^{Synonyms :   Maga, Bhojak, Sakaldwipi, Shakdvipi, Shakdwipi, Shakdweepi,Maga Brahmin, Bhojaka, Sakaldwipiya, Shakdvipiya, Shakdwipiya, Shakdweepiya, Shakadwipi, Sakadwipi, Graham Vipras and Acharya Brahmin.}

Sakaldwipiya ,Maga Brahminor Bhojaka is a class of Brahmin priests in Western India, Bihar and western Uttar Pradesh^[1]. The term Bhojaka is popular in western India and Śākadvīpī or Śākaladvīpī is in vogue in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

This is the only division of brahmins whose origins are said to be outside India, although half of its gotra names are same as those found in native brahmins, which suggests some common origins. Wise men of the east (Magi) are believed to be Śākadvīpī brahmins^[2].

Sakaldwipiya is a tadbhav of Shakdvipiya.

According to Hindi Grammer , the name "Shakdvipiya" is composed(sandhi) of two words "Shakdvipa" and "Iya".

Shakdvipa + Iya= Shakdvipiya
Shakdvipa (Devnagari: शाक्द्वीप) is the name of the continent of Earth.[3]
Iya means From.

As per Etymology, Peoples having roots in Shakdvipa are called Shakdvipiya.

The most detailed account of the origin of Śākadvīpīs or Bhojakas occurs in Bhavishya Purana (chapter 133)^[4] . According to this story, Krishna's son Sāmba built a Sun Temple and asked Rishi Gaurmukha to become its priest. But sages did not like the profession of priesthood. Then, Sun God said that no brahmin in Jambudvipa was qualified for Sun-worship and asked Sāmba to invite four categories of peoples from Śākadvīpa: Maga, Magas, Mānas and Mandaga. Sāmba invited celibates of 18 kulas (extended family) who settled in Sāmbapura on the banks of Chandrabhāgā river in western India. Of them, 8 kulas of Mandagas were Shudras or Śūdras and 10 kulas of Magas were brahmins. They were married to girls of Bhoja vamśa. Therefore, the descendants of those 18 Śākadvīpī kulas came to be known as Bhojakas.

In Mahabharata it is stated that lord krisna had a son samb. he was suffering from leprosy. That's why Krishna called special Brahmin's of shakdvipa (belived that present iran). They were sun worshipers and famous astronomer. They treated samb and freed him from leprocy. Shakdvipiya brahmin originated from those shakdvipa origin brahmins and also called magi brahmin. Sakaldwipya are specialized in ayurveda (old indian method of treatment) and astronomy, astrology and Sakaldwipya are sun worshiper so called Saura .

This is corroborated by the Bhavishya Purana chapter 139 that narrates the following tale (a critical reconstruction of it)^[5]

"contrary to the Vedic practices, your son will become famous by name of Mag. His name will be Jarathushtra Mag — and will bring fame to the dynasty. His descendents will worship fire and will be known by the name Mag (Saka), and being Soma worshippers (Magadha Sakadvipi) will be known as Mag Brahmins." --Bhavishya Purana^[6]

Krishna, the hero of the yadu married “Jambati”, the daughter of the bear-king Jambavantha (The bear king in Ramayana). Their son was the valiant “Samba”. He went to the banks of the river Chandrabhaga and constructed temple in the honor of Surya. No local Brahamana knew of the mysteries of his worship and hence could not take up priesthood at the temple. So Samba sought help of Gauramukha, the adviser of the yadu chief,Ugrasena. Gauramukha asked him to go to Shakdvipa and obtain a special class of priests called Maga to worship Surya.^[7]

Samba said:” tell me Oh Brahmin what are the antecedents of these worshippers of the sun.

Gauramukha narrated: “The first of the Brahmins amidst the shakhas was called “Sujihva”. He founded a gotra termed the mihira gotra. He had a daughter of the name “Nikshubha”. Surya was enamored by her and impregnated her. Thus she gave birth to “Jarashabda” who was the founding father of all the Maga-Acharya . They are distinguished by the sacred girdle called the “Avyanga” that they wear around their waist”.

Samba there upon called on Krishna to send him Garuda and flying on his back he landed in Shakadvipa. He collected the Maga-Acharya , brought them back to India and installed them as priests of his Surya temple. ^[8][9][10]

The Idol of Surya should be constructed thusly: He should have a human form with a solar corona placed behind him. He should be on a chariot with the horses standing for the seven solar rays. He should hold a discus and trident in two arms, and lotuses in the other two. Boots up to the knees should cover his feet. His waist should bear the Avyanga.

This temple on the Chandrabhaga was situated in what is now the terrorist state of Pakistan and was demolished by Aurangzeb in the 1600s.

There is considerable epigraphic evidence for the prevalence of the Saura sect in India and definitely the cult was very popular at the time shankara bhagavatpada formalized the six sects of sectarian Hinduism [ Shaiva, Shakta, Vaishnava, Ganapatya, Kaumara, Saura ].

Sakaldwipya are refered as "gift of magi " also. Magi means the wise man. the ancient relegion of persia was Zoroastrian and magi were thair priests. God mithra (sun god) was worshiped that time. These magi were astronomer also.

Bhojas (or Bhojakas) are mentioned in the inscriptions of Maurya Ashoka and Kharavela. Kadamba dynasty copperplates found in Karnataka mention Bhojakas as manages of Jain institutions.

The Shakadvipi Brahmins of Bihar are considered to be closely related to the Bhojakas. The Bhojakas are historically associated with several Jain temples in Gujarat and Rajasthan, where they serve as priests and attendants ^[11][12].

Scholar Varahamihira,Charaka,Aryabhata,Vanbhatt and Chanakya are believed to have belonged to this community.

Maga is the term applied to Zoroastrian/Mazdayasti priests. Balkh in Bactria (Afghanistan) was a major center of Zoroastrianism. Śākadvīp corresponds to regions of Afghanistan beyond the Hindukush mountains. ^[13]

The 8 Mandaga kulas were married to Śaka (Saka, who were eastern Scythians, distinct from African Shaka) and their descendants were not called Mandaga, and were considered to be Śūdras. ^[14]

These communities have historically served as the priests of the Sun god (Surya,^[15] Mitra in Sanskrit, Mithra in Avestan). Sanskrit word mihir is related to Sun and one Śākadvīpī gotra name is mihirāsu, which points to Persian connections (Mihr in Persian). The Iranian Surya (sun god) wearing a long coat with a sacred girdle and knee-high boots was worshipped by Indian kings. He had a special name Mundira svami and the word Mundira is found in ancient Iranian texts from Khotan. The Sun Temple of Modhera in Gujarat and Munirka village in Delhi remind of the name Mundira. The Sun God at Konark Sun Temple,Konark, Orissa is famous in his Iranian drapery and boots. The royal priests of this royal surya were of Iranian descent like Sakadvipiya Brahmanas^{[16] [17]}

"Few people have been more closely related in origin and throughout history than the people of India and the people of Iran" – Jawahar Lal Nehru ^{[18] [19]}

In India there is a community termed Maga, Bhojaka or Sakaldwipiya Brahmins. Their major centers are in Gujrat, Rajasthan in Western India, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand in northern Indian and Madhya Pradesh. In Bihar, Jharkhand and Rajasthan we are distributed all over the state, Sakaldwipiya are socially strong in these state. Sakaldwipiya economically weak in some rural area of Jharkhand and Bihar but case are totally different in urban area. Female technical education is main concern in these areas. In Madhya Pradesh situation are better because population is mainly limited to urban area. In UttarPradesh,Sakaldwipiya are in not good in either in socially or economically. The minor population centers are J&K, Punjab,Maharastra and West Bengal.

In Gujarat, many of the prominent theater personalities have belonged to the Bhojaka community ^[20].

The major concentration of Sakadwipies was in Magadh (place that holds Magas) kingdom so named after Maga-Brahmana domain. Here they were allotted 72 principalities of villages (PUR)^[21]. They gradually migrated to different nooks and corners of the country. The shakadwipi even today are most respected Brahmin in Bihar. They are identified through their PUR affiliations than Gotra. They are endogamous caste groups but strictly practice Gotra and Pur exogamy unlike others and give it prime importance in marriage. Most of them remembers their mythological immigration and are proud of it.

There are 74 Para (i.e., alla) among Śākadvīpīs ; endogamy within a para is forbidden ^[22].

There are 12 gotras in Śākadvīpīs:

• Kāśyapa
• Garga
• Pārāśara
• Bhrigu (cf. Bhargava)
• Kauṇḍinya
• Kausala
• Vasu
• Suryadatta
• Arkadatta ( literally synonymous to Suryadatta )
• Nala
• Bhavya Maṭi
• Mihrāsu

Titles or Surnames (Padavi or Āspada) in Alphabatic order :

H. H. Risley, the census commissioner of India's 1901 census, wrote that Śākadvīpī brahmins practised endogamous marriage within a gotra (which is forbidden in other brahmins), but avoid para ^[24]. According to Brāhmaṇa Nirṇaya, Kānyakubja (Kannaujiā) and Saryupāriya (Sarwariye) hold that Śākadvīpī should not be appointed as priests in yajña and pūjā (ritualistic worship) and are unfit for dāna (donation) ; this extreme view was related to gotra-endogamy as well as to foreign origins of Śākadvīpīs ^[25].

But A History of Brahmin Clans states that Śākadvīpī brahmins have a love for traditional (Sanskrit) knowledge and their Saṃskāras (cf. Sanskara) are like Maithil Brāhamanas, although matrimonial and other customary relations with Maithil (or other brahmins) are not in vogue ^[26].

Pt Dorilāl Śarmā Śrotiya writes : 'they wear long Yajnopavita at the age of 8 years, keep quiet while eating, like to keep beards like sages, perform agnihotra, and drink wine charmed with mantras, and were called maga because they read the Vedas in haphazard ways' ^[27]. These statements actually apply to Zoroastrian priests and their recitation of Avesta, not to modern Shakadvipis.

• Mathematician Aryabhata
• Astronomer Varahamihira^[28]
• Ayurveda's founder Charaka
• Acharya Chanakya
• Founder Shunga dynasty, Pusyamitra
• A Navratna,Vetala Bhatta
• Ban bhatt
• Bag Bhatt
• Jain Acharya,Bhadrabahu
• Poet Magh
• Hindi Poet Pt. Janki Vallabh Shastri

• Brāhmaṇa Nirṇaya by Pt. Chhote Lāl Sharmā,1916,Aligarh.
• A History of Brahmin Clans (Brāhmaṇa Vaṃshõ kā Itihāsa) in Hindi, by Dorilāl Śarmā,published by Rāśtriya Brāhamana Mahāsabhā, Vimal Building, Jamirābād, Mitranagar, Masūdābād,Aligarh-1, 2nd ed-1998. (This Hindi book contains the most exhaustive list of Brahmana gotras and pravaras together their real and mythological histories).
• Jāti-Bhāṣkara by Pt. Jwālā Prasād Misra, published by Khemaraj Shrikrishnadas,(1914).
• Brāhmaṇotpatti-mārtaṇḍa Harikṛṣṇa Śāstri, (Sanskrit), 1871
• People of India By Kumar Suresh Singh, N. N. Vyas, B. K. Lavania, Dipak Kumar Samanta, S. K. Mandal, published 1998, Popular Prakashan, ISBN 8171547699
• Jains in the World: Religious Values and Ideology in India By John E. Cort, Published 2001,Oxford University Press, ISBN 0195132343

• Brahmin communities
• Brahmin
• Brahmins
• Hinduism
• Forward Castes
• Classification of Brahmins

Template:Sakaldwipiya

Here Some links for browsing more information about Sakaldwipiya

• Sakaldwipiya Blog

• Orkut Community for Sakaldwipiya
• Google group for Sakaldwipiya

• http://shakdwipi.com
• http://shakdwipiya.com
• http://shakdweepiya.com
• http://shakdwipiyabrahmins.org/
• http://magabrahmin.com

• Shakadvipi Community website. Includes quotes from Bhavishya Purana
• The complete reference to Brahmins: Material from this site has been borrowed for this article with the permission from Dr. Vepachedu: [1]
• A Long List of Brahmin Castes and Sub-castes

--Devesh.bhatta (talk) 06:33, 5 February 2008 (UTC)