The Lunar dynasty (IAST: Candravaṃśa) is a legendary principal house of the Kshatriyas varna, or warrior ruling caste mentioned in the ancient Indian texts.
This legendary dynasty was said to be descended from moon-related deities (Soma or Lunar).
The Hindu deity Lord Krishna is believed to have been born in the Yaduvamsha branch of the Lunar dynasty.
According to the Shatapatha Brahmana, Pururavas was the son of Budha (himself often described as the son of Soma) and the gender-switching deity Ila (born as the daughter of Manu).
Pururavas’s great-grandson was Yayati, who had five sons named Yadu, Turvasu, Druhyu, Anu, and Puru. These seem to be the names of five Vedic tribes as described in the Vedas.
According to the Mahabharata, the Lunar dynasty’s progenitor, Ila ruled from Prayaga and had a son Shashabindu who ruled in the country of Bahli.
The son of Ila and Budha was Pururavas who became the first Chandravamsha emperor of the entirety of the earth. Ila’s descendants were also known as the Ailas.