All World
Gayatri Pariwar

   Several scriptures also mention of the voyages of Indian traders to distant parts of the globe. Some excerpts of these are as follows.

The scripture named “Raja Nighantu” describes the expansion of India on commerce and business relations. Many of the Indian traders had moved to distant countries with families and stayed there for good. 

Vaishastu Vyavaharta Vartika¡ Pañiko Vañika |

Meaning: Vyavaharta (Bhoharas), Vit, Vartika, Panika and Vanika — all these communities belong to the Vaishya Varna (communities of traders/business) of India.

The Island countries of Malay (Malaysia) and neighboring regions were part of India in ancient times. These were full of gold mines. The following scriptural hymns (from “Skandha Puran” and “Mahabharata”) describe how some intrepid Indian kings had successfully excavated these mines and fetched gold by defeating demonic obstacles.


The influence of Sanskrit is evident in the languages of this region even today. 

Scriptural Citations referring to Middle East, Europe & Africa

1. Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece etc: 

Middle East was part of greater India till the medieval times. Greek empire Silucus’s daughter was married to King Chandragupta Maurya.  The queen of King Goha of Mewar was the grand daughter of Iranian emperor Nosherwan.

The Arabian region was part of greater India and many of the ancient scholars and Vedic sages used to live there.  Yavanacharya, the founder of Ramanuj Sect, was born and brought up in this region. The paper of Dr. Wilford published in Vol. X of “Asiatic Researches” is worth citing in this context. He has proved that Yavancharya was born in a learned Brahmin family in the Arabian region and was educated at Alexandria University before moving to other parts of India.

As cited in “Mahabharata”, Gandhari, the mother of Kauravas was the princess of “Gandhar”. This state of Gandhar is today’s Kandhar (Afganistan).  Several historians have also offered evidences in support of this conclusion.  Rai Bahadur Chintamani Vinayak Vaidya has further concluded in “Mahabharata Mimansa” that today’s Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Kalat, Gazani were all parts of Northen frontiers of India until a few hundred years ago.  These were originally established and developed by Indians.  

In the views of noted historian Prof. Verodal Keeth, an Indian named “Dasharath” was among the famous kings who founded the civilization of Mesopotamia. Another prominent king of that period, Hari, was also Indian. The dynasty which ruled over the Arabian lands for a long period is referred in the history books as “Khatry”, which is a deformation of Sanskrit word “Kshatriya” (that means the kings, emperors, protectors of any state); “Kshatriya” is also called “Khatry” in Punjabi and some other regional languages of India.

The terms “Asia Minor” and “Near East” used in the treatises of world history refer to Arab countries, Mediterranean basin, Gulf, Mesopotamia, Syria, etc. Phoenicia is located in the east of Syria, Babylonia and Cheldia in its south are also located in nearby regions. Once upon a time this entire region was part of India. The Panis or Panyas, belonging to the business or trader community of Pandya in India, had populated this land. They had migrated from western parts of present-day India for the purpose of trade. Cholas from south India had also migrated to this region via the sea routes, as they were experts in boating.  Research manual “Historians’ History of the World” cites the ancient inhabitants of Babylonia as of Indian origin. Archeological proofs also affirm that Hindu gods were worshipped there for a long time.

2. Central and Northern Europe:

Most of the modern European countries did not exist thousand years ago, therefore, the reference to these in the ancient treatise is available only in terms of geographical locations of the regions inhabited by humans in this continent. Prof. Taylor has presented several anthropological and geographical evidences in his research thesis “Origin of Aryans”, which show that the Europeans of today are descendents of the children born to Aryan and Mongolian parents. The treatise “Rigvedic India” also affirms this with detailed citations. Historical and archeological analysis in “Hermsworth History of the World” also concludes that the ancestors of Europeans were offspring of Aryan fathers and native tribal or Mongolian (who also had arrived from India) mothers.

The Romany community residing in some Arabian, Russian and east European countries consists of the descendents of Indians who had moved with families to different parts of the world as part of religious voyages thousands of years ago. Their complexion and features still match more with Indians than with the whites.

Like the ancestors of southern China the early populations of Greece and Egypt belonged to the Yavan and Shaka communities of Indians.

In a chapter “Skandha Puran” describing different royal dynasties of India, there is a mention of “Turvaso Manana¡ Jana¡” — the Yavans were descendants of prince Turvas, who was a son of King Yayati of India.  Because of his differences with his father, prince Turvas had left his state and moved towards the region which is today’s Greece.  The same chapter also cites “NariÌyanta¡ SHaka¡ Putra¡” – the Shakas were descendants of prince Shaka who was the grandson of king Ikshavaku.     



Meaning: Gradually, as they lost close contact with the Brahmanas (communities of ascetic teachers, moral disciples), several of the Kshatriya communities (of kings, warriors) lost the righteous path. Gradually, as many of these originally Kshatriya families moved farther and lost contacts with the Indian sages, their children left the moral disciplines and turned into nomadic traders, unprincipled traders and even mighty dacoits (Vrashals and Dasyus). Similarly, other communities like the PonÃra, OÃra, DraviÃa, Kamboja, Yavan, Shaka, Yavan, Darada, Khasa, Kirat, etc also came into existence from the lineage of Kshatiryas. Many of their successive generations forgot the original Aryan language and culture and adopted the hybrid culture of Mlechhas (people who do not care for righteous values and disciplines).

Manusmirti also cites that the Shaka community found in the Arabian land is descendant of Brahmins and Kshatriyas of ancient India who, being away from the sagacious guidance for long time, had adopted a different value system and culture. According to this scripture, some communities in their later generations of the “Shaka” among these were named “Shekha” (the name or title of many of the elite Arabs of today):



As stated in the following shloka of “Aitareya Brahman”, those (princes and disciples of Brhamanas) who were expelled because of immoral conduct, moved to distant regions. Their descendants gradually formed the communities like Ondra, Pondra, Shavar, Pulinda, Mutiva, etc. 

 

The Mahabharata also cites similarly and includes Kaul, Naag, Darva and Chola communities also among the descendants of expelled Kshatriyas.



Citing geographical and historical evidences, Prof. Maxmüllar has also affirmed that the people who first resided in Iran and prospered this land were Indians. He also shows that Parasies originally belonged to India before moving to the Gulf region of Middle East. Similarly, several linguistic scholars have pointed out that the word “Iran” is a slang of “Aryaan”.

3. Egypt and Other African Countries:
Modern historians are broadly of the opinion that the Aryans settled in Iran, Syria and other central-west Asian countries had traversed the surrounding seas to reach Africa. Many of them had resided there and initiated the process of civilization in the forest lands. 

The local tribal people of “Mashna” city described in the ancient treatise “Aitareya Brahman” resemble the Negros of Africa.


This indicates that Indians had reached the African continent thousands of years ago. The “Zulus” of Africa are said to be the descendents of the Jhalla dynasty of Kshatriyas of ancient India. 

“Manual of History” also affirms that “Mashna” city described in “Aitareya Brahman” is the African city Rhodesia. The remains and debris of age-old structures found in that city and other archeological proofs indicate the presence of ancient civilization of the times of King Bharat’s empire.

A hymn in the 39th Chapter of “Aitareya Brahman” reads —


Meaning:  King Bharat had gifted to the state of “Mashna” hundred and seven elephants having huge white teeth and decorated with golden ornaments.

Egypt:


Meaning: Rishi Kanva had gone to Mishradesha (Egypt). There he educated and helped uplifting the status of tens of thousands of uncultured, uncivilized local residents. Depending upon their inclinations and work habits some of them became SHudras, some Vaishyas and some as Kshatriyas. 

The evidences and logical arguments presented by noted scholar of world history Prof. Pococke in his magnum opus “India in Greece” show that the leaders behind the Egyptian civilization were the Kshatriyas of the royal Survansh family. They had come from India and used to describe themselves as the descendents of rishi Manu. They used to worship the Sun God.   Col. Alkot also argues similarly in “Theosophist”. In his views these Indian princes (of “Suryavanshi”dynasty) had reached Egypt over 8500 years ago and had developed it as part of their empire.