The Genealogy of the Pallavas: From Brahmins to Kings
In their epigraphical genealogies the Pallavas of South India (fourth to ninth centuries CE) claim to belong to a brahmin lineage that gradually embraced the duty of kings. As such, these genealogies present a definition of kingship that differs from its Brahmanical conceptualization. I show how the...
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| Medienart: | Elektronisch Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Verfügbarkeit prüfen: | HBZ Gateway |
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Veröffentlicht: |
Equinox
2011
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| In: |
Religions of South Asia
Jahr: 2011, Band: 5, Heft: 1/2, Seiten: 339-363 |
| weitere Schlagwörter: | B
Epigraphy
B Ideology B South India B Pallavas B Kingship |
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| Zusammenfassung: | In their epigraphical genealogies the Pallavas of South India (fourth to ninth centuries CE) claim to belong to a brahmin lineage that gradually embraced the duty of kings. As such, these genealogies present a definition of kingship that differs from its Brahmanical conceptualization. I show how the Pallavas accounted in their ‘mythical genealogies’ for their royal occupation through a transformation in two steps: from pure brahmins to brahmin-warriors, and from brahmin-warriors to kings. I explain how the birth of the eponymous hero Pallava, from Aśvatthāman and a mother who has a strong link with royalty, marks the shift towards kingship. I describe how this royal status of the dynasty is confirmed by the integration of royal figures from other dynasties into the ‘pseudo-historical genealogies’ that link the eponym to the historical kings. I then explore the mythical patrimony of the Pallavas, discussing how we might understand in a broader context the ideological purport of this royal claim to both brahmin and kṣatriya descent. |
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| ISSN: | 1751-2697 |
| Enthält: | Enthalten in: Religions of South Asia
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1558/rosa.v5i1/2.339 |