Monday, April 27, 2015

United States of South Asia

Deccan Chronicle of 25th April 2015 carries a front page bold headline, ‘Bharat or India, asks SC’. Apex court seeking reply from center and states is in response to a petition filed by N Bhatwal, who claims to be a social activist. Chief justice chose to issue a notice to center and states, according to DC. India can be renamed Hindustan or Hindu Rashtra. United States of South Asia is the most suitable name.

 But can India be called Bharat? Let us refer to Mahabharat. Shantunu fell in love with Matsyagandha after Gunga left him. Matsyagandha and her father, fishermen’s chieftain, agreed to Shantunu marrying Matsyagandha on two conditions:

1) Devavrata, Shantunu’s son from Ganga, would not claim the throne after Shantunu.

2) Devavrata would never marry. Devavrata took the oath that he would not claim the throne and would never marry.

With this ‘Bheeshma pratigyan’ Devavruta came to be called Bheeshma. After marriage Shantunu changed the name of Matsyagandha as Satyavati. Shantunu fathered two sons from Satyavati- Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Chitrangada and Vichitravirya were married to Ambika and Ambalika.

Both Chitragada and Vichitravirya died childless. Satyavati called her first son Vyasa ( fathered by Rishi Parashara ) to father the children of Amba and Ambalika. So Pandu and Dhritarashtra were not form Bharata clan. ‘Bharata vansha’ ended with the death of Devavrata.


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