21 Well. Shaken up by Sanjnyā’s words and trembling all over for fear of the curse, Yama put his palms together and reported the whole business to his father. He told his father:
This curse should be annulled. 22 A mother should surely treat all her children with love—but as for her, she neglects us and favours the younger one. 23 I raised my foot at her, but I didn’t kick her. And whether I did it out of immaturity or out of ignorance, you should forgive me. 24 Lord of the world, supreme shiner. Mother’s cursed me! By your grace, master of rays, may my foot not drop off.
25 Vivasvat said:
My son. You know what’s right and you tell the truth, so there’ll be a good reason why you got angry about this, no doubt about it. 26 But what your mother said can’t be made false. Worms will take flesh from your foot and burrow into the earth. 27 In this way, your mother’s words will come true. And once the curse has been used up, you’ll be safe and sound.
28 Then the son of Aditi said to Sanjnyā: Surely the children are all equal. So why do you keep showing special favouritism to one of them over and over again?
She ignored what Vivasvat said, and she didn’t confess. 29 But then Lord Vivasvat wanted to destroy her with a curse, joy of the Kurus, and so she told him everything, just as it had happened.
When he heard what she said, Vivasvat became angry, and he went to find Tvashtri. 30 But although in his fury the shining sun wanted to burn Tvashtri up, Tvashtri received him with the proper courtesies and calmed him down.
31 Tvashtri said:
This look of yours doesn’t suit you. It’s too full of fiery energy. Sanjnyā couldn’t bear it, so she’s in the woods, grazing on pastures new. 32 That wife of yours is virtuous and praiseworthy, but she possesses supernormal powers. Nonetheless, master of rays, if we employ a ruse, you’ll see her soon. 33 So this is my suggestion, celestial tamer of the foe. If you agree, I’ll immediately make you look lovely.
34 Then, with Mārtanda Vivasvat’s agreement, Tvashtri put him on his lathe and sheared off his fiery energy, Bhārata. 35 After that, his figure was illuminated by less fiery energy, and it looked really good. It was lovelier than lovely to behold.
36 So, after employing that ruse, he went to find his wife, the mare. And when he saw her, she had such power and such poise that no creature could violate her. 37 In the form of a stallion, his lordship approached her for sex. But suspecting him to be a stranger, she twisted herself around, and as she did so he came in her face. 38 She blew Vivasvat’s semen out of her nostril . . . and she gave birth to the two equine (ashvin) divinities, the supreme physicians. 39 They’re Nāsatya and Dasra, known as the two Ashvins, and they’re sons of Mārtanda, the eighth patriarch.*
40 The sun now showed himself to her in his lovely form, and as soon as she saw her husband she was overjoyed, Janamejaya.
41 As for Yama, deeply troubled by what he’d done, he endeared the people to him by means of his righteousness. He was the king of righteousness. 42 And because of his good behaviour, that supreme luminary attained sovereignty over the ancestors,† and also attained the rank of world-guardian.
43 Manu was a patriarch, but Sāvarna’s wealth was in austerities. He’ll be the Manu in the Sāvarnika era to come,‡44 but up to now he’s been practising constant austerities on the summit of Mount Meru. That brother of Manu’s is a slowcoach, but he’s attained the status of a planet.
45 As for Tvashtri, because he wanted the Dānavas to die, he made use of the fiery energy he’d removed from Vivasvat, and he created Vishnu’s discus, which is irresistible in battle.
46 As for the glorious girl Yamī, the younger sister of the two brothers, she became the supreme river Yamunā, the weal of the world.
47 The second of Vivasvat’s sons called Manu is also called Sāvarna in this world, and can be identified as Shanaishchara the Slowcoach.§
48 This chapter is called the Birth of the Gods. Whoever hears or thinks about it finds a way out when they’re in difficulties, and achieves great renown.
9. The Offspring of Vivasvat Āditya
1 Vaishampāyana said:
Manu Vaivasvata had sons, of course: nine of them, and they were just like him. Ikshvāku, Nābhāga, Dhrishnu, Sharyāti, 2 Narishyanta, and Prāmshu, and Nābhānedishtha the seventh, and Karūsha and Prishadhra. Those were the nine, bull among men.
3 Bhārata, your majesty. Earlier, before those nine sons were born, patriarch Manu, seeking children, performed a ritual dedicated to Mitra and Varuna, my boy. 4 While that ritual was in progress, supreme Bhārata, Manu made his offering as the share for Mitra and Varuna. 5 The story goes that Ilā was born there, with a divine body, dressed in divine clothes and decorated with divine jewels.
6 Then Manu, the wielder of the rod of punishment, addressed her as Ilā and said: Follow me, my dear.
Ilā replied to him: 7 Great orator, I was born as the share for Mitra and Varuna. I’m going where they are. It’s contrary to the established practice, but it hasn’t done me any harm.*
8 After saying that to god Manu, Ilā with the magnificent hips went up to Mitra and Varuna, put her palms together in respect, and said: I was born as your share. What shall I do for you, gods?
9 That’s what Ilā said. She was a good woman, dedicated to her duty.
Now listen to what Mitra and Varuna said to her in reply. They said: 10 Voluptuous beauty, we’re delighted by your rectitude, your humility, your self-control, and your truthfulness. 11 Momentous woman, you’ll be known as our daughter, and you’ll also become Manu’s son and help to build his lineage. 12 Famous across the three worlds as Sudyumna, beautiful lady, you’ll be popular, virtuous, and a pillar of Manu’s dynasty.
13 After hearing this, she turned around. But as she was heading back to where her father was, Budha saw his opportunity and propositioned her for sex. 14 She gave birth to Purūravas, your majesty, sired by Budha son of Soma. Then, after she’d given birth to him, Ilā became Sudyumna.
15 Sudyumna had three very dutiful sons, Bhārata: Utkala, Gaya, and Vinatāshva. 16 The northern region was Utkala’s, your majesty, the western region was Vinatāshva’s, and the eastern region was Gaya’s, supreme Bhārata, and was known as Gayā.
17 When Manu died and entered the sun, my boy, the kshatriya class that had come from him divided the earth into ten parts, tamer of the foe. 18 Ikshvāku was the eldest son, and he obtained the middle country. Sudyumna didn’t attain that status because he’d been a daughter, 19 but at Vasishtha’s suggestion the great Sudyumna, the king of righteousness, settled in Pratishthāna, scion of Kuru. 20 That famous descendant of Manu, who had the characteristics of both man and woman, obtained a kingdom, your majesty, and passed it on to Purūravas.
21 Narishyanta’s sons were the Shakas, Bhārata. Nābhāga’s son was Ambarīsha, best of bull-kings. 22 And Dhrishnu’s son was Dhārshnika, a warrior distinguished in battle.
Sharyāti had a couple of children: the son was famous by the name Ānarta, and the daughter was Sukanyā, who became Chyavana’s wife.*23 Ānarta had a brilliant son called Reva, whose realm was the Ānarta country, and whose town was Kushasthalī, the Kusha-Grass Place. 24 Reva’s son was called Kakudmin Raivata, and he was virtuous. The eldest of a hundred sons, he inherited the Kushasthalī kingdom. 25 In Brahmā’s presence, he and his daughter listened to the song of the light-elves for what was a short while for the god but was many ages for mortals, my lord. 26 Then, still a young man, he came back to his own town and it was full of Yādavas, and its name had changed to Dvāravatī, the City of the Gates, and it was delightful with so many gates, and it was being looked after by Bhojas, Vrishnis, and Andhakas, followers of Krishna Vāsudeva.
27 Then Raivata realised what had happened, tamer of the foe. He gave away his diligent daughter, whose name was Revatī, to Baladeva, 28 and he went off to a peak of Mount Meru, intent upon austerities. As for Rāma, he was duty personified, and he had a great time making love with Revatī.
29 Janamejaya said:
> Brahmin bull. If a period of many ages had elapsed, how was it that Revatī and Kakudmin Raivata hadn’t grown old? 30 And if Raivata went off to Mount Meru, how is it that Sharyāti’s dynasty is still here on earth today? I want to hear exactly what happened.
31 Vaishampāyana said:
Blameless bull of the Bhāratas. In Brahmā’s heaven there’s never old age, hunger, thirst, death, or passage of the seasons. 32 But while Kakudmin Raivata was away in that heaven, Kushasthalī was destroyed by ogres and monsters, my boy. 33 That noble and dutiful man had a hundred brothers, and when they found themselves overpowered by the monsters they fled in all directions, exalted king. 34 But their lineage flourishes in various places, your majesty. They’re the ones known as descendants of Sharyāti. Great king, 35 supreme Bhārata, joy of the Kurus. In every region, dutiful kshatriyas entered any hiding-place they could find anywhere.
36 As for Nābhāga, he had two sons, two vaishyas who attained the rank of brahmins. And Karūsha’s sons were the Kārūshas, kshatriyas crazy for battle. 37 And as for Prishadhra, Janamejaya, he harmed his guru’s cow, and was cursed, and fell to the rank of a shūdra. Those are the nine listed sons of Manu.*
38 Now then. It was as Manu was sneezing that his son Ikshvāku came into being, my boy. And Ikshvāku had a hundred sons who gave generously to the priests, 39 and the eldest of them was Vikukshi. He gave up fighting (ayodha) because his belly stuck out (vikukshi), but he knew his most important duty, and he was the lord and master of Ayodhyā. 40 He’s said to have had five hundred sons, beginning with Shakuni, who kept watch over the northern provinces, your majesty; 41 and then another forty-eight sons, beginning with Vasāti, who kept watch over the southern region, your majesty. 42 But once, when a feast for the ancestors had been announced, Vikukshi ate the hare before the offering to the ancestors had been made,† my boy, and then that hare-eater went off hunting. 43 At Vasishtha’s suggestion, Ikshvāku renounced the mighty hare-eater. But when Ikshvāku died, my boy, he returned to the town.
44 The non-combatant had a valiant son called Kakutstha, and Kakutstha’s son was Anenas, and Anenas’s son is said to have been Prithu. 45 Prithu’s son was Vishtarāshva, and he begat Ārdra, and Ārdra’s son was Yuvanāshva, and his son was Shrāvasta. 46 Shrāvasta was born, the king who built Shrāvastī. And Shrāvasta’s son was Brihadashva, who husbanded the realm, 47 and his son was the supremely virtuous King Kuvalāshva. He’s the king who, because he killed Dhundhu, came to be called Killer of Dhundhu.
48 Janamejaya said:
Brahmin, I’d like to hear the facts about the killing of Dhundhu, on account of which the good man Kuvalāshva came to be called Killer of Dhundhu.*
49 Vaishampāyana said:
Brihadashva had a hundred sons, and they were superb bowmen. Their father Brihadashva appointed Kuvalāshva to be the king, 50 and after he’d succeeded in handing over to his son, the old king decided to retire to the forest. But just as he was leaving, Uttanka, a brahmin seer, stopped him.
51 Uttanka said:
Your task is protecting, and you should do it as your priority. For I’m unable to pursue my austerities in peace, your majesty. 52 On the desert plains, right beside my ashram, there’s a sand-filled sea known as Ujjānaka. 53 An enormous giant—so powerful that the gods can’t kill him—has gone underground there, and is hidden under the sand. 54 His name’s Dhundhu, he’s the son of the monster Madhu, and he’s really terrifying. He’s lying there doing terrible austerities for the destruction of the world.
55 At the end of every year he lets out his breath, and when he does, the earth and all her forests really shake, my boy. 56 The wind from his breathing throws up masses of dust. The sun gets blotted out, and there’s a seven-day earthquake 57 accompanied by sparks, and hot coals, and smoke. It’s utterly terrifying, and it means I can’t stay in my own ashram, my boy.
58 If you desire the people’s welfare, then curb that giant. May the people be at their ease today, once you’ve killed him. 59 For you’re the only one capable of killing him, your majesty. Long ago Vishnu granted me a wish, impeccable king, whereby he’ll augment your fiery energy with his own. 60 For Dhundhu has masses of fiery energy, and he can’t be burned up by any small amount of fiery energy, your majesty—not even slowly, over a hundred ages. His power is immense, unparalleled even by the gods.
61 When the great man Uttanka had said this, the royal seer offered him his son Kuvalāshva, to destroy Dhundhu.
62 Brihadashva said:
I’ve put my weapons aside, my lord. But this son of mine will be the killer of Dhundhu, supreme brahmin, no doubt about it.
63 And after he’d ordered his son to punish Dhundhu, the royal seer set off for the hills, firmly resolved upon austerities.
64 So, accompanied by Uttanka, King Kuvalāshva and his one hundred sons went off to destroy Dhundhu. 65 And because the mighty Lord Vishnu desired the people’s welfare, when Uttanka told him to he did indeed transfer his fiery energy into Kuvalāshva. 66 As that unconquerable man set off there was a great voice in the sky, announcing that this glorious prince would be the killer of Dhundhu. 67 The gods festooned him all over with celestial garlands, bull of the Bhāratas, and celestial kettledrums boomed out.
68 That hero went off as the supreme conqueror, and along with his sons he dug up the solid ocean, the sea of sand. 69 When he was augmented by Nārāyana’s fiery energy masses more power had flooded into him, descendant of Kuru, and he’d become immensely potent. 70 And although Dhundhu was hidden beneath the sand, your majesty, Kuvalāshva’s sons, digging away, discovered him turned around towards the west.*
71 In his fury he spewed fire from his mouth, almost making the worlds explode, and he poured out a flood of water as if he were the great ocean when the moon is full, supreme Bhārata—a huge mass of heaving waves. 72 The monster burned up all but three of Kuvalāshva’s one hundred sons. 73 Then, descendant of Kuru, Dhundhu’s destroyer, the king with all the fiery energy, confronted the powerful monster Dhundhu.
74 The king was strategic. His strategy was to suck up the monster’s flood of water, and then use the water to put out the fire. 75 Then the king used his strength to kill the huge water-monster, and his task was done, and he showed Uttanka. 76 And as a reward, Uttanka gave the great king wealth that wouldn’t diminish as he gave it away, inviolability from his enemies, 77 an enduring fondness for his duty, a permanent place in heaven, and permanent places in heaven for the sons that the monster had killed.
78 Three of his sons remained. Dridhāshva is said to have been the eldest, and the younger sons were Dandāshva and Kapilāshva. 79 The heir of the Killer of Dhundhu was Dridhāshva, and his son was Haryashva, and Haryashva’s son was Nikumbha, who always concentrated on his kshatriya duty. 80 Nikumbha’s son was Samhatāshva, an expert in war. Samhatāshva’s two sons were Krishāshva and Akrishāshva, your majesty, 81 and his daughter was Haimavatī, who’s known across the three worlds as Drishadvatī, the mother of the honest. And her son was Prasenajit.
82 Prasenajit had a wife called Gaurī. She was devoted to her husband, but he cursed her and turned her into the River Bāhudā. 83 Her son was the great King Yuvanāshva, and Yuvanāshva’s son was Māndhātri, a king who conquered the three worlds. 84 His wife was a descendant of Chitraratha. She was Shashabindu’s virtuous daughter, the elder sister of ten thousand brothers. Named Bindumatī, she was the most beautiful woman on earth, and she was devoted to her husband. 85 Māndhātri had two sons by her, your majesty: Purukutsa, who knew his duty, and Prince Muchukunda. 86 Purukutsa’s son was King Trasaddasyu, who was born from the River Narmadā, and his son was Sambhūta. 87 Sambhūta’s heir was Sudhanvan Fine-Bows the ruin of his foes, Sudhanvan’s son was a ruler named Tridhanvan Three-Bows, 88 King Tridhanvan’s son was the learned and powerful Trayyāruna, and Trayyāruna had a very forthright son called Satyavrata.
89 Consumed by envy, Satyavrata interrupted a marriage ceremony. He abducted a woman who’d already been contracted to marry
someone else. 90 Out of immaturity, desire, delusion, and jealousy, he insolently abducted the girl of a certain citizen, because he wanted her.
91 Because of the sting of his misbehaviour, King Trayyāruna was filled with anger and disowned him, repeatedly calling him a disgrace. 92 When he’d been disowned he kept on asking his father where he should go, and his father told him: Live with the people who cook dog. If you’re my son I don’t want a son any more, you defiler of the family!
93 When he heard this, he obeyed his father’s command and left the capital, and Lord Vasishtha the seer didn’t stop him. 94 Disowned by his father, brave Satyavrata settled near a village of dog-cookers, my boy. And his father retired to the forest too. 95 But then the Punisher of Pāka failed to rain in the realm for twelve years, supreme king, no doubt as a result of that misbehaviour.*
96 The great ascetic Vishvāmitra† left his wife in that region and went off to pursue protracted austerities on the seashore. 97 In order to support the rest of the family, his wife tied a rope around her own middle son’s neck and put him up for sale, for a hundred cows. 98–99 But when Satyavrata saw that the son of the great seer had been tied by the neck and put up for sale, that strong-armed prince, being a virtuous soul, set him free, Bhārata, and undertook to support him, because it would please Vishvāmitra, and also because he felt sorry for the boy.
100 Because he’d been bound by the neck (gala), the descendant of Kushika that our hero had set free was called Gālava. He became a great seer and a great ascetic, my boy.
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