Japanese war crimes tribunal, who is remembered fonldy in the yAsukuni shrine and in japanese {wiki}.
  • Gopal “Pantha” mukhyopAdhyAya, who defended hindus against muslim league mobs in Bengal [W].
    • “I will not lay down even a nail if it has been used for defending Hindu honour”
  • K K Nammaan, a vaishya who successfully confronted the islamic menace in Aligarh UP [TW]
  • Jaswant Singh Rawat, a rifleman who, with Lance Naik Trilok Singh Negi and Rifleman Gopal Singh Gusain, captured a critical machine gun post in 1962 China war in AP, in a battle where 300 PLA soldiers were killed at the cost of 2 men.
  • rANi gaiDiliu of the nAga-s, who fought christianity and the Naga National Council - but alas - failed due to the foolishness of Indian government.
  • Justice Hans Raj Khanna, two of whose judgements are central to constitutional law - Basic Structure Doctrine (which legislative changes must respect), Government’s emergency powers are limited.
  • narendra-bhai modi, wrongly maligned ruler of gujarat, effective ruler.
  • Col lalita rAya, vIra-chakra, commander of 1/11 gUrkha-s [YT W IMG], a who led from the front to capture pAki held heights in the kArgil war against great odds and at the limit of physical abilities.
  • Captain Manoj Pandey, PVC, who captured key posts while deployed by col lalita rAya, whose final words were “na choDnu” [YTWIMG].
  • ASI Tukaram Omble AC (c. 1954 – 27 November 2008), who died stopping and leading to the arrest of Pakistani jihAdi terrorist Ajmal Kasab roughly on this day 11 years ago.
  • Narendra Modi, an RSS worker, shiShya of svAmI dayAnanda sarasvatI of ArSha-vidyA-gurukulam, who once seriously considered joining rAmakRShNa mission, who loved enjoying quietude in nature (camping away for a few days), who in early days used to write down thoughts and perspectives to calm himself down, who rose last spoke honestly about Muslim terrorism in early 2000-s (YT), who rose from being a tea seller in a railway station to being the chief minister of Gujarat to becoming the Prime Minister of India despite being vilified after Gujarat Riots and barred from entering USA, who undertook bold schemes such as demonetization, GST reforms, scrapping of Article 370, brining in the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), who steered the nation through the tough times of Wuhan Virus pandemic.