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Nishada (niṣāda) is a tribe mentioned in ancient Indian literature (such as the epicMahabharata). The ancient texts mention several kingdoms ruled by this tribe.[1]
In the Mahabharata, the Nishadas are described as hunters, fishermen, mountaineers or raiders that have the hills and the forests as their abode.[2] Their origin is associated with a king calledVena who became a slave to wrath and malice, and became unrighteous. Sages killed him for his malice and wrongdoings.[3]Ekalavya is stated to be an archer of a Nishada tribe in the text.[4] In the epicRamayana, a king namedGuha of the Nishada clan assistsRama during his period of exile.
In the earliest of the Indo-Aryan texts, the term "Nishada" may have been used as a generic term for all indigenous non-Aryan tribes rather than a single tribe.[5] This is suggested by the fact that according toYaska'sNirukta,Aupamanyava explains theRigveda term "pancha-janah" ("five peoples") as the fourvarnas of the Indo-Aryan society and the Nishadas.[6]
LinguistS. K. Chatterji notes that the Nishadas appear to be different from theDasas and the Dasyus, which are the other non-Aryan people mentioned in the Vedic texts. HistorianRamaprasad Chanda identifies the Nishadas as the original speakers of theMunda languages. N. K. Dutt also identifies with them pre-Dravidian peoples of India, who presumably spoke a language belonging to theAustroasiatic family, the parent family of the Munda languages.[7]
The Nishadas are sometimes confused with theNisadhas (IAST: Niṣādha), who were a distinct, Indo-Aryan tribe.[8]
TheShanti Parva of theMahabharata describes the Nishadas having dark skin colour similar to that of charred wood, black hair,blood red-coloured eyes, and short limbs. The later texts such as theVishnu Purana and theVayu Purana also emphasize the dark skin colour of the Nishadas. TheBhagavata Purana mentions the Nishadas as having copper-coloured hair, highcheekbones, and low-tipped nose.[6]
Various ancient texts associate the Nishadas withhunting andfishing.[9]
Nishadas are presented as hunters in theBala Kanda of theRamayana, Utpala's 8th century commentary on theBrihat Samhita, and theDharmasutras of Vaikhanasa and Ushanas. TheAdi Parva of theMahabharata describes the Nishada princeEkalavya as the son of an archer, which suggests thatarchery was a hereditary trait of the Nishadas.[10]
TheManusmriti and theAnushasana Parva of theMahabharata mention fishing as the profession of the Nishadas.[11] TheVishnu Smriti also seems to consider subsistence on fishing a characteristic of the Nishadas, as attested by Nanda-pandita's commentary on the text and theKatha-sarit-sagara.[9]
TheRaghuvamsha presents the Nishada asboatmen. TheAyodhya Kanda of theRamayana, which mentions the Nishada as the name of an occupationalcaste (jāti), states that the Nishada king helpedRama cross theGanges River. TheHarivamsha states that the Nishadas collected gems and jewels from the river beds.[10]
Maskarin's commentary onGautamaDharmasutra suggests that elephant-training was another occupation associated with the Nishadas. This is also corroborated the use of the term "Nishadin" to describe an elephant-keeper inBana'sHarsha-charita andMagha'sShishupala-vadha.[10]
Several ancient texts present the Nishadas as progeny of parents from different occupational classes, called thevarnas (seeSocial status section below). However, such classifications are not indicative of the contemporary occupations of the Nishadas: rather, they appear to be a legal attempt to define the status of the Nishadas relative to the other varnas, so that the varna-specific laws could be applied to them.[11]
The Nishadas appear to have been among the firstindigenous tribes encountered by theIndo-Aryans in India. Most of the other indigenous tribes find few mentions in theVedic texts. The Nishadas appear in these texts several times, and as a full-fledged tribe within the Indo-Aryan social framework.[12]
Aitareya Brahmana, an early text, describes the Nishadas as raiders operating in the forests. However, the laterShrauta texts suggest that they were gradually assimilated into the Indo-Aryan society, and were not considered asuntouchable at this time.[7] For example:
These references suggest that the Indo-Aryans made efforts to assimilate the Nishadas into their own social order, but the Vedic ritual status granted to the Nishadas was limited in nature. HistorianRamaprasad Chanda speculates that the Nishadas were too numerous and too powerful to be eliminated, enslaved, or expelled by the Indo-Aryans: this may explain the limited attempts to assimilate them.[14]
It is possible that only the high-class among the Nishadas were inducted into the Indo-Aryan society, while the majority of them remained unassimilated.Panini'sGanapatha mentions agotra called Nishada, which according to scholarD. D. Kosambi, suggests that some tribal priests were assimilated asBrahmanas in the Indo-Aryan society.[15]
TheRudra Adhyaya of the ancientYajurvedaSamhita shows reverence to the Nishadas, among others.[12]
Nevertheless, the Nishadas held a low status in the Indo-Aryan society:[16]
In what appears to be an attempt to define the status of the Nishadas in thevarna system, several ancient texts present them as progeny of parents from different varnas. This appears to have been done for legal purposes, since a person's varna status determined how the contemporary law treated them.[18] For example:
Gradually, the Nishadas were relegated to the status of untouchables in the Indo-Aryan society.[11]
The main profession of Nishadas was fishing and hunting. According to one telling, once, a Nishada had killed one bird from a pair, causing the other bird to be aggrieved by its loss and experience the pangs of pain. Observing this deep pain inspired the sageValmiki to write about the legend of kingRama ofAyodhya and his dutiful wife queenSita, who lived in separation due to her capture by therakshasa kingRavana.[20] In the Ramayana, the king of the Nishadas, named Guha, is stated to be an ally of Rama. He helps Rama and Sita to cross theGanges river nearShringiverapura.
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TheMahabharata speaks of Nishaada as forest hunters and fishermen.[21] Nishadas were mentioned as tribes that have the hills and the forests for their abode and fishing as their chief occupation. They ruled over the hills, plains, land and dominated over the water. They were linked with a king calledVena (seeSaraswata kingdom) (12,58). Nishadas lived in hamlets (12,328).[citation needed]
Aushmikas, andNishadas, and Romakas were mentioned as bringing tribute to kingYudhishthira during hisRajasuya sacrifice (2,50).
Ekalavya was the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas (1,134). He came toHastinapura to join themilitary school ofDrona.Ekalavya's kingdom was the most famous Nishada kingdom during the time of thePandavas. This kingdom was visited bySahadeva during his military campaign to the south, to collect tribute forYudhishthira'sRajasuya sacrifice;-Sahadeva, the Kuru warrior, conquered the country of theNishadas and also the high hill called Gosringa, and that lord of earth called Srenimat (2,30). Nishada and Srenimat were mentioned together again at (5,4).
Ekalavya, the king of the Nishadas, always used to challengeVasudeva Krishna to battle; but he was slain by Krishna in battle (5,48), (7-178,179) (16,6).
Arjuna had come to Nishada kingdom of Ekalavya, after theKurukshetra War, to collect tribute forYudhishthira'sAshwamedha sacrifice.
Arjuna proceeded to the dominions of the Nishada king, viz., the son of Ekalavya. The son of Ekalavya received Arjuna in battle. The encounter that took place between the Kuru hero and the Nishadas was furious. Unvanquished in battle, the valiant son of Kunti defeated the Nishada king who proved an obstacle to the sacrifice. Having subjugated the son of Ekalavya, he proceeded towards the southern ocean. (14,83).
A spot named Vinasana on the banks ofSarasvati River is mentioned as the gate to the kingdom of the Nishadas.[citation needed] There the river is completely dried up and exist as a dry river channel (3,130).[citation needed]Pandavas were led to this place by their guide viz sage Lomasa, during their pilgrimage all over India.[citation needed]
This kingdom was visited bySahadeva during his military campaign to the south, to collect tribute forYudhishthira'sRajasuya sacrifice;- After defeating theDandakas (Aurangabad,Maharashtra) the Kuru warrior,Sahadeva vanquished and brought under his subjection numberless kings of the Mlechchha tribe living on the sea coast, and theNishadas and the cannibals and even the Karnapravarnas, and those tribes also called the Kalamukhas (2,30).
This Nishada's battled for the sake ofPandavas in theKurukshetra War: TheDravida, theAndhaka, and theNishada foot-soldiers, urged on bySatyaki, once more rushed towardsKarna in that battle (Kurukshetra War) (8,49).
Manimat had his kingdom to the south ofKosala. This kingdom was visited byBhima during his military campaign to the east, to collect tribute forYudhishthira'sRajasuya sacrifice;- After conqueringVatsabhumiBhima defeated the king of the Bhargas, as also the ruler of the Nishadas viz Manimat and numerous other kings (2,29). This kingdom is possibly theJaunpur district ofUttar Pradesh. The famous Nishada king named Guha who befriended theKosala princeRaghava Rama was also the king of this kingdom.
A prince named Ketumat is mentioned as battling along with theKalingas againstBhima, in theKurukshetra War. He was mentioned as the son of the Nishada king. He could be the son of Manimat the Nishada king, who was defeated formerly byBhima. Ketumat was slain byBhima along with the Kalinga heroes (6,54).
TheKalinga, theVanga, and theNishada heroes, riding on elephants were said to attackArjuna inKurukshetra War (8,17).
Mekalas (a kingdom close toDakshina Kosala kingdom, inChathisgad) and Utkalas (westernOrissa), andKalingas, andNishadas and Tamraliptakas (south ofWest Bengal), were mentioned as advancing againstNakula (8,22). The Kalingas, theVangas, theAngas, theNishadas and theMagadhas were mentioned together on the Kaurava side at (8,70).
Nishadas were mentioned as battling for the sake ofPandavas along with the Pauravakas and Patachcharas; at(6,50). The southern Nishadas were also mentioned in the army ofPandavas (8,49).
Nishada prince Ketumat was mentioned who was slain byBhima along with the Kalinga heroes (6,54). Nishada army was mentioned to fight for the sake ofKauravas at various instances (6-118), (7,44), (8-17,20,22,60,70).Bhima is said to slay a Nishada prince (other than Ketumat) at (8,60).
A mountain range in ancient India is namedNishada, mentioned along with other mountains like Meru, Mahendra, Malaya, Sweta, Sringavat, Mandara, Nila Dardurna, Chitrakuta, Anjanabha, the Gandhamadana mountains and the sacred Somagiri (13,165).
Shadaja, Rishabha, together with Gandhara, Madhyama, and likewise Panchama; after this should be known Nishada, and then Dhaivata (14,50). The seven original notes are Shadja, Rishabha, Gandhara, Mahdhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata and Nishada (12,183).
The Niṣādhas, residing in the Niṣādha country were obviously Aryan tribes and they should not be confused with the Niṣāda, the non-Aryan tribe.
