Chapter 39 - Kings of the solar race (sūryavaṃśa)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śaunaka said:—

1. How were the heroic sons of Sagara born? By what means did the sixty thousand of them become valorous?

Sūta said:—

2. Sagara had two wives. They had wiped off their sins by penance. When Aurva the sage was propitiated by them he granted them a boon.

3. One of them chose the boon of sixty thousand sons. The other chose one son who would maintain the line of succession in the race.

4. Having received the boon of heroic sons she gave birth to a big gourd of seeds which were separated.

5. They were put in jars of ghee and nurtured by nursing maidens. They became princes and enhanced the delight of all.

6. When they were burnt by Kapila one Pañcajana became king.

7. Pañcajana begot a son Aṃśumat whose son was Dilīpa. Dilīpa’s son was Bhagīratha.

8. It was this Bhagīratha who brought Gaṅgā to the sea and made her his daughter.

9. Bhagīratha’s son was Śrutasena. His son was the virtuous king Nābhāga.

10. Ambarīṣa was the son of Nābhāga. Sindhudvīpa was his son. Ayutājit was the heir and successor to Sindhudvīpa.

11. His son was king Ṛtuparṇa, who knew the secret of the dice and was a friend of king Nala.

12. Ṛtuparṇa’s son was Anuparṇa. His son was Mitrasaha who was known as Kalmāṣapāda also.

13. Kalmāṣapāda’s son was Sarvakarman. Anaraṇya was the son of Sarvakarman.

14. Anaraṇya’s son was king Muṇḍidruha. His sons were Niṣadha, Rati and Khaṭvāṅga.

15. Khaṭvāṅga returned from the heaven, lived for a Muhūrta and attained all the three worlds, O sinless one, through his intellect and truthfulness.

16. Dīrghabāhu was his son. Raghu was his son. Aja was his son and Daśaratha was born of him.

17. Rāma was born of Daśaratha. He was very pious and famous, a part of Viṣṇu and a devotee of Śiva. Rāvaṇa was killed by him.

18. His story has been described in the Purāṇas. It is famous in the Rāmāyaṇa. It has not been mentioned here in detail.

19. Rāma’s son Kuśa was very famous. Atithi was born of Kuśa. His son was Niṣadha.

20. Nala was the son of Niṣadha. Nabhas was the son of Nala. Puṇḍarīka was the son of Nabhas. Kṣemadhanvan was bis successor.

21. The powerful Devānīka was the son of Kṣemadhanvan. Devānīka’s son was the king Ahīnagu.

22. Ahīnagu’s heir was the powerful king Sahasvat. Vīrasena was his son, a scion of the family of Ikṣvāku.

23. Vīrasenā’s heir was Pāriyātra. From him a son Bala was born. Sthala was his son.

24. His son was the valorous Yakṣa born of a part of the sun. His son was Aguṇa and from him was born Vidhṛti.

25. His son Hiraṇyanābha was a great preceptor of Yogic science. He was the disciple of the sage Jaimini and an expert in the spiritual science.

26. It was from this great king that Kauśalya Yājñavalkya studied the spiritual science of Yoga that unrevels the knotty mesh of the heart.

27. His son was Puṣyanāman. His son was Dhruva. Agnivarṇa was his son. His son was Śīghra.

28. His son was Marut. He became a Siddha by means of Yoga. This king is alive even now in a village Kalāpa.^[1]

29. At the end of Kali he will revive the extinct solar race (sūryavaṃśa) along with the contemporary sages.

30. Pṛthuśruta was his son. Sandhi was his son. Amarṣaṇa was his son and Marutvat was his son.

31. Viśvasa was his son. His son was Prasenajit. Takṣaka was his son and his son was Bṛhadbala.

32. These are the kings of Ikṣvāku family who had gone before. Now listen to the future kings of this family, the most excellent of those who know sacred virtue.

33. Bṛhadbala’s son will be Bṛhadraṇa. Urukriya will be his son.

34. His son will be Vatsavṛddha. His son will be Prativyoman. Bhānu will be his son whose son will be Divārka, lord of a vast army.

35. His son will be a great hero, Sahadeva. His son will be Bṛhadaśva. The powerful Bhānumat will be his son.

36. The powerful Pratīkāśva will be the son of Bhānumat. King Supratīka will be his son.

37-41. Marudeva born of an auspicious star will be his son; his son will be Puṣkara; his son Antarikṣa; his son Sutapas; his son the heroic Mitrajit; his son Bṛhadbhāja and his son Barhināman; his son Kṛtañjaya; his son Raṇañjaya; his son Sañjaya; Sākya his son, Śuddhoda his son, Lāṅgala his son; his son Prasenajit; his son will be Śūdraka; Ruṇaka his son; Suratha his son and Sumitra his son. Thereafter the family becomes extinct.

42. The family of the Ikṣvākus will end with Sumitra, the family with kings of variegated exploits, sacred rites and virtuous practice.

43. Reaching upto Sumitra the king in the Kali age that auspicious race will become merged in outside families. It will flourish again in the Kṛta age.

44. These are the kings in the solar race (sūryavaṃśa) who made profuse monetary gifts. Those mainly mentioned belong to Ikṣvāku’s family.

45. This is the auspicious creation of the sun Vivasvat, who is glorified as Śrāddhadeva, the bestower of nourishment to all living beings.

46. Reading and listening to this creation of Vivasvat, man attains Sāyujya after enjoying happiness here. He will be blessed with progeny.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kalāpagrāma is in the eastern land on the Himalāyas, having hundreds and thousands of the hermitages of the sages. See Geo. of the Purāṇas P. 57.

The verse suggests the probable date of SP. in the reign ol King Marut, son of Agnivarṇa of the solar race.