152 S. C. Vidyabhusana— Vrcttya and Samkara Theories of Caste. [No. 2, 
that are specially designated as Ary a in India, and whether the Aiyar 
Brahmanas of Madras have anything to do with the Arya Brahmanas 
of Plaksa-dvipa. The Kapila Brahmanas that live in Surat, Broach, 
Jambusar, etc., cannot also with any degree of certainty be identified 
with the Brahmanas of that name that lived in palmala-dvipa. I have 
also got no document to identify the Poskarana Brahmanas of Marwar, 
Gujerat, Bikauir, Bamgarh, etc., with the ancient Puskara Brahmanas of 
Kraunca-dvipa. But fortunately for us the Maga Brahmanas that 
lived in paka-dvipa can, with a pretty accuracy, be identified with the 
Brahmans of that name that live in Behar and other provinces of India. 
Saka-dvipi Brahmana. 
Maga was the name of the Brahmanas of paka-dvipa. In the 
Samba and Bhavisya Puranas the Magas are described as a class of 
Brahmanas who descended from the disc of the Sun. In the Puranas* 
• • 
the name Maga is thus derived :— 
“ The blessed Sun-god is called Ma, and these Brahmanas in virtue 
of their worshipping Ma are called Ma-ga.” 
Regarding the origin of the Maga Brahmanas we find in the 
Puranas (such as Samba and Bhavisya) an interesting story, the sub¬ 
stance of which is given here : Priyavrata, son of Svayambhuva Manu, 
was monarch over seven dvipas. After his death his son Bhavya 
became king of paka-dvipa. He constructed a golden image of the 
Sun and also built a temple for the idol. But as there were no Brah¬ 
manas competent to consecrate the idol he prayed to the Sun-god 
himself for doing the work. Then the Sun became absorbed in deep 
meditation and eight Brahmanas suddenly issued out of his body. 
Immediately after birth they addressed the Sun as father and devoted 
themselves to the study of the Vedas and Upanishads. Thereafter the 
Sun-god asked the king to make over the temple to the charge of these 
Brahmanas, who became worshippers of the Sun. On account of their 
worshipping Ma (the Sun) they became styled Ma-ga. 
Their migration to India is thus described : Once Samba, the son 
of Bhagavan prl-Krsna, became overtaken by leprosy. Finding no 
other means of averting the evil he approached Narada and mournfully 
related to him the particulars of his disease. Narada advised him to 
worship Mitra (the Sun). Accordingly he built a golden statue of the 
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