The Vishnu Purana: Book IV: Chapter XIX

The Vishnu Purana, translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, [1840], at sacred-texts.com

CHAP. XIX.

Descendants of Puru. Birth of Bharata, the son of Dushyanta: his sons killed: adopts Bharadwája or Vitatha. Hastin, founder of Hastinapur. Sons of Ajámíd́ha, and the races derived from them, as Pánchálas, &c. Kripa and Kripí found by Śántanu. Descendants of Riksha, the son of Ajámíd́ha. Kurukshetra named from Kuru. Jarásandha and others, kings of Magadhá.

THE son of Puru was Janamejaya; his son was Práchinvat; his son was Pravíra; his son was Manasyu; his son was Bhayada 1; his son was Sudyumna 2; his son was Bahugava 3; his son was Samyáti 4; his son was Ahamyáti 5; his son was Raudráśwa 6, who had ten sons, Riteyu 7, Kaksheyu, Sthańd́ileyu, Ghriteyu, Jaleyu, Sthaleyu, Santateyu, Dhaneyu, Vaneyu, and Vrateyu 8. The son of Riteyu was Rantinára 9,

whose sons were Tansu, Apratiratha, and Dhruva 10. The son of the second of these was Kańwa, and his son was Medhátithi, from whom the Káńwáyána Brahmanas 11 descended. Anila 12 was the son of Tansu, and he had four sons, of whom Dushyanta was the elder 13. The son of

[paragraph continues] Dushyanta was the emperor Bharata; a verse explanatory of his name is chaunted by the gods; "The mother is only the receptacle; it is the father by whom a son is begotten. Cherish thy son, Dushyanta; treat not Śakuntalá with disrespect. Sons, who are born from the paternal loins, rescue their progenitors from the infernal regions. Thou art the parent of this boy; Śakuntalá has spoken truth." From the expression 'cherish,' Bharaswa, the prince was called Bharata 14.

Bharata had by different wives nine sons, but they were put to death by their own mothers, because Bharata remarked that they bore no resemblance to him, and the women were afraid that he would therefore desert them. The birth of his sons being thus unavailing, Bharata sacrificed to the Maruts, and they gave him Bharadwája, the son of Vrihaspati by Mamata the wife of Utathya, expelled by the kick of Dirghatamas, his half brother, before his time. This verse explains the purport of his appellation; "'Silly woman,' said Vrihaspati, 'cherish this child of two fathers' (bhara dwá-jam). 'No, Vrihaspati,' replied Mamatá, 'do you take care of him.' So saying, they both abandoned him; but from their expressions the boy was called Bharadwája." He was also termed Vitatha, in allusion to the unprofitable (vitatha) birth of the sons of Bharata 15. The son of Vitatha was

[paragraph continues] Bhavanmanyu 16; his sons were many, and amongst them the chief were Vrihatkshatra, Mahávíryya, Nara, and Garga 17. The son of Nara was Sankriti; his sons were Ruchiradhí and Rantideva 18. The son of Garga

was Sini 19, and their descendants called Gárgyas and Śainyas, although Kshatriyas by birth, became Brahmans 20. The son of Mahávíryya was Urukshaya 21, who had three sons, Trayyáruńa, Pushkarin, and Kapi 22; the last of whom became a Brahman. The son of Vrihatkshatra was Suhotra 23, whose son was Hastin, who founded the city of

[paragraph continues] Hastinápur 24. The sons of Hastin were Ajamíd́ha 25, Dwimíd́ha, and Purumíd́ha. One son of Ajamíd́ha was Kańwa, whose son was Medhátithi 26; his other son was Vrihadishu, whose son was Vrihadvasu 27; his son was Vrihatkarman 28; his son was Jayadratha 29; his son was Viśwajit 30; his son was Senajit, whose sons were Ruchiráśwa, Káśya, Drid́hadhanush, and Vasahanu 31. The son of Ruchiráśwa was Prithusena; his son was Pára; his son was Nípa; he had a hundred sons, of whom Samara, the principal, was the ruler of Kámpilya 32. Samara had three sons, Pára, Sampára, Sadaśwa. The son of Pára was Prithu; his son was Sukriti; his son was Vibhrátra 33; his son was Anuha, who married Kritwí, the daughter of Śuka (the son of Vyása), and had by her Brahmadatta 34;

his son was Viśwaksena; his son was Udaksena 35; and his son was Bhallát́a 36.

The son of Dwimíd́ha 37 was Yavínara; his son was Dhritimat 38; his son was Satyadhriti; his son was Drid́hanemi; his son was Supárśwa 39; his son was Sumati; his son was Sannatimat; his son was Krita, to whom Hirańyanábha taught the philosophy of the Yoga, and he compiled twenty-four Sanhitás (or compendia) for the use of the eastern Brahmans, who study the Sáma-veda 40. The son of Krita was Ugráyudha, by whose prowess the Nípa race of Kshatriyas was destroyed 41; his son was Kshemya; his son was Suvíra; his son was Nripanjaya 42; his son was Bahuratha. These were all called Pauravas.

Ajamíd́ha had a wife called Níliní, and by her he had a son named Níla; his son was Śánti; his son was Śuśánti; his son was Purujánu 43; his son was Chakshu 44; his son was Haryyaśwa 45, who had five sons,

[paragraph continues] Mudgala, Śrinjaya 46, Vrihadishu, Pravíra 47, and Kámpilya 48. Their father said, "These my five (pancha) sons are able (alam) to protect the countries;" and hence they were termed the Pánchálas 49. From Mudgala descended the Maudgalya Brahmans 50: he had also a son named Bahwaśwa 51, who had two children, twins, a son and daughter, Divodása and Ahalyá. The son of Śaradwat or Gautama by Ahalyá was Śatánanda 52; his son was Satyadhriti, who was a proficient in military science. Being enamoured of the nymph Urvaśí, Satyadhriti was the parent of two children, a boy and a girl. Śántanu, a Raja, whilst hunting, found these children exposed in a clump of long Śara grass; and, compassionating their condition, took them, and brought them up. As they were nurtured through pity (kripá), they were called Kripa and Kripí. The latter became the wife of Drońa, and the mother of Aswattháman.

was Sudása; his son was Saudása, also called Sahadeva; his son was Somaka; he had a hundred sons, of whom Jantu was the eldest, and Prishata the youngest. The son of Prishata was Drupada; his son was Dhrisht́adyumna; his son was Drisht́aketu.

Another son of Ajamíd́ha was named Riksha 54; his son was Samvarańa; his son was Kuru, who gave his name to the holy district Kurukshetra; his sons were Sudhanush, Jahnu, Paríkshit, and many others 55. The son of Sudhanush was Suhotra; his son was Chyavana; his son was Krítaka 56; his son was Uparichara the Vasu 57, who had seven children, Vrihadratha, Pratyagra, Kuśámba, Mávella, Matsya, and others. The son of Vrihadratha was Kuśágra; his son was Rishabha 58; his son was Pushpavat; his son was Satyadhrita 59; his son was Sudhanwan; and his son was Jantu. Vrihadratha had another son, who being born in two

parts, which were put together (sandhita) by a female fiend named Jará, he was denominated Jarásandha 60; his son was Sahadeva; his son was Somápi 61; his son was Srutaśravas 62. These were kings of Magadhá.

Footnotes

447:1 Abhayada: Váyu. Vítamaya: Agni. Vátáyudha: Matsya. Chárupáda: Bhágavata. The Mahábhárata, Ádi P., p. 136, 138, has two accounts of the descendants of Puru, differing materially in the beginning from each other, and from the lists of the Puráńas. In the first, Pravíra is made the son of Puru; his son is Manasyu, who has three sons, Śakta, Sanhanana, and Vágmin; and there the line stops. Another son of Puru is Raudráśwa, whose sons are Richeyu and the rest, as in our text; making them the second in descent, instead of the eleventh. In the second list, the son of Puru is Janamejaya, whose successors are Práchinvat, Samyáti, Ahamyáti, Śarvabhauma, Jayatsena, Aváchína, Ariha, Mahábhauma, Ayutanáyin, Akrodhana, Devátithi, Ariha, Riksha, Matinára, who is therefore the fifteenth from Puru, instead of the fourth as in the first account, or the twelfth as in the text.

447:7 Rájeyu: Váyu. Richeyu: Agni. They were the sons of the Apsaras Ghritáchí: or of Misrakeśí: Mahábhárata. The Bráhma P. and Hari V. have very unaccountably, and in opposition to all other authorities, transferred the whole of the descendants of Anu to this family; substituting for Anu the second name in our text, Kaksheyu. (p. 444.)

447:8 The Váyu names also ten daughters, Rudrá, Śúdrá, Madrá, Subhágá, Amalajá, Talá, Khalá, Gopajálá, Támrarasá, and Ratnakútí; and adds that they were married to Prabhákara, a Rishi of the race of Atri. The Bráhma P. and Hari V. have a legend of the birth of Soma, the moon, from him and one of these ten; who succeeded to the power and prerogatives of Atri. The sons of the other wives were less distinguished, but they formed families eminent amongst holy Brahmans, called Swastyátreyas.

447:9 Atimára or Atibhára: Bhágavata. p. 448 Antinára: Matsya. Matinára: Mahábhárata, Agni and Bráhma. According to the Matsya and Hari V. (not in the Bráhma P.), Gaurí, the daughter of this prince, was the mother of Mándhátri, of the family of Ikshwáku.

448:10 In place of these the Matsya has Amúrttirayas and Nrichandra, and there are several varieties in the nomenclature. In place of the first we have Vasu or Trasu, Váyu; Tansurogha, Agni; Tansurodha, Bráhma; and Sumati, Bhágavata. Pratiratha is read for the second in the Agni and Brahmá; and for the third, Suratha, Agni; Subáhu, Hari V.

448:11 Medhátithi is the author of many hymns in the Rig-veda, and we have therefore Brahmans and religious teachers descended from Kshatriyas.

448:12 Malina: Váyu. Raibhya: Bhágavata. Dharmanetra: Bráhma P. The Hari V. omits him, making sad blundering work of the whole passage. Thus the construction is such as to intimate that Tansu or Tansurodha had a wife named Ilá, the daughter of Medhátithi; that is, his brother's great-granddaughter: but this, as the commentator observes, is contrary to common sense, and he would read it therefore, 'The daughter of him who was named Ilin;' a Raja so called: but in the Váyu and Matsya we have Iliná, the daughter of Yama, married to Tansu, and mother of Malina or Anila; more correctly perhaps Ailina. The blunder of the Hari V. therefore arises from the compiler's reading Yasya, 'of whom,' instead of Yamasya, 'Yama.' It is not an error of transcription, for the metre requires Yasya, and the remark of the commentator proves the correctness of the reading. The name occurs Ílina, the son of Tansu, in the Mahábhárata, agreeably to the Anuvanśa śloka, which is there quoted. 'Saraswatí bore Tansu to Matinára, and Tansu begot a son, Ílina, by Kálingí.'

448:13 The Váyu, Matsya, and Bhágavata agree with our text in making these the grandsons of Tansu: even the Bráhma P. concurs, but the Hari V. makes them his sons, having apparently transformed Tansosuta, the son of Tansu, into a synonyme of Tansu, or Tansurodha; as in these parallel passages: 'The son of Tansu was the illustrious sage Dharmanetra: Upadánaví had from him four excellent sons.' Bráhma P. 'Tansurodha was a royal sage, the illustrious institutor of laws. Upadánaví had four sons from Tansurodha.' Hari V. The commentator explains Dharmanetra to be 'institutor p. 449 of laws.' We have Upadánaví before, as the daughter of Vrishaparvan the Daitya, married to Hirańyáksha. Hamilton (Buchanan) calls her the wife of Sughora. The four sons are named in other authorities, with some variations: Dushyanta, Sushyanta or Rishyanta or Sumanta, Pravíra and Anagha or Naya. The Mahábhárata enumerates five, Dushyanta, Śúra, Bhíma, Vasu, and Pravasu, but makes them the sons of Ílina and grandsons of Tansu.

449:14 These two Ślokas are taken from the Mahábhárata, Ádi Parvan, p. 112, and are part of the testimony borne by a heavenly messenger to the birth of Bharata. They are repeated in the same book, in the account of the family of Puru, p. 139. They occur, with a slight variation of the order, in other Puráńas, as the Váyu, &c., and shew the greater antiquity of the story of Śakuntalá, although they do not narrate it. The meaning of the name Bharata is differently explained in Śakuntalá; he is said to be so called from supporting' the world: he is also there named Śarvadamana, 'the conqueror of all.'

449:15 The Bráhma P. and Hari V., the latter especially, appear to have modified this legend, with the view perhaps of reconciling those circumstances which are related of Bharadwája as a sage with his p. 450 history as a king. Whilst therefore they state that Bharadwája was brought by the winds to Bharata, they state that he was so brought to perform a sacrifice, by which a son was born, whom Bharadwája also inaugurated. In the Váyu, Matsya, and Agni, however, the story is much more consistently narrated; and Bharadwája, being abandoned by his natural parent, is brought by the winds, as a child, not as a sage; and being adopted by Bharata, is one and the same with Vitatha, as our text relates. Thus in the Váyu, the Maruts bring to Bharata, already sacrificing for progeny, Bharadwája, the son of Vrihaspati; and Bharata receiving him, says, "This Bharadwája shall be Vitatha." The Matsya also says, the Maruts in compassion took the child, and being pleased with Bharata's worship, gave it to him, and he was named Vitatha. And the Agni tells the whole story in one verse: 'Then the son of Vrihaspati, being taken by the winds; Bharadwája was transferred with sacrifice, and was Vitatha.' The account given in the Bhágavata is to the same purpose. The commentator on the text also makes the matter clear enough: 'The name of Bharadwája in the condition of son of Bharata was Vitatha.' It is clear that a new-born infant could not be the officiating priest at a sacrifice for his own adoption, whatever the compiler of the Hari Vanśa may please to assert. From Bharadwája, a Brahman by birth, and king by adoption, descended Brahmans and Kshatriyas, the children of two fathers: The Mahábhárata, in the Ádi Parvan, tells the story very simply. In one place, p. 136. v. 3710, it says that Bharata, on the birth of his children proving vain, obtained from Bharadwája, by great sacrifices, a son, Bhúmanyu; and in another passage it makes Bhúmanyu the son of Bharata by Sunandá, daughter of Śarvasena, king of Káśí; p. 139. v. 3785. The two are not incompatible.

450:16 Manyu: Bhágavata. Suketu: Agni. But the Bráhma and Hari V. omit this and the next generation, and make Suhotra, Anuhotra, Gaya, Garga, and Kapila the sons of Vitatha: they then assign to Suhotra two sons, Káśíka and Ghritsamati, and identify them and their descendants with the progeny of Áyu, who were kings of Káśí (see p. 409. n. 15); a piece of confusion unwarranted by any other authority except the Agni.

450:18 Guruvírya and Trideva: Váyu. The first is called Gurudhí, Matsya; and Guru, p. 451 Bhágavata: they agree in Rantideva. The Bhágavata describes the great liberality of this prince, and his practice of Yoga. According to a legend preserved in the Megha Duta, his sacrifices of kine were so numerous, that their blood formed the river Charmanvatí, the modern Chambal.

451:20 The other authorities concur in this statement; thus furnishing an additional instance of one caste proceeding from another. No reason is assigned: the commentator says it was from some cause.

451:22 Trayyáruńi, Pushkaráruńi, Kavi; all became Brahmans: ### Matsya: and there were three chief branches of the Kávyas, or descendants of Kavi; ### Gargas, Sankritis, and Kávyas. Ibid.

451:23 In the Mahábhárata, Suhotra is the son of Bhúmanyu; and in one place the father of Ajamíd́ha, &c., and in another of Hastin. The Bráhma P. in some degree, and the Hari Vanśa in a still greater, have made most extraordinary confusion in the instance of this name. In our text and in all the best authorities we have three Suhotras, perfectly distinct: 1. Suhotra great-grandson of Amávasu, father of Jahnu, and ancestor of Viswámitra and the Kauśikas (see p. 308); 2. Suhotra son of Kshatravriddha, and grandson of Ayus, and progenitor of the race of Káśí kings (p. 406); and 3. Suhotra the son of Vrihatkshatra, grandson of Vitatha, and parent of Hastin. In the two blundering compilations mentioned, we have, first (Hari V. c. 20), a Suhotra son of Vrihatkshatra, of the race of Puru; his descent is not given, but, from the names which follow Suhotra, the dynasty is that of our present text: secondly (Hari V. c. 27), Suhotra son of Kánchana, of the line of Amávasu, and father of Jahnu, &c.: thirdly (Hari V. c. 29), Suhotra the son of Kshatravriddha, and progenitor of the Káśí kings: fourthly (Hari V. 32), we have the first and third of these personages confounded; Suhotra is made the son of Vitatha, and progenitor of the Káśí kings, the dynasty of whom is repeated; thus connecting them with the line of Puru instead of Áyus, in opposition to all authority. Again, we have a notable piece of confusion, and Suhotra the son of Vitatha is made the father of Vrihat, the father of the three princes who in our text and in the Hari V. (c. 20) are the sons of Hastin; and amongst whom Ajamíd́ha is made the father of Jahnu, and ancestor of the Kauśikas, instead of being, as in c. 27, and as every where else, of the family of Amávasu. The source of all this confusion is obvious. The compilers extracted all the authentic traditions accurately enough, but, puzzled by the identity of name, they have also p. 452 mixed the different accounts together, and caused very absurd and needless perplexity. It is quite clear also that the Hari Vanua does not deserve the pains taken, and taken fruitlessly, by Mr. Hamilton and M. Langlois to reduce it to consistency. It is of no weight whatever as an authority for the dynasties of kings, although it furnishes some particular details, which it has picked up possibly from authentic sources not now available.

452:24 It was finally ruined by the encroachments of the Ganges, but vestiges of it were, at least until lately, to be traced along the river, nearly in a line with Delhi, about sixty miles to the east.

452:25 In one place, son of Suhotra; in another, grandson of Hastin: Mahábhárata.

452:26 The copies agree in this reading, yet it can scarcely be correct. Kańwa has already been noticed as the son of Apratiratha. According to the Bhágavata, the elder son of Ajamíd́ha was Priyamedhas, from whom a tribe of Brahmans descended. The Matsya has Vrihaddhanush, and names the wife of Ajamíd́ha, Dhúminí. It also however, along with the Váyu, makes Kańwa the son of Ajamíd́ha by his wife Kesiní.

Bhágavata.	Matsya.	Hari V.
Ruchiráśwa	Ruchiráśwa	Ruchira
Káśya	Káśya	Śwetaketu
Drid́hahanu	Drid́háśwa	Mahimnára
Vatsa	Vatsa k. of Avanti.	Vatsa k. of Avanti.

452:32 Kámpilya appears to be the Kampil of the Mohammedans, situated in the Doab. It was included in southern Pánchála. The Matsya makes Samara the son of Káśya.

452:34 The Bhágavata omits the descents subsequent to Nípa, and makes Brahmadatta the son of Nípa by Sukriti. In the Hari V. is a curious legend of the different transmigrations of Brahmadatta and his six companions, who were successively as many Brahmans, then foresters, then p. 453 deer, then water-fowl, then swans, and finally Brahmans again, when with the king they obtained liberation. According to the Bhágavata, Brahmadatta composed a treatise on the Yoga, a Yoga tantra.

453:36 Bhalláka: Váyu. Bhalláda: Bhágavata. The Váyu makes him the last of the race. The Hari V. adds that he was killed by Karńa. The Matsya names his successor Janamejaya, when the race of the Nípas was exterminated by Ugráyudha; as noticed below.

453:37 So the Váyu and Bhágavata. The Matsya and Hari V., with less consistency, derive this family also from Ajamíd́ha.

453:39 Between these two the Váyu inserts Mahat and Rukmaratha. The Matsya, Sudhanwan, Śarvabhauma, Mahápaurava, and Rukmadhara. The Bráhma P., Sudharman, Śarvabhauma, Mahat, and Rukmaratha.

453:40 The Bhágavata says he was the author of six Sanhitás of the Sáma-veda. (See p. 282.)

453:41 The Hari V. says he killed Nípa, the grandfather of Prishata, but it had previously stated that it was the son of Bhallát́a, several descents after Nípa, who was killed by Ugráyudha: and again (c. 32), Prishata, conformably to other authorities, appears as the father of Drupada, in the family of Śrinjaya. The Hari V. relates the destruction of Ugráyudha by Bhíshma, in consequence of his demanding in marriage the widow of Śántanu: after which, Prishata, it is said, recovered possession of Kámpilya.

453:43 Purujáti: Váyu. Puruja: Bhágavata. The Bráhma P. and Hari V. omit Níla and Śánti.

454:49 Pánchála was at first the country north and west of Delhi, between the foot of the Himálaya and the Chambal. It was afterwards divided into northern and southern Pánchála, separated by the Ganges. Mákandi on the Ganges and Kámpilya were the chief cities of the latter; Ahikshetra in the former. The Pánchálas, according to the Mahábhárata, expelled Samvarańa from Hastinápur, but it was recovered by Kuru. The purport of the term Pánchála is similarly explained in other Puráńas. In the Mahábhárata they are the grandsons of Ajamíd́ha.

454:50 The Matsya says that they, as well as the Káńwas, were all followers or partisans of Angiras: ###. The Hari V. has nearly the same words.

454:51 Badhryáśwa: Váyu. Pancháśwa: Agni. Bandhyáśwa: Matsya. Bhármya: Bhágavata. But there is some indistinctness as to his descent. The Matsya and Hari V. give the son of Mudgala only his patronymic Maudgalya. According to the first, his son was Indrasena; and his son, Bandhyáśwa. The second makes Badhryáśwa the son of Maudgalya by Indrasena. The Bhágavata makes Bhármya, the patronymic of Mudgala, the son of Bharmyáśwa, and who is the father of Divodása and Ahalyá: ###. The commentator has, ###.

454:52 In the Rámayańa, Śatánanda appears as the family priest of Janaka, the father of Śítá.

454:53 From whom the Maitreya Brahmans were descended: Hari V. In the Matsya and Agni the son of Mitráyu is called Maitreya (see p. 3). The Bráhma P. and Hari V. here close the lineage of p. 455 Divodása: the Agni adds but one name, Somápi. They then proceed with the descendants of Śrinjaya, one of the Pánchálas, or Panchadhanush, Somadatta, Sahadeva, and then as in our text. The Váyu and Bhágavata agree with the latter in making the line continuous from Divodása. According to the Matsya and Bráhma P. the race of Ajamíd́ha became extinct in the person of Sahadeva, but Ajamíd́ha himself was reborn as Somaka, in order to continue his lineage, which was thence called the Somaka family. It was in the reign of Drupada that the possessions of the Pánchálas were divided; Drońa, assisted by the Páńd́avas, conquering the country, and ceding the southern portion again to Drupada, as related in the Mahábhárata. The two princes last named in the list figure in the great war.

455:54 The Hari V. gives him two brothers, Dhúmravarńa and Sudarśana. In the Mahábhárata one list agrees with the text; the other calls Samvarańa the son of Ajamíd́ha by his wife Rikshá.

455:55 One other is named in the Bhágavata, Matsya, Bráhma, and Agni; Animejaya, Arimarddana, and Nishadháśwa. The Hari V. has Sudhanwat in place of Jahnu; having also Sudhanush.

455:57 The story of Uparichara, or a Vasu who by command of Indra became king of Chedi, is told in the Mahábhárata, Ádi Parvan (vol. I. p. 85). He is there said to have at first five sons, Vrihadratha, king of Magadhá, Pratyagra, Kuśámba, also called Maniváhana, Mávella, and Yadu, by his wife Giriká; afterwards he has, by Adriká, an Apsaras condemned to the form of a fish, Matsya a son, and Satyavatí or Kálí a daughter: the latter was the mother of Vyása. The same legend is referred to in the accounts of Uparichara and his family in the Bhágavata, Matsya, Hari V., &c.

456:60 This story is told in the 16th section of the Sabhá Parvan of the Mahábhárata, where also he is called the son of Vrihadratha. In the Váyu he is the son of Satyahita. The Agni has Satyahita, Urjja, Sambhava, Jarásandha; and the Matsya, Satyadhrita, Dhanusha, Śarva, Sambhava, Jarásandha.