Tribes in Ancient India c57.2

c57.2

The Puṇḍras seem to have been a very ancient people. They are mentioned in the *Aitareya Brāhmaṇa* (VII, 18), where they are described as outcaste descendants of Viśvāmitra. Viśvāmitra, so the story goes, had many sons; but he adopted the Bhārgava Sunaḥśepa, calling him Devarāta, and made him the chief of all his sons. But the other sons did not all accept Devarāta’s headship; and it is said that Viśvāmitra cursed those who repudiated it to become *mlecchas* or dog-eaters¹ such as Āndhras, Puṇḍras and Śabaras.²