Mahavishnu

 

Essence Of
Bhavishya Purana

 

19    Over-view of Raja Vamshas of Satya, Treta and Dwapara Yugas
After covering the Brahma Parva and Madhyama Parva of the Bhavishyad Purana, Sage Suta addressed the Congregation of Munis headed by Shaunaka Muni at Naimisharanya as to the outlines of ‘Pratisarga Parva’and provided an Over-view of the Kings of Raja Vamshas through the preceding Yugas viz. the Satya, Treta Yuga and Dwapara Yugas. During the second half of Brahma’s age of his hundred years, that is the third day of his fifty first Year, Vaiwaswa Manu was born in the Sweta Viraha Kalpa and the latter performed serious Tapasya; from his sneeze was born King Ikshvaku who was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. In the Royal lineage of Ikshvaku were born Vivikshu-Ripunjaya-Kakuthsu-Prithu-Adri-Bhadraaswva-Yavanaashva-Shraavasta-Kuvalashvya-Dhrudhashva-Nikumbhak-Sankatashvya-Prasenajit-Ravanaswya-Mandhaata-Purukutsa-Tridashvya-Anaranya-Prushadashvya-Vasuman-Tridhanva-Trayyaruni-Trishanku-Harischandra-Rohita-Haaritha-Chanchubhup-Vijaya and Ruk till the Third ‘Charana’. There after the lineage continued till King Ruru and his son Sagara; the lineage stopped due to the curse of Kapila Muni and the Sagara sons were burnt. From the second queen was born Asamanjasa-Anshuman-Dilip and Bhagiratha who became universally popular as he brought Ganga / Bhagirathi from Heavens to secure salvation to the Sagara Putras. The lineage continued further from Bhagirath to Shrutasena-Naabhhaga-Ambarisha-Sindhudeepa and so on till King Sudarshan who married the daughter of Kashi Raja and became the unconquered Monarch of Bharata Khanda.Devi Kaali appeared in a dream and asked the King to leave for Himalayas along with his wife and family and Sages headed by Vasishtha, since very soon there would be a ‘Pralaya’ and the Akhanda Bharata would disintegrate into pieces and save a few islands of Earth of varying sizes, the rest of the ‘Bhubhaag’ would be submerged under water! After the Pralay in Treta Yuga, King Sudarshan returned from Himalaya and revived Ayodhya Puri and thanks to the Divinely Cow Nandini and the Holy Sages.King Sudarshan ruled for thousands of years and in course of Time, his son King Dilip initiated a new generation and King Raghu heralded the Surya Vamsha or the Raghu Vamsha. King Raghu’s grandson Dasharatha had the unique privilege of securing Lord Shri Rama, the ‘Avatar’ of Bhagavan Vishnu. Surya Vamsa dominated from Shri Ram’s son Kusha downward for hundreds of generations thereafter and the Kings were by and large virtuous, engaged in Yagnas and Agni Karyas, charities and the preservation of Dharma. In the Third Segment of Treta Yuga, seeds were sown when Chandra Vamsa was initiated with the curse by Indra to send Chandra Deva to Bhuloka and the latter made Tirtha Raj Prayaga and performed relentless Tapasya and hundred Yagnas till Devi Bhagavati was pleased and sent Chandra back to Swargaloka. Chandra’s son Budha married Devi Ila and King Pururava was born, signifying the beginning of the Chandra Vamsa. Pururava’s son Ayu begot Nahusha who attained Indratva no doubt as Indra went into exile due to his Brahma hatya sin for killing Vritrasura ; but Maharshi Durvasa cursed Nahusha to become an ‘Ajagara’ or a huge snake. Nahusha’s son was Yayati and of the five sons of Yayati, three became the Rules of Mlecchaas and the other two were Yadu and Kuru. In the long lineage of Yadu and his son Kroshthi, was Maya Vidya who founded Pratishthanapura (Jhansi). In the long chain of Kings of Chandra Vamsa was Samvaran who pleased Surya Deva with his Tapasya and the Deva gave the hand of his daughter Tapati to Samvaran.As Pralaya terminated Treta Yuga, Surya Deva ordered that Samvaran and Tapati as also Maharshi Vasishtha and samples of Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vaishya be saved. With the advent of Dwapara Yuga, Pratishthanapura (Jhansi) was revived with Samvaran as the King, Budha Vamsheeya King Prasena and later on Yadu Vamsheeya King Surasena ruled Mathura, and Mleccha Vamsheeya Smashrupala or Shishupala ruled Marudesha (Arab, Iran and Iraq). King Samvaran’s long line of descendants climaxed with King Dushyanta and his Queen Shakuntala and their son Bharata whose lineage too lasted for thousands of years all over Bharat. Meanwhile, as per the order of Indra Apsara Ghritachi was sent to Earth and married Shakrahotra and their son was named Hasti. The latter rode Iravata with children and built a Nagar of large proportions which was named subsequently as Hastinapura. Again under instructions of Indra during the ‘Third Charana’ of Dwapara Yuga, another Apsara called Sukeshi was married to King Kuru who constructed Kurukshetra. In the lineage of King Kuru was born Shantanu whose son was Vichitraveerya. Pandu was the son of Vichitra veerya and Yudhishtar was the son of Pandu. As a repercussion of a mighty battle won by Daityas over Devas in the Universe, several Daityas who survived re-appeared in the Kingdom of Shantanu and the evil-minded Prince of Kuru Vamsha, Duryodhana became the rallying point of the Daityas, abetted by the weak and blind King Dhritarashtra. As Bhu Devi became increasingly intolerant of the predominance of wickedness, she approached Bhagavan Vishnu who assumed an Avatar (Incarnation) as Shri Krishna and played an outstanding role in destroying the Evil forces at the climactic Great Battle of Maha Bharata at Kurukshetra. Pursuant the Battle, there was purge of the Evil and King Parikshith became the Emperor, followed by Janamejaya and Shataanika.The lineage though long was of weak Kings till Pradyot performed Mleccha Yagna. The Yagna was no doubt successful and earned the name of ‘Mleccha hanta’. In fact, Kali himself along with his wife prayed to Bhagavan Narayana and sobbed that Pradyot made this Yagna and suspended our very existence. Bhagavan replied that through the earlier Yugas, Kali was ignored but surely the next Yuga would display the full blast and fury of Kali and as the time would roll on his upswing acts would assume ever greater intensity; Narayana assured Kali that a man named ‘Aadam’ and a woman called ‘Havyavati’ would promote the cause of Mlecchas at ever growing speed. As prophesied, gradually the strength of Mlecchas increased and that of ‘Aryavarta’ declined.At the fag end of Dwapara Yuga, the last King of Mlecchas named ‘Nyuh’who was a devotee of Bhagavan Vishnu was advised to build a huge ship (Nyoha’s Ark) to save a few. Meanwhile, there was continuous rain for forty days and all the Oceans overflowed together and Prithvi got sunk; but for a survivors who boarded the ship like Brahmavadi Muniganasa, representatives of the King Nyuh and specimens of fauna and flora.Only the ‘Seeshina’ named Mount of Himalayas lasted the Pralaya where the survivors stayed and slowly increased their poulation after the Great Destruction got spread out in fast stages.


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