Puṣkara, Son of Bharata

Puṣkara was the firstborn son of Bharata, son of Daśaratha, and Māṇḍavī. He was one of the eight royal princes born in Ayodhyā during Rāma-rājya, the rule of Bhagavān Rāma. The city of Puṣkarāvatī, in the north-western lands beyond the Sindhu, is named for him. He grew up in Ayodhyā, had his upanayana (the sacred thread ceremony), finished Vedic study, and went on a great tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) with his seven royal cousins.

Birth and childhood

Puṣkara was born the firstborn son of Bharata and Māṇḍavī during Rāma-rājya. Ayodhyā celebrated his birth with divine music, showers of flowers from the devas, and festivals that Bhagavān Rāma arranged along the royal roads. Vasiṣṭha performed the jātakarma (birth rite) and the later saṃskāras (sacred rites), including the nāmakaraṇa (naming).

Puṣkara grew up in the palace with the seven other royal princes of Ayodhyā:

  • Kuśa and Lava, sons of Rāma and Sītā
  • Aṅgada and Citraketu, sons of Lakṣmaṇa and Ūrmilā
  • Takṣa, his own brother
  • Subāhu and Yūpaketu, sons of Śatrughna and Śrutakīrti

The Janma Khaṇḍa describes all eight as moon-faced. They wore golden ornaments, tiger-claw pendants set with jewels, and golden earrings. They charmed the whole palace with their play, their first steps and their sweet words. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Kāṇḍa, Chapter 9)

Upanayana and Vedic study

Vasiṣṭha performed Puṣkara’s upanayana in due time. Following his usual custom, Rāma held the upanayana of each brother’s sons with even more festivity than for his own sons. All the royal sons studied the Vedas at Vasiṣṭha’s feet. After their studies they all went on the great tīrtha-yātrā through Bhāratavarṣa. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Kāṇḍa, Chapter 9)

Puṣkarāvatī

The city of Puṣkarāvatī was built in the north-western lands that Bharata took from the gandharva king Śailūṣa. It is named for Puṣkara. The Viṣṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa says that Bharata built this city for his son Puṣkara and put it in the care of Yudhājit of Kekaya.

Not to be confused with

This Puṣkara, son of Bharata and Māṇḍavī, is not the same as Puṣkara, the sacred tīrtha where Brahmā lives. He is also not Puṣkala, the son of Bharata in the Pātāla Khaṇḍa of the Padma Mahā Purāṇa, whose wife is Kantimati.

Marriages

At the svayaṃvara of Sumatī at Vaṭapura, Puṣkara was among the princes presented to her, and she chose Lava instead. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 3)

Twelve daughters of the gandharvas and nāgas were freed from the captivity of Jaladevī at the Pañcappa lake. After this, Vasiṣṭha Maharṣi gave two brides to Puṣkara:

  • Kalāvatī, a nāgakanyā (daughter of the nāgas). They were married at Ayodhyā in a muhūrta (auspicious time) in the dark half of Jyeṣṭha.
  • Cañcalā, a gandharva princess. They were married at Ayodhyā in a muhūrta in Phālguṇa.

In the family line, each wife bore Puṣkara eight sons and one daughter. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapters 6–7, 9)

Sources

  • Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Kāṇḍa, Chapter 9
  • Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vivāha Kāṇḍa, Chapters 3, 6–7, 9
  • Viṣṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa (cited for the city Puṣkarāvatī; no chapter given)