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ravichaudhary
March 26th, 2003, 07:17 AM
JAT CLANS AND THE RIG VEDA

The following is extracted from BS Dahiya's book " Aryan Tribes and the Rig Veda.

Quote:

On the basis of the Vedic Index of McDonnel and Keith as well as from original hymns of Rigveda, I have noted the following tribes and all these tribes are found among Jats in India today, although portion of the same tribal population must have gone to West Asia and Europe also and that is the reason why these tribal names are common between European, Central and West-Asian and Indian population.


It is also a well known historical fact that authors of the Hymns of the Rigveda were not necessarily Brahmins. These authors are called Risi or Seer; suggesting that they "saw" the hymns. Many such seers are kings and in the later Vedic literature, they are called Rajarsi, in contradiction to the term "Brahmarsi."

The following are the main tribes in the Hymns:


(1) Aila-Seer of RV X/95 is Pururava Aila, with whom the Ailavat clan is identified. Br. Sam. mentions the Ailavatas, the Halavatians of Europe. Airavat is a seer of RV 34 X.


(2) Aja (RV7/18/19, 6/55/6). Here Aja are a people as per Sayana, and identical with the Ajara,clan today. In fact, all the people viz. Yamuna, Aja, Sigrava, Yakshu and Bheda-- are Jat clans existing today as Janun, Ajara, Sigarwar, Jakhu & Bheda respectively.

(3) Atri (RV V/39/5, V/40/9, V/52/9-17) etc. Seer of X/143; They are to be identified with the present Atri clan of the Jats, and therefore, Atri and Aitreya are not the same. Sat. Br. (IV.3/4.21) mentions that an Atri King gave charities to Brahmanas. All the hymns in Rigveda are by Atri Seers and not a single hymn stands in the name of Aitreya, who is of a Brahmana Gotra-Kara but not a Rigvedic seer [ABORI Vol. XLII (1962) PI 09 ff]. A person "Aitreya Mahidasa" is named after female Itra ,as per the Vedic Index


(4) Aulan (RV X/98/11). They are stated to be the descendants of King Ula, and Santanu was name of the Aulan King. They are to be identified with the present Aulan clan of the Jats.

(5) Aurava. They are descendants of King Uru (RV'I/63/3, IV/30/4). Also per Panini, V/1/122, a Warrior King, Kutsa, Aurava, killed his Purohit because the Purohit's father used to sing the glory of Indra who was the King's enemy (RV/1/53/10). -This story is given in Panca Vamsa Br-.14/6/8. They are to be identified with the Arav/Arb clan of the Jats who seem to have given their name to the Aravali mountain ranges in Northern-India. As per "The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea", the river Purali in Sind, was called Arabis, and on its eastern bank, dwelt " an Indian nation called Arabians" (W.H. Scholf, New Delhi. 1974 (P.161 f).


(6) Arksa (RV Vlll/74/13; X/49/5, Vlll/68/16; Panini IV/1/105). A king is named "Srutarvan Arksa". They are identified with the Arkh clan of the Jats. Cf Arka (Sun).


(6A)Visala/Bislg•. A king of this clan, Taksaka Vaisaleya is mentioned in AV 8/10/29. This is the present ViSala/Bisla clan.


(7) Bheda (RV Vll/18/18-19). This is the tribe mentioned in the famous battle of 10 kings fought on the river Yamuna. He was killed because he refused to give cows to Indra (AV Xll/4/49-50). This tribe is to be identified with Bheda clan of the Jats still living on the river Yamuna in district Karnal.

(8) Bhalan (RV Vll/18/7). They are to be identified with the Bal-lan clan of the Jats.

(9) Brisya' - RV. 1/93/4. 6/61/3 etc. mentioned the Paravatas identical with the Brais( Vrais) clan today.


(10) Cedi/Caidya (RV Vl//27/7 , Vlll/5/37-39) mention a king of this tribe to be identified with the Cedi clan of the Jats.

(11) DeVa mentioned in RV I/162/l a Deva Jata .Devala is the seer of RV IX/5-24. Identical with Deval Clan.

(12) Druhyu, the famous tribe, fighting against Sudas (RV Vll/lg), may perhaps be the same as Drehval also written as Dhruv.

(l3)'Godha- the seer of RV X/134/6-7. These are to be identified with the Godha clan of the Jats.


(14)~ Hari ( RV X/96/6)mentions( rathe vahtho hritha hari)m eaning "the forward looking Hari people travel in their Chariots". SwamiDayaNand translates it as forward moving people. The earlier hymn X/96/5 says; ( Raadho harijat Hyrtam)- Its apparent meaning is the shining gold (wealth) of the Hari Jats (see also V/33/2, Arkai Harinam). In India, a king of this Hari clan, named Dumuha or Jaya, ruled over Kampillapura and defeated Pradyota, ldng of Ujjayeni.[56] They are to be identified with the Hari clan of the Jats. Even the West Asian form of the clan, is noted in RV Vlll/25/22 as Hara-yana, the same as Hurria people of West Asia in the second Mill. BC. They gave their name to the Haryanaka dynasty of pre-historic India, to the present stale of Haryana" and also to certain towns in Punjab.


(15) -Jahnu (RV 3/58/6, 1/116/19). They gave their name to the river Jahnavi. Identical with Janvar clan. (Janvar is un-aspirated while Jahnavi is the aspirated feminine form).

(16) Krivi(RV VIII/20/24; VIII/22/12). These people are mentioned as Kravya in Sat.Br. (Xlll/5/4.7). They are to be identified with the Kharab clan of the Jats. They are also to be identified with the Khalabes of West Asian history, who gave their name to Chalybes on the mouth of Euphrates river.


(17) Kali used in singular in RV. I/112/5, X/39/8.A]soused as plural in VII/66/15. With the addition of suffix-an; this clan is identified with Kalian clan of the Jats, the same as Gothic Klein. Also see AV 10/10/13 etc.

(18) Ksattri- mentioned in RV 6/13/2; AV 3/24/7, 5/17/4. Identical with the Khattri clan of the Jats today.

(19) KeSin/Kesni--They are the Kasni clan people today.

(20) Mana, (RV 1/169/8, 171/5. 1/86/5, 117/11, Vlll/18/20). The last hymn mentions a king, named Manya Mana. They are to be identified with the Mana, Mannai of West Asian history. They were on the river Purusni (Ravi) at the time of Rigveda. That it is a warrior clan, is proved by the fact that it is not found in the Brahmanic Gotra list of Purshottam (J.BrOugh 'The early Br. System of Gotra & Pravara P.216-28).


(21) -Martta . The RV Vll/l/9 says that the worshippers of Pitra, the Martta people, have spread your (Agni's) glory in many lands. They are the Mardha/Mirdha people, the Mardai of Greek accounts.


(22) Matsya (RV Vll/18/6). A tribe opposing Sudas in the famous battle of lO kings. They are to be identified with Machar dan of the Jats on the ground that the Sanskrit Matsya becomes Mach in Prakrit and -ar is a suffix. MBT (Sabha Parva 31/13, SD. Satavalekar Edn.) records the name of king Virata of the Matsya people, as Machela. ( Virat: She Putrehsh Ch Machelsh Ch Maharatha :) There is also a Jat tribe in Rajasthan called Motsara, to be identified with Motsiya of Iran.

(23) Mura. They are mentioned in RV IV/26/7; X/4/4, X/46/5 and VH/61/5. .Both forms of the name- Mura/Amura appear. They are identified with Maur clan of the Jats- the famous Mauryas, also the "Amorites of West Asia." Muram, their kingdom mentioned in MBT, may be Merv in Iran, and also their city called Amurum near
Ashur, was admittedly named after these people (CAH Vol. J (2) P.720).


(24) Narya (RV VIJI/24/29). A king of this tribe is mentioned as a great donor, son of Nara (1/112/9) 1/54/6. They are lo be identified with Nara clan of the Jats, the Nairi of West-Asia.


(25) Paravata RV. VJII/34/18, mentions them going in their chariots-They are identified with Paroda/Parota clan of the Jats. Also recorded in RV 3/9/5; 6/61/3 etc. Ptolemy mentions them as Parouetal (6/50/1). Panca Vamsa Br.piaces them on the river Yamuna(lX/4/11).

(26) ParSu' (RV X/86/23, Vlll/6/48) Parsava (1/105/8). A great donor King named Tirindira of this clan is mentioned in RV Vlll/6/46. Prithu Parsva, the great donor king is mentioned in Vlll/6/46. They are to be identified with Parsval clan of the Jats; gave their name, Pars, Persia to Iran. They are also mentioned by Panini (V/3/117).

27) Punya Jana (AV Vlll/8/15; Xl/8/16). They are to be identified with Puniya clan of the Jats. They are the Paunika ofPsnini.


(28) Pangala/Pingalaka (AV XI/7/26, XX /36/14,16).SatBi:. mentions them as Paingya (Xll/2/2,4,8). They are to be identified with the Panghal clan of the Jats, who gave their name Pangala Nadu, in South India.

(29) Pramara-Mentioned in RV 10/27/20. They are the Parmar Jats today.

(30) Paura (RV Vlll/3/12) mentions a prince named Paura who was helped by Indra along with Rusam and others. They are descendants of Puru. They are to be identified with Por/Phor/Paur clan of the Jats. It was this tribe which fought against Alexander, under the name Porus in 326 BC. The name Porus was not that of the individual king but name of the tribe because a nephew of Porus is also called Porus. Naturally, they were leaders or representatives of Por tribe.

(31) Patara (RV 11/2/4, X/106/8, Vl/23/6). They are to be identified with Patara clan of the Jats. '

(32) Sarangya. A king, Daivavata, of this tribe, is named in RV l/27/7,4/15/4,7. Also the charity of Prastoka Sringya is mentioned in Rigveda. They are to be identified with the Sarangh clan of the Jats, and also with the Sarangai of the Greek authors and Sarank/Zarank of Iranian history.


(33) Sasa : The seer of RV X/152. The word means king or commander or ruler (Sarasvati and Vidyalankar Vol. Xlll P. 48 10). This clan is identified with the Sasi Jats.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh was a scion of this ancient clan.

(34) Sibi (RV RV Vll/18/7) co-seer of Sukta (X/179). A king named Amitra-Tapana Saibya is mentioned' in the Ait. Br. (Vlll/23) as the killer of Atyarati. They are to be identified with Sibiya clan of the Jats, the tribe was also called Sibai, who fought against Alexander the Great. This was the clan which also went to Europe and was called Suebi/Sibi of the Germans.


(35) Sahota-They are descendants of Sauhotra, seer of RV IV/43; MBT mentions them as Sahota; along with Sauvala, identified with the Sahota and Sauhal clans, respectively.

(36) Sigru (RV Vll/18/19): This tribe was fighting against Sudas on the Yamuna. This tribe is to be identified with the Sigru/Sigarwal clan of the Jats still on the Yamunain Haryasa. A Sigru is noted in Luder's list of Brahmi inscriptions (Ep. Ind. X A No. 82).


(37) Sindhu - These are the people who gave their name, first to the river Sindhu (Indus) and then to the entire sub-continent of Hindustan (Toynhee Vol. VJII/P 649). The RV contains numerous references to them, many limes in the plural. Later, the name was given as Sindhu Sauvira, jointly with another Jat tribe, Sauval, who were their neighbours. In RV VJI/33/3, we find Sindhu Tatara, and the latter may stand for the Tatran clan of the Jats.


(38) Tura (RV 1/18/2, VI/25/5, VIII/3/13, VII/41/2, V/4/5. VI/48/12 VII/40/1, l/171/1, VII/40/l etc.).Turvas is also mentioned as a king in RV X/63/10 and VI/20/12 etc. Turan are noted in RV 1/173/1, and ancient King Tura in 1/121/3.

They are also mentioned in Sat.Br. IX/5/2,35. Zimmer and McDonnel, took this tribe as one of the five main Aryan tribes. They are justified also because the Avesta mentions these five tribes as Arya,Turya, Dahi, Shor,and Sarmat.
The last, in fact, is the name of the Alans. Perhaps the Alinas of RV, but I am taking it as Aulan. All these five tribes can be identified with the five tribes of the Jats, who are now called Knwn as Arya, Tur, Dahiya, Shoran, and Aulan/Sarmata respectively. In the Rigveda, they are expressly called Panca Jatah i.e. five Jats.


(39) Tanva. The seer of RV X/93 is Tanva Parthya (R V X/95/6, X/93/15) mentions. "Rajah MeHn Vir Tanva" - "May the brave Tanva be my King". Daya Nand takes it in the sense of nation (Rastra), though it may refer to the body of Urvasi. They are descendants of King Tanva and are identified with Tanvar clan of the Jats.

(40) Tugra (VII/74/14, 1/117/15, VIII/5/2, X/39/4). The father of Bhujya is called Taugrya. They are to be identified with Tokhar/Togar clan of the Jats, the Tochari of Indo-Greek Bactria.


(41) Udara(X/45/5). The Vedic index notes the plural form also. They are identified with Udara clan of the Jats.

(42) Vasu mentioned in RV 8/34/16; Their king Vasu Rocis is mentioned in the same hymn. They are also mentioned in the plural. They are the Vasuan/Basuan Jats of today. Vasu+an = Vasuan/Basuan.


(43) Vasa- A king of the tribe, Vasa Asuya, a protege of the Asvins is mentioned in the RV 4/112/10, 116/21, 8/8/20 etc. Ait. Br. (8/14/3) mentions the Vasa people. They are the Vasi/Basi Jats, the Busae of Iran.


(44) Vrika~-- a prince named Dasyave Vrika is mentioned in Rigveda (Vlll/51/2, Vlll/55/1 Vlll/56/1 etc.) They are to be identified with the Virk clan of the Jats and also with the Virk people of Iranian history who gave their name to the province of Varkania /Hyrcania in Iran.


(45)Venya (RV X/171/3) descendants of King Vena (RV X/64/23). Vena is Devata of RV X/123. Their most famous king was Prithu Venya, the inventor of agriculture, as per AV Vlll/10/24 and seer of RV/X/148. RV 1/117/21 says that Asvin-s used the plough for sowing seeds. He was the first of the ordained emperors as per Sat. Br. (V/3,5,4). They are to be identified with the Venya-Val/Benhval clan of the Jats . They are not to be confused with the founder of the ancient Van Kingdom in West-Asia; which was named after another clan, the Bana/Vana of Jats.


(46) Visanin- RV VII/18/7. They are the Bisnhnoi of today and they live in the area where river Sarasvati (Ghaggar) was lost in the Thar desert.


(47) Vricivat(RV VI/27/7).They are mentioned as Vricivant in RV VI/27/7 etc. They are to be identified with Vraich clan of the Jats, the Varcin -geto -ric of the time of Julius Caesar in Europe.


(48) Vrisa (AV V/22/4,5,8); Panca-Vamsda Br. notes it as Brisya (IX/4/11). They are to be identified with Brish clan of the Jats.


(49) Vyamsa (RV IV," 8/9). He is supposed to have struck Indra on the Jaw; some say, he was father of Indra. To be identified with Bains clan of the Jats - lhe same as Vance/Baynce in Europe.


(50) Yaksu (VII/18/18-19). They were also fighting against Sudas and are to be identified with Jakhu clan of Jats.

(51) Yamuna -RV VII/18/19,V/52/17. They are now called Jamun Jats who gave their name to Yamuna river.

Notes

Ref {56]. {I.C. Jain, 'Life in ancient India as depicted in [he Jain Canons" Bombay (1947) p385, see P. 25 for Hariyana.

Source: Aryan Tribes and the Rig Veda, B S Dahiya, ( 1991) , Dahinam Publishers, 16 B Sujan Singh Park, Sonepat, Haryana, India

dan
April 2nd, 2003, 10:30 PM
Sir that is truely facinating information
i was wondering what your source was

ravichaudhary
April 5th, 2003, 03:38 AM
Rajdan Nain (Apr 02, 2003 12:00 p.m.):
Sir that is truely facinating information
i was wondering what your source was

**********
The title of the book is on the top of the posting.

Rig Veda and Aryans by B S Dahiya

Thanks actually are due to Urmiulla Duhan for drawing this book to my attention


But one of my reasns for posting this that others can check this independently.

The Rig Veda in available on line too

Type in Rig Veda in your search engine

Feedback welcome

Ravi