“The Mohan Clan of the Mohyal Saraswat Brahmins: Vedic Origins, Historical Lineage, and Cultural Legacy Rooted in the Kashyapa Tradition”
By Cdr Alok Mohan
Abstract
The Mohan clan, one of the seven principal lineages of the Mohyal Saraswat Brahmin community, traces its origins to the Vedic sage Rishi Kashyapa—one of the Saptaṛṣis (Seven Sages) revered in Hindu tradition. Drawing from Vedic scriptures, Puranic accounts, Buddhist and Jain sources, inscriptional evidence, and historical chronicles, this study examines the genealogical, philosophical, and political heritage of the Mohan clan. It situates the Mohans within the broader Kashyapa lineage, recounting their role in Kashmir’s early polity, their migration patterns, their military and administrative influence during medieval India, and their preservation of ancestral traditions amid socio-political upheavals. The analysis integrates cosmological, ritualistic, and metaphysical perspectives from the Kashyapa tradition alongside material drawn from historical records, thus providing an interdisciplinary perspective on the clan’s enduring legacy.
1. Introduction
The Mohan clan occupies a distinguished position within the Mohyal Saraswat Brahmin community. Historically renowned as warrior-priests, the Mohans preserve an identity rooted in both spiritual authority and martial valor. Tradition affirms their descent from Rishi Kashyapa, whose role as progenitor of diverse beings in Hindu cosmology has earned him the epithet Prajāpati—“Father of All Living Beings.” This research paper synthesizes mytho-historical narratives, Vedic genealogies, and recorded political events to construct a coherent account of the Mohan lineage.
2. Vedic Genealogy and Kashyapa’s Legacy
2.1 Kashyapa in Vedic Literature
Rishi Kashyapa, son of Rishi Marichi (a manas-putra of Brahmā) and Kāla, is counted among the Saptaṛṣis mentioned in the Rigveda and Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (2.2.4). He is celebrated as a mantra-draṣṭā (seer of Vedic hymns), including Rigveda 9.114.2:
Sanskrit: सोमस्य मा प्रजामिषं कश्यपो हव्यदातये ।
Translation: “Kashyapa seeks Soma for the prosperity of progeny.”
The Bhagavad Gītā (7.4) further contextualizes the cosmological framework within which Kashyapa operates:
Sanskrit: भूमिरापोऽनलो वायु: खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च ।
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥
Translation: “Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and ego—these eight constitute My separated material energies.”
2.2 Lineage through the Daughters of Dakṣa
Kashyapa married thirteen daughters of Dakṣa Prajāpati, each becoming the mother of distinct orders of beings:
Aditi: Adityas (devas) including Viṣṇu, Indra, and Savitṛ.
Diti: Daityas (asuras) such as Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa.
Danu: Dānavas including Vṛtra.
Vinata: Aruṇa and Garuḍa.
Kadru: Nāgas such as Ananta, Vāsuki, and Takṣaka.
Muni: Apsarās. The children of Muni were known as Mohans
(Further wives and progeny detailed in Vedic and Purāṇic texts.)
This complex genealogy positions Kashyapa as the symbolic ancestor of all humans, and other sentient beings, underscoring his universal scope in Hindu cosmology.
3. Philosophical Dimensions of the Kashyapa Tradition
Kashyapa’s teachings integrate metaphysical principles with cosmology, emphasizing prakṛti (material nature) and puruṣa (spiritual essence) as interdependent forces. The pañcīkaraṇa (quintuplication) theory describes the creation of the material world from five elemental constituents—earth, water, fire, air, and space—each combining in fractional proportions to manifest physical reality. This framework informed later Sāṅkhya philosophy and Vedic ritualism, where yajñas served as symbolic enactments of cosmic processes.
4. Historical Accounts of the Mohan Clan
4.1 Kashmir Rule (602–855 CE)
According to clan chronicles, the Mohans ruled Kashmir for approximately 253 years, beginning in 602 CE. Notable rulers include Lalitāditya (r. 699–735 CE), who extended his empire to the Konkan after subduing Kānyakubja, Mālwā, and Gujarat, and Jeaped (r. 746–789 CE), remembered for territorial expansion into Nepal. The dynasty’s decline followed Jeaped’s death, culminating in the end of Mohan rule in 855 CE.
4.2 Medieval Migrations and Political Roles
The Pothi Rai Sīgadh and Jangnāma Mohan—two historical texts of the clan—document the Mohans’ migrations from Kashmir to Mathurā, driven by political turmoil and invasions. Their martial service extended to defending sacred sites and serving in royal courts. In the 14th–16th centuries, Mohans held prominent positions, including Dewānships under Tīmūr and the Mughal emperor Bābur.
4.3 The Mamdot Tragedy
Mamdot, in present-day Punjab, emerged as a Mohan stronghold until a catastrophic Mughal campaign under Humāyūn decimated the clan. Survivors, including Baba Sahib and his son Sobha Ram, preserved the lineage, which later dispersed to regions including Pind Dadan Khan.
5. Cross-Religious References: Pūrṇa Kashyapa in Buddhist and Jain Texts
Buddhist Dīgha Nikāya texts refer to Pūrṇa Kashyapa as a heterodox teacher and philosophical contemporary of Mahāvīra and the Buddha. Jain literature names him “Puran Kassap,” acknowledging his Kashyapa lineage. While Brahmanical orthodoxy marginalized his followers, epigraphic evidence from Bajaur, Afghanistan, indicates the presence of Kashyapa-affiliated Buddhist monastic orders.
6. Etymology of ‘Kashmir’
Philological and historical sources link the name ‘Kashmir’ to Kaśyapa-mīra (“lake of Kashyapa”) or Kaśyapa-meru (“mountains of Kashyapa”). Greek accounts from the era of Alexander refer to the region as “Kasperia” or “Kaspatyros,” possibly adaptations of Kaśyapa-pura (“city of Kashyapa”).
7. Conclusion
The Mohan clan’s heritage, anchored in the Kashyapa lineage, bridges Vedic cosmology, martial history, and multi-faith philosophical discourse. From their mythological ancestry through Rishi Kashyapa to their documented political authority in Kashmir and Punjab, the Mohans embody the confluence of priestly wisdom and warrior ethos. Their survival through migration, warfare, and socio-religious shifts underscores the resilience of Vedic lineages in adapting to changing historical landscapes.