Chapter 1 - Priyavrata distributes the continents

Maitreya:

You’ve told me all about the creation of the universe in answer to my question, holy guru. 1

But there’s an aspect of creation you’ve recounted, best of sages, about which I’d like to hear some more. 2

Svāyaṃbhuva had two sons, Priyavrata and Uttānapāda. Regarding these, you mentioned that Uttānapāda’s son was Dhruva, 3

But you’ve said nothing about Priyavrata’s descendants, brahmin. I’d like to hear about them, if it pleases you to tell me. 4

Parāśara

Priyavrata married the daughter of Kardama. They had ten sons and two daughters, Samrāj and Kukṣi. 5

The sons of Priyavrata were said to be wise, brave, gracious and dear to their father. Listen while I tell you the names by which they’re known: 6

Āgnīdhra, Agnibāhu, Vapuṣmant, Dyutimant, Medhas, Medhātithi, Bhavya, Savana and Putra. 7

Jyotiṣmant, the ‘Shining One’, was tenth among them and was as brilliant as his name suggests, but all of Priyavrata’s sons were famed for strength and courage. 8

Three—namely, Medhas, Agnibāhu and Putra—were devoted to yoga. Remembering their former lives, these fortunate men didn’t set their hearts on sovereignty. 9

They remained ever selfless in all matters, sage, and performed sacrifices in accordance with propriety, not thinking of reward. 10

Priyavrata divided the world into seven continents, best of sages, and gave one to each of his other seven great sons, Maitreya. 11

Āgnīdhra received Jambūdvīpa from his father, fortunate seer. To Medhātithi, he gave another continent, Plakṣadvīpa. 12

Vapuṣmant was anointed king of Śālmala, and holy Priyavrata made Jyotiṣmant king of Kuśadvīpa. 13

Priyavrata also appointed Dyutimant as king of Krauñcadvīpa and made Bhavya lord over Śākadvīpa. 14

That holy one made Savana king of Puṣkara. Āgnīdhra, who was king of Jambūdvīpa, best of sages, had nine sons, equal to the patriarchs: 15

Nābhi, Kimpuruṣa, Harivarṣa, Ilāvṛta, Ramya, Hiraṇvant was the sixth, along with Kuru and Bhadrāśva. The other was Ketumāla, a king of virtuous conduct. 16

Āgnīdhra divides Jambūdvīpa

Hear how Āgnīdhra divided Jambūdvīpa among his sons, brahmin: Nābhi was given the southern region of Himāhva by his father. 17

Āgnīdhra gave Hemakūṭa to Kimpuruṣa. The third region, Naiṣadha, he gave to Harivarṣa. 18

He gave the region centred on Mount Meru to Ilāvṛta, and the lands around Mount Nīla his father gave to Ramya. 19

Hiraṇvant was given the region to the north of that, known as Śveta. 20

The lands to the north of Śṛṅgavant he gave to Kuru, and he gave the region that lies east of Meru to Bhadrāśva. 21

The region of Gandhamādana he gave to Ketumāla. This is how that king divided the regions among his sons. 22

After that sovereign had enthroned his sons in each of these, Maitreya, he retired to the most auspicious site of Śālagrāma to undertake austerities. 23

In the eight regions given to Kimpuruṣa and the others, great sage, achievement was spontaneous and happiness was effortless. 24

They were free from misfortune and the woes of age and death. There was no distinction between vice and virtue, or between best, worst and middling. 25

These eight regions never knew the cycle of ages. The region of Himāhvaya was ruled by the great Nābhi. With his queen, Merudevī, he had a brilliant son, Ṛṣabha. 26

Ṛṣabha himself had a hundred sons, of whom Bharata was the eldest. Having ruled wisely and performed varied sacrifices, 27

King Ṛṣabha placed his son heroic Bharata upon the throne, then that fortunate man retired to the ashram of Pulaha to undertake austerities. 28

Following the prescription for those who retire to the forest, that resolute king duly performed austerities and instituted sacrifices. 29

Wasted by his practices, he grew thin, his veins distended. Naked Ṛṣabha placed a pebble in his mouth and took the path of heroes. 30

The kings of Bhārata

Because this region was given to Bharata by his father when he retired to the forest, it’s known throughout the threefold worlds as Bhārata. 31

Bharata had a most virtuous son, Sumati. After Bharata had successfully completed the required sacrifices, he bestowed the kingdom on his son. 32

King Bharata, who delighted in the practice of yoga, sage, passed responsibility to his son and drew his final breath at Śālagrāma. 33

In time, he was reborn a brahmin in a brilliant line of ascetics. I’ll recount his exploits for you later, Maitreya. 34

Brilliant Sumati had a son, Indradyumna. His son was Parameṣṭhin, and his son was Pratihāra. 35

He had a son named Pratiharta. His son was Bhuva. Next came Udgītha. King Prastāva was his son. 36

Then came Pṛthu, followed by Nakta. Nakta’s son was Gaya. Nara was the son of Gaya. He had a son, Virāj. 37

His son was heroic Dhīmant. Then came Mahānta, whose son was Manasyu. 38

Then came Tvaṣṭṛ. Tvaṣṭṛ’s son was Viraja, and his son was Raja. His son was Śatajit, who had a hundred sons, sage. 39

Of these, Viśvagjyoti was the eldest. They all contributed to the growth of the population and shone like ornaments in the ninefold region of Bhārata. 40

In former times, their descendants had possession of the land of Bhārata for seventy-one cycles of the ages, each consisting of the Kṛta, Tretā and the others. 41

This was the period of creation under Manu Svāyaṃbhuva, who presided over the first Manvantara in the era known as Vārāha, sage, when this whole world was populated. 42

So ends Chapter One in Book Two of the glorious Viṣṇu Purāṇa.

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