Harivamsha

by Bibek Debroy

  Chapter 23

  Janamejaya said, ‘O brahmana! I wish to hear the truth about Puru’s lineage and also about Druhyu, Anu, Yadu and Turvasu. O supreme among brahmanas! You should progressively tell me everything.’

  Vaishampayana replied, ‘In connection with the lineage of the Vrishnis, first listen to your own lineage. O great king! First hear about the great-souled Puru’s lineage, where you have been born. O king! I will first tell you about that in detail. O scorcher of enemies! I will certainly tell you about Puru’s supreme lineage and about Druhyu, Anu, Yadu and Turvasu. Puru’s son was Pravira and his son was Manasyu. Manasyu’s son was the king named Abhayada. Abhayada’s son was the king named Sudhanva. Sudhanva’s son was Subahu and his son was Roudra. Roudra had sons named Dasharneyu, Krikaneyu, Kaksheyu, Sthandileyu, Sannateyu, Richeyu, Jaleyu, the immensely strong Sthaleyu, Vananitya and Vaneyu. O Indra among kings! He also had ten daughters, who were putrikas324—Rudra, Shudra, Bhadra, Malada, Malaha, Khala, Bala, Talada, Suratha and Gopabala. These ten were gems among women. A rishi named Prabhakara was born in Atri’s lineage and became their husband. Through Rudra, he had a son named Soma. Svarbhanu struck Surya and made him fall down from the firmament to earth. When the world was enveloped in darkness, he325 displayed his powers. As the sun was falling down, the brahmana rishi spoke words of assurance and Surya did not fall down from the firmament to earth. The famous and great ascetic thus established the superiority of Atri’s gotra. In sacrifices, the gods accordingly decreed that riches should be earmarked for Atri’s lineage. The great-souled one was always addicted to fierce austerities. Through the putrikas, he had ten sons whose names were based on those of their mothers. O king! Those rishis were accomplished in the Vedas and established their own gotras. Though they were deprived of Atri’s riches,326 they came to be known as Svastyatreyas.

  ‘Kaksheyu had three sons who were maharathas—Sabhanara, Chakshusha and Paramekshu. Sabhanara’s son was the learned King Kalanala. Kalanala had a son named Srinjaya who was learned about dharma. Srinjaya’s son was the brave King Puranjaya. O great king! Puranjaya’s son was Janamejaya.327 The royal sage, Janamejaya, had a son named Mahasala. His fame was so well established that even the gods knew about him. Mahasala had a son named Mahamana who was devoted to dharma. When the brave Mahamana was born, large numbers of gods worshipped him. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Mahamana had two sons, Ushinara, who was knowledgable about dharma, and the immensely strong Titikshu. Ushinara had five wives who were born in the families of royal sages—Nriga, Krimi, Nava, Darva and Dhrishadvati as the fifth. Ushinara had five sons who were the extenders of the lineage. He obtained these sons when he was old, after he had performed great austerities. Nriga had a son named Nriga.328 Krimi had one named Krimi. Nava had a son named Nava.329 Darva had one named Suvrata. O king! Through Dhrishadvati, Ushinara had a son named Shibi. O son! Shibi’s descendants are known as Shivayas and Nriga’s as Youdheyas. Nava’s city is Navarashtra and Krimi’s is Krimila. Suvrata’s is known as Ambashtha. Hear about Titikshu’s offspring. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Titikshu became the king in the eastern direction. His son was the mighty-armed Ushadratha, whose son was Phena. Phena’s son was Sutapa and Sutapa’s son was Bali. Though this king was born in a human womb, he used golden arrows. In ancient times, this king used to be the great yogi, Bali.330 He had five sons who extended the lineage on earth. Anga was born first and Vanga and Suhma came after that. Next there were Pundra and Kalinga. These are said to be the Baleya331 kshatriyas. Baleya brahmanas also extended their lineages on earth. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Delighted, Brahma granted boons to Bali. These ensured that he would be a great yogi and would have a lifespan that would endure for one kalpa. He would also control and establish four varnas on earth. Having been thus addressed by the lord, Bali obtained supreme peace. O king! After a long period of time, he obtained that state. Hear about the five regions of Vanga, Anga, Suhma, Kalinga and Pundra and the offspring of Anga. Anga’s son was the great Dadhivahana, Indra among kings. Dadhivahana’s son was King Diviratha. Diviratha’s son was like Shakra in his valour. He was learned and his name was Dharmaratha. His son was Chitraratha. The great-souled Dharmaratha performed a sacrifice on Mount Vishnupada and drank soma with Shakra there. Chitraratha’s son was Dasharatha. He was famous as Lomapada and his daughter was Shanta. Dasharatha’s son was the brave and immensely famous Chaturanga. This extender of the lineage was born through Rishyashringa’s powers.332 Chaturanga’s son is famous as Prithulaksha. Prithulaksha’s son was the immensely famous king, Champa. Champa’s city was Champa,333 which was earlier known as Malini. Through the favours of Purnabhadra,334 Champa had a son named Haryanga. For him, Vibhandaka used mantras and brought down the supreme mount, the elephant that could repulse enemies, down to earth.335 Haryanga’s son was Karna and his son was Vikarna. Vikarna had one hundred sons who extended Anga’s lineage. All the kings in Anga’s lineage have thus been recounted by me. They were great-souled and devoted to the truth. They were maharathas who had offspring.

  ‘O great king! Now hear about the lineage of Richeyu, Roudrashva’s son. O king! This is the lineage in which you have been born. O king! Richeyu’s son was King Matinara. Matinara had three sons who were extremely devoted to dharma. They were Tamsurodha, Pratiratha and Subahu. All of them were devoted to dharma. They bathed themselves in the vows of the Vedas, were truthful in speech and were devoted to the brahman. O Janamejaya! There was a maiden named Ila who studied and knew about the brahman. She was bestowed on Tamsu. The royal sage Tamsu Surodha had an immensely illustrious son named Dharmanetra.336 He was brave and devoted to the brahman. His wife was Upadanavi. Upadanavi had four sons who extended Surodha’s lineage—Duhshanta, Suhshanta, Pravira and Anagha. Duhshanta’s heir was the valiant Bharata. He was also known as the great Sarvadamana and he possessed the strength of one thousand elephants. Through Shakuntala, the immensely famous Duhshanta had this son, who would become an emperor. It is after Bharata that all the Bharatas have been named. O lord of the earth! O son! Bharata’s sons were destroyed because of their mothers’ rage. I have told you about it then.337 O king! The great sage Brihaspati was the son of Angiras. This lord338 had a son named Bharadvaja, who performed a great sacrifice. Earlier, all the sacrifices339 performed for the sake of a son had been unsuccessful. Therefore, when a son was born through the sacrifice performed by Bharadvaja, he was named Vitatha.340 Vitatha had five sons—Suhotra, Sutahotara, Gaya, Garga and the great-souled Kapila. Sutahotara had two sons—the great-spirited Kashika and the lord Gritsamati. Gritsamati’s sons were brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaishyas. O king! Kashika’s son was Dirghatama and his descendants are known as the Kasheyas. Dirghatama had a learned son named Dhanvantari. Dhanvantari’s son is famous as Ketuman. Ketuman’s son is said to be the brave Bhimaratha. He is also famous as Divodasa, the destroyer of all the rakshasas. O king! At that time, the city of Varanasi had been depopulated by a rakshasa named Kshemaka. O bull among men! It had thus been cursed by the intelligent and great-souled Nikumbha.341 The city was uninhabited for one thousand years. When this curse was pronounced, Divodasa, the lord of men, built a new and beautiful city beyond the boundaries of his kingdom, on the banks of the Gomati. Bhadrashrenya had one hundred sons who were supreme archers. Having slain them, Divodasa, the lord of men, made the city inhabited. Divodasa’s son was the brave King Pratardana. Pratardana had two sons, Vatsa and Bhargava. The prince Alarka342 was known in this world as King Sannati. The lord of the earth destroyed the descendants of the Haihayas.343 The great-souled Durdama was one of Bhadrashrenya’s sons. However, because he was a child, Divodasa had shunned and spared him. He344 forcefully seized his ancestral kingdom back from Divodasa. King Bhimaratha’s345 son was Ashtaratha.346 O descendant of the Bharata lineage! O great king! Following the norms followed by kshatriyas, his young sons were killed and this brought an end to the enmity. Alarka347 became the king of Kashi. He was devoted to the truth and to brahmanas. He ruled for six t
housand and six hundred years. He was youthful in form and extended the lineage of the Kashis. Through the favours of Lopamudra,348 he obtained an extremely long life. When the period of the curse was over, the mighty-armed one slew the rakshasa Kshemaka. The king built the beautiful city of Varanasi and reinhabited it. Alarka’s son was the immensely illustrious Kshema. Kshema’s son was Ketuman and his son was Varshaketu. Varshaketu’s son was named Vibhu, the lord of men. Anarta was Vibhu’s son and his son was Sukumara. Sukumara’s son was maharatha Satyaketu. He had an immensely energetic son who became a king who was extremely devoted to dharma. His name was Vatsa and the region is therefore called Vatsabhumi. This is a region that the Bhargavas travel on. These are the sons of Angiras who were born in the Bhargava lineage. O bull among the Bharata lineage! There were brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras among them.

  ‘Suhotra had a son named Brihat. Brihat had three sons—Ajamidha, Dvimidha and the valiant Purumidha. Ajamidha had three illustrious women as wives—Nili, Keshini and the beautiful Dhumini. Through Keshini, Ajamidha has a powerful son named Jahnu, who performed the great sacrifice that is known as the immense sarvamedha sacrifice. While this was going on, Ganga desired to have him as her husband and advanced towards him. When he did not desire this, Ganga started to flood the sacrificial ground. O supreme among the Bharata lineage! On seeing that the sacrificial ground was being flooded in all directions, Suhotra’s descendant angrily told Ganga, “I will drink up the water that you are flooding the three worlds with. O Ganga! You will instantly reap the consequences of your pride.” The maharshis saw that the great-souled one began to drink up the Ganga. They entreated the immensely fortunate one and she came be known as Jahnavi, his daughter. Jahnu married Kaveri, the daughter of Yuvanashva. Because of Ganga’s curse, half of her body later became a river.349 Jahnu had a beloved and valiant son named Ajaka. Ajaka’s son was Balakashva, lord of the earth. Kushika, who was extremely attached to hunting, was his son. This king was reared with Pahlavas and other forest dwellers. The lord Kushika tormented himself through austerities, so that he might have a son who was Indra’s equal. Frightened that this might happen, Shakra took birth as his son. Maghavan himself was born as Kushika’s son, King Gadhi. Gadhi’s sons were Vishvamitra, King Vishvaratha, Vishvajit and Vishvakrit. O king! His daughter was Satyavati. Through Satyavati, Richika had Jamadagni as a son. Vishvamitra’s sons are famous as Devarata and the others. They are renowned in the three worlds. Listen to their names. There were Devashrava and Kati—the Katyayanas are said to be descended from them. Hiranyaksha was descended from Shalapati and the Renuyas from Renuka. O king! The Samkritya, Galava and Moudgalya gotras are famous. They are reknowned as the great-souled Koushikas. Among them are said to be Panini, Vabhrava, Dhananjaya, King Devarata, Salankayana, Soushrava, Lohitya, Yamaduta and Karishaya. O king! There are other Koushikas who are famous as Saindhavayanas. It has been said that many Koushika rishis intermarried among themselves. O great king! Because of these alliances between the brahmana rishis, the Koushikas, and the Pouravas, many famous lineages of brahmanas and kshatriyas emerged. Among Vishvamitra’s sons, Shunahshepa is said to be the eldest. This Bhargava, supreme among sages, obtained the status of becoming a Koushika.350 Vishvamitra had seven other sons, Shabara and the others. Through Dhrishadvati, Vishvamitra had a son named Ashtaka. Ashtaka’s son was Louhi.

  ‘I have so far recounted those who were descended from Jahnu. O bull among the Bharata lineage! Now hear about Ajamidha’s other line. Through Nili, Ajamidha had a son named Sushanti. Purujati was Sushanti’s son and Purujati’s son was Bahyashva. Bahyashva had five sons who were the equals of the immortals. They were Mudgala, Srinjaya, King Brihadisha, the brave Yavinara and Krimilashva as the fifth. These five protected a famous region. Know that the prosperous region protected by these five, populated by virtuous people, is Panchala.351 “This is enough to protect this spot.” Mudgala’s sons were the extremely illustrious Moudgalyas. Through Indrasena, Vadyasvha was born.352 The great-souled Srinjaya had a son named Panchavana and Panchavana’s son was King Somadatta. Somadatta’s son was the immensely illustrious Sahadeva. Sahadeva’s son was King Somaka. Somaka’s son was Jantu, who had one hundred sons. The youngest of these was Prishata, the lord who was Drupada’s father.

  ‘Dhumini, Ajamidha’s third queen, desired sons. O lord of the earth! Your forefathers are descended from her. Desiring sons, the queen immersed herself in observing vows. Desiring sons, the queen resorted to the vow of brahmacharya. She tormented herself through austerities for one hundred years, a feat that is extremely difficult for women to observe. She ate auspicious food in limited quantities. Following the ordinances, she poured oblations into the fire. O Janamejaya! She observed agnihotra and slept on a mat of kusha grass. When the queen was thus engaged, Ajamidha united with her. She gave birth to Riksha, who was handsome, with a complexion like that of smoke. Samvarana was Riksha’s son and Samvarana’s son was Kuru, who abandoned Prayaga and set up Kurukshetra. This was a beautiful and sacred spot, frequented by auspicious ones. His lineage is extremely vast and you Kouravas are named after him. Kuru had four sons—Sudhanva, Sudhanu, the mighty-armed Parikshit and Pravara—whom the enemies could not vanquish. Parikshit’s son is Janamejaya, who is extremely devoted to dharma.353 The names of the other sons were Shrutasena, Ugrasena and Bhimasena. Janamejaya had two sons named Suratha and Mahimat. Suratha had a valiant son named Viduratha. Viduratha’s son was the maharatha Riksha. This is the second king who possessed that name. O king! In your lineage, there have been two Rikshas, two Parikshits, three Bhimasenas and two Janamejayas. The second Riksha’s son was Bhimasena. Pratipa was Bhimasena’s son and Pratipa’s sons were the three maharathas Shantanu, Devapi and Bahlika. O king! You have been born in a lineage that comes from Shantanu’s offspring. O lord of the earth! Bahlika’s kingdom was known as Saptabahvya. Bahlika’s son was the extremely illustrious Somadatta. Somadatta had sons named Bhuri, Bhurishrava and Shala. Devapi became a sage who was a teacher for the gods. The great-souled Chyavana happily accepted him as an adopted son. Shantanu accepted the burden and became the king of the Kouravas.354 O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Through Kali,355 he had a son named Vichitravirya. This was Shantanu’s beloved and unblemished son, with dharma in his soul. In Vichitravirya’s field, Krishna Dvaipayana had sons named Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura.356 Pandu’s son was Dhananjaya and Dhananjaya’s son was Soubhadra.357 O lord of men! Abhimanyu’s son, Parikshit, was your father. O king! This is the Pourava lineage, into which, you have been born.

  ‘I will tell you about the lineages of Turvasu, Druhya, Anu and Yadu. Turvasu’s sons were Vahni, Vahne and Gobhanu. Gobhanu’s son was the undefeated king, Trishanu. Trishanu’s son was Karandhama and his son was Marutta. I have earlier told you about another King Marutta, who was Avikshit’s son. Since this king was without a son, he undertook sacrifices and gave away copious quantities of dakshina. The lord of the earth had a daughter named Sammata. As dakshina, he gave her away to the great-souled Samvarta and obtained an unblemished son in the form of Pourava Duhshanta.358 O supreme among kings! In this way, like the onset of old age, Yayati’s curse penetrated the lineage of Pourava Turvasu.359 Duhshanta’s son was Sharutthama, the lord of men. Sharutthama’s son was Akrida and Akrida had four sons—Pandya, Kerala, Kola and King Chola. The prosperous countries of Pandya, Chola and Kerala were named after them. O king! Druhya’s son was King Babhrusena. His son was Angarasetu, who was also known as the lord of the wind gods. In a battle, after an extremely great encounter that lasted for fourteen months, Yuvanashva’s son killed the powerful one.360 Angara’s son was King Gandhara. It is after him that the great kingdom of Gandhara has been named. The horses from the land of Gandhara are supreme among horses. Anu’s son was Dharma and his son was Dhrita. Dhrita had a son named Duduha and Pracheta was his son. Pracheta’s son was Sucheta. I have recounted Anu’s lineage.