Aśmaka

Aśmaka was the son of Madayantī, the queen of King Kalmāṣapāda. He was born through niyoga, an arrangement under which a ṛṣi fathers a son for a king’s line. The ṛṣi was Vasiṣṭha. Madayantī carried the child for twelve years. When he still would not come out, she struck her womb with a stone, and he was born. He was named Aśmaka because of this. He continued the royal line of Kalmāṣapāda.

Birth

Madayantī carried Aśmaka in her womb for twelve years, far longer than a normal pregnancy. At the end of twelve years the child still would not come out, and Madayantī struck her womb with a stone. Aśmaka was born from this act. He was named Aśmaka from aśman (stone), to remember how he was brought out.

Lineage

Aśmaka was the son of Vasiṣṭha, who was the niyoga father, and of Madayantī. He was born for the line of Kalmāṣapāda. He carried both the Ikṣvāku royal line of the king and the brahmarṣi (brāhmaṇa ṛṣi) line of Vasiṣṭha. He continued the royal succession of his father’s kingdom.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva