thumb|right|Beas river is tributary to Indus River
The Beas River (, , ) is the second easternmost of the rivers of the Punjab, a tributary of Indus River. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km (290 miles) to the Sutlej River in western Punjab state.

Etymology

The river was also known as Arjikuja of the Vedas or Vipasa to the ancient Indians and the Hyphasis to the Ancient Greeks
The present name Beas is thought to be a corruption of the older name Vipasa in Sanskrit. The river got this name, Vi-pasa, the one who removed the bondage or pasa in Sanskrit), according to a myth related to sage Vasistha. Vasistha, tried to commit suicide due to the death of his son, Sakthi, by jumping into this river after tying himself with knots. But as soon as the sage fell into the river, all the knots got untied and he could not die. The river is also referred to as Vipasha in Himachal, especially by the scholars.

It is also believed that Beas is named after Vyasa, the presiding patron of the river, he is said to have created it from its source lake, the Vyas Kund.

Geography

The Beas River marks the eastern-most border of Alexander the Great's conquests in 326 BC.

The river begins at the Rohtang Pass in the state of Himachal Pradesh, merges with the Sutlej at Harike Pattan south of Amritsar in Punjab, India VIA Mandi. The Sutlej continues into Pakistani Punjab and joins the Chenab River at Uch to form the Panjnad River; the latter joins the Indus River at Mithankot. The waters of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers are allocated to India under the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan.