Bhāratas

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The Bhāratas are an Aryan tribe mentioned in the Rigveda, especially in Mandala 3 attributed to the Bharata sage Vishvamitra. In the "river hymn" RV 3.33, the entire Bharata tribe is described as crossing a river.

The name is a vrddhi derivation, meaning "descendants of Bharata", bharatá being a name of Agni (literally, "to be maintained", viz. the fire having to be kept alive by the care of men), but also a name of Rudra in RV 2.36.8.

Mandala 7 mentions the Bharatas as taking part in the Battle of the Ten Kings, where they appear to be on the winning side. They appear to have been successful enough in the early power-struggles between the various Aryan tribes so that in post-Vedic (Epic) times, the eponymous ancestor becomes Emperor Bharata, conqueror of all of India (see also Mahabharata), and "Bhārata" today is the official name of the Republic of India (see also Etymology of India).

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