Vaṅga (son of Bali)

Vaṅga

Vaṅga has other meanings too: see all meanings of Vaṅga.

Vaṅga is one of the five sons of Bali, a king whom the Brahma Purāṇa counts in the line of Pūru, through Raudrāśva‘s son Kaksheyu. With his brothers Aṅga, Suhma, Puṇḍra and Kaliṅga he founded the Bāleya kshatriya line, and the country of Vaṅga bears his name. His father is not the daitya Bali.

His father and brothers

The Sūta tells the munis the line of Pūru. Raudrāśva‘s son Kaksheyu had three sons, and from the eldest, Sabhānara, the line ran through Kālānala, Sṛñjaya, Purañjaya, Janamejaya and Mahāśāla to Mahāmanas, whose two sons were Uśīnara and Titikshu. Titikshu became king of the eastern direction. Titikshu’s son was Ushadratha; his son Phena; his son Sutapas; and his son Bali. Bali took a human birth; he had a golden quiver and, being a great yogī, he ruled the kingdom. On earth he begot five sons who upheld the line: Aṅga, Vaṅga, Suhma, Puṇḍra and Kaliṅga. Their succession became famous as a kshatriya line by the name Bāleya.

Brahmā, pleased, granted Bali great yoga-power, a lifespan of a full kalpa, knowledge of the true meaning of dharma, unequalled strength, invincibility in battle, pre-eminence in dharma, the sight of the three worlds, pre-eminence in progeny and the establishing of the four varṇas. By this Bali attained supreme peace, and in time reached his own place, which the Telugu rendering names as Pātāla in a bracket. The countries bear the names of Aṅga and his brothers, and are famous by them.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 13

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 13