Chapter 10 - Vaivasvata Manu’s Offspring

1-2. Vaishampayana said:—O foremost of Bharatas, Vivasvata Manu had nine sons after him—Ikshvaku, Nabhaga, Dhrishnu, Sharyati, Narishyan, Pramsha, Nabhagarishtha, Korusha and Prishadhra.

3. O king, desirous of progeny the patriarch Manu performed a sacrifice before Mitra and Varuna.

4-6. O descendant of Bharata, before the birth of these nine sons of his, Muni offered oblation to the portions of Mitra and Varuna in the present sacrifice. When this oblation was offered, the gods, Gandharvas, men and ascetics attained to great delight and exclaimed. "Oh! wonderful is his ascetic energy! Oh! Wonderful is his knowledge of scriptures."

7. The tradition is, that in that sacrifice was born Ila, clad in a celestial raiment, adorned with celestial ornaments and equipped with a celestial armour.

8. Manu, with a rod of chastisement in his hand, said to her: "Follow me, O fair one." She gave the following moral reply to that Patriarch desirous of offspring.

9. Ila said:—"O best of speakers, I am born of the energy of Mitra and Varuna and so I shall go to them. Do not destroy my morality."

10-11. Having said this to Manu Ila approached Mitra and Varuna and that fair one with folded hands said to them, "I am born of your energy; Manu has asked me to follow him. Tell me what I shall do".

12. Hear from me what Mitra and Varuna did say to the pious and chaste Ila who had addressed them thus. "

13. O you fair one of beautiful hips, we have been pleased with your virtue, humility, self restraint and truthfulness.

14-15. Therefore O great lady, you will be celebrated as our daughter, O fair one, you will be the son of Manu, perpetuating his race, celebrated in the three worlds by the name of Sudyumna. You will be pious, beloved of the world and multiply the race of Manu."

16. While she, on hearing this, was about to return to her father (Manu), she was invited, on the way, by Buddha, for conjugal purposes.

17. Then Soma’s son Buddha begat on her Pururava. Having given birth to that son Ila became Pradyumna.

18. O descendant of Bharata, the three kinsmen of Sudyumna-Uutkala, Gaya and the energetic Vinatashva were greatly pious,

19. O king, the northern quarter was under Utkala, the western under Vinatashva and the city Gaya was under Gaya.

20. O subduer of foes, Manu having entered the sun, his sons divided the earth into ten parts.

21. The eldest of them Ikshvaku obtained the central portion by whose sacrificial stakes the earth, with her forests and mines, has been marked.

22-24. On account of his partaking of the nature of a female Sudyumna did not obtain this (central region). According to the words of Vasishtha, the high-souled pious king Sudyumna was installed in the province of Pratishtana.^[1] O foremost of Kurus. Having obtained that kingdom the highly illustrious Sudyumna conferred it on Pururava and he himself reigned in Partishtana. Utkala had three sons celebrated in the three worlds Dhristaka, Amvarisha and Danda.

25. Amongst them the noble Danda founded the most excellent Dandakaranya (the forest of Danda) celebrated in the world as the abode of the ascetics.

26. As soon as a man enters there he is freed from sins. O descendant of Bharata, having begotten Aila, Sudyumna repaired to heaven,

27. O monarch, that son of Manu, who was endowed with the characteristics of both a man and woman, and who took the name of Ila, was celebrated by the name of Sudyumna.

28. O descendant of Bharata, Shakas were the sons of Narishvanta, and Amvarisha, the foremost of kings, was the son of Nabhaga.

29. Dhrishnu’s son Dharshtaka and Ranadhrishta became known as Kshatra. And Karusha’s sons were the Kshatrya Karushas, dreadful in battle.

30. In this way a thousand mighty powerful Kshatryas were born, O descendant of Bharata. The sons of Nabhagarishtha, although Kshatryas (by birth), came by the status of Vaishyas.

31-32. Pramshu had one son celebrated by the name of Sharyati. Narishvanta’s son was the powerful Danda. Saryati had a twin son and daughter. The son was named Anartta and the daughter Sukanya became the wife of Cyavana. Anartta’s successor was the highly effulgent Reva.

32. His city Kusasthali was in the province of Anartta. Reva’s son Raivata passed by the name of Kukudmi and was pious.

33-35. Having obtained the kingdom of Kusasthali he became the father of a hundred sons. He, along with his daughter, received from Brahma instructions in music. And O lord, many a Yuga passed away to him like a moment. He then, in his youthful state, returned to his own city filled with Yadavas.

36. The city of Dvaravati, charming with many damsels, was protected by the descendants of Bhoja and Vrishni races headed by Vasudeva.

37. O slayer of foes, then informed of all these details Raivata conferred upon Baladeva that vow-observing maiden by name Revati.

38. Having given away (his daughter) he repaired to the summit of the mount Sumeru for carrying on hard austerities. Rama too lived happily in the company of Revati.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Pratishtana or Prayaga is the modern Allahabad, the seat of the Government of N. W. P.