Shini

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Ancestry of Sini as per Bhagavata Purana

Shini (शिनि) was Chandravanshi King born in the third generation of Maharaja Vrishni. The descendants of Shini are known as Shinivanshi or Saineyas . Shini (शिनि) is mentioned in Mahabharata (VI.112.10), (VIII.17.26),(VIII.44.45), (VIII.44.47).

Variants of name

Villages after Sini

Mention by Panini

Ashani (अशानि), a tribe, is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [1]

Jat clans descended from Shini

History

V. S. Agrawala[4] mentions Sanghas known to Panini which includes - Ashani (अशनि), under Parshvadi (पर्शवादि) (V.3.117).


V. S. Agrawala[5] mentions Ayudhajivi Sanghas in the Ganapatha, which includes Aśani and Kārsāpaṇa: We find corresponding Pathan tribes Shinwari and Karshabun, belonging to the same stock (Imp. Gaz., NWFP, p.79). The preservation of caste system, and the sanctity of cow among the Shins, settled in the eastern Hindukush region, north of Landi Kotal, point to their former religion being Hinduism. The mountain villages where Shins are in majority retain a trace of former idolatry in the sacred stones set up in one form or another, in almost every hamlet (Afghanistan Gaz.p49). The change in religion has not yet brought about the seclusion of Shin women, who mix freely with men on all occasions, a survival of their days of freedom.


Hukum Singh Panwar[6] has given the ancestry of Bharatpur rulers starting from 1. Yadu. Shini is at S.No. 38 and Krishna at S.No. 43 as under[7]:

34. Andhaka → 35. Bhajmana → 36. Viduratha → 37. Shura → 38. Shini → 39. Bhoja → 40. Hardika → 41. Devamidha → 42. Vasudeva → 43. Krishna → 44. Pradyumna → 45. Aniruddha → 46. Vajra


According to H. W. Bellew the Sini were foreign settlers in Afghanistan. H. W. Bellew [8] writes that gradually as the Khattaks increased in strength, they extended northward, and pressing aside the Orakzai and Afridi to the higher hills, took possession of all the Indus riverine up to the Kabul river, and even advanced across it, as before mentioned, into the Yusufzai country. In their advance they absorbed several small communities of foreign settlers, such as the Mughalki and Sini (Mughal or Mongol, and Chinese), whom they include in their Bulac division, and the Jalozai, Dangarzai, and Oriyakhel, whom they include in their Teri division.


H.A. Rose[9] in the History of Khattaks writes that ...Another Mughal defeat was the result, and Khushhal was enabled to make another attempt on Kohat, but deserted by the Sinis and Mushaks as before he was defeated and wounded in 1675.

Sini River

According to Sir H. M. Elliot[10]The Chach-náma mentions it in three different passages, at least, if Kandhála in the last reference be meant, as seems probable, for that place. If we are to put faith in the first passage (p. 152), there would be no need for further enquiry, as it is distinctly mentioned thus:-"Kandábel, that is, Kandahár." But it may be shown that this identification cannot possibly be admitted, for Chach reaches the place through the desert of Túrán (a province of which Kusdár was the capital),2 on his return from Armá-bel to Alor. He straitened the garrison by encamping on the river Síní, or Sibí, and compelled them to agree to the payment of one hundred horses from the hill country, and a tribute of 100,000 dirhams. Here the name of the river, and the position, put Kandahár out of the question, and we can only regard the passage as the conjecture of some transcriber, interpolated by mistake from the margin into the text.

The real fact is, that Kandábel3 can scarcely be any other place than the modern Gandáva, and we shall find, with this single exception, that all the other passages where its name occurs sufficiently indicate that as the position. Indeed, it is probable that this very instance lends confirmation to this view, for the Síní river seems to be no other than the Síbí, now called the Nárí, but flowing under the town of Síbí, and, during the floods, joining the Bolán river, into which the hill-streams, which surround and insulate Gandáva, disembogue themselves. The river which runs nearest to Gandáva is now called the Bádra.

In Mahabharata

Shini (शिनि) is mentioned in Mahabharata (VI.112.10), (VII.22.2) (VIII.17.26),(VIII.44.45), (VIII.44.47).


Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 112 mentions in verse (VI.112.10)... "The grandson of Sini also, that hero of immeasurable soul, struck the preceptor's son in every vital limbs with nine shafts winged with the feathers of the Kanka bird." [11]


Drona Parva, Mahabharata/Book VII Chapter 22 describes grandson of Sini in verse (VII.22.2): "Sanjaya said, 'Beholding Vrikodara advancing (on a car drawn) by steeds of dappled hue (like: that of the antelope), the brave grandson of Sini (Satyaki) proceeded, borne by steeds of a silvery hue".[12]


Karna Parva/Mahabharata Book VIII Chapter 17 describes in verse (VIII.17.26)...."Then the Panchala prince, and the grandson of Sini (Satyaki) and the sons of Draupadi and the Prabhadrakas, and Shikhandi, drenched those huge elephants with showers of shafts.[13]


Karna Parva/Mahabharata Book VIII Chapter 44 describes Shini's grandson in verses (VIII.44.45) & (VIII.44.47) ...."Shakuni, that mighty car-warrior, quickly ascended the car of Uluka. The latter then bore away with great speed his father from Sini's grandson, that warrior skilled in battle". .... "Shrouded with the arrows of Sini's grandson, thy army, O monarch, fled away on all sides with great speed, and fell down deprived of life". [14]


Mahabharata (7.104.4850) Vyaghradatta, by means of his straight shafts, made Satyaki invisible with his steeds and driver and standard in the midst of his division.

Mahabharata (7.104.4851) - The brave grandson of Sini, baffling those shafts with great lightness of hand, felled Vyaghradatta by means of his arrows, with his steeds and driver and standard.

In Mythology

Satyaki in Mahabharata was of Shinivanshi.[15] Satyaki, also called Yuyudhana, is a powerful warrior belong to the Yadava-Vrishni dynasty of Lord Krishna, in the Mahabharata epic.

Satyaki is devoted to Krishna and his best friend Arjuna, with whom he trained under Drona in military arts. He strongly and passionately favors the cause of the Pandavas over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra War. Satyaki accompanies Krishna to the Kuru capital with Krishna as the emissary of peace which is ridiculed and turned down by the sons of Dhritarashtra.

External links

Reference

  1. V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.438, 448, 449
  2. The Jats:Their Origin, Antiquity and Migrations/Appendices/Appendix No.1
  3. Dr Mahendra Singh Arya etc.,: Ādhunik Jat Itihas, Agra 1998, p. 282
  4. V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.500
  5. India as Known to Panini,p.448-449
  6. The Jats:Their Origin, Antiquity and Migrations/Appendices/Appendix No.1
  7. Yadu Vamsavali of Bharatpur given by Ganga Singh in his book 'Yadu Vamsa', Part 1, Bharatpur Rajvansa Ka Itihas (1637-1768), Bharatpur, 1967, pp. 19-21
  8. The Races of Afghanistan/Chapter IX, p.87
  9. A glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province By H.A. Rose Vol II/K,p.529
  10. The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians/Note (A).- Geographical,p.385
  11. शैनेयॊ ऽपि गुरॊः पुत्रं सर्वमर्मसु भारत, अताडयथ अमेयात्मा नवभिः कङ्कपत्रिभिःMahabharata (VI.112.10)
  12. ऋश्य वर्णैर हयैर दृष्ट्वा वयायच्छन्तं वृकॊदरम, रजताश्वस ततः शूरः शैनेयः संन्यवर्तत (VII.22.2)
  13. "ततः शैनेय पाञ्चाल्यौ थरौपथेयाः परभद्रकाः, शिखण्डी च महानागान सिषिचुः शरवृष्टिभिः (VIII.17.26)
  14. ततॊ ऽवप्लुत्य सहसा शकुनिर भरतर्षभ, आरुरॊह रदं तूर्णम उलूकस्य महारदः, अपॊवाहाद शीघ्रं स शैनेयाथ युथ्धशालिनः (VIII.44.45); शैनेय शरनुन्नं तु ततः सैन्यं विशां पते, भेजे थश थिशस तूर्णं नयपतच च गतासुवत (VIII.44.47)
  15. Dr Mahendra Singh Arya etc,: Ādhunik Jat Itihas, Agra 1998

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