Kuśika

Kuśika · kuśika, “of the line of Kuśa”

Kuśa has other meanings too: see all meanings of Kuśa. Kauśika has other meanings too: see all meanings of Kauśika. Jahnu has other meanings too: see all meanings of Jahnu.

Kuśika is a king of the line of Jahnu, the father of Gādhi and grandfather of Viśvāmitra. Living in the forest, he performed tapas for a son equal to Indra, and Indra himself was born to him as his son Gādhi.

His tapas and the birth of Gādhi

The Brahma Purāṇa gives the line of Jahnu: Jahnu’s son was Sunadya; his son Ajaka; his son King Balākāśva; and Balākāśva’s son Kuśa, fond of hunting. Kuśa had four sons of deva-like splendour: Kuśika, Kuśanābha, Kuśāmba and Mūrtimanta.

Kuśika grew up constantly with the Pallavas and lived in the forest, and there he performed tapas desiring a son equal to Indra. When a thousand years were complete, Indra, seeing that fierce tapas and fearing him, though he was able to grant a son, became his son himself. So Indra, as the son of Kuśika, became the king named Gādhi, born of Paurā, the wife of Kuśika (Chapter 10).

Sūta, telling the line of Jahnu again, gives it as Jahnu, Ajaka, Balākāśva and Kuśika. Kuśika was fond of hunting and grew up among the forest tribes. He performed tapas wishing for a son equal to Indra, and Indra, alarmed, was himself born to him under the name Gādhi. Gādhi’s son was Viśvāmitra, his son Ashṭaka, and his son Lauhi (Chapter 13).

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapters 10, 13

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Chapters 10, 13