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.
