Story of Ikṣvāku

* A son of Vaivasvata Manu.

Genealogy.

From Viṣṇu were descended in the following order—Brahmā—Marīci—Kaśyapa—Vivasvān -Vaivasvata Manu—Ikṣvāku.

Śraddhā, Vaivasvata Manu’s wife bore him ten sons-Ikṣvāku, Nṛga, Śaryāti, Diṣṭa, Dhṛṣṭa, Karūṣa, Nariṣyanta, Nābhāga, Pṛṣadhra and Kavi. Vaivasvata Manu had six more sons by another wife, Chāyā. They were Manu, Yama, Yamī, Aśvinīkumāra, Revanta, Sudyumna. The Ikṣvāku family takes its source from Ikṣvāku. The Kings of the solar dynasty were all born in the Ikṣvāku family. This dynasty is named "Solar Dynasty" because Ikṣvāku was born to Vivasvān (Sun) the son of Kaśyapa. In Devī Bhāgavata, 7th Skandha we see that Ikṣvāku was born from Manu’s spittle. The descendants of Ikṣvāku up to Śrī Rāmā’s sons Lava and Kuśa are given below:—

Ikṣvāku had three sons—Daṇḍa, Vikukṣi, and Nimi. From Vikukṣi was born Śaśāda; from Śaśāda, Purañjaya; from Purañjaya, Kakutstha; from Kakutstha, Anenas; from Anenas, Pṛthulāśva; from Pṛthulāśva Prasenajit; from Prasenajit, Yuvanāśva; and from Yuvanāśva was born Māndhātā. Ambarīṣa, Mucukunda and Purukutsa were the sons of Māndhātā. Besides them he had fifty daughters also. The sage Saubhari married them. The family-tree continues again from Purukutsa, one of the sons of Māndhātā.

From Purukutsa, Trasadasyu was born; from Trasadasyu, Anaraṇya; from Anaraṇya, Aryaśva; from Aryaśva, Vasumanas; from Vasumanas, Sutanvā; from Sutanvā, Trairyyāruṇa; from Traiyyāruṇa, Satyavrata or Triśaṅku; from him Hariścandra; from Hariścandra, Rohitāśva; from Rohitāśvā, Harita; from Harita, Cuñcu; from Cuñcu, Sudeva; from Sudeva, Bharuka and from Bharuka Sagara was born. Sagara had two wives—Sumati and Keśinī. Sumati gave birth to 60,000 children, while Keśinī had a single son, Asamañjasa. Aṃśumān was the son of Asamañjasa; Bhagīratha was the son of Aṃśumān; Śrutanābha was the son of Bhagīratha; Sindhudvīpa was the son of Śrutanābha; Ayutāyus was the son of Sindhudvīpa; Ṛtuvarṇa was the son of Ayutāyus; Sarvakāma was the son of Ṛtuvarṇa; Sudās was the son of Sarvakāma; Mitrasaha, the son of Sudās; Kalmāṣapāda was the son of Mitrasaha; Aśmaka was the son of Kalmāṣapāda; Mūlaka was the son of Aśmaka; Khaṭvāṅga was the son of Mūlaka; Dīrghabāhu (Dilīpa) was the son of Khaṭvāṅga; Raghu was the son of Dīrghabāhu; Aja was the son of Raghu; Daśaratha was the son of Aja. Daśaratha had three wives. Kausalyā, Kaikeyī and Sumitrā. Śrī Rāma was born to Kausalyā, Bharata, was the son of Kaikeyī and Sumitrā had two sons, Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughṇa. Lava and Kuśa were Śrī Rāma’s sons by Sītā. (See the word Kālabrāhmaṇa)**

*) Mahābhārata Aśvamedha Parva (Chapter 4) says that Mahābāhu was the son of Vaivasvata Manu, Prasandhi was the son of Mahābāhu, Kṣupa was the son of Prasandhi and Ikṣvāku was the son of Kṣupa.

**) There are certain variations in the genealogy according to some Purāṇas. The genealogy given above is based on Bhāgavata and Agni Purāṇa.