Ajamīḍha (Pūru Vaṃśa)
Ajamīḍha
Ajamīḍha was a king of the Pūru vaṃśa, the line of Pūru, and the eldest of the three sons of Bṛhat. The Agni Purāṇa, in Agni Deva’s description of the Pūru vaṃśa given to Vasishṭha, shows him as the root of three great royal lines, one through each of his wives. Through Keśinī came Jahnu and the line of Kuśika, Gādhi and Viśvāmitra. Through Nīlinī came Śānti and the Pāñcālas, in whose line were born Ahalyā, Śatānanda, Kṛpa and Kṛpī, Drupada and Dhṛshṭadyumna. Through Dhūminī came Ṛksha, Saṃvaraṇa and Kuru, who established the Kurukshetra tīrtha and from whose line came Śantanu, Bhīshma and the Pāṇḍavas.
His descent from Pūru
From Pūru the line runs, each the son of the one before, through Janamejaya, Prācīvān, Manasyu, Vītabhaya, Śundhu, Bahuvidha, Saṃyāti and Rahovādī to Bhadrāśva. Bhadrāśva’s son Matināra had a son Pratiratha, and to Pratiratha was born Dushyanta. To Dushyanta was born Bharata, the son of Śakuntalā, of great strength, after whom his line are called the Bhāratas.
Bharata’s sons perished, and the king performed a yajña. Then the Marudgaṇas brought Bharadvāja, the son of Bṛhaspati, and gave him to the king as his son, and he became famous as Vitatha. Suhotra was one of Vitatha’s sons. To Suhotra was born Bṛhat, and to Bṛhat three sons were born: Ajamīḍha, Dvimīḍha and Purumīḍha.
Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 278
The line through Keśinī
To Ajamīḍha in his wife Keśinī was born Jahnu. From Jahnu the line runs, each the son of the one before, through Ajakāśva, Balākāśva and Kuśika to Gādhi, who attained the state of Indra. To Gādhi were born a daughter, Satyavatī, and a son, Viśvāmitra, whose sons were Devarāta, Katimukha and others. To Jahnu, son of Ajamīḍha, four sons were born: Suratha, Śrutasena, Ugrasena and Bhīmasena.
Ajamīḍha also had other sons, named Śunaśśepa and Ashṭaka.
Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 278
The line through Nīlinī: the Pāñcālas
In his wife Nīlinī another son, Śānti, was born to Ajamīḍha. Śānti’s son was Purujāti, and Purujāti’s son was Bāhyāśva. To Bāhyāśva five sons were born, Mukula, Sṛñjaya, Bṛhadishu, Yavīnara and Kṛmila, and they are famous as the Pāñcālas. Those of Mukula’s line are called the Kulyas: brāhmaṇas who follow kshātra dharma (the dharma of the warrior).
To Mukula was born Cañcāśva, and to him twins were born: a son, Divodāsa, and a daughter, Ahalyā. To Ahalyā, from Śaradvān, that is Gautama, was born Śatānanda. Śatānanda’s son was Satyadhṛk, and to Satyadhṛk twins were born: a son, Kṛpa, and a daughter, Kṛpī. To Divodāsa was born Maitreya, and to Maitreya, Somaka.
From Sṛñjaya the line runs, each the son of the one before, through Pañcahanushka, Somadatta, Sahadeva, Somaka, Jantu and Pṛshat to Drupada, and from Drupada to Dhṛshṭadyumna and Dhṛshṭaketu.
Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 278
The line through Dhūminī: Ṛksha and the Kurus
To Ajamīḍha in his wife Dhūminī was born Ṛksha. Ṛksha’s son was Saṃvaraṇa, and Saṃvaraṇa’s son was Kuru. Kuru established the Kurukshetra tīrtha (sacred place), “from Prayāga“, as the text says. To Kuru four sons were born: Sudhanvā, Sudhanu, Parīkshit and Ripuñjaya.
From Sudhanvā came the kings of Magadha, down to Jarāsandha and his son Sahadeva. From Parīkshit, the joy of the Kurus, came Janamejaya, who was supremely devoted to dharma, and from Janamejaya’s son Suratha the line runs through Vidūratha, Ṛsha, Bhīmasena and Pratīpa to Śantanu. To Śantanu in Gaṅgā was born Bhīshma, and in Satyavatī, Vicitravīrya; in the wives of Vicitravīrya, from Śrī Kṛshṇa Dvaipāyana, were born Dhṛtarāshṭra, Pāṇḍu and Vidura; and to Pāṇḍu were born the five Pāṇḍavas, born from the aṃśas (portions) of the devas.
Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 278
Sources
- Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 278