King Porus who fought brilliantly against Alexander the Great is one of the prominent kings of Paurava. If you are wondering – Who were these Pauravs? What is their historical background? Is there any connection between them and the Puru clam of the Rig Veda, here we have all your answers –
The Kingdom of the Paurava
The Paurav or Puruvanshis lived in the northwest region of the Indian subcontinent. Their kingdom too was called by the same name. They ruled here from 890 – 320 BC and were the rulers of the region between the Jhelum (the Hydaspes) and Chenab (Acesines) rivers – the present-day Punjab region. Porus was the last brave and powerful king of the Pauravas as the dynasty was soon disestablished after his death.
Does This Paurav Dynasty Have Any Link with the Puru Clan – the Vedic Tribe Mentioned in Rig Veda?
Based on the location of this kingdom and name of its ruler Puru or Porus, historians also claim that King Porus might be a direct descendant of the Vedic Puru tribe mentioned in the Rig Veda. Yes, the same Puru clan whose descendant was King Bharat after whom our country was given the title of Bharatvarsh. This makes, King Porus a direct descendant of Puru dynasty as that of King Bharat. These Paurava also fought against the Persian invaders under the leadership of King Sudas at the Battle of the Ten Kings.
The Purus Belonged to the Chandravanshi Lineage
The Chandravanshi king Yayawati had two sons – Puru and Yadu. Now the Pauravas were the descendants of the Purus this make them Chandravanshi by birth. As per the Puranic tradition, this is the Chandravanshi lineage – Brahma – Atri – Chandra – Budha – Pururava – Ayu – Nahusha – Yayati – Puru and Yadu.
When Yayavati divided his kingdom into 5 parts, he gave Puru the central region, one passing through the Saraswati river and the southern region near the Arabian sea to Yadu. It is interesting to note that the descendants of Purus are called as Somvanshis and not the descendants of Yadu.
Also Read: All About King Porus – Biography, Family, History & Lesser Known Facts
Few of the Famous Paurava Kings –
- Korayvya
- Dhananjaya – He is believed to be a direct descendant of Yudhishtra
- Ratthapala
- King Porus
- Malayketu
