The Brahmanda Purana

by G.V. Tagare | 1958 | 319,243 words | ISBN-10: 8120838246 | ISBN-13: 9788120838246

This page describes dynasties of jyamagha and vrishni which is Chapter 70 of the English translation of the Brahmanda Purana: one of the oldest puranas including common Puranic elements such as cosmogony, genealogy, ethics, geography and yoga. Traditionally, the Brahmandapurana is said to consist of 12,000 verses metrical Sanskrit verses.

Chapter 70 - Dynasties of Jyāmagha and Vṛṣṇi

The sages enquired:—

1. Why was the forest of Āpava, the noble-souled one, burnt by Kārttavīrya forcibly? Tell us this in details even as we ask.

2. We have heard that saintly king was the protector of the subjects. Protector of subjects as he was, how could he destroy the penance-grove?

Sūta replied:—

3. Āditya (the Sun-god) approached Kārttavīrya in the guise of a Brāhmaṇa and said, “Give me food till I am satisfied. Because I am undoubtedly the Sun-god.”

The king said:—

4. O lord, tell me, with what will you be satisfied, O Sun-god? What type of food should I serve you? I shall do so after hearing from you.

The Sun said:—

5. “Give unto me as food all immovable beings, O most excellent one among donors. I shall be satisfied with it, O king, and not with anything else.”

The king submitted:—

6. “All the immovable beings cannot be burnt by the fiery splendour of a human being, O most excellent one among those who blaze, I make my obeisance unto you.”

The Sun said:—

7-8. “Pleased with you I shall give you inexhaustible quiver of arrows that can face in all directions (i.e. that can be discharged in every direction). On being discharged, they will blaze, charged with my refulgence. Assailed by my brilliance, all immovable beings shall become parched up. O king, I shall reduce everything to ashes in a moment.”

9-11. Then the sun-god gave many arrows to Arjuna. After receiving those arrows from him, the volleys of arrows thus discharged from his bow, O king, burned all the immovables such as hermitages, villages, colonies of cowherds, cities, penance-groves, beautiful forests, parks and gardens etc. The Earth was burned and rendered devoid of trees and grass by the fiery splendour of the Sun.

12-13. In the meantime, Āpava, the great sage of highest splendour, who had already performed holy rites in fire and had undertaken a Vrata (holy vow) of staying under water for ten thousand years, had come out from water after completing his Vrata. The great sage then saw his hermitage burned down by Arjuna.

14. Out of anger, he cursed the saintly king in the manner already recounted to you by me.

Now listen to the line of the saintly king Kroṣṭu, consisting of many excellent persons.

15. He was the king in whose family was born Vṛṣṇi the leading member of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty.

Kroṣṭu had only one son, Vṛjinīvān of great fame.

16. Svāhī, the most excellent one among Svāhāvāns (i.e. those who perform Yajñas where the MantraSvāhā’ is repeated) was the son of Vṛjinīvān. Svāhi’s son Ruśeku[1] became a king and the most excellent one among donors.

17. Desirous of the birth of sons, Ruśeku of sanctified soul, performed great sacrifices of different types with plenty of requisite monetary gifts.

18-19. Citraratha was born as his son who performed many holy rites. Śaśabindu was the son of Citraratha. He was a great warrior. He performed sacrifices, distributing large sums of money. He practised the highest (most excellent) activities of saintly kings. He had the most exalted character and great prowess. He was an. emperor and had many children.

The following verse has been sung by men of yore regarding his line:—

20-22. “Śaśabindu had ten thousand sons. They were glorious with plenty of wealth and brilliance. They were in all respects worthy as his successors”.

Among them six were the most important. All these were very strong and powerful. They performed many sacrifices.

They were Pṛthuśravas, Pṛthuyaśas Pṛthukarman, Pṛthuñjaya, Pṛthukīrti and Pṛthudānta. They were kings born of Śaśabindu.

23. Persons conversant with Purāṇas praise Akṣara[2] as the son of Pṛthuśravas. Suyajña was the son of Akṣara and Uśanas was his son.

24. Uśanas was virtuous and pious. After getting the Earth (i.e. after coming to the throne), he performed a hundred horse-sacrifices conferring the most excellent monetary gifts (as Dakṣiṇā).

25. Marutta[3] was his son. He followed the footsteps of saintly kings. Vīrakambala-Barhiṣ is remembered as the son of Marutta.

26-27. Rukmakavaca was the learned son of Kambalabarhiṣ. With his sharp arrows, Rukmakavaca, at the very outset, killed many warriors with coats of mail and bows, in battle and attained the most excellent glory. That king of great fame distributed much wealth to Brāhmaṇas in his horse-sacrifice.

28. Five sons of great strength and prowess were born to Rukmakavaca. They could pierce the enemies and kill inimical warriors.

29. They were Rukmeṣu, Pṛthurukma, Jyāmagha, Parigha and Hari. The father established Parigha and Hari in the land of Videha.

30. Rukmeṣu became king (as successor to his father,[4]) and Pṛthurukma became his dependant. Thus cheated (and defeated) by them, Jyāmagha[5] lived in a hermitage though (he was entitled to be) a king.

31-32. He was calm (by temperament). In a great forest, he incurred the antagonism of a Brāhmaṇa. He took up his bow. Seated in a chariot and flying his own banner, he went to another country. Alone, the king went to the Narmada, then to the land of Mekala (?), the Mirikā forest, the mountain Ṛkṣavān and ultimately reached Muktimān.

33. The wife of Jyāmagha named Śaibyā was a very powerful woman. Though he had no son, he did not marry another woman.

34. In a battle he was victorious and brought a girl as his prize. Afraid of his wife that he was, the king told his wife “This is your daughter-in-law.”

35. On being told thus, she replied “To which son does she belong to be called my daughter-in-law?”

(The king replied)—“She will be the wife of the son who will be born to you”.

36. By means of her severe and terrible penance, the exalted noble lady Śaibyā, in her old age, gave birth to her son Vidarbha.

37-38. The prince Vidarbha begot of that girl two learned sons Kratha and Kaiśika. They were heroic experts in battle. Afterwards he begot Lomapāda, the third son. Babhru was the son of Lomapāda and Ākṛti was his son.

39. Cidi was the son of Kaiśika. The sons and descendants born of him were kings and are remembered as Caidyas. Kunti was the son of Kratha who (as had been already mentioned) was Vidarbha’s son.

40. Dhṛṣṭa was born as the son of Kunti. He was courageous and valorous in battle. Nirvṛti was the virtuous son of Dhṛṣṭa. He was a slayer of inimical warriors.

41. His son was Daśārha who had great strength and exploits. Vyoma was the son of Daśārha. Jīmūta is mentioned as coming after him.

42. Vikṛti was the son of Jīmūta. His son was Bhīmaratha. Rathavara, it is said, was the son of Bhīmaratha.

43. He was always engaged in making charitable gifts, acquiring learning and practising good conduct.

His son was Navaratha and it is remembered that Daśaratha came thereafter.

44. His son was Ekādaśaratha and Śakuni was his son. The archer Karambhaka came thereafter, and Devarāta succeeded him.

45. King Devakṣatra of great fame was son of Devarāta. Devana, the delighter of all Kṣatriyas, was born as the son of Devakṣatra.

46. Madhu was born of Devana. Puruvasu was the extremely brilliant son of Madhu whose intellect was the source of his wealth.

47-49. Purūdvān, the excellent man, was the son of Puruvasu. Purūdvaha was the son of Bhadravatī and Purudvān. His wife was Aikṣvākī and Sattva was his son born of her. Sātvata, the increaser of fame and endowed with Sattva quality, was born of him. After perfectly understanding this creation of Jyāmagha of noble-soul, one shall attain progeny and identity with the intelligent ‘King’ Soma.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ruśadgu in AIHT, p. 144.

[2]:

Antara in AIHT, p. 144.

[3]:

Our text dropped Śineyu as the son of Uśanas and named his grandson Marutta as the son of Uśanas vide AIHT, p. 144.

[4]:

AIHT. p. l46 names Parāvṛt instead of Rukmeṣu as the successor to Rukmakavaca.

[5]:

Jyāmagha is noted as a hen-pecked husband in Purāṇas. vide vv.33-36 below.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: