Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Kushika included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana’).
Story of Kuśika
A very famous monarch in the Puru dynasty. He was the grandfather of Viśvāmitra and father of Gādhi.
Genealogy.
Descended from Mahāviṣṇu thus; Brahmā-Atri-Candra-Budha-Purūravas-Āyus-Nahuṣa-Yayāti-Puru-Janamejaya-Prācinvān-Pravīra-Namasyu-Vītabhaya-Śuṇḍu-Bahuvidha-Saṃyāti-Rahovādī-Raudrāśva-Matināra-Santurodha-Duṣyanta-Bharata-Suhotra-Bṛhatputra-Aj mīḍha-Jahnu-Balākāśva-Kuśika.
Indra as son.
Kuśika began tapas for a son who would be equal to Indra and could not be killed by others. Pleased with his tapas Indra voluntarily took birth as Kuśika’s son. Gādhi was that son; in fact he was an incarnation of Indra. (Śānti Parva, Chapter 49).