Shauraseni

Shauraseni refers to two related subjects tied to ancient India: the Shaurasena (also Surāsena) region and the Shauraseni Prakrit language named after it. The term appears in classical literature and linguistic studies to denote both a geographical realm and a vernacular that flourished there.

Geographically, Shaurasena denotes a historic territory in the Braj region, around the city of Mathura in present-day western Uttar Pradesh. In early texts, the Shaurasenas are described as a royal lineage or tribe that formed part of the broader Yadava sphere. Mathura is often cited as the regional capital. The Shaurasena realm is prominent in Puranic literature and in traditions surrounding Krishna, who is described in many sources as a prince of the Surasenas.

Shauraseni Prakrit is the name given by linguists to the Prakrit language variety associated with this region. It is categorized as a middle Prakrit and was used as a vernacular in central northern India during the early centuries CE. The Shauraseni corpus appears in Buddhist and Jain textual traditions and in provincial inscriptions, and it is considered to have influenced later Prakrits and the development of regional vernaculars that contributed to the later emergence of languages in the Hindi-Urdu continuum.

Scholars study Shauraseni to understand the linguistic diversification of ancient India and the cultural history of the Braj region. The legacy of Shaurasena and its language is reflected in literary, archaeological, and linguistic sources that illuminate early northern Indian history.