Vrishni is a martial clan in ancient India to which Lord
Krishna belonged. The clan is mentioned variously as Vrishni, Varsna, Varsnya
and Varsneya in later Vedic texts as well as in Panini’s Astadhyayi and
Kautilya’s Arthashastra.
The Mahabharata refers to Vrishni, a kshatriya of the Yadu
race, whose descendants came to be known as the Vrishnis. Krishna belonged to the
Vrishni clan and was the sangha mukhya (chief) of the Andhaka Vrishni state.
Krishna testifies in Harivamsa Purana to the martial qualities of not only men
but also the women of the Vrishni clan.
The Mahabharata and Puranas refer to the invasion by
Jarasandha and the exile of the Yadavas from Mathura and their settlement by
Vasudeva Krishna at Kusasthali (Dwarka). About 36 years after the battle of the
Mahabharata, the decline of the Yadava clan due to inner-clan enmity was
followed by the death of Krishna. The city of Dwarka was also immersed in the
sea after seven days. The Mahabharata, Bhagavata and Vishnu Purana indicate that
the Vrishnis were settled by Arjuna in the Pancanada region after the calamity
that befell them at Dwarka.
Historical references to this clan include the Mora Well
Inscription of Sodasa (1st century BC), which mentions the image of the
fiver Vrishni heroes – Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Samba,
installed in a temple at Mathura.
A unique silver Vrishni coin, now in the British Museum,
London, has the legend of Vrishni rajajna ganasya tratarasya (of the savior of
the Vrishni Kshatriya association).
The Mahabharata refers to the central assembly of the
Andhaka Vrishnis as Sudharma. Probably the different constituents of the
association sent their representatives to the assembly.
Numerous seals, sealings and copper coins found from Sunet
(Ludhiana, Punjab) furnish evidence of its being the Vrishni stronghold during
the 3rd century AD, after which they seem to have been amalgamated
with the Yaudheyas.
Source – Encyclopedia of Hinduism – Volume XI – page 455 -
IHRF