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Ayudhajivi Sanghas (आयुधजीवी संघ) were the Sanghas stated as such in the Ashtadhyayi of Panini. They were republican warrior tribes that lived by the profession of arms.[1] They were the same as Yodhajiva of Pali literature.

Variants of name

Mention by Panini

Ayudhajivins (आयुधजीविन), warrior tribes, is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [2]

Ayudhajivi Sanghas (आयुधजीवी संघ) are mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [3]

Ayudhiya (आयुधीय), a member of warrior tribes, is a term mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [4]

Ayudhiya-prayah (आयुधीय-प्राया:) is a term mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [5]

Āyudhajīvī Sanghas




  • 1. Sanghas in Vahika (V.3.114),
  • 2. Sanghas of Parvata (IV.3.91),
























For details see - India as Known to Panini (pp.443-466)

Jats as Ayudhajivi Samghas

Jat - Panini gives an exhaustive list of the "Ayudhjivi ganas' from whom the Jats are positively believed to have descended.[10] (Aggarwal, V.S.; India as known to Panini, Appendix III. pp. 522-560)

Jat Sangha - A number of the gotras of the present-day Jats are reminiscent of the Ayudhajivi republican ganas and samghas which flourished at the time of Panini.

Hukum Singh Panwar (Pauria)[11] writes abouy Ayudhajivi Samghas: In addition to the above tribes the classical historians of Alexander have described numerous other republican tribes of the Panjab and Sindh with some of their anthropological details. These republican tribes are dealt with at length by Panini but, unfortunately, he remains silent regarding their anthropological picture and ethnological affiliations. However, the recent researches show that the republican tribes Ayudhajivi Samghas were unquestionably the forefathers of the Jats of the Panjab and Sindh. "The evidence of anthropometry and of physical similarity between the modern Jats and the republican tribes of the ancient Panjab, of a close survey of linguistics, customs, usages, institutions and habits of the present day Jats and those of the Warrior tribes of ancient Panjab, reveals a remarkable similarity between the two people. Very significantly the present day Jat fraternity displays almost the same preference for equality, kinship and democratic ways, the adeptness in war and agriculture, and the same repugnance to the rigidity of caste, creed and ritual, whichwere so characteristic of the republicans of the Panjab and Sindh. These similarities are so crucial that we cannot brush them aside lightly without seriously undermining the proof of customs, usages and institutions in ethnic studies. A small amount of positive evidence is more valuable than a great deal of doubtful conjecture"193.

For about a millennium (from the 4th century B.C. to the 6th century A.D.) the republican tribes had to wage a tough struggle for survival and to maintain themselves and their way of life. Sandwiched as they were between the successive foreign invasions from the west after 4th century B.C. and the imperialistic onslaughts from Magadha

The Jats:Their Origin, Antiquity and Migrations: End of p.147

or Patliputra in the east194, these "Audhajivi ganas and samghas", were compelled to move to the hinter lands in the south eastern Panjab, U.P. and the north eastern Rajasthan195.

Their migrations:

Their migrations are confirmed by numismatic records. They are mentioned in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudra Gupta, _ "the Nepoleon of India". They are said to have Played a Significant role in the elections of Harshavardhana (A.D. 606) and Gopala (A.D. 750). Godaras later reserved the right consecrating the so-called Rajput rulers of the Bikaner native State. Soma Dev Suri gives a graphic description of the Yaudheyas in "Yasastilakchampu", a work of 11th century. They are described at length by Varahamihira in his "Brihatsamhita". Al Biruni makes a special mention of Sibis (Sivis or Sivas), of Jattaur (present Chitor). Later on they were called Sivarav or Seorana of Dadri and Loharu areas. Some important works,like Sarswatikan-thabharana of Raja Bhoja, Vijayanibhumikhanda and Ganaratanama-hodadhi (all of 12th century give a laudatory account of certain republic tribes like Yaudheyas, Arjunayanas and Uddhehikas. In addition to these medieval sources, modern historians and ethnographers, e.g., KK Dasgupta, Bela Lahiri, Sudhakar Chattopadhayay, Debi Prasad Chattopadhayaya, Shastri Yogananda, J.P: Sharma, S.B. Chaudhuri, M.K Sharan, M.R. Singh etc. have thrown a flood of light on the republican tribes of north-western India. But it is mainly M.K Sharan and late G.C. Dwivedi who amply testify to the fact that these tribes, despite the trials and tribulations expenenced by them in the course of their migrations, did not discard their republican character, the salient feature of their political life, and trace their descendents in the Jats and Rajputs of to-day, but mostly among Jats195a. They, however, remained unvanquished and without diminishing their undaunted spirit of martial emprise, which was, as inherited from their ancestors, assiduously kept intact by their descendents, the Jats196 . A number of the gotras of the present-day Jats are reminiscent of the Ayudhajivi republican ganas and samghas which flourished at the time of Panini 197 (Supra).

193. Dwivedi, Girish Chandra, op, cit., pp. 39Of.
194. Majumdar, RC.; Corporate Life in Anc. Ind., Cal., 1978, pp, 105-7, 121.22. Jayaswal, K.P.; Andhkar Yugin Bharat, pp. 3OOf.
195. Majumdar, RC.; op. cit., pp. 113·133. See also S.B. Chaudhuri. Ethnic Settlements in Anc.Ind., Vol. 1; M.R. Singh, Geog. Data from the Earliest Purana,; M.K. Saran, Tribal Coins; K.K. Das Gupta. Republican Tribes of Anc. lad.
195a. Supra. J.P. Sharma, 1968, p. 25.
196. Dwivedi, op. cit., p. 390 ..
197. Ibid .. p. 391, fn. 85.

List of Ayudhajivi Sanghas

Panini refers to a number of Sanghas as Ayudhajivin (V.3.114-117). Here is the list from V. S. Agrawala:India as Known to Panini, with page number in bracket:

External links


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