Goa History & Heritage
Goa - Hindu Legends and Mythology
The
origin of Goa or Gomantak as it is also known, is lost in the mists of time.
In the later Vedic period (c.1000-500 BC), when the Hindu epic Mahabharat was
written, Goa has been referred to with the Sanskrit name Gomantak, a word with
many meanings, but signifying generally a fertile land.
The most famous legend associated with Goa, is that of the mythical sage Parashuram
(the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu), who several thousand years ago created
the entire stretch of Konkan coast by ordering the seas to recede. The Sea God
gave up the lands on the the banks of the two main rivers of Goa viz. Mandovi
and Zuari (then called Gomati and Asghanasini) for the settlement of the Aryans
accompanying Parashurama.
Another legend, less well known, states that the coastal area of Konkan enchanted
Lord Krishna, who was charmed by the beautiful ladies bathing in the area. The
ladies in turn, were so taken up by the melodious music coming from his flute,
that they kept dancing forgetting their daily chores. Lord Krishna, then named
the land Govapuri after the cows (gov) belonging to the locals.
The history of the sacred land of Gomantak, 'land of the Gods' is well described
in Sahyadri Khand of Skandha Purana, the ancient text of Hindu religion. According
to this story narrated in the Chapter Shantiparva of Mahabharat, a Brahmin from
the Saraswat family, Parashuram, annihilated the entire community of the warrior
tribe Kshatriyas and gifted the conquered land to a sage named Kashyapmuni.
Unfortunately, the Kshatriya annihilation meant that the land was left unadministered
and fell into anarchy and chaos. The worried sage Kashyapmuni, requested Parashuram
to leave the area and settle elsewhere. Parashuram came south and reclaimed
new land by ordering the sea to recede and give up the coastal land. This land
known as "Aparant" or "Shurparak" is spread between the
Sahyadri mountains and Sindhusagar.
The first wave of Brahmins to settle in Goa, were called Saraswats because of
their origins from the banks of the River Saraswati, an ancient river that existed
in Vedic times. The subsequent drying up of the river caused large scale migration
of Brahmins to all corners of India.
A group of ninety-six families, known today as Gaud Saraswats, settled along
the Konkan coast around 1000 BC. Of these, sixty-six families took up residence
in the southern half in today's Salcete taluka which derives its name from the
Sanskrit word "Sassast" meaning the number 66.
The other thirty families settled in the northern area in today's Tiswadi taluka
which derives its name from the Sanskrit word for the number 30. The Saraswat
Brahmins worked in partnership with the local indigenous people, the Kunbi tribals
who still exist today. Around the year 740 AD, the Brahmins established their
first Matha (religious centre of learning) at Kushasthali (present day Cortalim)
.
An interesting sidelight in this legendary origin of Goa is that Lord Parashuram
is supposed to have shot an arrow from the top of the western ghats into the
sea to command the Sea God to withdraw till the place where the arrow fell and
claimed that land to be his kingdom. The place where the arrow landed was called
Bannali (in Sanskrit for 'where the arrow landed'; Bann: arrow, ali: village),
or today's Benaulim.
Parashuram arrived in the new abode with other Saraswat Brahmins and sages in
order to perform the Yadnya and other rituals. These Brahmin families of Dashgotras
from Panchgoudas of Trihotrapura in northern India came along with their family
deities and settled themselves in this land of Gomantak or the land of the Gods
as it came to be known thereafter.
They initially settled at Mathagram (Margao), Kushasthal (Cortalim) and Kardalinagar
(Keloshi). The main deities which also came along with them were Mangirish,
Mahadeo, Mahalaxmi, Mahalsa, Shantadurga, Nagesh, Saptakoteshwar besides many
others. According to local legend, the ash found at Harmal beach in Pernem Taluka
is cited as the ash of the Yadnya or holy ritual performed in Goa.
Today a temple of Parashuram exists in Painguinim village of Canacona Taluka
in South Goa. There is no concrete proof to determine the exact date of the
arrival of Saraswats or Parashurama in the area, nor is it conclusively proved
that Saraswats or other Aryans were the first to arrive in Konkan.
Even if the legends are considered as only myths, the residence of Saraswat
Brahmins in Goa since ancient times along with their family deities is an undeniable
fact. And most probably they arrived in Goa under the leadership of a towering
personality named Parashuram.
