Daivadnya Brahmin - Probable Origins

Probable Origins

Historians believe that the Daivadnya Brahmins originated with Sun- and Fire-worshipping priests, analogous to the Brahmins. These priests were mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures such as Bhaviṣya Purāṇa,Viṣṇūpurāṇa, and Mahābhārata. They are believed to have settled in Sāṃbapura and Magadha. They crafted an idol of the sun god Surya; hence they are called Murtikāra. They worshiped the idol with incense, garlands, and other things. These sun-worshipper priests were also called Magas. They married Bhoja women and were called Bhojakas. The Magas hailed from Śhākadvipa, a part of ancient Scythia. They spoke ancient Iranian languages similar to the vedic Saṃskṛta, and were members of ancient Iranianor Proto-indo European nomadic tribes called Śhāka. Magas also styled themselves as Aṅgiras as they belonged to the ancient tribe of the Aṅgirasas mentioned in Anuśāsana parva of Mahābhārata, Adhyaya 83. They also seem to be connected to the Bhṛgus clan. This group of pre-Aryans were not followers of the Vedic rituals, and were later included in the Vedic fold.

Historians Viṭhṭhala Mitragotrī (A socio-cultural history of Goa from the Bhojas to the Vijayanagara), Dr. Śrīdhara Veṅkaṭeśa Ketkara (Mahāraṣṭriya Jñanakoṣa, Part 1), Paṇduraṅga Puruṣottama Śiroḍkara (Bhāratiya samājavighaṭaka jātivarṇa vyavasthā), and Bā. Da. Sātoskar (Gomantaka:prakṛti āṇi sanskṛti, part 1) in their respective research state that Śeṭs are descendants of the Bhojakas and have inherited the art of crafting an idol from the Bhojakas. Bhojakas are also called Gaṇakas, which is synonymous with Daivajña. Daivajñas are descendants of Bhojakas, who migrated to Goa in the 4th or 6th century AD with a Kṣtriya tribe called Bhojas.