Chapter 32 - An Account of Riceyu’s Family

1. Vaishampayana said:—The invincible king Riceyu had none to equal him. His wife was Ivalana, the daughter of Takshaka.

2. That saintly queen gave birth to the saintly emperor Matinara. He had three highly pious sons.

3. Of them the first was Tangsu, the second Pratiratha and the youngest was Suvahu. He had another well-known daughter by name Gauri who was the mother of Mandhata.

4. They were all well-read in the Vedas, conversant with the knowledge of Brahman, truthful, well-versed in the use of arms, powerful and skillful in war-fare.

5. O king, Pratiratha’s son was Kanva whose son was Medhatithi. From him the twice-born ones derived the family of Kanyayana.

6. O Janamejaya, he had a daughter by name Ilini. Tangsu, far more powerful than even the Brahmavadins, espoused her.

7. His son was the royal saint Surodha, who propagated religion, was Brahmavadhin, powerful and heroic. His wife was Upadanavi.

8. She had four warrior sons. They were Dushmanta, Sushvanta, Pravira and Anagha.

9. The heroic Bharata was Dushmanta’s son. (In his boyhood) he passed by the name of Sarvadamana, was high-souled and gifted with the strength of ten million elephants.

10. Noble Dushmanta begat on Sakuntala a son by name Bharata who became Lord Paramount. From him you have all derived the name of Bharatas.

11. A voice from heaven spoke to the king Dushmanta. "The mother is only a leathern case. The son belongs to the father. He takes after him by whom he is begotten.

12. O Dushmanta, take care of your son and do not disregard Sakuntala. O king, a son, born of a portion of the father, releases him from the abode of Death.

13-14. Through you she has conceived. Sakuntala has spoken the truth." As described by me before when the sons of the king Bharata were all destroyed by the anger of their mother, the great ascetic Bharadvaja, the son of Angira’s son Vrihaspati, was chosen as a son of Bharata by Marutas, the presiding deities of Yajnas.

15. This instance, of the Marutas assigning this duty to the intelligent Bharadvaja on behalf of Bharata, is often cited.

16-17. Bharadvaja honored the Marutas with sacrifices. When the power of procreating sons was withdrawn from Bharata, Bharadvaja begat a son whose name was Vitatha. When his grandson Vitatha was born Bharata repaired to heaven.

18-19. Thereupon placing Vitatha on the throne Bharadvaja retired into woods. He again begat five sons-Suhotra, Suhota, Gaya, Garga and the high-souled Kapila. Suhotra had two sons,

20. the highly powerful Kashika and the king Gritsamati. The latter had sons amongst the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas.

21. Kashika’s sons were Kasheya and Dirghatapa; by the latter the learned Dhanvantari was begotten.

22-23. Dhanvantari’s son passed by the name of Ketuman. His son was the heroic king Bhimaratha. His son was the celebrated king of Baranashi by name Divodasa who slew all the Rakshasas.

24-25. At this time, O king, a Rakshasa, by name Kshemaka, depopulated the city of Baranashi for the high-souled and intelligent Nikumbha imprecated a curse against that city saying that it would be without any inhabitants for one thousand years. As soon as this curse was pronounced against the city of Baranashi the king Divodasa laid a most beautiful city on the bank of Gomati.

26-27. Formerly the city of Baranashi was in the possession of the ascetic king Bhadrasenya born in the race of Yadu. Having slain his hundred sons who were all excellent bowmen the king Divodasa laid out his kingdom there.

28. The heroic king Pratardanna was Divodasa’s son. He had two sons, Vatsa and Bharga.

28-30. Vatsa’s son was Alarka from whom Sannatiman was born. Bhadrasenya’s son, the high-souled Durdama was adopted by Haihaya as his son. He regained his ancestral kingdom that was forcibly invaded by Divodasa. He was out of mercy spared by Divodasa, who thought him a mere child.

31-32. The king Ashtaratha was the son of Bhimaratha. By putting an end to hostilities that Kshatriya killed all the little boys of (Durdama). Alarka, the king of Kashi, was truthful and looked after the well-being of the Brahmanas.

35. That youthful and beautiful king ruled over his kingdom for sixty thousand and sixty hundred years.

34. The king of Kashi was endued both with beauty and youth. By Lopamudra’s favour he acquired a long life.

35. After the termination of the curse that mighty-armed king slew the Rakshasa Kshemaka and laid out again the charming city at Baranashi.

36. The king Sunitha was Alarka’s son. The highly illustrious Kshemya was Sunitha’s son.

37. Kshemya’s son was Ketuman whose son was Varshaketu; the latter’s son was the king Bibhu.

38-40. Bibhu’s son was Anartha from whom was born Sukumara. His son was the mighty car-warrior, the highly energetic and pious king Satyaketu. From Vatsa his province was called Vatsa and from Bhargava his province was name Bharga. These were all born as the sons of Angiras in the Bhargava race. O foremost of Bharatas, they were Brahamanas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas.

41-42. Suhotra’s son was Vrihat who had three sons, Ajamida, Dvimida and the energetic Purumida. Ajamida had three beautiful wives namely Nilini, Keshina and the beautiful damsel Bhumini.

43-44. Ajamida begat the powerful Janhu on Keshni. He undertook the celebration of the great sacrifice Sarvamedha. Ganga solicited him to become her husband. But on his refusing to accept her proposals she flooded his sacrificial ground,

45-46. O foremost of Bharatas, beholding his sacrificial ground thus flooded by Ganga, Janhu, the slayer of enemies, grew enraged and said to her:—"O Ganga, I shall exhaust all your waters in the three worlds, by drinking them. You will pay then dearly for your arrogance".

47. Beholding Ganga then drunk up by Janhu the high-souled Rishis made her his daughter by the name of Janhavi.

48. Janhu espoused Yuvanashva’s daughter Kaveri. By imprecating a curse on her, Ganga afterwards converted one-half of her body into a river.

49. Janhu’s favourite son was the emperor Balakashva.

50. He was very fond of hunting. His son was Kushika who grew up with the Panhavas in the forest.

51. Kushika carried on hard austerities with the desire that he would obtain as powerful a son as Indra. Therefore Sakra, out of fear, took his birth as his son.

52-53. Maghavan, born of his own accord in the race of Kushika, passed by the name of king Gadhi. His sons were Vishvamitra, Vishvaratha, Visvajit and Visvakrit. O king, their youngest daughter was Satyavati. Richika begat Jamadagni on her.

54. Vishvamitra’s sons Devarata and others are celebrated over the three worlds. Hear their names from me.

55. Devashrava’s son was Kati from whom the Katyayanas received their name. Hiranyaksha was begotten on Shalavatt and Renuman on Renu.

56. Besides, O king, there were Sangskritya, Galava and Maudgalya. The families of those high-souled Kaushikas are still well-known.

57-60. The Panis, Babhrus, Dhyanajapyas, the king Devarata and others, Satangkayana, Soushrava, Lauhitya, Yamadula, Karishis and Sonshrutas were all descendants of Kaushika. Besides there are Saindhavayanas and others. They contract matrimonial alliances amongst themselves according to the distinction of grades. O emperor, the alliance, between the Brahmana saints Kaushikas and the Pauravas is known as the intermarriage between the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas. Amongst the sons of Visvamitra Sunasepha was the eldest.

61. Although born in the race of Bhrigu, that foremost of Munis attained to the station of a Kaushika. Visvamitra had other sons too Devarata and others.

62. Visvamitra begat a son on Drishadvati by name Ashtaka whose son was Lauha. I have thus described the progeny of Janhu.

63. O foremost of men, hear of the other sons of Ajamida. He begat Sushanti on his wife Nilini.

64. From Sushanti was born Purujati from whom again was Vahyashva. The latter had five sons resembling the immortals.

65. They were Mudgala, the king Srinjaya, Vrihadishu, Yavanira and the powerful Krimitashva.

66. We have heard that the five of them were capable of protecting their country—and they were the lords of the Pancala Province consisting of prosperous villages.

67. Because the five of them were capable of protecting their land therefore it is called Pancala. Mudgala’s sons were the highly illustrious Maudgalyas.

68. They were all noble, twice-born and abided by the duties of Kshatriyas. The descendants of Kanva and Mudgala took the side of Angiras.

69. Mudgala’s eldest son was the highly illustrious Brahmana saint Indrasena from whom was born Badhyashva.

70. He begat twins on Menaka;such we have heard. One of them was the royal saint Livodasa and the other was the illustrious Ahalya.

71-74. Sharadvana begat on Ahalya the foremost of Rishis Shatanada. His son the highly illustrious Satyadhriti was a master of the science of archery. Seeing a nymph before him he was possessed by desire, the out-come of which was a twin. Going out a-hunting the king Shantanu, out of mercy, took them up. Accordingly the son was named Kripa and the daughter Kripi, they are called Sharadvatas and known as Gautamas.

75. I shall now describe the progeny of Divodasa. The saintly king Mitreyu was Divodasa’s son.

76. From him branched off the Matrayani line and after him were named the Matreyas. These descendants of Bhrigu took the side of Kshetropota.

77-78. The high-souled Srinjaya had a son by name Pancajana, whose son was the king Somadatta. His son was the highly illustrious Sahadwa whose son was the king Somaka.

79. When the family was verging on extinction Somaka was again born of the twins of Ajamida. His son was Jantu who had a hundred sons.

80. Of them the youngest was Prishata who was Drupada’s father. Drupada’s son was Dhaistadyumna whose son was Dhristaketu.

81. These high-souled Somakas are known as Ajamidas. And the sons of the high-souled Ajamida became known by the name of Somakas.

82. O king, the mother of your fore-fathers, Dhumini, desirous of having sons, was the third queen of Ajamida.

83. That lady, ever observant of vows, practised, for having a son, hard austerities which it is difficult for women to perform, extending over a million of years.

84-85. O Janamejaya, living on pure and restricted fare, offering duly oblation to fire she used to lie down on Kusa grass intended for fire-worship. Ajamida knew the lady Dhumini and she gave birth to a smoky coloured beautiful son by name Riksha. From him was born Samvarana who again begat Kuru, who passing by Prayaga, laid out the city of Kurukshetra.

86-87. After that high-minded king had carried on penances for many thousand years and cultivated that holy and charming province resorted to by the pious, Sakra conferred on him a boon. His family was highly great from whom the Kouravas received their appellation.

88. Kuru had four sons, namely, Sudhanva, Sudhana, the mighty armed Parikshit and Pravara at whose name the enemies used to tremble.

89. Sudhanva’s son was the intelligent Suhotra. His son was Cyavana who was well read in the Vedas and other scriptures.

90. Cyavana’s son was Krityajna. Celebrating many sacrifices that pious king begat a son equal to Indra in glory.

91. He was Vasu the king of Chedis who could range in the sky and move about in the air. He begat on Girika seven sons.

92-93. They were the mighty car-warrior Vrihadratha the king of Magadha, Pratyagraha, Kusha, who passed by the name of Manivahana, Maruta, Yadu the fish Kali and Sattama. Vrihadratha’s son was known by the name of Kushagra.

94-95. His son was the learned and powerful Brishabha whose son was the pious Puspavari. His powerful son passed by the name of king Satyatula.

96-97. His son was the virtuous souled Urja whose son was Sambhava. A powerful son was born to Sambhava in two portions which were sewed up by Jara. And this son was accordingly named Jarasandha.

98. That highly powerful Jarasandha defeated all the Kshatriyas. His son was the powerful Sahadeva.

99. His son was the beautiful and highly illustrious Udayu who begat a highly pious son.

100. His name was Srutadharma who lived in the country of Magadha. Parikshita’s son was the pious Janamejaya.

101. He had three sons who were all mighty car-warriors; they were Srutasena, Ugrasena and Bhimasena.

102. They were all highly prosperous, powerful and brave. Besides these three sons Janamejaya begat on Manimati another two who were named Suratha and Matiman.

103. Suratha’s son was the powerful Viduratha whose son was the mighty car-warrior Riksha.

104-106. Though he was the second Riksha he was illustrious like the first. O king, in your family were born two Rikshas, two Parikshits, three Bhimasenas and two Janamejayas. Riksha the second had a son by name Bhimasena whose son was Pratipa. His sons were Shantanu, Devapi and Valhika who were all mighty car-warriors.

107. O king, the family, in which you have been born, is Shantanu’s family. O king, Valhika had seven kingdoms.

108. Valhika’s son was the highly illustrious Somadatta whose sons were Bhuri, Bhurishrava and Shala.

109. The ascetic Devapi was the priest of the gods. He was the favourite son of the high-souled Cyavana.

110. The king Shantanu was the foremost of the Kuru kings. The family in which, O great king, you have been born as Shantanu’s race.

111. He begat on Ganga a son by name Devavrata. He was celebrated by the name of Bhishma the grand-father of the Pandavas.

112. Kali (Satyavati) gave birth to Vicitravirya who was the most favourite, virtuous-souled and sinless son of Shantanu.

113-114. Krishnadvaipayana begat on Vicitravirya’s wife Dhritarastra, Pandu and Vidura. Dhritarastra begat on Gandhari a hundred sons, of whom Duryodhana was the eldest and became king.

115. Pandu’s son was Dhananjaya whose son was Abhimanyu who was given birth to by Subhadra. O king, your father Parikshit is Abhimanyu’s son.

116. O king, such is the account of the Puru race in which you have been born. I shall presently describe the families of Turvasu, Drahyu, Puru and Yadu.

117-120. Turvasu’s son was Vanhi, whose son was Gobhanu, whose son was the irrepressible king Traisanu. His son was Karandhama whose son was Marutha. I have mentioned before the name of another Marutta who was the son of Avikshit. This king Marutta had no issue and accordingly he celebrated many Yajnas accompanied with profuse presents. O king, he had a daughter by name Sarmata. He made a gift of her to the high-souled Samvarta. Afterwards he obtained the sinless Puru king Dushmanta as his son.

121-125. O foremost of kings, thus on account of Yayati’s curse and of his transferring of his decrepitude Turvasu’s line became identified with that of Kurus. Dushmanta’s son was the king Karuthama whose son was Akrida. He (again) had four sons whose names were Pandya, Kerala, Kola and Chola. Their prosperous territories were respectively named Pandya, Chola and Kerala. O king, Drahyu’s sons were Babhru and Setu. Setu’s son was Angara who was also known as lord of Maruts. That powerful king was slain, with difficulty, by Youvanashva in battle. He fought with him a dreadful combat for fourteen months.

126-129. The king Gandhara was Angara’s son, after whose name the celebrated Gandhara kingdom still passes. The horses of that province are the best of their kind. Anu’s son was Dharma whose son was Ghrita. Ghrita begat Duduha whose son was Praceta. Suceta was Praceta’s son. I have thus described the family of Anu. Hear, I shall now describe at length the most excellent and powerful family of the eldest Yadu.