Tribes in Ancient India c20.17

c20.17

The Śivas or Śibis were intimately associated with the Uśīnaras, who are assigned by the *Aitareya Brāhmaṇa* to the Madhyadeśa or ‘Middle Country’, together with the Kurus, the Pañcālas, and the Vasas or Vatsas. The *Anukramaṇī* of the *Ṛgveda* ascribes one hymn (X, 119) to Śivi Auśīnara, i.e. the Śivi who is descended from Uśīnara; while the *Mahābhārata* refers not only to a king Uśīnara Śibi (*Mbh.*, *Śāntiparvan*, Chap. 29, 39) but also to a Śibi-rāṣtra or kingdom of the Śibis ruled by King Uśīnara (III, 130-1). It is, therefore, likely that the Uśīnara country was at one time the habitat of the Śibis. According to the tradition as recorded in the Epics and Purāṇas, Śivi was one of the five sons of King Uśīnara, each of whom founded a city. The city of Śivi was known as Śivapura. Śivi had four sons who came to be known as Śivis, giving their name to the tribe to which they belonged. According to Pargiter, Śivi Auśīnara not only originated the Śivis in Śivapura but, extending his conquests westwards, founded through his four sons (Vṛṣadarbha, Suvīra, Kekaya, and Madraka) the kingdoms of the Vṛṣadarbhas, Suvīras (or Sauviras), Kekayas, and Madras, thus occupying the whole of the Punjab except the north-western corner.¹