Reading section 24

The son of Bhajamana was Viduratha, whose son was Sura, whose son was Samin, whose son was Pratikshatra, whose son was Swayambhoja whose son was Hrideka, who had Kritavarma, Satadhana, Devamidusha and others. Sura, the son of Devamidhusa, was married to Marisha and had by her ten sons, When Vasudeva, who was one of these sons, was born, the celestials, to whom future is known, foresaw that the divine being would be born in his race and they therefore joyously sounded the celestial drums and accordingly Vasudeva was named Anakadundubhi. His brothers were Devabhaga, Devasravas, Anadhristi, Karundhaka, Vatsabalaka, Srinjaya, Syama, Samika and Gandusha. They had five sisters who were named Pritha, Srutadeva, Srutakirti, Srutasrava and Rājādhidevi.

Sura had a friend named Kuntibhoja who had no son. And to him he presented duly his daughter Pritha. She was married to Pandu and bore him Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna who were in reality the sons of the deities Dharma, Vayu and Indra. And whilst she was a maiden she had a son named Karna begotten by the divine sun. Pandu had another wife named Madri who had by the twin sons of Aditya, Nasatya and Basra, two sons, Nakula and Sahadeva.

A Karusha prince by name Vriddhasarman married Srutadeva and begot on her a dreadful Asura named Dantavaktra. Dhristaketu king of Kaikeya, married Srutakirti and had by her Santarddana and four others sons known as the five Kaikeyas. Jayasena, king of Avanti married Rājādhidevi and had two sons, Vinda and Anavinda. Damaghosa, the king of Chedi, married Srutasravās and begot on her a son named Sisupala. This prince in his pristine birth, was the wicked and valiant king of the Daityas, Hiranyakashipu, who was killed by the divine guardian of creation. He was in another birth was born as the ten-headed Ravana, whose unequalled, strength, prowess and power were overcome by Rāma, the lord of the three worlds. Having been destroyed by the deity in the shape of Raghava, he was exempted from an embodied state for a long time as a reward of his virtues but had now been born once more as Sisupala the son of Damaghosa, king of Chedi, In this character he began to show greatest hostility towards Krishna an incarnate portion of the glorious Pundarikaksha to carry the burden of the world. He was killed by the great God. And on account of his thoughts being entirely devoted to him Sisupala was united with him after death; for the lord giveth to those with whom he is propitiated what they desire and he confers a heavenly and exalted station even upon those whom he destroys in displeasure.

SECTION XV.

Maitreya said:—Being killed by Vishnu as Hiranyakashipu and Ravana he obtained enjoyments which are not attainable even by the immortals. Why did they not obtain absorption albeit slain by Vishnu? And why as Sisupala were they absorbed into the eternal Hari? O foremost of those conversant with religion, I wish to hear of all these; I am greatly stricken with curiosity; do thou relate them.

Parāçara said:—When the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe killed Hiranyakashipu, the king of Daityas, he assumed the figure of a lion and man, he was not aware that his slayer was Vishnu. He thought this wonderful figure was but the creation of his accumulated piety.

And the quality of passion being predominant in his mind he obtained destruction from man-lion. And in consequence of his death at the hands of Vishnu be obtained sovereignty over three worlds and immense riches and enjoyments as Dasāsana. He was not absorbed into the supreme spirit that is without beginning or end because his mind was not wholly devoted to that object. Dasāsana, thus being entirely subject to love and being entirely taken up by thoughts of Janaki, could not perceive that the son of Dasaratha whom he saw, was in fact the divine Achyuta. At the time of his death he was impressed with the idea that his enemy was a mortal and therefore the fruit he obtained from being slain by Vishnu was his birth in the illustrious family of the kings of Chedi and the possession of extensive dominions. And he was known as Sisupala. In this birth many circumstances occurred by which he was constrained to utter the name of the great God and on all these occasions the enmity, that had accumulated through successive births, influenced his mind. And always speaking disrespectfully of Achyuta he repeated all his names. Whether walking, eating, sitting, or sleeping his enmity was never at rest and Krishna was always present to his mind in his ordinary form, having eyes like lotus-petals, clad and bright yellow raiment, adorned with a garland, with bracelets on his arms and wrists and a diadem on his crown; having four stalwart arms bearing the conch, the discus, the mace and the lotus. Uttering his names always although in malediction Krishna was always present in his mind, and while inflicting his death Sisupāla saw him radiant with shining weapons and in his true Brahma form void of passion and enmity. Being slain by the discus of Vishnu at this moment all his sins were removed by his divine enemy and he was united with him by whose might be destroyed.

I have thus related to you everything. He, who names or remembers the glorious Vishnu even in the enmity obtains final emancipation which is not attainable by the gods or demons. It is useless to say that he, who reverentially names or remembers him, obtains final liberation.

Vasudeva, otherwise named Anakadundubhi, and Rohini, Pauravi, Bhadra, Madira, Devaki and several other wives. His sons by Rohini were Balabhadra, Sārana, Saru, Durmada, and others. Balabhadra married Revati and had by her Nisatha and Ulmaka. The sons of Sarana were Marshti, Marshtimat, Sisu, Satyadhriti, and others. Bhadraswa, Bhadrabahu, Durgama, Bhuta and others were born in the race of Rohini. The son of Vasudeva by Madirā were Nanda, Upananda, Kritaka and others. By his wife Vinsāli he had one son named Kausika. Devaki before him six sons: Kritimat, Sushena, Udayin, Bhadrasena, Rijudāsa and Bhadradeha all of whom were killed by Kansa.

When Devaki was again big with a child the seventh time, Yoganidrā (the sleep of devotion), dispatched by Vishnu, extricated the embryo from maternal womb at the mid-night and transferred it to that of Rohini; and from having been thus taken away, the child (who was Balarāma) received the name of Sankarshnā. Being desirous of relieving the world of the burden, the divine Vishnu, the source of the vast universe, beyond the understanding of all gods, demons sages, and men, past, present or future, worshipped of Brahmā and all the celestials, who is without beginning, middle or end, descended into the womb of Devaki and was born as her son Vasudeva. Yaganidrā, always proud to satisfy his orders, removed the embryo to Yasodā the wife of Nanda, the cow-herd. At this birth the earth was relieved of all sins; the sun, moon and planets shone with unclouded brilliance; all fear of evil portents was removed and universal happiness prevailed. And from the time of his birth people were led into the righteous path.

Whilst this powerful being lived in the land of mortals he had sixteen thousand and one hundred wives of whom the Principal were Rukmini, Satyabhāmā, Jamvabati, Jalahasini and four others. The divine Krishna, the universal form without beginning, begot on all these wives a hundred and eighty thousand sons, of whom thirteen were most celebrated: Pradyumna, Charudeshna, Samba and others. Pradyumna married Kakudwati, the daughter of Rukmini and had by her Aniruddha. Aniruddha married Subhadrā, the granddaughter of the same Rukmini and she bore him a son named Vajra. The son of Vajra and Bāhu and his son was Suchāru.

In this way the members of the Yadu family increased and were many hundreds of thousands of them so that it would be impossible to repeat their names in hundreds of years. Two verses regarding them are recited. "The domestic teachers of the boys in the use of arms numbered three crores and eighty lacs. Who shall enumerate the powerful members of the Yadava family who were tens of ten thousands and hundreds of hundred thousands in number?" Those powerful Daityas, who were slain by them in the encounter between the gods and demons, were born again on earth as men, as tyrants and oppressors. With a view to arrest their violence the gods also descended to the land of mortals and became members of the hundred and one branches of the family of Yadu. Vishnu was their teacher and ruler and all the members were obedient to his commands.

Whoever hears often times of this account of the origin of the heroes of the race of Vrishni shall be freed from all iniquities and shall attain to the region of Vishnu.

SECTION XVI.

Parāçara said:—I shall now briefly give you an account of the descendants of Turvasu.

The son of Turvasa was Tahni, whose son was Gobhanu, whose son was Traisamba, whose son was Karandhama, whose son was Marutta. Marutta had no issue and he therefore adopted Dushyanta of the race of Puru by which the line of Turvasa merged into that of Puru. This was brought about by the curse imprecated on his son by Yayati.

SECTION XVII.

The son of Druhya was Babhru, whose son was Setu, whose son was Aradwat, whose son was Gandhara, whose son was Dharma, whose son was Dhrita, whose son was Duryaman, whose son was Prachetas, who had a hundred sons and they were the princes of the lawless Mlechehhas or barbarians of the north.

SECTION XVIII.

Anu, the fourth son of Yayati, had three sons, Sabhanara, Chakshusha and Paramekshu. The son of the first was Kālānara, whose son was Srinjaya, whose son was Puranjaya, whose son was Janamenjaya, whose son was Mahāmani, whose son was Mahāmanas, who had two sons, Ushinara and Titikshu. Ushinara had five sons: Sivi, Trina, Gara, Krimi, Darvan. Sivi had four sons: Vrishadarva, Suvira, Kaikeya and Madra. Titikshu had one son Ushadratha, whose son was Hema, whose son was Sutapas, whose was Bali, on whose spouse five sons were begotten by Dirghatamas—namely Anga, Banga, Kalinga, Sauhma and Pundra and their progeny and the countries they inhabited were known by the same names.

The son of Anga was Para, whose son was Divaratha, whose son was Dharmaratha, whose son was Chitraratha, whose son was Romapāda also called Dasaratha, to whom on account of his having no offspring, Dasaratha, the son of Aja gave his daughter Sāntā to be adopted. After this Romapāda had a son named Chaturanga, whose son was Prithulaksha, whose son was Champā who founded the city of Champā. The son of Champā was Haryyanga, whose son was Bhadraratha, who had two sons, Vrihatkatman and Vrihadratha. The son of the former was Vrihadbhanu, whose son was Vrihanmanas, whose son was Jayadratha, who by a wife who was the daughter of a Kshatriya father and Brāhman mother, had a son named Vijaya.

Vijaya had a son whose name was Dhriti, whose son was Dritabrata, whose son was Satyakarman, whose son was Adiratha who found a son in a basket on the banks of the Ganges. This was Karna, the son of Pritha in her maidenhood. Karna's son was Vrishasena. These were the Anga kings. I shall now describe to you the descendants of Puru.

SECTION XIX.

Parāçara said:—The son of Puru was Janamenjaya, whose son was Prāchinvat, whose son was Pravira, whose son was Manasyu, whose son was Bhayada, whose son was Sudyunna, whose son was Bahugava, whose son was Samyati, whose son was Ahamyati, whose son was Raudraswa, who had ten sons: Riteyu, Kaksheyu, Sthanditeyu, Ghriteyu, Jaleyu, Sthaleyu, Santaleyu, Dhaneyu, Vaneyu, and Vrateyu. The son of Riteyu was Rantināra, whose sons were Tansu, Apratirtha and Dhruva. The son of the second of these was Kanwa, whose son was Medhātithi, from whom the Kanwayana Brāhmanas were sprung. Anila was the son of Tansu, who had four sons of whom Dushyanta was the elder. The son of Dushymanta was the Emperor Bharata regarding whom a verse is recited by the celestials. "The mother is merely the receptable; it is the father by whom a son is begotten. Rear up thy son, Dushyamanta, treat not Sakuntalā with disrespect. Sons, who are born from the loins of their father, save their manes from hell. Thou art father of this boy; Sakuntalā has spoken the truth".

Bharata begat on his wives nine sons, beholding whom he said that they were not after him. The queens, being afraid lest he might desert them, destroyed those sons. The birth of sons being thus useless the king celebrated a sacrifice in honour of Maruts. They gave him Bharadwaja, the son of Vrihaspati by Mamatā, the wife of Utathya, expelled untimely by the kick of his half brother Dirghatamas. The following verse explains the meaning of the name—"Silly woman" said Vrihaspati "cherish this child of two fathers (Bhara-dwa-jam)". "No, Vrihaspati" replied Mamatā "you take care of him". So saying they both left him and from these expressions the boy was named Bharadwaja. He was also called Vitatha for both the sons of Bharata proved fruitless. The son of Vitatha was Bhavanmanya, who had many sons, the principals among whom were Vrihatkshatra, Mahaviryya, Nara and Garga. The son of Narn was Sankriti, whose sons were Ruchiradhi and Rantideva. The son of Garga was Sini and their progeny were respectively called Gargyas and Sainyas; although Kshatriyas by birth they became Brāhmans. The son of Mahaviryya was Urukshaya, who had three sons: Trayyaruna, Pushkarin and Kapi, the last of whom became a Brahman. The son of Vrihatkshatra was Suhotta, whose son was Hastin, who founded the city of Hastināpur. The sons of Hastin were Ajamidha, Dwimidha, Purumidha. One son of Ajamidha was Kanwa, whose son was Medhatithi; his other son was Vrihadishu, whose son was Vrihadvasu, whose son was Vrihatkarman, whose son was Jayadratha, whose son was Viswajit, whose son was Senajit, whose sons were Ruchiraswa, Kasya, Dridhadhanusha and Vasahana. The son of Ruchiraswa was Prithusena, whose son was Pāra, whose son was Nipa, who had a hundred sons, of whom the chief Samara was the king of Kampilya. Samara had three sons: Para, Sampara, Sadāswa. The son of Para was Pritha, whose son was Sukriti, whose son was Vibhrata, whose son was Anuha, who married Kritwi, the daughter of Suka and had by her Brahmadatta, whose son was Viswaksena, whose son was Udaksena and whose son was Bhallata.

The son of Dwimidha was Yavinara, whose son was Dhrtimat, whose son was Satyadhriti, whose son was Dridhanemi, whose son was Suparswa, whose son was Sumati, whose son was Sannatimat, whose son was Krita, who was taught by Hiramyanabha, the philosophy of Yoga and who compiled the twenty-four Sanhitas for the use of the eastern Brāhmanas studying the Sama Veda. The son of Krita was Ugrayudhas, who by his power destroyed the Nipa race of Kshatriyas. His son was Kshemya, whose son was Suirra, whose son was Nripanjaya, whose son was Baharatha. These were all called Pauravas.

Ajamidha espoused Nilini and by her had a son called Nilaj whose son was Santi, whose son was Susanti, whose son was Purujanu, whose son was Chakshu, whose son was Harryaswa, who had five sons: Mudgala, Srinjaya, Vrihadishu, Pravira and Kampilya. Their father said—"These five sons of mine are capable of protecting the countries" and hence they were called Panchalas—(i.e. Pancha—five and alam—able). From Mudgala sprang the Maudgahya Brāhmans. He had also a son called Bahwaswa, who had two children, twins, a son and daughter—Divodasa and Ahalya. The son of Saradwat or Gautama by Ahalya was Sātanands, whose son was Satyadhriti, who was well versed in military science. Being enamoured of the nymph Urvasi, Satyadriti begot on her two children, a boy and a daughter. The king Sāntanu, a-hunting, found their children in a clump of long Sara grass and feeling pity for them took them and reared them up. As they were brought up through Kripā, pity, they were called Kripa and Kripi. The latter became the wife of Drona and the mother of Aswathāman.

The son of Divodasa was Mitrāyu, whose son was Chyavanna, whose son was Sudāsa, whose son was Saudāsa, also called Sahadeva, whose son was Somaka, who had a hundred sons of whom the eldest was Jantu and the youngest was Prishata. The son of Prishata was Drupada, whose son was Dhrishtadyumna, whose son was Drishtaketu.

Another son of Ajamidha was called Riksha, whose son was Samvarāna, whose son was Kuru, who gave his name to the holy district Kurukshetra. His sons were Sudhanush, Jahnu, Parikshit, and many others. The son of Sudanush was Suhotra, whose son was Chyavana, whose son was Kritaka, whose son was Uparichara the Vasu, who had seven children: Vrihadratha, Pratyagra, Kusamba, Mavella, Matysa and others. The son of Vrihadratha was Kusagra, whose son was Rishabha, whose son was Pushpavat, whose son was Satyadhrita, whose son was Sudhanwan, whose son was Jantu. Vrihadratha had another son. He was born in two parts which were joined together by a female fiend named Jarā and accordingly he was named Jarāsandha. His son was Sahadeva, whose son was Somāpi, whose son was Srutasravas. These were the kings of Magadha.

SECTION XX.

Parāçara said:—Parikshit had four sons—Janamejaya, Srutasena, Ugrasena and Bhimasena. The son of Jahnu was Surathai whose son was Viduratha, whose son was Sarvabhauma, whose son was Jayasena Aravin, whose son was Ayutayus, whose son was Akrodhana; one of his sons was Devatithi and another was called Riksha, whose son was Dilipa, whose son was Pratipa, who had three sons, Devāpi, Sāntanu, and Bāhlika. The first took to a forest life in childhood and Sāntanu became the king. Regarding him this verse is recited throughout the earth—"Sāntanu is his name because if he places his hands upon an old man he restores him to youth and by him men obtain tranquility".

In Sāntanu's kingdom there was not rain for twelve years. When he perceived that the whole kingdom was about to be devastated he called together all the Brāhmans and said to them—"Why does not the God pour rains in my kingdom? What fault have I committed?" They told him that he was as it were a younger brother married before sm elder for he was governing the kingdom which was the rightful property of his elder brother. "What then am I to do?" said the king. The Brāhmanas replied—"As long as the Brāhmanas shall not be displeased with Devāpi on account of his deviating from the path of righteousness the kingdom is his; you should therefore give it over to him". When the minister of the king Amarisarin heard this he collected a number of ascetics who taught doctrines opposed to those of the Vedas and sent them into the forest. They met Devāpi, perverted the understanding of the simple-minded prince and led him to cherish heretical notions. Being informed of his offence by the Brāhmanas, Sāntanu was greatly pained. Accordingly he sent them before him into the forest and then went there himself to restore the kingdom to his elder brother. When the Brāhmans reached the hermitage of Devāpi they informed him, that, according to the doctrines of the Vedas, succession to a kingdom was the right of the elder brother. But he discussed with them and set forth various arguments which were opposed to the teachings of the Vedas. When the Brāhmans heard this they looked towards Sāntanu and said "Come here king you need not put yourself further trouble in this matter. The dearth is gone, this man has fallen from his condition for he uttered disrespectful words to the authority of the eternal uncreated Veda. When the elder brother goes down to a degraded state there is no sin consequent upon prior espousals of his junior". Thereupon Sāntanu came back to his capital and governed the kingdom as before; his elder brother was degraded for declaring doctrines opposed to the Vedas. Indra poured down abundant rain, which was followed by rich harvests.

The son of Bahlika was Somadatta, who had three sons: Bhuri, Bhurisravas and Sala, The son of Sāntanu was the well known and the learned Bhishma, who was born to him by the holy Gangā. He had by his wife Satyavati two sons, Chitrangada and Vichitraviryya. Chitrangada, in his youth was slain in an encounter with a Gandharbha called Chitrangada. Vichitraviryya married Ambā and Ambālika, the daughters of the king of Kasi, and enjoying too much connubial pleasures was attacked with consumption and died. By command of Satyavati, my son Krishna-Daipāyana, who was always obedient to his mother, begot upon the widows of his brother, the princes Dhritarastra and Pandu and upon a female servant Vidura. Dritarashtra had Duryodhana, Dushāsana and others to the extent of a hundred. Having incurred the imprecation of a deer whose mate he had slain in a chase, Pandu was prevented from procreating children. Accordingly his wife Kunti bore to him three sons who were begotten by the deities, Dharma, Vayu and Indra—namely Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna. His wife Madri had two sons by the sons of Aswini—namely Nakula and Sahadeva. These each had a son by Draupadi. The son of Yudhishthira was Prativindhya; of Bhima, Srutasoma; of Arjuna, Srutakirti; of Nakula, Satanika, and of Sahadeva, Srutakarman. The Pandavas had also other sons. By his wife Yaudheyi Yudhishthira had Devaka; Bhima had by Hidemba, Ghatotkacha, and had another by his wife Kasi, Sarvatraga. Sadeva had by Vijaya, Suhotra and Niramitra was the son of Nakula by Karenutmati. Arjuna had Irāvat by the serpent nymph Ulupi—by the daughter of the king of Manipur he had Babrubabana, who was adopted by his maternal grand father, by his wife Subhadrā, Abhimanyu, who even in his boy-hood was famous for valour and strength and crushed the enemies' cars in fight. The son of Abhimanyu by his wife Uttarā was Parikshit, who after the destruction of all the Kurus, was killed in his mother's womb by the weapon hurled by Aswathama. But by the mercy of Krishna at whose feet bow all the gods and demons and who for his own pleasure had assumed human shape he was restored to life. This Parikshit now governs the earth with undisputed sway.

SECTION XXI.

Parāçara said:—I shall now give you an account of the future kings. He, who is the sovereign now, shall have four sons, namely Janamejaya, Srutasena, Ugrasena, and Bhimasena. The son of Janamejaya shall be Satāneeka. He shall study the Vedas from Jagnawalka, learn the use of weapons from Kripa and then disassociate himself from worldly affairs. And then receiving instructions regarding the knowledge of self from Saunaka he shall attain final liberation.

From Satineeka shall be born Aswamedhadatta, whose son shall be Adhiseemakrishna and whose son shall be Nichakshu who shall reside in Kusambhi, when Hastināpur shall be at the bed of the Ganges. Nichakshu's son shall be Ushna, whose son shall be Chitraratha, whose son shall be Suchiratha, whose son shall be Brishnimān, whose son shall be Sushena, whose son shall be Suneetha, whose son shall be Richa, whose son shall be Nrichakshu, whose son shall be Sukhabala, whose son shall be Pariplava, whose son shall be Sunaya, whose son shall be Medhabee, whose son shall be Nripanjaya, whose son shall be Mridu, whose son shall be Tigma, whose son shall be Trihadratha, whose son shall be Vasudāna, whose son shall be the second Sataneeka, whose son shall be Udayana, whose son shall be Aheenara, whose son shall be Khandapani, whose son shall be Niramitra, whose son shall be Kshemaka. The following verse is recited of Kshemaka—"The family of Kuru, that has produced many Brāhmanas and Kshatriyas, that has been ornamented by many a royal saint, shall end with Kshemaka in the Kali Yuga".

SECTION XXII.

Parāçara said:—I shall now engage in giving you an account of the future kings of the Ikshawku race.

The son of Vrihadvala shall be Vrihatkshana, whose son shall be Guruksepa, whose son shall be Vatsa, whose son shall be Vatsabhuha, whose son shall be Pratibyoma, whose son shall be Divākara, whose son shall be Sahadeva, whose son shall be Vrihadaswa, whose son shall be Bhānuratha, whose son shall be Suprateeka, whose son shall be Marudeva, whose son shall be Sunakshatra, whose son shall be Kinnara, whose son shall be Antariksha, whose son shall be Suverna, whose son shall be Amitrajit, whose son shall be Vrihadwāja, whose son shall be Dharma, whose son shall be Kritanjaya, whose son shall be Rananjaya, whose son shall be Sanjaya, whose son shall be Sakya, whose son shall be Krudhodana, whose son shall be Rātula, whose son shall be Prasenajit, whose son shall be Kshrudraka, whose son shall be Kundaka, whose son shall be Suratha, whose son shall be the second Sumitra. These kings of the Ikswaku family are the descendants of Vrihadvala. There is a verse often recited regarding this race—"The family of Ikshawku shall extend up to Sumitra; with this king the family shall end in the Kali Yuga".