“Paraśurama performed the Yagnas, freed himself from all sins and dazzled like the Sun which illumines brightly in the skies that was devoid of clouds. Maharishi Jamadagni, then took on a body due to his will and accepted the worship offered by Paraśurama and became the seventh star in the constellation of the seven great sages (ursa major).

Paraśurama, the son of this great sage and who is none other than the lotus-eyed Supreme Lord, will in the future Sāvarṇi Manvantara be a great propagator of Vedic knowledge. Even to this day, Paraśurama resides on the Mountain Mahendra. He has totally abandoned taking up weapons to punish others. He has a totally pleasant mind. Accomplished Siddhas, Gandharvas, Cāraṇas eternally render his glorious tales.

In this manner, the Supreme Lord Srihari who is the form of this universe, who is the Lord of this universe and who exists as its Self, incarnated as Paraśurama in the lineage of Maharishi Bhrigu. He destroyed the Kṣatriyas who behaved shamelessly and who were engaged in wicked atrocities and who had become a huge burden for Mother Earth. He did not kill saintly kings who were devoted to the Lord. He eliminated only the unrighteous kings”.

It is a pity that the Lord does not incarnate in Kali-yuga. He has designed this Yuga such that people kill each other and get destroyed. He ensures that they automatically get eliminated by their own efforts.

“King Gādhi was blessed with a son named Viśwamitra who illumined like burning fire. With intense penance Vishwamitra discarded his warrior status (kṣatriya) and acquired the radiance of a powerful Brahmin. He had 101 sons. Among them, the middle one was Madhucchanda. Based on this name all his sons were addressed as Madhucchandās.

Viśwamitra adopted Śunaḥśepa, son of Ajīgarta and who belonged to the Bhrigu lineage, as his son. He was also known as Devarāta. One morning Viśwamitra commanded his sons to accept Śunaḥśepa as their elder brother.

This was the time when King Hariśchandra was performing a Yagna for which they were in need of a person to be used in sacrifice. Śunaḥśepa’s parents had sold him to Hariśchandra to be used in sacrifice. Śunaḥśepa was brought to the sacrificial hall and tied to the pole. At this point, with the help of Viśwamitra, Śunaḥśepa worshipped Brahma and other Devatas and freed himself.

King Hariśchandra was performing the Varuna Yagna. The Devatas freed him from the clutches of the Yagna. Consequently he became famous as the descendant of Gādhi, who was gifted by the Devatas. Among the hundred and one sons of Viśwamitra, Madhucchanda was the middle one. His fifty elder brothers were reluctant to accept Śunaḥśepa as their elder brother. They disregarded their father’s command. Angered with their behaviour, Viśwamitra cursed them saying, “O wicked men! May you become Mlecchās i.e may you become useless!”

Thereafter Madhucchanda along with his younger brothers approached father Vishwamitra and said, “O father! We are ready to obey your command.” They accepted Śunaḥśepa as their elder brother. They said to Śunaḥśepa, “From now on we accept you as our elder brother”.

Viśwamitra was pleased with them. He said, “All of you have protected my reputation. Because of you I have become a worthy father. Hence all of you will be blessed with worthy sons.

O descendants of Kuśa lineage! This Śunaḥśepa, who is also known as Devarāta, is my worthy son. He is one among the Kuśika gotra. Aṣṭaka, Harita, Jaya, Kratuman, Gālava were the other sons of Viśwamitra Maharishi.

In this way, due to being cursed by Maharishi Viśwamitra and also due to being blessed, this Kuśīka lineage expanded in various different ways. Viśwamitra’s sons the Kouśīkas, who accepted Devarāta as their elder brother, were henceforth known as belonging to the Devarāta pravara.

With this the sixteenth chapter of the ninth canto comes to an end.

Ninth Canto Chapter Seventeen

In this chapter, the stories of Āyu and other kings are explained.

Maharishi Śuka continued, “Purūrava’s son was Āyu. His sons were Nahuṣa, Kṣtravṛddha, Raji, Rambha and Anēna. In this I shall narrate the lineage of Kṣtravṛddha. His son was Suhōtra whose sons were Kāśya, Kuśa and Gṛtsamada. Gṛtsamada’s son was Sunaka. Sunaka’s son was Śounaka, who become the best among those who had studied the Rig veda. Even to this date, in Rig veda branch, the students learn the Śounaka śāka.

Kāśya’s son was Kāśi. Kāśi’s son was Rāṣṭra whose son was Deerghatama. His son was Dhanvantri. Dhanvantri popularised Ayurvedic branch of medicine in this world”.

The Dhanvantri who was born during the churning of the ocean is different from this Dhanvantri. While Lord Dhanvantri was a complete incarnation of the Supreme Lord, this Dhanvantri was a partial incarnation of the Lord. He is entitled to a share in the oblations offered in Yagna. Merely by remembering him, the person is freed from sufferings. His son was Ketuman. Ketuman’s son was Bhīmaratha. His son was Divodāsa. Divodāsa’s son was Dvimanta who was also known as Pratardana.

Dvimanta was also renowned as Kuvalyayāśva, Satrujit, Rtadhwaja and Vatsa. Alarka and other sons were born to him”.

Narayana