ABHIR

Abhir, Abhira were Jats of republic named Abhira during Mahabharat times in the Punjab on the banks of River Saraswati now in Haryana. They had fought against Pandavs and in support of Kauravs.

Variants :

• Abhira (AS, p.66)

Mention by Panini :

Abhir is a term mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.

History :

According to H.A. Rose The first historical mention of the Abhiras occurs in the confused statements of the Vishnu Paran concerning them and the Sakas, Yavans, Bahliks and other outlandish dynasties which succeeded the Andhras in the 3rd century A. D.

In the 4th century the Abhirs, Arjundyans and Malavs are described as republican tribes settled in eastern Rajasthan and Malwa.

Ram Sarup Joon writes that ....Samudra Gupta conquered the whole of Punjab and a major part of India. The clans defeated by him included :

• Malaya who ruled Malva named after their gotra

• Arjunayan who ruled Mewat and Jaipur

• Yaudheya whose rule included Bikaner and Bahawalpur

• Madrak whose capital was Sialkot

• Abir who ruled Badaun, and the Betwa Basin now called Ahirwara

• Vir Arjun clan who ruled Narisinghpur

• Sankanik who territory was present Gwalior

• Karaskar rule extended into present Mathura, Aligarh (there are 80 villages of these Jats in this area at present) and Kharparika

Aabhir :

Vijayendra Kumar Mathur has written… Aabhir (AS, p.66) is the southeastern part of Gujarat. The Greeks called it aberia . Ptolemy described this country as being situated near the mouth of the Sindh-river . (Mekindal Ptolemy - p. 140) The same fact is also mentioned in Brahmand Puran 6 and the Indus has been called a river flowing in the Aabhir country. In Mahabharat Sabha Parv 31, Abhirs are described as arrows of the Saraswati river (near Somnath) and residents of the coast.

Aabhir Jat dynasty :

Dalip Singh Ahlawat [8] wrote….

Abhir - According to the Mahabharat Bhishma Parv Chapter 9, there were two districts of the Abhir Jat dynasty. His democracy was on the banks of river Saraswati in Panchanad (Punjab). In the Digvijay of the Pandavs, Nakul conquered the king of all countries towards the west. He also conquered Aabhir Gana, who lives on the banks of the river Saraswati. (Mahabharat Sankarv, A. 32).

In the Rajasuya Yagna of Maharaj Yudhishthir, serious people brought many kinds of gems, gold, goat, sheep, cow, donkey, camel, honey and blankets (Sankarva, Chapter 51, Verse 8). In the Mahabharat war, the Shur (Veer) Abhiragans fought against the Pandavs through the Kaurav paksh (Bhishma parv).

36 years after the Mahabharat war Dwarka on the sea coast andhak, Shivi, Vrishni, Kukur (all Jatvansh) died fighting among themselves. On receiving the information, Arjun reached Dwarka from Hastinapur. From there, he took Bhoj, Andhak, Vrishni, Kul (Sab Jatavas) with the orphaned women, boys and elders. Arjun reached the country of Panchanad (Punjab) and stayed there. Aabhirs (Jatvansh) attacked the halt and kidnapped beautiful women and many gems. Arjun's knowledge of weapons disappeared and the strength of arms also decreased. His Gandeev Dhanush also got out of control. He kept looking and could not do anything.

In Mahabharat :

Abhir are mentioned in Mahabharata (II.29.9), (VI.10.45).

Sabha Parv, Mahabharat / Book II Chapter 29 mentions the Countries subjugated by Nakul in West. Abhir are mentioned in Mahabharat (II.29.9). And the illustrious hero (Nakul) soon brought under subjection the mighty Gramaniya that dwelt on the shore of the sea, and the Sudras and the Abhirs that dwelt on the banks of the Saraswati, and all those tribes that lived upon fisheries, and those also that dwelt on the mountains.

Source :

https://www.jatland.com/home/Abhir