Shrimali Brahmins

Shrimal is a place in India's Rajasthan State. presently known as Bhinmal. Shrimal is a combination of ”Shri” and ”Mal”. ”Shri” is popularly interpreted as Laksmi, the goddess of wealth. ”Shri” also means beauty and brightness, “Mal” means place. Thus Shrimal about 800 years ago was a beautiful prosperous place where along with other castes, Goldsmiths too lived, created pieces of beauty out of gold and prospered with other communities.

Unfortunately with constant invasions by foreigners on the North-Western borders of India, Shrimal broke down and thereby received the name Bhinmal.[3] In Sanskrit language, the word Bhinna means broken or separated and therefore Bhinmal means broken place. According to Shrimal Puran (part of Skanda Puran) due to curse of Rishi Gautam and Goddess Laksmi Shrimali Nagar decentrised and its prosperity and population come down. Since Shrimal Nagar suffered a lot, the people living there were forced to migrate. Most of them started migrating towards Gujarat and Marwar (Rajasthan). Therefore, most of the Shrimali Brahmins presently residing in these two states, although they had moved and established presently all over the world with their traditional and modern professions, too.

Scholars and specialists in Vedic culture of India, the “Shrimali Brahmin” can be better identified in this Sanskrit Poem titled “Vayam Shrimali” means "We are Shrimali".

Mahakavi Magh:[4]

Maha kavi “MAGH ” was born about 675 AD. At Bhinmal in Rajasthan. He was the son of “dattak” and grandson of “superabhadeva” a minister of king “Varmalata”of Gujrat. “Magh” was a perfectionist. Nothing would satisfy him except the very best. Therefore, he wrote only one epic named, “Shishupal Vadha” but it suffice to have his name appear alongside ‘Kalidas’ and ‘Bharvi’.

“Shishupal vadha” contains 1650 stanzas and is in 20 canto. It is based on an episode of “Mahabharat” during “Rajasuya Yagya” performed by King Yudhisthir, there was altercation between Shishupal on the one hand, and Bhishma, Yudhisthir and Krishna on the other. Shishupal verbally abused Krishna. The verbal dual acquired such a dimension that Lord Krishna was constrained to halt “shishupal”. It was but a small incident in the great story of Mahabharat. Magh's greatness lies in weaving a great epic covering all aspects of life around this small episode. He invested in this great work of all his rich vocabulary, pure grammar, all encompassing erudition and knowledge, command over the language, and ornate elegant style. For this single work, he is still renowned.

His vocabulary was vast and limitless. So much so that, it is said that there is no word in Sanskrit dictionary which has not been used in the “Shishupal Vadha”. In other words, the “Shishupal Vadh” is a living dictionary of Sanskrit language, paying tribute to his prolific use of words. One commentator has aptly said:

”Nav Sarga gate maghe Navsshabda Na Vidyate”

It means that even one reads up to the ninth canto of his work, one finds that no new word of Sanskrit is left to be discovered. Some poets concentrate on simile while others on style. But “Magh” was one great poet who used simile with great effect, had great felicity with the language, used meaningful words and was the master of ornate and exotic style. So it has been aptly said about him: “Maghe” santi trayo Guna

It has been acknowledged by scholars that he combined in his persona, Kalidas's mastery over simile, Bharvi” flair for drawing word-pictures and dandi” elegant style of writing. He experimented with rare grammatical usage which shows that he was an artist and a great grammarian as well.

Some of his verses are very fascinating and unique and they reflect his talent of playing with words. The following verse gives an idea of his talent: ” Raj Raj Raji Jaje Jiraojojo jaro o Rajaah Rejriju Rajo jarji Rarajarjur Jarjar ”

In this Stanza he has mainly used two words named “Ra” and Jha”. This is not a mean achievement. A few of his stanzas can be read backwards as well and in the ordinary way.

He has used forty one metre in his classic where as Bharvi used only twenty-four metres. This is metrical profusion in wonderful. The ”Shishupal Vadha” shows that Magh”s knowledge was encyclopedic. In fact he was a versatile genius. He was well versed in shastras, was a master of polity and political science, was sensitive to understand the human frailties and human virtues and their impact on social interaction, had an eye for beauty, understood the effects of seasonal changes in climate and weather on human life and environment, had fair acquaintance with painting and sculptures, knew different philosophies and religions and was not unaware of human craving for eroticism. His reading encompassed among other subjects, Astrology, Astrinomy, Vedas, Vedantas, drama and science dealing with elephants and horses.

“Magh” has described nature, mountains and rivers vividly. His description of beauty is unique. According to him, thing which changes every moment and appears fresh is beautiful in his own words . “Kshane Kshane Yannavata Mupalti Tadaiv Rup Ramniyataya”

Magh was not only a great poet but also a great human being. He received unaccountable wealth from his patron king Bhoj. At the same time he had also inherited substantial fortune from his father and grand father, yet he died in poverty because he was generous toward the poor, sharing his wealth with needy and distributed money freely in charity. He was an egalitarian.

Indian post is happy to issue Commemorative Postage stamp on Maha Kavi Magh. The stamp was issued on 09-02-09 by INDIAN POSTAGE STAMPS

Shrimali Puran[5]