What is "shurasena"

Shurasena (also written as Surasena, Shoorsen, Shursen, Shoorsaini, Shoorseni) was an ancient Yadava ruler of Mathura after whom the Surasena Kingdom or mahajanpada and the Yadava sept of Surasenas or Shoorsainis were named.

According to a tradition, found in the Linga Purana (I.68.19), Shurasena was son of Kartavirya Arjuna. According to another tradition found in the Ramayana (VII.62.6) and the Vishnu Purana (IV.4.46), Shurasena was son of Shatrughna, brother of Rama. According to the Devi-Bhagavata Purana (IV.1.2), Shurasena was father of Vasudeva (father of Krishna). He is extensively mentioned in both the Mahabharata and the Puranas as the father of Vasudeva (father of Krishna) and Kunti (mother of Pandava).

Several Indian tribes such as Sainis of Punjab, Bhatis, Jadejas, some Meo clans of Rajput descent, etc. trace their origin to the Yadava tribe of Shoorsainis or Surasenas named after this eponymous Yaduvanshi king.