Friday, September 16, 2011

Yadu


Yadu (Sanskrit: यदु) is one of the five Indo-Aryan tribes (panchajana, panchakrishtya or panchamanusha) mentioned in the Rig Veda (I.54.6, I.108.7, X.62.10). The Mahabharata, the Harivamsha and the Puranas mention Yadu as the eldest son of king Yayati and his queen Devayani. The prince of King Yayati, Yadu was a self-respecting and a very established ruler. According to the Vishnu Purana, the Bhagavata Purana and the Garuda Purana Yadu had four sons, while according to the rest of the Puranas he had five sons. The names of his sons are: Sahasrajit (or Sahasrada), Kroshtu (or Kroshta),Nila, Antika and Laghu. The kings between Budha and Yayati were known as Somavanshi. According to a narrative found in the Mahabharata, and the Vishnu Purana, Yadu refused to exchange his years of youth with his father Yayati. So he was cursed by Yayati that none of Yadu's progeny shall possess the dominion under his father's command. Thereby, he could not have carried on the same dynasty, called Somavamshi. Notably, the only remaining dynasty of King Puru was entitled to be known as Somavamshi. Thereby King Yadu ordered that the future generations of his would be known as Yadavas and the dynasty would be known as Yaduvamshi. The generations of Yadu had an unprecedented growth and got divided into two branches.

According to A. H. Bingley, writing in 1899, Jadu settlements were at Indraprastha and Dwarka. After the death of Krishna, the Yadus were driven out of India, founded Ghazni in Afganistan, and ruled over the whole of that country and portions of central Asia, as far north as Samarkand. The pressure of Greco-Bactrian and Muslim invasions forced them back into the Punjab, and later period they were driven across the Satluj into the Bikaner desert, where they established themselves as Jaisalmer. In the Punjab the Yadus are known as Bhattis, but comparatively few are Hindus, the majority converted to Islam shortly after the early Muslim conquests.[when?] A large number of the Muslims of eastern Rajputana are of Yadu descent, and are known locally as Khansadas and Meos.

In Awadh and in the North Western provinces where the Yadons have numerous settlements, the clan is divided. One branch calls itself Yaduvanshi Ahirs, to distinguish it from Yadons of the Daob, who have lost status through practising Karao or widow -marriage, and through violating Rajput custom by marrying into their own clan.

DescendantsKing Sasasrajit's descendants were named after his grandson Haihaya and were well known as the Haihayas. King Kroshtu's descendants had no special name, but were known particularly as the "Yadavas", According to P.L. Bhargava, when the original territory was partitioned between Sahasrajit and Kroshta, the former received the part lying to the western bank of the river Sindhu and the latter received the territory situated along the east bank of the river. King Haihaya was Shatajit's son and Sahasrajit's grandson. King Sahasrajit instituted a new state and a new dynasty and offered the same, by his own will and against his birth right, to be taken care of by his younger brother Kroshta. Thereby, Kroshta officially became the heir of King Yadu. Consequently, the generations of King Puru, Paurav or Puruvanshi were the only ones to be known as Somvanshi.

The regions where the Yadu clan settled is not certain, but certain scholars suggest that Yadu clan inherited the territories to the south-west of the Gangetic plains, between the Chambal River, Betwa and Ken, which correspond to the border areas of present Indian states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The descendants of Yadu tribe (Yaduvanshi) include Krishna. Yadu-Dynasty belongs to the family deriving from Soma, identified with the moon god Chandra. Yaduvanshi Kshatriyas were originally Ahirs.

Several Chandravanshi castes and communities in modern India, such as the Sainis of Punjab, Jadaun Rajputs, Yaduvanshi Ahirs, Chudasama, Jadeja, Jadaun, Ahirs, Jadoon (Pathan), Khanzada claim descent from Yadu.

Soma-Vansha (Lunar Dynasty)


In Hindu scriptures, the Lunar Dynasty (चंद्रवंशी, सोमवंशी, Somvansh, Chandravansh) is one of the three principal houses of the kshatriya varna, or warrior–ruling caste. This legendary dynasty was descended from the moon (soma or chandra), while the other principal houses, the Solar Dynasty (Suryavanshi) claims descent from the sun (surya) and the Agnivanshi claim to have been born to the fire-god Agni, with the term vansh referring to descent. Within these family trees sub-branches such as Bharatvansh, Yaduvansh, Puruvansh, Kuruvansh, Pandavansh and others emerged, each named after a prominent progenitor of the line. Throughout history, various South Asian communities have claimed descent from Chandra through these lineages.

The legendary capital of the Lunar Dynasty was Pratisthana, said to be founded by Ila, or by the first Lunar prince, Pururaves, son of Budha, who was the son of Chandra.According to the Bhavishya Purana legend, of contested date, the origin of the Lunar Dynasty began with Brahma in the Treta Yuga (second era). Brahma produced Manasputra ("mind born son") Atri, who produced Chandra (the mon god) from his eyes. In the third part of Treta Yuga, Indra sent Chandra, Rohini's husband, to Prithvi (Earth). His capital was Prayag and was a devout worshiper of Vishnu and Shiva. He performed one-hundred Yagyas (oblations) to please the god Mahamaya. He ruled for 18,000 years and then ascended to heaven leaving behind his son Budha.

Of the many branches of the Chandravansh line that has been briefly enumerated, the Yaduvanshi lineage is a major branch. This branch is an offshoot of the Bharatvansh which started with the eldest son of Yayati, Yadu. All his descendants are known as Yadavas of Yaduvansh, meaning descendants of Yadu. Another son of Yayati, Puru started the Puruvansh who were the progenitors of the Kuru and Pandava line of Chandravanshi line of Kshatriyas. Based on the writings of Puranas, the Itihaasa Mahabharata and the Raghuvamsa, Lord Krishna was born into the Yadava branch and is considered an ancestor by Yadav Kshatriyas. During the Mahabharat, Chandravansh was only associated with Yadavas and Shoorsainis. The Bhati, Chandela who built Khajuraho) and Jadaun/Jadeja clans claim that they are Chandravansis. Several Indian castes such as the Sainis of Punjab and contiguous regions, The Yaduvanshis (aka Shoorsainis), and the Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri claim descent from the Hindu God Krishna.

Groups claiming Lunar originAhir
Banaphar
Bhati
Bundela
Chandel
Dhangar
Ghumman
Haihaya
Harral
Jadaun
Jadeja
Jadhav
Janjua
Kaurav
Pal-Pali
Pundhir
Puruvanshi Thakur
Rawal Jaisal
Saini
Savji
Tomara
Yadav

Friday, May 6, 2011


Krishna,The Geeta,Chapter 2, Verse 52.

When your intelligence has passed out of the dense forest of delusion, you shall become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard.