Do Vedas mention Suryavanshi kings or are they focused only on Chandravanshis?

Question

Vedic Samhitas cover the glories of the gods as well as how they helped certain human kings but I find it surprising and perhaps suggestive of some later political intervention that there are NO Suryavanshi Kings mentioned!

There are many specific mentions of the sacrificer's Chandravanshi lineage such as in this verse but none mentioning Suryavanshis:

30 Praise yea, praise him. Of princes these are the most liberal of their gifts, These, Paramajyā, Ninditāśva, Prapathī, most bounteous, O Medhyātithi.

31 When to the car, by faith, I yoked the horses longing for the way- For skilled is Yadu's son in dealing precious wealth, he who is rich in herds of kine.

32 May he who gave me two brown steeds together with their cloths of gold, May he, Āsaṅga's son Svanadratha, obtain all joy and high felicities.

Again, the names of many Chandravanshi kings can be found throughut the texts for example in this verse:

4 Agni thou madest heaven to thunder for mankind; thou, yet more pious, for pious Purūravas. When thou art rapidly freed from thy parents, first eastward they bear thee round, and, after, to the west.

11 Thee, Agni, have the Gods made the first living One for living man, Lord of the house of Nahuṣa. Iḷā they made the teacher of the sons of men, what time a Son was born to the father of my race.

17 As erst to Manus, to Yayāti, Aṅgiras, so Aṅgiras! pure Agni! come thou to our hall. Bring hither the celestial host and seat them here upon the sacred grass, and offer what they love.

Also, the progenitor of the Chandravanshi race - Ila is mentioned as a goddess in the same vein as Saraswati:

9 Iḷā, Sarasvatī, Mahī, three Goddesses who bring delight, Be seated, peaceful, on the grass.

Considering the fact that Brahmarishi Vasishth, one of the key contributors to the Vedic corpus, was the chief preceptor of the Solar Clan & Brahmarishi Vishwamitra, another contributor and the discoverer of the Gayatri Mantra was also associated with many Suryavanshi kings such as Satyavrat & Harishchandra it is extremely surprising that none of them find mention in the Vedas. Even Mandhata, who was nursed by Indra, the quintessential hero of Vedas, seems to be missing.

So my question is - Are there any Suryavanshi kings mentioned in Vedic Samhitas or do these texts focus only on Chandravanshi kings?

Answer 1

After months of combing through the Vedas I have finally found at least TWO SURYAVANSHIS mentioned in a verse from the Atharva Veda! The Book 20 Hymn 37 is dedicated to Indra and mentions the various kings he has helped:

Thou verily, Indra, gavest help to Kutsa, willingly lending ear to him in battle. When, aiding Arjunneya, thou subduedst to him both Kuyava and the Dāsa Sushna.

Bold One, thou with all thine aids hast boldly helped Sudās whose offerings were accepted, Pūru in winning land and slaying foemen, and Trasadasyu son of Purukutsa.

The Vishnu Puran mentions them both as being Suryavanshis:

Deprived of their power by the Gandharvas, the serpent chiefs addressed the god of the gods, as he awoke from his slumbers; and the blossoms of his lotus eyes opened while listening to their hymns. They said, "Lord, how shall we be delivered from this great fear?"

Then replied the first of males, who is without beginning, "I will enter into the person of Purukutsa, the son of Mándhátri, the son of Yuvanáśwa, and in him will I quiet these iniquitous Gandharbas." On hearing these words, the snake-gods bowed and withdrew, and returning to their country dispatched Narmadá to solicit the aid of Purukutsa.....To Purukutsa also the snake-gods announced that the series of his descendants should never be cut off.

Purukutsa had a son by Narmadá named Trasadasyu, whose son was Sambhúta, whose son was Anarańya, who was slain, by Rávańa in his triumphant progress through the nations.

Now, unless these two people turn out to have same name counterparts in the Chandravansh, I believe this to be the only mention of Suryavanshis in the Vedic Samhitas.

Answer 2

Personalities that were later regarded as Aikṣvākas are mentioned in Rigveda. Purukutsa was known for smiting Dāsas (VI.20). His wife served Indra and Varuṇa with oblations and acts of homage, and so was blessed with a son, Trasadasyu, who was half a god (IV.42.9). Trasadasyu won conquests in the Suvāstu (Swat?) valley (VIII.19). From Trasadasyu descended Trivr̥ṣan, whose son was Tryaruṇa (V:27). In later Vedic (and Puranic) texts, this dynasty is called Ikṣvāku.

In the Rigveda, however, the word Ikṣvāku is found only once X.60.4. It is found in relation to a certain dynasty called Rathaproṣṭhas. Presumably, Asamāti and Bhajeratha are its prominent kings. Perhaps they correspond to Asamanjas and Bhagiratha of the Puranas.