Dīnanātha

Dīnanātha was a king of the Dvāpara Yuga. He was a devotee of Vishṇu and kept up the yajñas (fire rituals) with devotion, but he had no son. On the advice of the ṛshi Gālava, he began a Naramedha yajña (a human sacrifice) to gain a son. Viśvāmitra stepped in and offered himself in place of the brāhmaṇa boy whom the king’s messengers had taken. He promised the king a son, and Dīnanātha then performed the yajña without a victim. Within the year a mighty son was born to him, and Dīnanātha went on to enjoy his royal wealth in happiness.

The king’s need

Dīnanātha was a Dvāpara Yuga king with both devotion to Vishṇu and a love of yajña, and one lack: he had no son. He told Gālava: “The life of men without a son is useless.” On Gālava’s advice he began the Naramedha to gain children. He sent messengers with much wealth to many countries to find a brāhmaṇa of fine build who would be fit for the yajña.

Viśvāmitra steps in

The messengers found the middle son of Kṛshṇadvija of Daśapura and took him by force. They left a lakh of gold coins with his parents, who protested. On the way back they passed the āśrama (hermitage) of Viśvāmitra. The ṛshi was moved by deep pity and offered himself in the boy’s place.

When the messengers told Dīnanātha this, the king doubted that the yajña could succeed without a victim. Viśvāmitra came to the yajña hall and promised that a son would come from a yajña done properly. The king was reassured and performed the yajña with all its offerings, with the help of all the ṛshis.

The son is born

Viśvāmitra gave the brāhmaṇa boy back to his parents and healed their blindness. Some time later King Dīnanātha received a handsome son, like the moon in the ocean, and enjoyed his royal wealth without sorrow.

Sources

• Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 12