Harivamsha Purana

by Manmatha Nath Dutt | 1897 | 293,872 words | ISBN-10: 8178542188 | ISBN-13: 9788178542188

This page is entitled “account of ila’s family” and represents Chapter 27 of the first book (‘Adi Parva’) of the Harivamsa (English translation in Prose). The Harivamsha Purana narrates the lineage and life-story of Krishna (Hari). Although not officially mentioned in the list of Puranas, this book includes topics such as geology, creation theory, time (manvantaras), ancient historical legends and accounts of royal dynasties.

Chapter 27 - An Account of Ila’s Family

1. Vaishampayana said:—Ila’s son had seven high-souled sons resembling the sons of the celestials born in the celestial region.

2. They were Ayu, Dhiman, Amavasu, the high-souled Vishvayu, Srutayu, Dridayu, Valayu, and Shatayu. They were all Urvashi’s sons. Amavasu’s sons were Bhima and Nagnajit.

3-4. Bhima’s son was the king Kancanaprabha. Kancana’s son was the highly powerful and learned Suhotra who begat on Keshini a son by name Janhu who celebrated the great sacrifice Sarvamedha.

5. Ganga solicited him to become her husband but on account of his refusal she flooded the Yajna ground.

6. O foremost of the Bharata race, beholding the ground thus flooded by Ganga Suhotra’s son Janhu became enraged and said to her, "

7. I shall exhaust your water by drinking it up and you will thus meet with punishment for your arrogance."

8. The royal saint having drunk up Ganga the great Rishis designated her as his daughter by name Janhavi.

9. Janhu espoused Yuvanashva’s daughter Kaveri. On account of Yuvanashva’s curse Ganga made, with one half of her person, that foremost of rivers, Janhu’s wife the blameless Kaveri.

10. Janhu begat on Kaveri a beloved and pious son by name Susaha whose son was Ajaka.

11. Ajaka’s son the king Valakashva was greatly fond of hunting. His son was Kusha.

12. He had four sons effulgent like the gods. They were Kushika, Kushanabha, Kushashva and Murtiman.

13. The king Kushika grew up with Pazhavas[1] ranging in the forest. He carried on hard penances for obtaining a son like Indra. Out of fear, accordingly the king of gods was born as a son to him.

14-16. After he had carried on penances for one thousand years Sakra saw that royal saint of hard austerities. Seeing him the thousand-eyed Purandara thought him capable of creating progeny and accordingly entered into his energy. When the king of celestials was thus begotten by Kushika as his son he became the king Gadhi who was born of Purukutsa’s daughter who was the wife of Kushika.

17. Gadhi’s daughter was the noble and amiable Satyavati. He gave her away to Bhrigu’s son Richika.

18. Bhrigu’s son was pleased with her and therefore made Caru for his own and Gadhi’s sons.

19. Then calling his own wife Bhrigu’s son Richika said to her "you and your mother should eat this Caru.

20. (Your mother) will give birth to an effulgent son the foremost of Kshatryas. No other Kshatriya in this world will be able to vanquish him and he will destroy all the leading heroes of the military caste.

21. O auspicious damsel, this Caru will make your son intelligent, a great ascetic of controlled senses and the foremost of the twice born."

22. Having said this to his wife Bhrigu’s son Richika entered into woods for carrying on hard austerities without any interruption.

23. At that time starting on pilgrimage with his family the king Gadhi arrived at Richika’s hermitage for seeing his own daughter.

24. Taking the two cups of Caru from the Rishi, Satyavati with great care gave one to her mother.

25. By a mere accident the mother unwittingly gave her own Caru to her daughter and ate herself the one intended for the latter.

26. Thereupon Satyavati conceived the dreadful offspring whereof was destined to slay all the Kshatryas. She then shone in great effulgence.

27. Seeing her and knowing every thing by meditation the foremost of the twice-born Richika said to his beautiful wife, "

28. By the change of Caru you have been imposed on by your mother. You will give birth to a highly terrible and ruthless son.

29. Your brother will be born as a great ascetic conversant with all the Vedas. By virtue of my Tapas I have handed over my entire knowledge of the Vedas to him."

30. Thus addressed by her husband the great Satyavati said to him "I do not wish to have such a wretch of a Brahmana as my son from you" and began to propitiate him. Thus accosted the ascetic again said to her. "

31. O you auspicious dame, I myself did not wish for such a son. On account of the father and mother the son becomes cruel." Satyavati again replied to him. "

32. You can create the worlds if you like, what to speak of a son. You should therefore give me a simple-minded son capable of controlling his senses.

33. O lord, O foremost of the twice-born, if you cannot undo this, may a grandson be born after my heart."

34. Thereupon by virtue of his Tapas he became propitiated with her and said "O fair one, I make no distinction between a son and a grandson. Therefore what you have said will come to pass".

35. Satyavati then gave birth to a son by name Jamadagni always controlling his senses and intent upon carrying on hard austerities.

36-37. On account of the change of Bhrigu’s Caru and the union (of the energies) of Rudra and Vishnu Jamadagni was born from the energy of the latter. And the truthful and pious Satyavati now passes as the celebrated river Kaushiki.

38-40. There was another powerful king of the Ikshvaku race by name Renuka. His daughter was the great Renuka. The great ascetic Jamadagni begat on that Renuka a dreadful and highly effulgent son by name Rama, the destroyer of all the Kshatryas, a master of all sciences and specially that of archery.

41. Thus by virtue of Tapas Richika begat on Satyavati the highly illustrious Jamadagni—the foremost of those conversant with the Vedas.

42-43. His second son was Shunasepha and his youngest son was Shunapucha. Kushika’s son Gadhi begat as his son Visvamitra endued with Tapas and the quality of self-control. Having obtained the status of Brahmana saints he became one of the seven Rishis.

44. The virtuous souled Visvamitra also passed by the name of Visvaratha. By Bhrigu’s favour he took his birth from Kaushika as the multiplier of his race.

45. Visvamitra’s sons were Devarat and others celebrated in the three worlds. Hear from me their names.

46-48. He begat Kati on Devasrava from whom Katyanas received their name. He begat Hiranyaksha on Shalavati and Renuman on Renu. Sangkriti Galava and Mudgala are also well-known. Madhuchanda and other Devalas, Ashtaka, Kachapa and Purita are all the offspring of Visvamitra. The families of the high-souled descendants of Kushika are all well-known.

49-53. Panis, Vabhrus, Karajapas and other kings are the descendants of Devarat. Shalankayanas, Vaskalas, Lohityas, Yamadutas, Karishis, Soushrutas and besides Saindavayanas are all the descendants of Kaushika. Devalas and Renus are the grandsons of Renuka. Yajnawalka, Aghamarshana, Udumvara, Abhiglana, Tarakayana and Chunchula are the grandsons of Salavati and sons of Hiranyaksha. Sanskritya, Galava, Badrayana and others are the offspring of the intelligent Visvamitra. Thus the family of Kaushika is well-known to all. They are married according to grades. The connection, between the Brahmanas and Kshatryas amongst the family of Puru and the Brahmana saint Vasishtha and of Kaushikas, is well known for ever.

54. Of the sons of Visvamitra Sunasepha was the eldest. The foremost of saints Bhargava became also a Kaushika.

55. Visvamitra’s son Sunasepha was destined to be killed at the sacrifice of Haridashva.

56-58. The gods again returned Sunasepha unto Visvamitra and for this he passed by the name of Devarata. Devarata and six others were the sons of Visvamitra, who begat on Drishadvati another son by name Ashtaka. Ashtaka’s son was Lauhi. Thus I have described the family of Janhu and I shall now describe the progeny of Ayu.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The name of one of the degraded Kshatrya races sentenced by Sagara to wear beards, perhaps a Parthian.

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