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*[[Vrishni]]s
*Bhojas
*Majhrauts
*Krishnauts
*Kukuras & many others}}
'''Yaduvanshi''' '''/ Yaduvansh''' or House of [[Yadu (legendary king)|Yadu]] was a powerful royal dynasty in the [[Mahajanapadas|Mahajanapada period]] who were an offshoot of the [[Lunar Dynasty|Chandravansha dynasty]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jmnm-smZm6oC&pg=PA10 |title=Cultural History from the Vāyu Purāna Issue 2 of Deccan College dissertation series, Poona Deccan College Post-graduate and Research Institute (India) |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publisher |date=1946 |first=Devendrakumar Rajaram |last=Patil |page=10|isbn=9788120820852 }}</ref> The dynasty's progenitor was [[Yadu (legendary king)|Yadu]], eldest son of [[Yayati|Emperor Yayati]].<ref name="Thapar 1996 268–269">{{cite book |first=Romila |last=Thapar |author-link=Romila Thapar |year=1996 |orig-year=1978 |edition=Reprinted |title=Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations |publisher=Orient Longman |isbn=81-250-0808-X |pages=268–269}}</ref>
The Topic of Debate''' :-''' The term Yaduvansh or Yaduvanshi Kshatriya is used for the people of India who claim to be the descendants of the ancient king Yadu. Yaduvanshi Kshatriyas are basically Kshatriya Rajanya Princes<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Michelutti |first=Lucia |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=sOYJEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT71&dq=yaduvanshi+are+originally+rajput&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiA7JGZnof5AhV5RmwGHQ5TBEUQ6AF6BAgIEAM |title=The Vernacularisation of Democracy: Politics, Caste and Religion in India |date=2020-11-29 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-000-08400-9 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" />. Kshatriya Rajanya is used for Rajputs which is a synonym of the word Kshatriya<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=K̲h̲ān̲ |first=Rānā Muḥammad Sarvar |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=IARuAAAAMAAJ&q=rajanya+synonymous+to+Rajput&dq=rajanya+synonymous+to+Rajput&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj96rb-nYf5AhUsFLcAHWy3CFQQ6AF6BAgMEAM |title=The Rajputs: History, Clans, Culture, and Nobility |date=2005 |publisher=Rana Muhammad Sarwar Khan |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />. There are still 5 divisions of the Yaduvansh kingdom, The first Bhati, Jadeja, Jadaun, Chudasama and Devgiri Yadav(Maratha)<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Vyāsa |first=Kailāśanātha |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?redir_esc=y&id=QwgeAAAAIAAJ&dq=comparative+study+of+socio+economic+status+of+Various+caste+in+Rajasthan&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=+%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A1%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%BE+%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE+ |title=Rājasthāna kī jātiyoṃ kā sāmājika evaṃ ārthika jīvana |date=1992 |publisher=Jagadīśasiṃha Gahalota Śodha Saṃsthāna |language=hi}}</ref><ref name=":1" />. These are the main and original branch of the Yaduvansh who are Kshatriyas. In these, Bhati is considered as the head of the entire Yadukul. Many Historians researched the claim of the Bhati dynasty that, Bhatis hold an umbrella(CHATRA) of Lord Shri Krishna<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gopalakrishnan |first=Kalvi |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=NqBJDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT26&dq=Golden+Umbrella+of+Shree+krishna+of+Bhati&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj88ZXlnIf5AhUJUGwGHWDaC-kQ6AF6BAgIEAM |title=Subramania bharti |date=1971-04-01 |publisher=Amar Chitra Katha Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-81-8482-006-5 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Prabhupada |first=His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=cNphBAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Golden+Umbrella+of+Shree+krishna+of+Bhati&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj88ZXlnIf5AhUJUGwGHWDaC-kQ6AF6BAgHEAM |title=Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila: The Pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu |publisher=The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust |isbn=978-91-7149-661-4 |language=en}}</ref>. The Khanzada Muslims of Tijara also trace their origin to the Yaduvanshi Rajputs. The Hindu dynasty of the Kingdom of Mysore is also said to be a descendant of the Yadava clan. The Chudasama Rajputs have also been considered as the Vrishnis of Sindh in various historical sources. Another caste in India which describes itself as Yaduvanshi is Ahir. Scholars of Ahir Samaj brought out many books and did many researches, but even in the book Yadav of India, they were finally able to establish that there is no sign or evidences of Ahirs being Yaduvanshi but they are Yaduvanshi. Ahir community organized a movement all over India in 1910 and Ahir Community started applying the name Yadav as title, it was a way of Sanskritization because Ahir comes in O•B•C(Other Backward Caste) and Lower caste, is of Hindu fold.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Majumdar |first=Maya |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=X5aYvBs7iGIC&lpg=PA209&dq=ahir%20are%20shudra&pg=PA210#v=onepage&q=ahir%20are%20shudra&f=false |title=Encyclopaedia of Gender Equality Through Women Empowerment |date=2005 |publisher=Sarup & Sons |isbn=978-81-7625-548-6 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Wink |first=André |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=uQ7k2vQlYxEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=ahir+steals+Yaduvansh+status&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjxo5umnIf5AhWFRWwGHYt8AKMQ6AF6BAgMEAM |title=Al-Hind: The Slavic Kings and the Islamic conquest, 11th-13th centuries |date=2002 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-0-391-04174-5 |language=en}}</ref> In the Ramayana Hindu Literature, Ahirs have been described as a non-Aryan and wild-looking Shudra caste, touching the Ahir caste in the Ramayana is also said to be a sin<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Rajasthan (India) |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=WW5FSWb3nUsC&dq=jodhpur+Gazetteer+1962&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Abhiras |title=Rajasthan [district Gazetteers]. |date=1962 |publisher=Printed at Government Central Press |language=en}}</ref>. The Ahirs trace their origin word to Gopa, Abhira and not Yadava. Ahirs are described as Shudras because in Adhyay 10, 11, 12 of Skanda Purana Hindu Literature, the Ahir community is called Shudra by birth and is said to perform the duties of Vaishyas. The Ahir community who use the Yadavas to represent themselves as Yaduvansh when their claim of being Yaduvansh was rejected by Brahmins, Kshatriyas and other Hindu castes and Hindu monasteries such as Govardhan Math and Shankaracharya himself. The Ahirs then described their origin for their Sanskritization as recorded in the "Mathura Gazetteer" and the "Golden Book of India" - "There are 3 types of Ahirs Nandavanshi, Gopavanshi, Yaduvanshi. Ahirs who describe themselves as Yaduvanshi descend from a Jadaun Kshatriyas. The Ahir community has taken many measures for the cause of Sanskritisation but have failed.
According to the Puranas, the origin and varna of Ahir are Discribed as Follow:-
According to Yajnavalkya Smriti - Ahir is the child of a brahmin father and a Ugra daughter, thus Ahir is not a Degraded Kshatriya but a Degraded brahmin.
According to Manusmriti, the child of a Brahmin father and an Ambastha girl is called Ahir. Hence degraded Brahmins.
According to Vedavya Smriti, Ahirs are originally Shudras and they have no relation with Kshatriya society.
According to Smritichandrik and Devnabhatta - Ahirs did not belong to the Hindu Varna system until the 13th century.Ahir believed in Sanatan Dharma but Ahir were not included in the Sanatan Varna system.
In the Ramayana, Ahir has been called untouchable and touching Ahir is also a sin, along with the word Dasyu has been used for Ahir, due to which Ahir has been described as robbers,wicked.<ref name=":3" />
In Mahabharata, Ahirs attacked Vrisnivansh (Yadukul), When Dwarka was destroyed, Kshatriya Arjuna was taking the family of Shri Krishna (Surviving Yadukul Scion) to safety, then the people of the Ahir caste attacked Yadukul scions, the descendant of Shri Krishna. (Bhati, Jadeja, Jadaun, Chudasama and Devgiri Yadav) looted and robbed them. But Ahir argues that Sri Krishna's Bological Father Vasudev and Nanda Baba (who nurtured Sri Krishna) were both brothers and Nanda Baba is written as Abhira (Abhira is called a foreigner in the Puranas) but Vasudev was a Vedic Kshatriya and Nanda Baba was of foreign abhira origin who belonged to the Vaishya which can be clearly read in many Puranas and Mahabharata and has been said repeatedly by Hindu monks also. Vasudev had 7 brothers but the name of Nanda Baba is not mentioned in any of them.
There is no fact or evidence that Ahir community except for being associated with foreign abhira is related to Vedic Kshatriya Yadukul. The Book Yadav of India describes that "There is no evidence of Ahir being related to five Vrishnivansh (Yadukul) but these 5 Vrishnivansh were Ahirs. The book Yadav of India was not written by any historian but Indian Army Men who was of Ahir Caste.
The remaining branches of the Vrishni dynasty, which the Brahmins, Govardhan Maths and the larger Shesh Maths consider to be the real descendants of Krishna and who have been called the descendants of Krishna and of Kshatriya Origin in the Puranas and all the historical documents. King born in these Vrishni dynasty or in any Puranic book or document has not written these five(5) vrishnivansh as Ahir but has been called Kshatriya.
The argument of Ahir community gets suspended because Ahir claims that the 5 five vrishni scions of Kshatriya Varna origin and Rajput in the Hindu Varna system were foreigners Abhira an outcast who converted to hindu fold and became a kshatriya but from the begining of these dynasties predecessor and descendants never used Ahir for themselves and did not associate themselves with Abhir or Gop word and even today deny the relation with Ahir and the word Yadav is addressed to Yadukul and Yadu not to Ahir in Inscriptions. Neither any Historical Document or Any inscription none defines abhir or gop used for vrishnivanshi kshatriya Hence Ahir being related to Yadukul is considered forged.
But the word Abhira was used for Chudasama, on which many historians assumed that they may belong to the Abhira foreign tribe and after Sanskritisation they became Kshatriyas and became known as Rajputs. There is no single view among historians on this, it keeps on changing, many historians studied the Abhira used for Chudasama and found that the use of the word Abhira is not for chudasama being Ahir. The word Abhira has been used by the Solanki Kshatriyas for the Chudasama Kshatriyas to humiliate Chudasama Kings. Solanki Rajput and Chudasama Rajput both wanted to establish their supremacy over Gujarat due to which Solanki Rajputs used Abhira for chudasama to humiliate Chudasama kings because Chudasama were Kshatriya of Yadukul and Abhira looted Yadukul and Abhira is described as a non-Aryan and wild looking untouchable Shudra. It is written for the Outcast Shudra below the upper caste Shudra. This was the reason that due to the rivalry between the two, Abhira has been used in the inscriptions of Solanki Rajputs to humiliate Chudasama Rajputs. It is obtained from Vinthal and Girnar inscriptions that they have been written Kshatriya in the inscription and have been told of Rajput origin, they are originally Kshatriyas. They have been said to be of Kshatriya origin and the word Yadav which is used in many places indicates that they are descendants of Yadukul and King Yadu and not connects them with Abhira who are called foreigners and Chudasama as Vedic Kshatriyas. Yadukul Kshatriya lineages have been used for Maratha and Rajput.
==Origin==
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