Chapter 31 - An Account of Puru’s Family

1-2. Janamejaya said:—O Brahman, I wish to hear truly and separately of the families of Puru, Drahyu, Anu, Yadu, and Turvasu. Do you describe them at length from the very beginning while describing the race of Vrishnis.

3. Vaishampayana said:—O king, hear first of your own family, the brave Puru race, from the very beginning in which you have been born.

4. O king, I shall describe to you the most excellent family of Puru as well as those of Drahyu, Anu, Yadu and Turvasu.

5. O Janamejaya, Puru’s son was a highly powerful king; his son was Prachinvan who conquered the eastern quarter.

6-7. Prachinvana’s son was Pravira whose son was Manasyu. His son was the king Abhayada whose son was the king Sudhanva. His son was Vahugava whose son was Shamyati.

8. His son was Rahasvati whose son was Raudrashva. The latter had ten sons and daughters.

9-11. The sons were respectively named Dasharneyu, Krikaneyu, Kaksheyu, Sthandileshu, Saunateshu, Riceyu, Sthaleyu, the highly illustrious Jalayeu, Dhaneyu and Vaneyu. The daughters were named Rudra, Shudra, Bhadra, Shalada, Malada, Khala, Chala, Valada, Suratha and Gochapata. These ten daughters defeated, with their beauty, Urvashi and other jems of women.

12. The Rishi Prabhakara, born in the race of Atri, was their husband. He begat on Rudra his illustrious son, Soma.

13. When defeated by Rahu the sun falls down on earth, and when the whole world is accordingly enveloped with darkness he spreads his rays all over.

14. When that sage said "May good betide you" the sun, according to his words, did not fall from the sky.

15. The great ascetic Atri was the founder of great families. At his sacrifice even the celestials carried the riches.

16. This high-souled Rishi begat on the ten daughters of Raudrashva ten sons ever engaged in carrying on hard penances.

17. O king, those Rishis, who had mastered the Vedas, were the founders of families. They passed by the name of Svastatreya. But Atri had no money.

18. Kasheyu had three sons who were all mighty car-warriors—they were Subhanava, Cakshusa and Parmekshu.

19. The learned king Kalanala was Subhanava’s son. His son was the pious Srinjaya.

20. The heroic king Puranjaya was Srinjaya’s son. O king, Janamejaya was Puranjaya’s son.

21. The royal saint Mahashala was Janamejaya’s son. He was well-read in the Vedas and renowned on earth.

22. The pious Mahamana was Mahashala’s son. He was heroic, liberal-minded and honoured of all gods.

23. O descendant of Bharata, Mahamana begat two sons, the pious Ushinara and Titikshu, endued with great strength.

24. Ushinara had five wives born in the families of royal saints—Nriga, Krimi, Nava, Darvi and Drisadvati.

25. He begat on those wives five sons who perpetuated his race. By carrying on hard austerities he got all those sons in his old age, O descendant of Bharata.

26-27. Nriga’s son was Nriga, Krimi’s son was Krima, Nava’s son was Nava, Darvi’s son was Suvrata and from Drisadvati was born the king Sivi. Sivi’s sons passed by the name of Sivis, and Nriga’s sons by that of Youdheyas,

28. Nava’s capital was Navarashtra and that of Krimi was Krimita;whereas the metropolis of Suvrata was celebrated by the name of Amvastha. Hear from me the names of Sivi’s sons.

29. He had four sons who were famous in the three worlds for their heroism. They were Drishadarbha, Saviria, Kaikaya and Madrapa.

30. Their prosperous cities passed by the names of Kaikeya, Madrapa and others. Vrishadarbha and others were all very heroic. Hear now the names of the sons of Titikshu.

31-32. O scion of the Bharata race, Titikshu’s son Ushadratha was the king of the eastern division. His son was Phena whose son was Sutapa from whom Bali was born. That (demon) king was born as man. He had a golden quiver.

33. The king Bali was a great ascetic in the days of yore. He begat five sons in the world who multiplied his progeny.

34-35. Of them Anga was born first. Then were born Banga and Sumha. Next to them were born Pundra and Kalinga. These were the Kshatriya sons of Bali. Brahmana descendants of Bali also flourished on this earth. O descendant of Bharata, being pleased Brahma confered on him several boons.

36-37. (They were)—the dignity of a great ascetic, a long life extending over a Kalpa, invincibleness in a battle, leadership of a religious order, the vision of three worlds, supremacy in issuing commands, an insight into the subtleties of religion and matchlessness in strength.

38. The king Bali was then addressed by Brahma saying "You will always be a defender of the four castes in this world." Thereat he attained to a great equanimity of mind.

39. (Bali led a life of celibacy) and accordingly the highly powerful and leading ascetic Dirghatama begat on his wife Sudeshna all those Kshetraja sons—the foremost of Munis.

40-41. Having installed his five sinless sons on the throne Bali thought himself blessed. Thereupon practising Yoga that great ascetic, irrepressible unto all, began to wait for time. After a long time, O king, he returned to his own region.

42. His sons had five provinces, namely Anga, Banga, Sumha, Kalinga and Pundraka. Hear now of the sons of Anga.

43. The great emperor Dadhivahana was Anga’s son. His son was the king Diviratha.

44. His son was the learned king Dharmaratha equal to Indra in prowess. His son was Citraratha.

45. Having celebrated a Yajna on the mount Vishnupada the high-souled Citraratha drank Soma juice with the king of gods.

46. Citraratha’s son was Dasharatha who passed by the name of Lomapada whose daughter was Shanta.

47. By Rishyasringa’s favour he got a highly illustrious and heroic son by name Caturanga who perpetuated his race.

48. Caturanga’s son passed by the name of Prithulaksha whose son was the highly illustrious king Champa.

49. Champa’s capital was Champa which formerly passed by the name of Malini. By the favour of the ascetic Purnabhadra Haryanga was born as his son.

50. Thereupon Vibhandaka’s son, the ascetic Rishyasringa, brought down, by virtue of incantation, Indra’s elephant Airavata to carry him in this world.

51. Haryanga’s son was the king Bhadraratha whose son was the king Vrihadkarma.

52-53. His son was Vrihadarbha from whom was born Vrihan mana, who begat the heroic king Jayadratha whose son was Dridaratha. O Janamejaya, Dridaratha’s son was Visvajita.

54-55. His son was Karna whose son was Vikarna. He had a hundred sons who multiplied the race of Anga. Vrihadarbha’s son Vrihanmana had two wives in the two beautiful daughters of Chaidya. They were Yashodevi and Satvi who divided the family.

56. O king, Jayadratha was born of Yashodevi. And from Satvi was born the celebrated king Vijaya, who (by his equanimity of mind and other qualities) was superior to the Brahmanas and (by heroism and other accomplishments was superior to) the Kshatriyas.

57. Vijaya’s son was Dhriti whose son was Dhritavrata. His son was the highly illustrious Satyakarma.

58. His son was the mighty car-warrior Suta who adopted Karna as his son. It is therefore Karna was called the son of a charioteer.

59. The family of the highly powerful Karna has thus been described. Karna’s son was Vrishasena whose son was Vrisha.

60. I have thus described to you the truthful and noble kings of the Anga family who had all many sons and were mighty car-warriors.

61. O king, hear now of the family of Raudrasva’s son Riceyu in which you have been born.