Tribes in Ancient India c31.25

c31.25

Kāśī is mentioned several times in Vedic literature and in the Epics. The Śāṅkhāyana Śrauta Sūtra⁸ mentions Kāśya, the king of Kāśī, and Jala, son of Jātukarṇī, who became the king’s chaplain. Kāśya was a warrior, as the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (III, 8, 2) informs us. From the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (XIII, 5, 4, 19) we learn that Śatānīka, son of Satrājita, took the horse of King Kāśya and performed the Govinata Yajña. Afterwards, the king too performed this sacrifice. The Bṛhadāraṇyaka and Kauśītakī Upaniṣads speak of Ajātaśatru, another king of Kāśī⁹; while the Baudhāyana Śrauta Sūtra¹⁰ tells us that Āyu, son of Purūravas, renounced the world and wandered in the countries of Kāśī, Kuru and Pañcāla.