Published Paper Details:

Sujata is a significant figure in Buddhist tradition, primarily remembered for offering milk-rice (kheer) to Siddhartha Gautama before his enlightenment. This act of generosity played a crucial role in reviving the Bodhisattva's strength after years of extreme asceticism, ultimately leading him towards the Middle Path and eventual enlightenment. Despite Sujata's prominence in Buddhist lore, there is limited historical clarity regarding her social and caste background. Scholars and historians have debated her origins, with some suggesting she belonged to the Yadava community. This paper explores textual references, historical interpretations, and socio-cultural contexts to examine this claim. P?li Canon and other early Buddhist texts provide limited information about Sujata's lineage but describe her as the daughter of a wealthy householder in the village of Senani, near Uruvela (modern-day Bodh Gaya). The D?ghanik?ya and J?takas mention her in passing, focusing more on her act of offering rather than her ancestry. The term 'Senani' is sometimes interpreted as a title for a village headman or military leader. Some interpretations of these texts argue that since she was a cowherd's daughter, she may have belonged to a pastoral community, which has led to speculations linking her to the Yadava or Gopa (cowherd) lineage. Yadavas, historically associated with cow-rearing and pastoral traditions, have long been identified with Lord Krishna's lineage in Hindu texts. The Mahabharata and Puranas describe them as a warrior and agricultural community, which aligns with descriptions of Sujata's family as wealthy landowners and cattle rearers. Some scholars argue that the association between Sujata and the Yadava community may stem from the broader historical reality that many pastoral and agricultural groups in ancient India had overlapping identities. The fact that her father was referred to as a 'Senani' could indicate an administrative or warrior class background rather than a purely pastoral one. The caste structure in ancient India was fluid, and communities were often categorized based on occupation rather than rigid birth-based hierarchy. If Sujata's family were indeed cowherds, it is very much plausible that they were associated with the Yadava tradition.