USHINAR
Ushinars
or Ushinaras were an ancient people attested to have been living
in central Punjab since remote antiquity. They were Chandravanshi
Kshatriyas often associated with Madras, Kekayas, Sibis etc and
their territory formed part of Vahik country according to evidence
of Panini.
![](Magadha_Kinks.jpg)
Ancestry
of Usinar as per Bhagavat Puran
Variants
:
• Usinar (Panini)
• Aushinari (Panini)
• Usirigiri (Divyadan)
• Usiradhvaj (Vinayapitak)
• Ushinaradesh = Haridwar
Ancestry of Ushinar :
Yayati → Anu → Sabhanar → Kalanar → Janmejay
→ Maha Shal → Mahamanas → (1. Ushinar + 2. Titiksh)
1.
Ushinar → Nriga + Krimi + Nava + Suvrat + Shivi
• Nriga → Yaudheya
• Shivi → Vrishdarv + Suvir + Madra
+ Kakaya
2. Titiksh → Rushdrath → Hom → Sutapas →
Bali → Bali had six sons : Ang, Bang, Kaling, Sambhu, Pundra
and Odhra.
Mention by Panini :
Ushinar is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.
Aushinari
is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.
Panini
refers to the Usinaras in several sutras of his Ashtadhyayi and
mentions their land as a part of the Vahik country. Though not stated
specifically by Panini, in all probability, the Usinars were under
a Sangh government.
History
:
V. S. Agrawala mentions Sanghas known to Panini which includes -
Ushinar under Yaudheyadi (IV.1.178).
V.
S. Agrawala writes that Ashtadhyayi of Panini mentions janapada
Usinar (IV.2.118) - Panini mentions Ushinar as part of Vahik. Panini
mentions three divisions of Vahik Country, viz Kekaya, Usinar and
Madra. Fourth division to be added to Vahik country is Savas. Of
these Kekaya and Savas may be located between Jhelum and Chenab,
the first in the south and second in north respectively; Madra and
Ushinar between the Chenab and Ravi River in the north and south
respectively.
The
Divyadan refers to the Shvasas in Uttarapath with headquarters at
Takshasila to which Ashok was deputed by his father Bindusar as
Viceroy to quell their rebellion. The name of Savas or Shvas seems
to be preserved in in the modern name Chhiba comprising of Punchh,
Rajauri and Bhimbhar. In literature Ushinars are often associated
with the Sibis (greek - Siboi) whose chief town Sibipura has been
identified with Shorkot in Jhang district.
Tej
Ram Sharma describes that....We get three different versions about
the origin of the Yaudheyas : third version is ....
(iii)
The Harivamsa 594 and the Vayu Puran 595 state that King Usinara
of the Puru dynasty had five queens named Nrga or Mrga, Krmi, Nav,
Darv and Drsadvati who gave birth to five sons named Nrg, (or Mrga),'Krmi,
Nav, Suvrat and Sibi (or Sivi) respectively. Sibi was the lord of
the Sibi people or of the city of Shivpur, while Nrg (or Mrga) was
the ruler of the Yaudheyas or of Yaudheyapur. The other three sons
of Usinar, viz., Nava, Krmi and Suvrata, were the lords respectively
of Navarastra, Krmilapuri and Ambasthapuri. According to Pargiter,
King Usinar established the Yaudheyas, Ambasthas, Navarastr and
the city of Krmila, all on the eastern border of the Punjab; while
his famous son Sivi Ausinar originated the Sivis or Sibis in Shivpur.
History
:
Thakur Deshraj wrote .... "Mathura Memaers author of"
Graus honor the newly written are used to describe people that Ushinr
had five queens of - 1. Nrig 2. Worm 3. New 4. Drw 5. Darshadwati.
They had one son each. His name Nrig, worm, new, Suwrt and Shivi
were. Of these, Nav ruled the nation. Worm has Kumillapuri is and
Shivi said that the author of the hymn of the Rig Veda, Shivwyas
ruled and NrigThe Yudeyon ruled.
Ushner
:
Vijayendra Kumar Mathur has written… Ushinar (AS, p.102) according
to Aitareya Brahman (Aitareya Brahman, 8,14) is a district situated
in the middle country- ‘Asyandhruvayan middlemen consecration
direction’. Here the situation of the districts of Kurupanchal
and Vash is given. The Kaushitaki Upanishad also names Ushinar-natives
with Matsya, Kurupanchal and Bashashiyas.
In
Kathasaritsagar Ushinargiri is mentioned under the territory of
Kankhal - Haridwar. This place Diwyavdan (p. Described 22) Usirgiri
and Vinypitk (Vinypitk Part 2, page 39) Usirdwaj seems.
Panini
mentions Ushinar in Ashtadhyayi 2, 4, 20 and 4, 2, 118. It is known
from the Kaushitaki Upanishad that Gargiya Balaki who was a contemporary
of Kashi King Ajatshatru lived in Ushinar country in the pre- Buddha
period.
Capital
Ushinr King Mahabharat Bhojnagr is described in "Galvo Vimrisnnev
Swcarygtmans : Jagam Bhojnagrn Drashtumaushinrn Nripm. (Udyog Parva
Mahabharata 118, 2)
Shantiparv
Mahabharat 29, 39 mentions a king named Shibi of Ushinar- 'Shibimaushinraman
Chaiv dead Srnjaya Shushrum'.
Rigveda
10, 59, 10 mentions a queen named Ushinrani - 'samindrayaraya gamnadwahnya
avahudushinranya ana, bharatamap yadrapo dhyo: Prithivi kshamaarpo
moshuta kinchanamat' or as indicated by the above quotes Ushinradesh
was the name of the adjacent state of present-day Haridwar . It
also included the Yamuna coastal region of the district Dehradun
because in the forest festival Mahabharat 130, 21, there is mention
of a yajna performed by Ushinar Naresh in the neighboring region
of the Yamuna - 'Jalan Chopjalan Chave, Yamunamabhito Nadeem, Ushinro
Va Yatreshtva Vasavadatyarichyat.'
Association
with the present Jat gotras :
Ram Sarup Joon writes ... Many names in the Genealogical tables
of Yayati are associated with present Jat gotras . Some examples
are Ushinar, Shishu Bhadra, Tak or Takshak, Satoti, Krishan or Kushana
from the Yadhu branch; Dushyanta, Bharat, Bhardwaj, Hasti, Ajmirh,
Kaushik, Gadh and Vishwamitra of Puru branch; Seth, Arh, Gandhi,
Gaindhu and Gandhar of the Ardas branch.
Names
given in the genealogical tables include only the important personages.
Other Jat gotras maybe associated with names not included. It shows
that majority of Jats belong to the Yayati dynasty. The five branches
of Yayati dominated the whole of Northern India, Central Asia and
some European countries. European scholars have known these conquerors
as of Yayati dynasty. They are remembered by different names in
different countries such as Yayati, Ayati, Yati, Yuti, Yeuchi, Jutes,
Jeets, Jati, Gatae, Goth, etc.
Quite
a few names cut of the tables are associated with the area around
Haridwar, called Shiv Ki Jata. Buddha married Ikshvaku’s sister
Ahilya in this area. Rishi Vishwa Mitra’s son Gadh performed
‘tapasya’ here.
Bhagirath brought the River Ganges into the plains in this area
and as legend goes, when Jhanu Rakshash (demon) drank it all, he
cut open his thigh and released the Ganga River.
Actually Jhanu is also mentioned in the tables, and, as a ruler,
must have opposed or disturbed the project of bringing the Ganga
to the plains.
Shiv ji married Sati and Parbati in this area. This is the land
where the Yayati dynasty prospered and expanded. The Puru dynasty
had their capital in this area. Excavations in the area should lead
to important revelations.
Ram
Sarup Joon writes....In the eight generation of Krishna was King
Ushinar whose son was Shavi, more popularly known as Shiv Ji. He
married Sati and Parbati and had two sons Ganesh or Ganpati and
Somi Kartik. Ganesh or Ganpati are not names but titles meaning
head of a tribe. Jats have a big Gotra called Shavi. Iran was once
known as Shavi Desh as mentioned by Huen Tsang and Fa Hein in the
account of their travels to India. They have stated that through
Tartar, Kashgar and Pamir they reached Shavi Country. Shavi is even
today remembered in Iran as Prophet Shish. A shrine on his name
is situated on the bank of River Tigris. A province of Iran was
called Shavisthan now known as Seistan.
These Shavi People
came to be known as Shavisthani, Shavisthans or Scythians. A great
Scythian writer Abul Ghazi has called himself a Jat of Chandravanshi
dynasty. He also writes that the mother of Scythians was the daughter
of Ahilya Devi.
Ram
Swarup Joon writes that Shavi was the son of the king Ushinar.
The
Shavi dynasty prospered well. The Descendants of his dynasty are
famous as Takshak, Bachak, Bharhaich, Nags etc. Shavi founded the
country of Shavisthan (Siestan) in Iran and also the Island of Jatoli.
They also founded kingdoms of Turkistan and Scandinavia.
The
Shavi rulers constructed the Shorkot fort in Jhang.
In
Iran there is a Mausoleum of prophet Shish. Hieun T-sang and Fahien
have also called Iran as Shavi country.
Usinars
in Vedic Literature :
There is reference to princess Usinarini (i.e queen of Usinara)
in the Rigved Aitareya Brahman seems to locate Usinars along with
the Kurus, Panchals and the Vasas (Savas) in middle region or Madhyadesh
(Mid India). Kaushitakai Upanishad collocates the Usinaras with
the Satvat-Matsyas, the Kuru-Panchalas and the Sasas. They probably
lived in a territory to the north of Madhyadesh, as neighbors to
the Udichyas or the northerners. This is why the Gopatha Brahaman
collocates the Usinars and Svasas with the Udichyas or northerners.
Divyavadan
refers to the Svasas as people of Uttarapath with headquarters at
Takshasila to which king Ashok was deputed by his father Bindusar
as a Viceroy to quell their rebellion. The ancient Savasa or Svasa
is said to be modern Chhibba which comprises Punch, Rajauri and
Bhimbar.
Thus,
the Usinaras, the very neighbors of the Svasas must also be located
in Punjab proper.
Mahabharata
references :
There are many references to Usinars in the Epic poetry Mahabharat.
At several places, it refers to king Usinar and his son prince Sibi
or Sivi whose charity has been enormously glorified by sage Markandeya.
Usinar
prince in Draupadis’ Sywayamvar :
Adi Parav of Mahabharat says that prince Sivi, son of Usinar had
attended Draupadi's self-choice (Swayamvara) ceremony along with
the kings of neighbouring kingdoms viz Shalya, the king of Madra
Kingdom, with his son, the heroic Rukmangad, Rukmarath, Somdatt
(king of Bahlik Kingdom) of the Kuru race with his three sons -
Bhuri, Bhurisrav, and Sala and Sudakshin Kamboj the arch-bowman
of the Puru race.
Usinars
in kurukshetra war :
The Usinars had joined the Kurukshetra war on the side of Kauravs.
Karna Parav refers to the Kekayas, the Malavs, the Madraks, the
Dravids of fierce prowess, the Yaudheyas, the Lalittyas, the Kshudraks,
the Usinars, the Tundikers, the Savitriputras etc who had supported
Karna on 17th day of the war, as all having been slain by Arjun.
Further
epic references :
According to Mahabharatr, Sibi was son of the king of Usinar country
near Gandhar. The charity and devotion of prince Sibi have been
greatly extolled by the sage Markandeya in the epic.
Mahabharat
also speaks of Usinar princes as sacrificing on two small streams
near Yamuna. There was also one king Usinar i.e king of Usinar country,
contemporary of king Janak of Videh. Garagya Balaki, a contemporary
of Janak lived for some time in Usinar country.
Mahabharat
(and Katha sarit-sagara) refer to Usinaragiri which is located near
Kankhal at the point where Ganges issues from the hills. It is said
to be identical with Usiragiri of Divayavadan and Usir-dhvaj of
Vanaya texts.
There
is also an epic reference Suyajna, the king of the Usinars.
Srimad
Bhagavatam and the Usinars :
Bhagavatam Puran attests that the prince of Usinar along with princes
from Matsya, Kosal, Vidharbh, Kuru, Srnjaya, Kamboj, Kekaya, Madra,
Kunti, Anart, Kerala was present at Samant-pancak in Kurukshetra
at the occasion of the solar eclipse.
Srimad
Bhagavatam also states that the Usinars, the Sibi, the Madras, and
the Kekayas were the direct descendants of Yayati's son Anu. Sibi
or Sivi is stated to be son of Usinar.
Consequently,
in the literature, the Usinars are often associated with the Shivis
or Sibis (Sibois of the Greek writings) whose chief town Sibipura
has been identified with Shorkot, in Jhang district in Pakistan.
Usinar
in Buddhist literature :
There is a Buddhist reference to one Usinar, said to be king of
Benares who lived in the time of Kassap Buddha. His story is related
in the Maha-Kanha Jatak. He is mentioned in a list of kings who,
although they gave great gifts, could not get beyond the domain
of sense. It is however, not clear if this Usinara was from the
Usinar clan or else 'Usinar' was his personal name only.
Source
:
https://www.jatland.com/
home/Ushinara