23 - The Narrative of the race of Jayadhvaja 

Suta said: 

1. Jayadhvaja's son was Talajangha. He had a hundred sons. They were also called Talajanghas. 

2. Among them, the eldest was king Vitihotra of great prowess. Other descendants of Yadu beginning with Vrusha were of meritorious rites. 

3. Vrusha was the founder of their family. His son was Madhu. Madhu had a hundred sons, but Vrushana only had continued his race.¹

1. Cf. VP. 4.11.26-30.

4. Vitihotra's son was well-known as Ananta. Durjaya who was an expert in all sacred lores, was his son. 

5. His wife was very beautiful and endowed with all good virtues. She was chaste, devoted to her husband, and she assiduously performed her religious duty, along with her husband. 

6. Once, that great king saw the celestial damsel Urvashi seated on the banks of Yamuna singing in sweet tone.²

2. This romantic dalliance between king Durjaya and heavenly damsel Urvashi seems to be the special contribution of the KP., as PE, is silent about it despite the seven Durjayas mentioned on P. 255. The source of this legend is obviously the Vedic dialogue between Pururavas and Urvashi.

7. With his mind struck by the cupid, he approached her and said: -"O celestial lady, it behoves you to indulge in sexual intercourse with me for a long time." 

8. On seeing the king endowed with comely features and beauty like another god of love, the celestial lady indulged in amorous sports with him for a long time. 

9. Becoming enlightened after a long time, the king said to the charming Urvashi—"I shall go to my beautiful city." She then laughingly said these words: 

10. "O charming king, I am not fully satisfied with this much of enjoyment with you. You must stay one more year." 

11. The intelligent king told her, "I shall go to the city and shall come back immediately. It behoves you to permit me." 

12. That beautiful lady spoke to him, -"My dear king I agree. But you must not indulge in sexual intercourse with any other celestial lady."

13. Amen' said he, and immediately went to his excellent city. After returning there, he saw his chaste wife and became extremely frightened. 

14. On seeing him alarmed, his chaste wife of good qualities, the lady with plump breasts, spoke to him with pleasing words. 

15. "O Lord, why are you under the spell of fear, Such fear is not conducive to the enhancement of your reputation as a king." 

16. On hearing her words, the king was overwhelmed with shame in his mind. He did not speak anything. But she knew everything through her vision of knowledge. 

17. "O king, you need not be afraid. Atonement must be made by you for your sin. O great king, if you are afraid, your kingdom will go to ruins." 

18-19. Thereafter, that brilliant king went out of his city to the holy hermitage of Kanva. He saw the great sage. He heard from sage Kanva the excellent procedure for expiation of sin. The highly powerful king went to the ridge of the Himalaya as directed. 

20. On the way, the leading king saw in the sky, a very excellent Gandharva bedecked in a divine garland, shining gloriously. 

21-22. On seeing the garland, the king, the slayer of his enemies, remembered Urvashi, the excellent celestial lady. He thought in his mind- "This garland befits her only." Determined to secure the garland, the passionate king fought a fierce battle with that Gandharva. 

23. O Brahmanas, the invincible king defeated him in the battle and seized the garland. Eager to see that celestial damsel, he went to Yamuna. 

24. Unable to see her there and afflicted by the arrows of the god of love, Kama, he wandered all over the Earth consisting of seven continents. 

25. It is heard that in his eagerness to see Urvashi, he crossed the ridges of the Himalayas and scaled Hemakūta, the most excellent mountain. 

26. In all these different places, excellent celestial ladies saw him, the king of brave exploits, bedecked in the wonderful garland. They were smitten with violent love for him. 

27. Remembering the warning (lit. words) of Urvashi and with his mind exclusively attached to her, he did not care to glance at any of them at all, and he climbed the peaks of the mountain. 

28. Not seeing the celestial damsel there also, he became all the more afflicted by passion. Endowed with divine exploits, he went to the great Meru, the region of Devas. 

29. Facilitated by the strength of his arms, he crossed over the peak and reached the lake Manasa well known in the three worlds. 

30. He saw the lady of spotless limbs on its banks. The blessed lady was playfully moving about there and he gave her the garland. 

31. On seeing her bedecked in the garland, he was much fascinated. Realising that he was the most blessed, he had sexual dalliance with her for a long time. 

32. At the end of the sexual intercourse, Urvashi enquired of the leading king, -"O heroic king, what was done by you after going to the city?" 

33. He told her everything that had been advised to by his wife, his meeting with Kanva and the seizing of the garland. 

34. On hearing what had been mentioned by him, the celestial lady, his well-wisher, spoke to him "Go. Otherwise Kanva will curse you and your beloved wife will curse me." 

35. Though entreated by her thus repeatedly, the great king was so much fascinated by her charms and was so completely attached to her in his mind, that he refused to comply with her request. 

36. Then Urvashi who could assume any form as she pleased, always exhibited to the king her hideous form, which was very ugly, full of hair and with tawny coloured eyes. 

37. He became disgusted with her mentally. Remembering the speech of Kanva, he said to himself— “Fie upon me." He decided to perform penance and began to do so. 

38. For twelve years, he restricted his diet to fruits roots and bulbous roots. Then the king spent another twelve years subsisting on the air only. 

39. He went to Kanva's hermitage and out of fear, told him everything, his cohabitation with the celestial lady and his performance of excellent penance, once again. 

40. On seeing that tiger-like (great) king, the holy sage became delighted. Desirous of eradicating even the seeds of his sins, he advised thus: 

Kanva said: 

41. "Go to Varanasi, the divine city inhabited by Ishvara. Lord Maheshvara resides there in order to liberate the whole world. 

42. By taking holy ablution in Ganga, by propitiating the deities and Pitrus duly and by seeing the Linga of Vishveshvara, you will be liberated from sins instantaneously." 

43. He bowed down to Kanva with his head, and received his permission. The invincible king had the vision of Hara at Varanasi and became absolved of all sins. 

44. He went back to his splendid city and performed a. sacrifice on the Earth. On being requested, the sage Kanva, out of compassion, presided over the sacrifice. 

45. His son was the intelligent Supratīka. People acclaimed him as their king since his very birth. 

46. From Urvashi, he had seven sons, comparable to Devas and endowed with great prowess. All of them took daughters of Gandharvas as their wives, O Brahmanas. 

47. Thus, the excellent race of Sahasrajit has been recounted to you. It is a race that dispels sins of men. Now hear and understand the dynasty of Kroshtu too."