Usinaras (Devanagari:उसीनर) were an ancient people attested to have been living in central Punjab since remote antiquity. They were often associated with Madras, Kekayas, Sibis etc. and their territory formed part of Vahika country according to evidence of Pāṇini.
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Usinaras in Vedic literature
There is a reference to princess Usinarini (i.e. queen of Usinara) in the Rigveda Aitareya Brahmana seems to locate Usinaras along with the Kurus, Panchalas and the Vasas (Savasa) in middle region or Madhyadesha (Mid India). Kaushitakai Upanishada colllocates the Usinaras with the Satvat-Matsyas, the Kuru-Panchalas and the Svasas. They probably lived in a territory to the north of Madhyadesa, as neighbors to the Udichyas or the northerners. This is why the Gopatha Brahamana collocates the Usinaras and Svasas with the Udichyas or northerners.
Divyavadana refers to the Svasas as people of Uttarapatha with headquarters at Takshasila to which king Ashoka was deputed by his father Bindusara as a Viceroy to quell their rebellion. The ancient Savasa or Svasa is said to be modern Chhibba which comprises Punch, Rajauri and Bhimbara.
Thus, the Usinaras, the very neighbors of the Svasas must also be located in Punjab proper.
Bhagavata Purana and the Usinaras
Bhagavata Purana attests that the prince of Usinara along with princes from Matsya, Kosala, Vidharbha, Kuru, Srnjaya, Kamboja, Kekaya, Madra, Kunti, Anarta, Kerala was present at Samanta-pancaka in Kurukshetra at the occasion of the solar eclipse. [2]
Bhagavata Purana also states that the Usinaras, the Sibi, the Madras, and the Kekayas were the direct descendants of Yayati's son Anu. Sibi or Sivi is stated to be son of Usinara. [3]
Consequently, in the literature, the Usinaras are often associated with the Shivis or Sibis (Sibois of the Greek writings) whose chief town Sibipura has been identified with Shorkot, in Jhang district in Pakistan.
Pāṇini's Ashtadhyayi
Pāṇini refers to the Usinaras in several sutras of his Ashtadhyayi and mentions their land as a part of the Vahika country. Though not stated specifically by Pāṇini, in all probability, the Usinaras were under a Sangha government.
Usinara in Buddhist literature
There is a Buddhist reference to one Usinara, said to be king of Benares who lived in the time of Kassapa Buddha. His story is related in the Maha-Kanha Jataka. He is mentioned in a list of kings who, although they gave great gifts, could not get beyond the domain of sense. It is however, not clear if this Usinara was from the Usinara clan or else it was his personal name only.