Sudās Paijavana ( sa, सुदास्) was an
Indo-Aryan tribal king of the
Bharatas, during the main or middle
Rigvedic period (c. 14th century BCE). He led his tribe to victory in the
Battle of the Ten Kings near the Paruṣṇī (modern
Ravi River
The Ravi River () is a transboundary river crossing northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It is one of five rivers associated with the Punjab region.
Under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, the waters of the Ravi and two other rivers were ...
) in
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi Language, Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also Romanization, romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the I ...
, defeating an alliance of the powerful
Puru Puru refer to:
*Puru (Vedic tribe), a tribe, or a confederation of tribes, mentioned many times in the Rigveda
*King Puru, a Hindu king in the Rigveda and Mahabharata
*King Porus, a king of northwest India in the time of Alexander the Great
*Puru ( ...
tribe with other tribes, for which he was eulogised by his
purohita Vashistha
Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha ...
in a hymn of the Rigveda. His victory established the ascendency of the Bhārata clan, allowing them to move eastwards and settle in
Kurukshetra, paving the way for the emergence of the
Kuru
Kuru may refer to:
Anthropology and history
* Kuru (disease), a type of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy associated with the cannibalistic funeral practices of the Fore people
* Kuru (mythology), part of Meithei mythology
* Kuru Kingdom, ...
"super-tribe" or tribal union, which dominated northern India in the subsequent period.
Family
Sudās' ancestors include Pijavana,
Divodāsa Atithigva, and Devavant, although scholars disagree regarding the order of these ancestors chronologically.
According to
Witzel, Divodāsa was the father of Sudās, but he includes Pijavana on the grid of Bharata descent as a possible ancestor between Divodāsa and Sudās. Palihawadana also places Pijavana on his grid of Bharata descent between Divodāsa and Sudas, but only states that Sudās was a descendant of Pijavana.
He was married to Sudevī, who is stated to have been given to Sudās by the
Ashvins.
Mention in Rigveda
Sudas is mentioned in ''
Rigveda
The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts ('' śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only on ...
'' as the chief of Bharatas who conquered the ten-kings confederacy. It is further mentioned that the king replaced
Vashistha
Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha ...
with
Visvamitra as his priest,
thereby creating a rivalry between the two. The ten-kings, viz.
Puru Puru refer to:
*Puru (Vedic tribe), a tribe, or a confederation of tribes, mentioned many times in the Rigveda
*King Puru, a Hindu king in the Rigveda and Mahabharata
*King Porus, a king of northwest India in the time of Alexander the Great
*Puru ( ...
,
Yadu, Turvasa, Adu,
Druhyu, Alina,
Paktha, Bhalanas, Siva and Vishanin, then revolted against Sudas but were defeated by him. He also fought Ajas,
Sigrus and Yakshus soon after.
See also
*
Divodasa
Divodāsa ("heaven's servant") is a king in the Rigveda (celebrated for his liberality and protected by Indra and the Ashvins in the Rigveda, RV 1.112.14; 1.116.18), the son of Vadhryashva RV 6.61.5. Further, the Mandala 9 of Rigveda mention ...
*
Parikshit
*
Sudakshina
Sudakshina ( sa, सुदक्षिण) was a king of the Kambojas and is featured in the Indian epic the Mahabharata.
On the 14th day of battle, Arjuna, with his charioteer Krishna, attempts to reach Jayadratha. Dronacharya and Duryodhana arr ...
*
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is on ...
References
Citations
Sources
*
*
{{hindu-bio-stub
Rigveda
14th-century BC Indian monarchs