Vishnu

 

Essence Of
Vishnu Purana

 

14    Raja Vamsha Vivarana-Description of Surya and Chandra Dynasities

After describing the Ashrama and Varna Dharmas as well as Nitya-Naimittika Karma  Vivarana, Parashara Maharshi explained the accounts of the lineage of Kings and recalled that Bhagavan Vishnu, the Original Ruk-Yajur-Saama Veda Swarupa created Brahmanda –maya Hiranyagarbha Brahma who  materialised  from his right thumb Daksha Prajapati, who in turn created Aditi and Aditi created Vivaswan and the latter generated Manu. Manu created Ikshvaku, Nriga, Dhrushtha, Sharyati, Narishyanta, Praamshu, Naabhaga, Dishta, Karusha and Prushaghna.Also, Manu decided to perform Yagna and appointed  two Devatas named Mitravarunas  but due to wrong Sankalpa a woman called Ila was materialised and Budha the son of Chandra married her and they begot a son called Pururava. The sons of Pururava got spread out far and became Kshatriyas. Prushaghna killed his Guru’s cow and as a result of this was born in a lower vamsha. Naabhaga’s progeny became Vaishyas. Manu’s son Sharyati had a daughter named Sukanya and her husband Chyavana Rishi and the latter obtained youth by Ashvini Kumars in exchange of Amrita from Swarga loka by severe Tapasya to Indra. Sharyati’s son was named Aanarta whose son was Raivata and the latter had a son named Raivata Kakudbhi.                                                                                                                    Revati and Balarama: Raivata had a daughter named Revati and along with her visited Brahma to bless a suitable bridegroom, but Brahma was engaged in listening Gandharava gaana by the Gandharvas named Haahaa and Huhuu and by the time the singing was over and Brahma’s attention was drawn by Raivata Kakudbhi, four Yugas were over and Brahma blessed  Revati to marry Balarama in the next Dwapara Yuga who was the would-be brother of Shi Krishna!Thus the age difference of Balarama and Revati was of four yugas plus! As Brahma blessed the father and daughter, they headed for Prithvi and found human beings as very short, ugly, far less bright, unenergetic and unintelligent. As they reached their own Kingdom Kushasthali, they found themselves as strangers and Devi Revati assumed a shorter stature and Raivata offered her in wedding to Balarama.

                                                          Ikshwaaku: The progeny of Naabhaga included : Ikshwaku who was born of Manu’s sneeeze;Vikukshi who fetched deer meat for a Srhaaddha to be executed by his father Ikshvaku eaten by a rabbit (Shashak) and hence Sage Vasistha who was to perform the Shraaddha called Vikukshi as Shashak ; Puranjaya the son of Shashak who defeated Danavas since Devas  worshipped Vishnu and Vishnu entered Puranjaya’s body while Indra    asked Puranjaya to assume the form of a bull so that he could hold the ‘kakud’ or hump on the back of the bull and destroyed Danavas thus Puranjaya securing the epithet of ‘Kakutstha’; Kuvalashwa who was a great Vishnu Bhakta who attained the epithet of ‘Dundhumara’as he killed Dundhu Daitya with the help of his twenty one thousand sons who dried up the Sea in which was hiding the Daitya by their ‘nishvaasa’ or exhaling and thus exposed and destroyed the Daitya; Yavanaashwa who performed ‘Putrakameshti’ yagna but during the course of the yagna the King drank up at a midnight out of extreme thirst the‘Mantrajala’ or the water meant the Queen to conceive a child and in course of time the King delivered a child from the right side of his abdomen which was cut open and the child thus born was named Mandhata who was given by milk by Indra’s middle finger;  Mandhata eventually became the Chakravarti or the Emperor of Sapta Dwipas who was noted as:

Yaavatsurya udetyastam yaavascha pratitishthati,

sarvam tadyouvanaashwasya Mandhaatuh kshetramuchyatey/

(From where Sun rises in the morning and again where Sun sets in the evening is the Empire of Mandhata, the son of Yuvanaashwa!); Puruktsa, Ambarisha, and Muchukunda were the sons of Mandhata besides fifty daughters.                                                                                

Maharshi Soubhari: It was at that time of Mandhaata, there was a Maharshi called Soubhari  who stayed under water for twelve years performing Tapasya and was impressed by a Matsya King and his large family; the Maharshi approached  Mandhata and asked for one of his daughters to let him marry him; Mandhata was depressed at the idea of marrying off any one of the daughters to an old and ugly Maharshi but he was afraid of the Maharshi’s curse and said that in his family there was a custom of ‘Swayamvara’ or the bride’s choice of a husband; the Maharshi entered the ‘Antahpura’ or the Interior Chambers of Mandhata’s daughters  as an extremely handsome and strong youth and all the Kanyas were excited to marry the Maharshi; after some time, Mandhata visited the Maharshi to enquire about the state of their happiness and in one voice they confirmed that they were all extremely happy with the Maharshi! Meanwhile, the Maharshi who was completely immersed in  the ‘samsara’ or endless family life and attachments and regretted that his Tapasya under water went as a huge waste as he got irretrievably ensnared in samsara, due to the attractive company of Matsya King whose example had fully spoilt his life of Tapasyayogi! He realised though late in his life and ruminated:

Nissangataa Muktipadam yateenaam sangaadasheshaah prabhavanti doshaah/

Arudha Yogo vinipaantyatedha-ssangena  kimutaalpa buddhih!

(Indeed the lack of company would ensure Mukti to Yogis since it was the company that spoils endeavours of attaining Mukti; the wrong and misleading  folly would demolish and debase the sincere efforts of even Yogis and indeed ordinary human beings are not to be mentioned anyway!) By so realising his foolishness of entrering Samsara, the Maharshi regretted and took to Vaanaprasthaa Ashrama and sought to make amends of his further part of life!                                                                                    

Purukutsa and Narmada: Mandhata’s son Purukutsa married Devi Narmada and the latter was the sister of Nagaas of Rasatala. Nagaas were afraid of Gandharvas as some six crore Gandharvas resided in Rasatala tormenting Nagaas by hunting their ‘Ratnas’(jewels) from their hoods. The Nagaas prayed to Bhagavan Vishnu and the latter assured that the son of Mandhata viz. Purukutsa would destroy all the Gandharvas at the instance of Narmada Devi. As professed, Purukutsa eradicated Gandharvas and the Nagaas gave a boon to Narmada that whosoever bathed in the River or even recited the following would be safe from ‘sarpa-visha’ or the poison of serpents; the relevant Shloka or stanza to be recited states:

Narmadaayai Namah Pratarnarmadaayai Namo nisha,

Namostu Narmadey tubhyam traahi maam Visha Sarpatah/

(Devi Narmada! My salutations to you in the day or night, do safeguard me from the fear of Serpents and their poisonous bites!) This recitation while entering dark places and eating food would safeguard from any kind of poisons as such is the power of the boon bestowed by Serpents to human beings, thanks to Purukutsa and Narmada!                            Satyavrata alias Trishanku: In the lineage of Purukutsa was the famed Satyavrata called subsequently as Trishanku who became a Chandala since he was banished by his father King Traiyaaruni for the offence of kidnapping a commoner bride from her Vivaha-Vedika or wedding place as prompted by the Royal Priest Vasishtha and Satyavrata adopted the ways of Chandala; as Vishwamitra went away on a long Tapasya and as there was a long drawn ‘Anavrishti’, Satyavrata provided food to the Sage’s family for the entire period of twelve long years (although by cow meat of the stolen cows of Vasishtha, who came to know of the theft as also of feeding the cow meat to a co-Sage’s family) ; Vasishtha thus cursed Satyavrata on three counts or Trishanka viz.  adopting the ways of a chandala, thieving Vasishta’s cows  and feeding cow’s meat to Vishwamitra’s family during the famine period without their knowledge. Yet, Vishwamitra on return from his Tapasya was extremely pleased to have supported his family by Satyavrata now converted as a full fledged Chandala in his form and habit; the Sage not only changed Satyavrata to his original profile but also fulfilled the latter’s wish to reach Swarga in his mortal form; as the Devatas did not allow Trishanku to enter Swarga, Vishwamitra created a Trishanku Swarga just below the original Swarga and created a duplicate as wondereful as the original Swarga! Indeed, Vishwamitra had to utilise considerable portion of his Taposhakti to please Satyavrata alias Trishanku! Harischandra: The illustrious son of Trishanku was King Harischandra who stood for Satya or Truth, despite the unending harassment and distress caused to him and his family by the Sage Vishwamitra; the Sage got the King into the vicious circle of indebtedness to perform a Yagna and ‘dakshinaas’or fees, made the King a pauper to such an extent of selling his wife and son Rohitasya as also selling himself as a bonded labour in a ‘Smashaana’or a burial place; as a climax the dead body of Rohitasya was brought to the burial ground and his wife  had to forfeit half of her saree to pay for the fees of the son’s burial! All along Vishwamitra asked Harischandra to tell a small lie that he did not to owe any money to the Sage but Harischandra who was indeed a Symbol of Truthfulness never ever falter from Thuth but was prepared for extreme hardships! At the end, Truth conquered and Harischandra and his wife earned Salvation and the dead  Rohitasya was revived and became the King; Harischandra was being tested by Vishwamitra and Lord Yama who indeed was the Keeper of the Burial  Place!                                                                                                                                          Sagara and Bhagiratha:Harischandra’s son Rohitasya and his further generation included Ruru-Vruka and Baahu; the last King Baahu was weak and incompetent and was defeated by neighbouring Kings and the powerful King Haihaya occupied the throne; Baahu and his wife Yadavi left for forest life. Baahu died even as Yadavi was carrying a child and prepared for ‘Sahagaman’or suicide by jumping into the pyre / fire of the husband’s dead body; but Yadavi was already poisoned by Baahu’s second wife. Ourva Muni of Bhrugu Vamsha prevented the Sahagamana and rescued her into his ‘Ashram’. It was in the Ashram that Yadavi gave birth to Sagara or Sa + Gara.The latter was brought up by the Muni, taught him Vedas and Shastras, trained him in military skills and blessed him with ‘Agneyastra’ (The Mantrik arrow of Fire). The accomplished Sagara defeated Haihayas, as also other opponent enemies like Shakaas, Yavanaas, Kambojaas, Paaradas and Pahlava ganas; not only he regained his throne but annexed the Kingdoms of the enemies as well.He performed Ashvamedha Yagna to celebrate his victories and deputed his sons who were sixty thousand strong along with the horse ( Maharshi Ourva offered two options to the two wives of Sagara viz. Keshini and Mahati , one with a fruit with sixty thousand seeds and another with just one seed- one full of warriors and another as a Ruler; the one who accepted the big number was given a pot full of embriyos and the other had normal delivery). On way the sacrificial horse was lost; Sagara’s sons dug up the sea suspecting that the animal was hidden under the Sea and thus the epithet of Samudra as ‘Sagara’.The sons discovered Maharshi Kapila and as the sons harassed the Maharshi, they were all burnt off as ashes instantly excepting four.The elder son Amshuman gave birth to Dilip and the latter was blessed with Bhagiratha who made an all-out effort to bring Ganga River from Swarga to Bharat and the place where the ashes were lying so that the souls of his fore-fathers were redeemed; in this exercise Bhagirath went through such insurmountable obstacles at each step of his Tapasya to gain the confidence of Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi Ganga herself! Since Bhagirath was wholly instrumental in this most distinguishing deed, Ganga Devi was also known as Bhagirathi.


The lineage of Bhagirath included Shruta, Naabhaga, Ambarisha, Sindhudwipa and Soudasa or Mitrasaha; the last mentioned King went on hunting in a forest once and killed a tiger which actually turned to be a Raakshasa who cursed the King that he would avenge his death one day. After a few years, Soudasa performed one yagna and at the end of the deed, Vasishtha Muni went out and the Raakshasa appeared as Vasishtha and instructed the King to cook ‘Naramaamsa’ or human meat as Naivedya or offering to the Yagna; the King got human meat cooked and meanwhile the real Vasishtha returned and on realising the naivedya was to be of human meat, cursed the King to become a Raakshasa! On realising the truth however in his Divya Drushti’ (Celestial Vision), Vasishtha reduced the time-span of the curse to twelve years only. But the Queen requested the Muni that for no fault of his, the King was being punished. The kind Vasishtha no doubt sprinkled the ‘shaapa-jala’ or the cursing water on his own feet instead of throwing it up on  the sky apparently to reduce the severity of the curse. Meanwhile, the King became a Raakshasa and while wandering freely sought to kill a Brahmana while he was in bed with his wife; the Brahmana’s wife entreated the Raakshasa and reminded him that he was the King Mitrasaha of the famed Ikshvaaku Vamsha; but still the Raaksasa ate the Brahmana and the Brahmani cursed the Raakshasa that after the latter would regain his original King’s form, he would die if he tried to sleep with his queen Madayanti. After the period of curse was over, the King was reminded of the ‘Shaap’ of Brahmani and abstained from meeting his wife.Since there was no heir to the throne, Vasishtha provided the ‘garbhadaan’as an exigency approved by ‘Smritis’ but since there was no birth for seven years, the Garbha was operated by a few women and the son who was born as Ashmaka or Mulaka was also called ‘Naari Kavacha’.   It was in this Vamsha was born Khatvanga, who helped Devas in their battle with Asuras and at the end of the battle, Devaas asked Khatvanga to ask for a boon and the King asked the Devas to convey about his life span; when he came to know of his life was only a Muhurat away, the King prayed to Bhagavan Vishnu thus: ‘ If only I had not considered Brahmanas as far more important than my  own self and of my family; if only I had ever infringed my Kshatriya Dharma to the full letter and spirit; if only my total attention was not paid to the entirety of Devas, human beings, Pashu-Pakshi-Vrikshas  and if only I had ever faltered in the pursuit of Bhagavan Achyuta and the path of seeking him and nothing else, then may I get absorbed into him!’In this context, Saptarshis affirmed: ‘There never was a King like Khatvanga on Earth, who did not miss to avail even a Muhurtha-long time of his last part of life and by using his mental agility prayed to Bhagavan and achieved glimpses of his vision of the Supreme!’                                                                                After Khatvanga, the lineage of Kings included Deerghabaahu, Raghu, Aja, Dasharatha and Shri Rama Chandra the Epic Hero who firmly stood tall in reference to the immortal Ramayana, his valiant son Kusha and so on. Such was the most glorious chapter of Surya Vamsha and Ikshwaku Vamsha which dominated the Global Scene in the History of Mankind through the two significant Satya and Treta Yugas! Besides Shri Rama, there were the memorable Amshas of Bhagavan Vishnu in the forms of Lakshmana, Bharata, and  Shatrughna. During his teen-hood itself, Rama provided security to the Yagna of Sage Vishwamitra, killed Raakshasi Tataki, swept away by his high-speed arrow another Raakshasa Maricha beyond the Seas and terminated yet another Raakshasa named Subahu; he liberated Devi Ahalya from the state of a Stone and declared her as sinless; destroyed Maha Deva’s Dhanush or the Big Bow; wedded Devi Sita; smashed the ego of Parashu Rama; followed the instruction of his father and took to forest life along with  Devi Sita and brother Lakshmana; during the Vana Vaasa, Rama killed Viradha, Khara, Dushana, Kabandha Raakshasaas; ended Vali; made friends with Sugriva and Hanuman; built a bridge across the Ocean to save Sita and destroy Daityas headed by Ravana-Kumbhakarna-Indrajit and so on; declared Sita as pure by making her enter into Agni; and on re-entering Ayodhya assumed the status of the Soverign to rule as the unquestioned Monarch for eleven thousand years. During his time, Bharat fought three crore Gandharvas and suppressed them; Shatrughna killed the Madhuputra the Demon Lavana and established the City of Mathura and thus administered the most ideal Rama Rajya in human history! 


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