Surasena

2021-08-19T10:56:52Z

2409:4053:D96:9899:0:0:57C9:4B08:

{{about|the historical region|the depiction in Indian epic literature|Shurasena}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox country
|native_name =
|conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Surasena
|common_name = Surasena
|era = [[Bronze Age]], [[Iron Age]]
|government_type = [[Monarchy]]
|year_start = c. 700 BCE
|year_end = c. 300 BCE
|s1 =
|image_map = Mahajanapadas_(c._500_BCE).png
| image_map_alt =
|image_map_caption = Surasena and other Mahajanapadas in the Post Vedic period.
|leader1 =
|capital = [[Mathura]]
|common_languages = [[Sanskrit]], [[Prakrit]]
|religion = [[Hinduism]]<br>[[Buddhism]]<br>[[Jainism]]
|currency =
|title_leader= [[Maharaja]]
|today = [[India]]
}}
{{HistoryOfSouthAsia}}

'''Kingdom of Surasena''' (or '''Sourasena''') ({{Lang-sa|शूरसेन}}, {{IAST|Śūrasena}}) was an ancient [[India]]n region corresponding to the present-day [[Braj]] region in [[Uttar Pradesh]], with [[Mathura]] as its capital city. According to the Buddhist text ''[[Anguttara Nikaya]]'', Surasena was one of the ''solasa'' (sixteen) [[Mahajanapadas]] (powerful realms) in the 6th century BCE.<ref>{{harvnb|Raychaudhuri|1972|p=85}}</ref> Also, it is mentioned in the Hindu epic poem, the [[Ramayana]]. The ancient Greek writers (e.g., [[Megasthenes]]) refer to the Sourasenoi and its cities, Methora<ref name="Raychaudhuri 1972 71">{{harvnb|Raychaudhuri|1972|p=71}}</ref> and Cleisobra.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Majumdar|first=Ramesh Chandra|title=Ancient India|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited|year=1995|isbn=978-81-208-0436-4|location=Delhi|pages=173}}</ref> Sourasenoi is one of the Indian [[tribe]]s and it's a Greek word by [[megasthenes]] named as Shoorsaini in modern Era.<ref>
ANNALS AND ANTIQUITIES OF RAJASTHAN, James Tod, Vol. 1, pp 36, Oxford University Press, 1920</ref>

==Etymology==
There are several traditions regarding the etymology of its name. According to one tradition, it was derived from a famed [[Yadu|Yadava]] king, Surasena, while others see it as an extension of Surasen.<ref name="New Indian Antiquary">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4gO2AAAAIAAJ&q=Surasena+abhira+ahir&dq=Surasena+abhira+ahir&hl=en&sa=X&ei=orARVYzuD9O6uATqjYLoAQ&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBjgK | title=New Indian Antiquary, Volumes 5-6 | publisher=Karnatak Publishing House., Original from the University of California | author=New Indian Antiquary | year=1943 | pages=127}}</ref> It was the sacred land of Lord [[Krishna]] in which he was born, raised, and ruled.<ref name="Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uPH8slH5A6EC&q=Surasena+abhira+ahir&dq=Surasena+abhira+ahir&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Vq4RVc6DMI2LuwSbxYGAAg&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAQ | title=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland | publisher=Cambridge University Press for the Royal Asiatic Society, Original from the University of Michigan | author=Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland | year=1899 | pages=322}}</ref>

==History==
The Mahabharata and the [[Puranas]] refer to the rulers of the Mathura region as the Yadus or [[Yadava]]s, divided into a number of septs, which include the [[Vrishni]]s.<ref name="Raychaudhuri 1972 128">{{harvnb|Raychaudhuri|1972|p=128}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Singh|2008|p=264}}</ref> The Buddhist texts refer to Avantiputta, the king of the Surasenas in the time of [[Katyayana (Buddhist)|Maha Kachchana]], one of the chief disciples of [[Gautama Buddha]], who spread Buddhism in the Mathura region.<ref name="Raychaudhuri 1972 128"/>

Its capital, [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]], was situated on the bank of the river [[Yamuna]], presently a sacred place for the [[Hinduism|Hindus]]. The ancient Greek writers mention another city, named Cleisobora, in this region.<ref name="Raychaudhuri 1972 71"/>

Archaeological excavations at Mathura show the gradual growth of a village into an important city. The earliest period belonged to the [[Painted Grey Ware culture]] (1100-500 BCE), followed by the [[Northern Black Polished Ware]] culture (700-200 BCE). Mathura derived its importance as a center of trade due to its location where the [[Grand Trunk Road|northern trade route]] of the [[Gangetic Plain]] met with the routes to [[Malwa]] (central India) and the [[Western India|west coast]].<ref name="Singh2008">{{cite book|author=Upinder Singh|title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&pg=PA281|year=2008|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=978-81-317-1120-0|pages=281, 336}}</ref>

==Gallery==

<gallery>
North India in 540 BCE.png|thumb|Map depicting 16 [[mahajanapada]]s kingdoms and other kingdoms of [[vedic era]] India in 540 BCE.
Saurasena coin.jpg|thumb|Saurasena coin, 400-300 BCE.
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Yadav]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
#{{Citation
| surname1 = Raychaudhuri
| given1 = H.C.
| year = 1972
| title = Political History of Ancient India: From the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty
| publisher = Calcutta: University of Calcutta
}}.
#{{Citation
| surname1 = Singh
| given1 = Upinder
| year = 2008
| ISBN = 978-81-317-1677-9
| title = A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century
| publisher = Delhi: Pearson Education
}}.

==External links==

{{Mahajanapada}}
{{Tribes and kingdoms of the Mahabharata}}
{{Mahabharata}}
{{Historical regions of North India}}

[[Category:Mahajanapadas]]
[[Category:Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Yadava kingdoms]]
[[Category:Rigvedic tribes]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Iron Age countries in Asia]]
[[Category:Iron Age cultures of South Asia]]
[[Category:Ancient peoples]]
[[Category:Locations in Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Regions of Haryana]]
[[Category:Regions of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Regions of Uttar Pradesh]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuru Kingdom}}

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Surasena