Chapter 273 - The description of the Solar Race (sūryavaṃśa)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Fire-god said:

1-4. I shall describe to you the genealogies of the solar [i.e., sūryavaṃśa] and lunar races and of other kings. (Lord) Brahmā was born from the (navel) lotus of (Lord) Hari (Viṣṇu). (Sage) Marīci was the son of (Lord) Brahmā. (Sage) Kaśyapa was born from Marīci and Sun from Kaśyapa. He (Sun) had three wives—Saṃjñā, Rājñī and Prabhā. Rājñī was the daughter of Raivata. She gave birth to a son (called) Revanta. Prabhā (gave birth) to Prabhāta through the Sun. Saṃjñā, the daughter of Tvaṣṭṛ (Viśvakarman) (gave birth) to a son (called) Manu. The twins Yamunā and Yama were born (to Rājñī). Chāyā gave birth to Sāvarṇi, Śani, Tapatī and Viṣṭi. Saṃjñā gave birth to Vaivasvata Manu and again the Aśvins^[1].

5-6. Vaivasvata Manu had eight sons best of all but not equal to him—Ikṣvāku, Nābhāga, Dhṛṣṭa, Śaryāti, Nariṣyanta, Prāṃsu, Karuṣa and Pṛṣadhra. They were of great prowess and lived in Ayodhyā.

7. Ilā was the daughter (of Manu). Purūravas (was born) to her through Budha. That Ilā (again) became Sudyumna (a male) after delivering Purūravas.

8-10a. The three kings Utkala, Gaya and Vinatāśva were from Sudyumna. The country of Utkala was given to U tkala, the western part (of the earth) to Vinatāśva and all the quarters to the foremost king Gaya (with his capital at) Gayāpurī. Sudyumna obtained Pratiṣṭhāna by the words of Vasiṣṭha. After getting the kingdom, Sudyumna gave it away to Purāravas.

10b-11. Sakas (were) the sons of Nariṣyanta. Ambarīṣa, a devotee of (Lord) Viṣṇu (was the son) of Nābhāga and a protector of the people. The race of Dhārṣṭaka (was) from Dhṛṣṭa. Sukanya and Ānarta (were the sons) of Śaryāti. King Vairohya (was the son) of Ānarta.

12-16. Kuśasthalī became the domain of Ānarta. The virtuous Raivata, known as Kakudmin was the eldest among the hundred sons of Reva. He got the kingdom of Kuśasthalī. He heard the science of music from Brahmā in the company of his daughter. In moment of the god passed ages of the world of mortals. He returned to his city hurriedly surrounded by the Yādavas. He made the beautiful Dvāravati (Dvārakā) having many doors (as his capital) guarded by the Bhojas, Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas led by Vāsudeva and others. He gave away (his daughter) Revatī of spotless beauty in marriage to Baladeva. Then he performed penance on the peak of the Sumeru mountain and reached the abode of (Lord) Viṣṇu.

17. Nābhāga had two sons, that were Vaiśyas, who became brahmins (later on). Kārūṣas (were born) from Karūṣa, who were of the warrior caste that were invincible.

18. Prṣadhra became a śūdra on account of killing the cow of his preceptor. Vikukṣi, the divine ruler, was born from Ikṣvāku, the son of Manu.

19-20. Kakutstha was born from Vikukṣi and Suyodhana was his son. Pṛthu was his son. Viśvagāśva was the son of Pṛthu. His son was Āyus. Yuvanāśva was his son. Śrāvanta was born from Yuvanāśva. The city of Śrāvantikā in the east (was his capital).

21. Bṛhadaśva was born from Śrāvanta. Kuvalāśva was the next king. He got the name Dhundhumāra (as he killed a demon) named Dhundhu^[2] in olden days.

22. The three kings Dṛḍhāśva, Daṇḍa and Kapila (were the sons) of Dhundhumāra. Haryaśva and Pramodaka (were born) from Dṛḍhāśva.

23. Nikumbha (was born) from Haryaśva and Saṃhatāśva from Nikumbha. Akṛśāśva and Raṇāśva were the two sons of Saṃhatāśva.

24. Yuvanāśva (was the son) of Raṇāśva. Māndhātṛ (was born) from Yuvanāśva. Purukutsa was (born) from Māndhātṛ. Mucukunda (was his) second (son).

25. Trasadasyu and Sambhūta^[3] (were born) from Purukutsa through Narmadā. Sudhanvā was (born) from Sambhūta. Then Tridhanvā (was born) from Sudhanvā.

26. Taruṇa (was born) from Tridhanvā and Satyavrata (was) his son. Satyaratha (was born) from Satyavrata. Hariścandra (was) his son.

27-29. Rohitāśva (was born) from Hariścandra. Vṛka was (born) from Rohitāśva^[4]. Bāhu (was born) from Vṛka and Sagara from Bāhu. His dear (wife) Prabhā was the mother of sixty thousand sons. (His other wife) Bhānumatī{GL_NOTE::} (gave birth) to Asamañjasa from that king by the grace of the pleased (sage) Aurva. The sons of Sagara were burnt by Viṣṇu (Lord Viṣṇu in the form of sage Kapila) as they were digging up the earth. Aṃśumān (was born) from Asamañjasa. Dilīpa was (born) from Aṃśumān.

30. Bhagīratha (was born) from Dilīpa. He brought down the Ganges (from the heaven). Nābhāga (was born) from Bhagīratha and Ambarīṣa from Nābhāga.

31. Sindhudvīpa (was born) from Ambarīṣa. Śrutāyu is known to be his son. Ṛtuparṇa was (born) from Śrutāyu. Kalmāṣapāda (was) his son.

32. Sarvakarmā (was born) from Kalmāṣapāda. Anaraṇya was (born) from him. Nighna (was born) from Anaraṇya, Anamitra (from Anaraṇya) and Raghu (from Anamitra).

33. Dilīpa was (born) from Raghu. Aja (was) the (next) king (born) from Dilīpa. Dīrghabāhu (was born) from Aja and Kāla and Ajāpāla were (born in order).

34-35. Then Daśaratha was born. He had four sons who were all partial manifestations of (Lord) Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu). Rāma was the eldest among his (sons). That foremost of the Raghus was the ruler at Ayodhyā and the Killer of (the demon) Rāvaṇa. (Sage) Vālmīki composed his life accounts after hearing that from (sage) Nārada.

36. Kuśa and Lava, the furtherers of the family, (were) the sons of Rāma through Sītā. Atithi was born from Kuśa. Niṣadha (was) his son.

37. Nala was born from Niṣadha. Nabha was born from Nala. Puṇḍarīka was (born) from Nabha. Then Sudhanvā was born.

38. Devānīka (was born) from Sudhanvā and Ahīnāśva was his son. Sahasrāśva (was born) from Ahīnāśva and Candrāloka was born then.

39. Tārāpīḍa (was born) from Candrāloka. Candraparvata (was born) from him. Bhānuratha (was born) from Candragiri (parvata). Śrutāyu was his son. These are known to be the descendants of the Ikṣvāku family that bore (the name of) the Solar race.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See Vi. P. IV. 2 40.

[2]:

Differs from Vi. P. IV. 3. 17 Anaraṇya was born from Trasadasyu.

[3]:

The list here omits certain names. See Vi. P. IV. 3. 25.

[4]:

The names of the wives of Sagara differ from Vi. P. IV. 4. 1.