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Yadu

Yadu is a figure in Hindu mythology, traditionally considered the eponymous patriarch of the Yaduvamsha or Yadava lineage. In several Puranas and the Mahabharata, he is described as the eldest son of King Yayati, and the dynasty’s name is said to derive from him. The Yadavas are depicted as a ruling clan inhabiting areas of northern India, with notable subclans such as the Vrishnis and Andhakas associated with this line. The figure functions as a mythological ancestor whose lineage extends to later generations within the tradition.

Historically, the Yadava clans are linked to important centers and figures in Hindu literature. The region

Yadu as a name is used in Indian culture today and is linked to the broader Yadava

of
Mathura
and
the
city
of
Dvārakā
are
frequently
connected
to
Yadu
and
his
descendants.
Krishna,
one
of
the
most
prominent
figures
in
Hinduism,
is
typically
described
as
a
member
of
the
Yadava
lineage,
placing
Yadu
as
an
ancestral
forebear
within
the
Krishna
legend.
The
Yadava
story
culminates
in
events
described
in
both
the
Mahabharata
and
the
Bhagavata
Purana,
including
the
rise
and
decline
of
the
Yadava
realm
after
Krishna's
departure.
identity.
The
term
Yaduvamsha
(the
Yadava
dynasty)
literally
means
“descendants
of
Yadu.”
In
scholarly
contexts,
Yadu
is
treated
as
a
mythological
figure
whose
legend
serves
etiological
and
religious
purposes
rather
than
as
a
verifiable
historical
person.