Question
Which of the following pairs of ancient and modern names of rivers is/are correctly matched?
1Vitasta : Chenab
2Asikni : Jhelum
3Parushni : Ravi
4Yavyavati : Beas
A1 and 2
B3 and 4
C3 only
D4 only
⚠️ The Classic UPSC Trap — Pairs 1 & 2 Are Swapped
UPSC took the two most similar-sounding ancient names — Vitasta and Asikni — and deliberately swapped their modern identifications. Students who remember these names vaguely confuse them because both begin with vowels and sound similar in spoken form.
The correct mapping: Vitasta = Jhelum (not Chenab) · Asikni = Chenab (not Jhelum)
The question shows Vitasta paired with Chenab, and Asikni paired with Jhelum — both are wrong. The entire options A and D try to lure students into picking swapped pairs.
The correct mapping: Vitasta = Jhelum (not Chenab) · Asikni = Chenab (not Jhelum)
The question shows Vitasta paired with Chenab, and Asikni paired with Jhelum — both are wrong. The entire options A and D try to lure students into picking swapped pairs.
Each Pair — Detailed Analysis
1
✗ Wrong
Vitasta : Chenab — INCORRECT
Vitasta is the Rigvedic name for the Jhelum river — NOT the Chenab.Etymology: Vi-tasta = “widely stretched/spread out” — describing the river’s broad spread in the Kashmir valley.
Greek name: The Greeks called it Hydaspes. This is where Alexander the Great fought King Porus (Purushottama) in 326 BCE — the famous Battle of the Hydaspes. Alexander’s war elephants vs Macedonian phalanx.
Modern location: Rises in Verinag spring (Kashmir) → flows through Pakistan → joins Chenab.
Correct match: Vitasta = Jhelum (not Chenab as given)
2
✗ Wrong
Asikni : Jhelum — INCORRECT
Asikni is the Rigvedic name for the Chenab river — NOT the Jhelum.Etymology: Asikni = “dark” or “dark-coloured waters” in Sanskrit — describing the river’s deep, murky appearance.
Greek name: The Greeks called it Acesines — a phonetic transliteration of Asikni.
Modern location: Formed by confluence of Chandra and Bhaga rivers in Himachal Pradesh → flows through Jammu and Punjab → joins Sutlej in Pakistan.
Correct match: Asikni = Chenab (not Jhelum as given)
3
✓ Correct
Parushni : Ravi ✓ CORRECTLY MATCHED
Parushni is the Rigvedic name for the Ravi river — confirmed correct.Etymology: Parushni = “rugged/rocky” — describing the river’s rough, rocky course through mountains.
Also called: Iravati in later Sanskrit texts. Greeks called it Hydraotes.
Historical significance: The Ravi/Parushni is the site of the famous Battle of Ten Kings (Dasarajna) — described in Rigveda Mandala 7. King Sudas of the Bharata tribe defeated a confederation of ten rival kings on its banks. One of the oldest recorded battles in world history.
Modern location: Rises in Himachal Pradesh → flows through Chamba → enters Pakistan → joins Chenab.
Correct match: Parushni = Ravi ✓ — site of Battle of Ten Kings (Dasarajna), Rigveda Mandala 7
4
✗ Wrong
Yavyavati : Beas — INCORRECT
The Beas river’s ancient name is Vipasa / Vipash — NOT Yavyavati.What is Yavyavati? A separate Rigvedic river mentioned only in RV 6.27.6 in the context of the Battle of Ten Kings. Scholars are divided on its identification:
• Michael Witzel identifies it with the Zhob river in northern Baluchistan/eastern Afghanistan
• Talageri identifies it with the Drishadavati (Ghaggar-Hakra tributary)
• Some scholars link it to a tributary of the Yamuna
What is Vipasa/Vipash? The correct ancient name of the Beas — meaning “freed from fetters” (from the legend of sage Vashishtha freeing himself from bonds in this river). Greeks called it Hyphasis — this is where Alexander’s army refused to march further east in 326 BCE.
Correct match: Beas = Vipasa/Vipash (NOT Yavyavati) · Yavyavati = Zhob river (Baluchistan)?
Complete Rigvedic River Names — Master Reference Table
| Rigvedic Name | Modern Name | Greek Name | Key Historical Fact | In This Q? |
| Vitasta | Jhelum | Hydaspes | Battle of Hydaspes — Alexander vs King Porus, 326 BCE | Pair 1 ✗ |
| Asikni | Chenab | Acesines | “Dark-coloured waters.” Formed by Chandra + Bhaga confluence | Pair 2 ✗ |
| Parushni / Iravati | Ravi | Hydraotes | Battle of Ten Kings (Dasarajna) — Rigveda Mandala 7 | Pair 3 ✓ |
| Vipasa / Vipash | Beas | Hyphasis | Alexander’s army refused to march further east here (326 BCE) | Pair 4 ✗ |
| Shutudri / Shatadru | Sutlej | Zaradros / Hesidros | Longest tributary of the Indus; longest river in India | Not in Q |
| Sindhu | Indus | Indos / Sinthos | Main river; name “India” derives from Sindhu | Not in Q |
| Yavyavati | Zhob? (disputed) | — | Mentioned in RV 6.27.6 (Battle of Ten Kings). NOT Beas. | Pair 4 ✗ |
| Kubha | Kabul river | Kophes | Flows through Afghanistan; joins Indus at Attock | Not in Q |
UPSC Prelims — Has This Been Asked Before?
UPSC Prelims (Various years)
Rigvedic river names are a standard UPSC topic tested regularly. Past questions have asked: “Rigvedic name of Ravi?” (Parushni), “Which river was called Hydaspes?” (Jhelum/Vitasta), “Where did Alexander’s army stop?” (Beas/Hyphasis/Vipasa). The pair-matching format in 2026 is new.
Key: Vitasta=Jhelum · Asikni=Chenab · Parushni=Ravi · Vipasa=Beas · Shutudri=Sutlej
UPSC Prelims 2026 ← THIS QUESTION
First time UPSC used the pair-matching format for Rigvedic river names with deliberate swap of Pairs 1 and 2. Also introduced the obscure Yavyavati (Pair 4) as a distractor — testing whether students know Beas = Vipasa, not Yavyavati. Advanced level of specificity.
Answer: (C) 3 only — Parushni : Ravi is the only correct pair
Exam Pattern Observation
UPSC deliberately uses the swap trap (Pairs 1 & 2) because Vitasta and Asikni are the two least-remembered names. Both begin with vowels; students who only partially remember that “V” goes with “J” and “A” goes with “C” will get it right, while those who just memorise partial associations get trapped.
Strategy: Always learn the FULL table — ancient name → modern name → Greek name → key event
Source Reference
R.S. Sharma — India’s Ancient Past (Chapter on Vedic Period); NCERT Class 6 Our Pasts — Chapter 4 (In the Earliest Cities). NIOS Lesson 4: The Vedic Age — geographical horizon of Vedic Aryans. These list all five rivers with both Vedic and modern names.
Primary: R.S. Sharma India’s Ancient Past · NCERT Class 6 Ch.4 · NIOS Lesson 4
Memory Trick — Never Forget This
🧠 Remember It This Way
The “VAJPS” Order (West → East in Nadi-Sukta):
Vitasta (Jhelum) → Asikni (Chenab) → Parushni (Ravi) → Vipasa (Beas) → Shutudri (Sutlej)
Remember: “Very Ancient Peoples Very Skillfully” — V·A·P·V·S
Vitasta (Jhelum) → Asikni (Chenab) → Parushni (Ravi) → Vipasa (Beas) → Shutudri (Sutlej)
Remember: “Very Ancient Peoples Very Skillfully” — V·A·P·V·S
Vitasta = Vast → Jhelum: Vi-tasta = “widely spread” = the broad Jhelum in Kashmir. Also: Alexander fought Porus on it = Hydaspes. V for Vitasta, J for Jhelum — both come alphabetically before A and C.
Asikni = Acesines = Dark → Chenab: Asikni means “dark waters.” Greeks: Acesines. A → C → dark. Remember: both Asikni and Acesines start with “A” and “Ac” — they are literally phonetically identical.
Parushni = Battle of Ten Kings → Ravi: Parushni = rugged/rocky → Ravi is rocky. The Battle of Ten Kings happened here. Para-Ravi connection = Parushni → Ravi → Iravati.
Beas = Vipasa (NOT Yavyavati): Yavyavati is a rare river in Baluchistan/Afghanistan — not the Beas. Vipasa = Beas = Hyphasis = where Alexander stopped. Remember: “Be-as free as Vipasa (freed from fetters)” — Beas = Vipasa (legend of sage Vashistha freeing himself).
