Kauśikas (Gotra of Viśvāmitra)
Kauśika, “the descendants of Kuśika”
Devarāta has other meanings too: see all meanings of Devarāta.
The Kauśikas are the descendants of Viśvāmitra, of the line of Kuśika, whose gotras (family lines) became famous. The Brahma Purāṇa names nine of them: the Pāṇinas, the Babhravas, the Dhyānajapyas, the Devarātas, the Śālaṅkāyanas, the Bāshkalas, the Lohitas, the Yamadūtas and the Kārūshakas. In their line, and in the line of the brahmarshi Paurava, the bond of brāhmaṇa and kshatriya (brahma-kshatra) became famous.
Viśvāmitra and his sons
In Chapter 10, the account of the lunar line, the teller tells the munis of the line of Jahnu. Indra himself was born as Gādhi, the son of Kuśika. In that line came Viśvāmitra, equal to a brahmarshi, who attained the state of a brāhmaṇa; his other name was Viśvaratha. His sons, Devarāta and the others, were all famous. From Kati, named after Devarāta, descend the Kātyāyanas. Born of Śālāvatī were Hiraṇyāksha, Reṇu, Reṇuka, Sāṅkṛti, Gālava, Mudgala, Madhucchanda, Jaya, Devala, Kacchapa and Hārita.
The Kauśika gotras
The gotras of the Kauśikas became famous. They are:
- The Pāṇinas
- The Babhravas
- The Dhyānajapyas
- The Devarātas
- The Śālaṅkāyanas
- The Bāshkalas
- The Lohitas
- The Yamadūtas
- The Kārūshakas
In the line of the brahmarshi Paurava and of Kauśika, the brahma-kshatra bond, the joining of brāhmaṇa and kshatriya, became famous.
Śunaḥśepa and the other sons
Among Viśvāmitra‘s sons, Śunaḥśepa was the eldest, a Bhārgava who obtained the state of a Kauśika. He was appointed as the paśu (the offering) in the yajña of Haridaśva, and the devas gave him back safely to Viśvāmitra. Because he was given by the devas, he was also named Devarāta. Devarāta and the others are the seven sons of Viśvāmitra. Ashṭaka, son of Dṛshadvatī, is also a son of Viśvāmitra, and Ashṭaka’s son is Lauhi. With this the teller closes the line of Jahnu Muni.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 10
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 10