History · Ch 3 — Kinship, Caste and Class — Early Societies
Were mothers important?
Were mothers important?
The Satavahana rulers were identified through metronymics — names derived from that of the mother. For instance, a king might be called Gautamiputra (son of Gautami) or Vashishthiputra (son of Vashishtha). At first glance, this naming practice suggests that mothers held a position of importance in early Indian society.
However, we must be cautious before jumping to that conclusion. In the case of the Satavahanas, we know that succession to the throne was generally patrilineal — it passed from father to son, not through the mother's line. So the use of the mother's name in a king's title did not mean that women ruled or that property was inherited through them. It may have been a way to highlight the mother's prestigious lineage (often a Brahmana or Kshatriya clan), rather than a sign of her political power.
Metronymics tell us about naming, not necessarily about authority. A son named after his mother could still inherit his father's throne.
The textbook then asks you to think about how children are named today, and whether those ways are similar to or different from the Satavahana practice. It also asks whether this passage gives you an idea about how mothers were viewed in early Indian societies.
A mother's advice: Gandhari's plea
The Mahabharata provides a powerful example of a mother's role. When war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas became almost inevitable, Gandhari made one last appeal to her eldest son, Duryodhana. Her words are recorded in the epic:
"By making peace you honour your father and me, as well as your well-wishers … it is the wise man in control of his senses who guards his kingdom. Greed and anger drag a man away from his profits; by defeating these two enemies a king conquers the earth … You will happily enjoy the earth, my son, along with the wise and heroic Pandavas … There is no good in a war, no law (dharma) and profit (artha), let alone happiness; nor is there (necessarily) victory in the end – don’t set your mind on war …"
Duryodhana did not listen to this advice. He fought and lost the war.
Gandhari's speech is a rare instance in ancient texts where a mother's voice is recorded as a moral authority. She appeals to dharma (righteousness), artha (material gain), and simple human happiness — all of which, she argues, are destroyed by war.
The textbook notes that Brahmanas quoted this verse frequently. Why? Because it served as a powerful moral lesson: a wise mother's counsel, if ignored, leads to destruction. It also reinforced the idea that a king should listen to wise elders — including women — and that greed and anger are the true enemies of a ruler.
What this tells us about mothers in early Indian societies
- Mothers were not politically powerful in terms of succession or property rights — that remained patrilineal. …
Figure 3.4 is a terracotta plaque from the temple wall at Ahichchhatra (in present-day Uttar Pradesh), dated to about the fifth century CE. It is one of the earliest known sculptural representations of a scene from the Mahabharata. The plaque shows a battle scene — likely from the Kurukshetra war — with warriors on chariots, horses, and foot soldiers engaged in combat. The figures are arranged in a crowded, dynamic composition typical of Gupta-period terracotta temple decoration.
The plaque does not show any labels or arrows; it is a single, continuous relief panel. The central focus is on two chariots facing each other, with archers drawing bows — probably representing key warriors from the opposing sides. Around them are smaller figures of soldiers with shields and spears, and fallen warriors under the horses’ hooves. The style is vigorous but stylised, with the figures carved in high relief against a plain background.
What makes this figure important for the chapter is its context. It appears in the section titled “Were mothers important?”, which discusses the role of mothers in early Indian societies — specifically through the example of the Satavahanas and the story of Gandhari’s advice to Duryodhana. The textbook places this image right after a passage where Gandhari pleads with her son to avoid war. The battle scene thus serves as a visual counterpoint: it shows the war that Gandhari tried to prevent, and which Duryodhana chose to fight — and lose. …
Source 5 — A mother's advice. The Mahabharata describes how, when war between the Kauravas and Pandavas became almost inevitable, Gandhari made one last appeal to her eldest son Duryodhana:
By making peace you honour your father and me, as well as your well-wishers … it is the wise man in control of his senses who guards his kingdom. Greed and anger drag a man away from his profits; by defeating these two enemies a king conquers the earth … There is no good in a war, no law (dharma) and profit (artha), let alone happiness; nor is there (necessarily) victory in the end — don't set your mind on war …
Duryodhana did not listen to this advice. …