66 - The Narrative of Yayati

Suta said: 

1-2. By the grace of the lord of Devas as well as of Taņdin, Tridhanvan attained assiduously the benefit of a thousand horse-sacrifices. Thereafter he gained the lordship of Shiva's attendants. He was bowed to by all Devas. The scholarly king Trayyāruņa was the successor to Tridhanvan. 

3-4. He had an extremely powerful son named Satyavrata. He killed the king of Vidarbha558a of unmeasured prowess559 and abducted his wife before the mantras of the wedding celebrations were brought to a close. The king Trayyāruņa abandoned him because he was defiled by that evil.

558a. Vidarbha--i.e., the king of Vidarbha, mod. Berar, now placed under the administration of Mahārāshtra province. 

559. Amitaujas--according to ST. it is the name of a king.

5. When abandoned, he said to his father "Where shall I go?" O brahmins, the father replied to him “Go and live among the Chandālas. 

6-11. On being ordered thus, he went out of the city. At the instance of his father, the intelligent Satyavrata went to the Chândāla colony. On being abandoned by his father thus he stayed near the slum while his father went to the forest. The valiant (son) and meritorious king Satyavrata became famous in all the worlds under the name Trišhanku. Once Vasishtha pronounced on him a curse. Vishvāmitra of great splendour granted him boons and owned him king in the hereditary kingdom. The sage performed a sacrifice on his behalf. Even as Devas and Vasishtha were watching, the holy lord Viśhvamiträ raised him up to heaven in his human form.560 His wife, Satyavrată born of the Kekaya family561 gave birth to a spotless son Harishchandra. Harishchandra's son Rohita was very powerful.

560. For detail, Dawson: Hindu Mythology, pp. 288-289. 

561. Kekaya-Kekayas lived between the Jhelum and the Beas and had their capital at Girivraja (Girijak modern Jalalpur) on the Jhelum river. 

12. Harita was the son of Rohita. Dhundhu was the son of Harita. Vijaya and Sutejas were the sons of Dhundhu.

13. Vijaya was so called because he conquered the kings of the Kshatriyavarna. His son Ruchaka was a righteous king. 

14. Vruka was the son of Ruchaka. From him was born Bāhu. Sagara, extremely virtuous king was his son.

15. Sagara had two wives, Prabha and Bhānumati. The fiery sage Aurva562 was propitiated by both of them, with a desire for sons.

562. Aurvo agnih-agnisadrušhaḥ Aurvo rushih ST. the fiery sage Aurva, the son of Urva and the grandson of the famous sage Bhrugu.

16-17. The delighted Aurva asked them to choose a boon of their liking out of the two, viz. one would have sixty thousand sons and the other a single son, who would continue the family line. Prabhà chose to have many sons and Bhānumati one son who was Asamañjasa. 

18. Thereafter Prabhā gave birth to sixty thousand sons. While digging the earth, they were burned by the angry out-bursts of Vishnu563 in the guise of Kapila as if through arrows.

563. Vishnu-i.e., the sage Kapila who destroyed the sons of king Sagara by uttering ''hum". For detail, see Sp. (Umāsamhitā, p. 1610). Also H.M. pp. 271-272.

19-20. Asamanjasa's son is well known as Amśhumān. His son was Dilipa. From Dilipa was born Bhagiratha who performed penance and brought the Ganges to the earth. So, it is called Bhagirathi. Bhagiratha's son was Shruta.

21. Nābhāga was his successor. He was a valorous devotee of Shiva. His son was Ambarisha, from whom was born Sindhudvīpa. 

22. The earth, ruled over by Nābhāga Ambarisha with the power of his arms became entirely devoid of the three-fold distress. 

23. The valorous son of Sindhudvipa was Ayutāyus. Rutuparna of great fame was the son of Ayutãyus. 

24-25. This powerful king was a friend of Nala. He was conversant with the secret of dice. In the Puranas, two Nalas of stable holy rites are well known. One was the son of Virasena and the other born in the family of Ikshväku. Sārvabhauma the lord of the subjects was the son of Rutuparna. 

26. King Sudās was his son. He was equal to Indra. King Saudāsa was the son of Sudās.

27-28. His actual name was Mitrasaha but he was more famous as Kalmăshapāda.564 Vasishtha of great splendour begot of the wife of Kalmāshapāda the son Aśhmaka who continued the line of Ikshvāku. Mülaka was the son of Aśhmaka and Uttară (his wife).

564. Kalmāshapādah--the same as Mitrasaha, a king of Ikshváku dynasty. For detail, Dawson H.M. pp. 144-145.

29-30. That king was always surrounded by women due to his fear of Parashurāma. Desirous of protection he had recourse to the excellent shield in the form of women. The virtuous king Shataratha was the son of Mülaka. The powerful king Ilabila was born of Shataratha.

31. The valorous Vruddha Sharmã was the son of Ilabila. The daughter of the Pitrus bore him the son Viśhvasaha. 

32-33. Dilipa was his son. He was famous by the name Khatvanga. He obtained a life for the duration of a Muhúrta. From heaven he came to this world for this period and conquered the three fires and the three worlds by means of his intellect and truthfulness. His son was Dirghabāhu and Raghu was born of him. 

34. The powerful and valiant Aja was born of Raghu. From him was born the glorious Dasharatha, the sustainer of the family of Ikshváku.

35. The heroic Rama who was conversant with Dharma and who was well known in all the worlds was born of Dasharatha. So also, were Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

36-38. Rāma, the best among thein, had great splendour and excellent valour. After killing Rāvana in battle and performing sacrifices Rāma who was conversant with Dharma ruled over the kingdom for ten thousand years. A son well known as Kusha was born to Rāma. His other son Lava was highly blessed, truthful and intelligent. Atithi was born to Kusha and his son was Nishadha.

39. Nala was born of Nishadha and Nabhas was his son. A son called Pundarīka was born to Nabhas, and Kshema Dhanvan was his son.

40-41. His son was the heroic and valorous Devānika. Ahinara was his son and thereafter was Sahasrāśhva. From him were born Chandrāvaloka and Tārāpīda. His son was Chandragiri. Bhānuchandra was his son.

42. His son was Shrutāyu who was also known as Bruhadbala. This powerful king was killed by Saubhadra (son of Subhadrā i.e., Abhimanyu) in the Bhārata war.

43. These are the successor kings of Ikshvāku. In general, only the more important ones in the dynasty are mentioned here in order of their importance. 

44-45. All of them had realized Shiva. In accordance with their knowledge565 they had worshipped the lord and performed sacrifices according to the rules. The noble souls had all attained heaven. Some of them were liberated souls and yogins. As the result of the curse of a brahmin, Nřuga attained the state of a chameleon.

565. pāśhupatam jñānam--yogic practices as enjoined in Shaiva cult. Cf. p. 135 note 242.

46. Dhrushta had three virtuous sons. Viz., Dhrushtaketu, Yamabāla and Rañadhrushța.

47. Sharyāti had a son Ānarta and a daughter Sukanya. Anarta's son was Rochamāna. 

48-49a. Rochamāna had a son Reva. From Reva were born Raivata and Kakudmin. Reva was the eldest of a hundred sons. His daughter Revati was the wife of Balarama.

49b. Narisyanta's son was Jitätman.

50-51a. From Nābhāga was born Ambarisha, the devotee of Vishnu. Řuta was his glorious son. He was the best among those conversant with Dharma. Kruta was his virtuous son also known as Prushita.

51a. The sons of Karūsha were known as Kārüshas. 

52. Prushita incurred great sin by killing the cow of his preceptor.566 It is well known that he was degraded as a Shūdra due to the curse of Chyavana, his preceptor.

566. Prushata killed, in ignorance, the cow of his preceptor: Chyavana, mistaking it for a tiger in the darkness of night.

53. Dishta's son was Nābhāga and from him was born Bhalandana. His son Ajavāhana was a king of great exploits.

54. Thus (the successors of) the mighty sons of Manu are told briefly and the dynasty of Ikshvāku (in some detail). Now I shall recount to you the dynasty of Aila. 

Sūta said: 

55-56. O brahmins, Pururavas a valorous son of Ila and a devotee of Rudra, held an unhindered sway in the holy land Prayāga567 which is situated on the northern bank of the Yamunā568 frequented by sages. He was the glorious lord of Pratishthāna569 (Prayaga), and well established there.

567. Prayaga--this is a celebrated place of pilgrimage at the confluence of the Ganges and Jumna in the Naimisha forest (Sp. Vs.1.4). It is situated on the northern bank of the Ganges (Sk []. 11.12.36). The name Prayaga is recorded by Huen 'Tsang in the seventh century and is as old as the reign of Ashoka who set up the stone pillar about 235 B.C. The Gupta emperors regarded the place as the capital of Madhyadeśha.

568. Yamunā--this river rises in the Himalaya mountains among the Jumnotri peaks, flows for 860 miles on the plains before it joins the Ganges at Prayaga.

569. Pratishthāna- The Purāņas are not agreed upon its locus. Some place it on the north and some on the east side of the Ganges. Others place it on the north bank of the Yamună.

57-58. He had six powerful glorious sons, well known in the region of the Gandharvas and devoted to Shiva. All of them were divine, being the sons of Urvashi.570 They were: - Ayu, Māyu, Amāyu, Vishvāyu, Shrutāyu and Shatayu.

570. Urvashi --a celebrated celstial nymph.

59. Ayu had five sons of great power. They were kings born of Prabhā the daughter of Svarbhanu. 

60. Nahusha the first among them was known in all the worlds and conversant with Dharma. Nahusha's successors were and they were comparable to Indra in splendour.

61-62. Those (kings) of great power were born of Virajā the daughter of the Pițrus. They were Yati, Yayāti, Samvati, Ayāti, Andhaka and Vijāti. All these six were well renowned. Yati was the eldest of them and Yayati was junior to him.

63. The eldest royal son Yati seeking salvation, was united with Brahman. Among the other five Yayāti was the strongest and most valorous. 

64. He married Devayānī the daughter of Shukra. She became the demones Sharmishthā the daughter of Vrushaparvan.

65. Devayani gave birth to two sons. Vadu and Turvasu. Both of them performed sacrificial rites. They were highly spoken and were experts in all lores.

66-67. Sharmishthã the daughter of Vrushaparvan gave birth to Druhyu, Anu and Pūru. Propitiated by Yayāti, Shukra, the leading brahmin gave him a shining well-built golden car and two everlasting great quivers. 

68. The chariot was yoked to horses as quick as the mind. It was in this chariot that he brought home his bride. With that excellent chariot he conquered the earth within six months. 

69-71. Yayāti was invincible to Devas, Dānavas and mortals. He was a devotee of Shiva, a meritorious soul abiding by Dharma. He performed sacrifices. He conquered anger. He was sympathetic to all living beings. That excellent chariot was inherited by all the descendants of Kuru until Janamejaya the son of Parikshit the king in the line of Pūru. As a result of the curse of the sage Garga571 that chariot was destroyed.

571. shāpâd gargasya-by the curse of the sage Garga. The legend is not traceable.

72-76. The king Janamejaya harassed the son of Garga, the boy Akrūra, and hence attained the sin of brahmin slaughter. The king began to emit the odour of rusting iron. He ran about helterskelter. Since he was boycotted by the citizens and the people of the land he did not obtain happiness. Dejected, he did not even have perfect knowledge anywhere. In his anguish he went to sage Shaunaka and sought refuge in him. The liberal-minded sage who was known as Indreti performed sacrifice on his behalf. O excellent brahmins, for the sake of purification he made the king Janamejaya perform a horse sacrifice.

77-79. That king of great renown was relieved of the bad odour of iron as well as of his sin. In the middle of the Avabhrutha ablution the divine and splendid chariot vanished. Lost from that family it was given to Vasu king of Cedi572 by the delighted Indra. From him Bruhadratha acquired the chariot. Thereafter, killing Jarasandha (a successor of Bruhadratha) Bhima, the scion of the family of Kurus, gave that excellent chariot to Shrikrishņa out of love.

572. Chedi-pateh-of the king of Chedi tribe or clan. Haimakosha identifies Chedi-nagari with Tripurī (modern Tewar), situated on the Narmadā river near Jabalpur.

Sūta said: 

80-83. King Yayati son of Nahusha crowned his son Puru (as king). O excellent brahmins, it was by that Puru alone that he had been helped before. People of all castes including the leading brahmins spoke to the king who was desirous of crowning his youngest son:-O lord, how does the youngest son deserve the kingdom after overlooking the claims of the eldest son Yadu, the son of Devayani and the grandson of Shukra? We are addressing you to keep up the traditional Dharma."