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
Devibhagavata 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).
