Ninth Canto Chapter Twenty four

In this chapter, the lineage of Vidarbha is explained.

The couple Bhojya and Vidarbha had three sons viz., Kuśa, Kratha and Romapāda. Romapāda, the third son, brought happiness to the members of the Vidarbha dynasty. Romapāda’s son was Bhabru. His son was Kṛti. Kṛti’s son was Uśika whose son was Cedi. His sons were Śisupāla, Damaghosa and others, who belonged to the Cedi dynasty.

Vidarbha’s second son Kratha begot a son Kunti. His son was Dṛṣṭi. Nivṛtti was his son. Nivṛtti’s son was Daśārha who begot Vyoma. Vyoma’s son was Jīmūta whose son was Vikṛti. Vikṛti’s son was Bhīmaratha. His son was Navaratha. Navaratha’s son was Dasharatha. His son was Śakuni. Śakuni’s son was Karambi. His son was Dēvarāta whose son was Dēvākṣatra. Devākṣatra’s son was Madhu. His son was Kuruvamsa and his son was Anu. Anu begot Puruhotra. Puruhotra’s son was Ayu.

Sātvata was the son of Ayu. Sātvata’s sons were Bhajamāna, Bhaji, Divya, Vṛṣṭi, Devavrtha, Andhaka and Mahābhoja.

From his first wife Bhajamāna had three sons Nimlōci, Kinkaṇa and Dṛṣṭi. From his second wife Bhajamāna had three sons Satājit, Sahasrājit and Ayutājit.

Sātvata’s son Devavṛtha had s son called Babhru. Elders glorify this father-son duo stating that due to the greatness of Bhabru and his father Devavrtha, 14,065 descendants of theirs obtained liberation.

Mahābhoja, the brother of Devavṛtha and son of Sātvata, was also exceedingly righteous. In his lineage appeared the Bhoja kings, who caused the lineage to flourish.

Sātvata’s another son Vṛṣti had two sons Sumitra and Yudhājit. Among them Yudhājit had two sons Śini and Anamitra. Anamitra had a son Nimna. Nimna’s sons were Satrājit and Prasena.

Anamitra had another son called Śini who begot Satyaka. Satyaka’s son was Yuyudhāna. His son was Sātyaki whose son was Jaya. Jaya’s son was Kuṇi. Kuṇi’s son was Yugandhara.

Anamitra’s third son Vṛṣṭi begot two sons Swaphalka and Chitraratha. From wife Gāndini, Swaphalka begot Akrūra and twelve other noble sons who were renowned. Āsanga. Sāramēya, Mṛdura, Mṛdavit, Giri, Dharmavṛddha, Sukarma, Kṣētrōpēkṣa, Arimardhana, Śatrughna, Gandhamāda and Pratibāhu were the other sons of Swaphalka. They had a sister Sucira. Akrūra’s sons were Devamān and Upadeva.

Vṛṣṭi’s another son Chitraratha, had many sons among whom Pṛthu and Vidūratha were noteworthy. All of them were renowned as belonging to the Vṛṣṭi clan. Through their deeds they brought happiness to the members of their clan.

Sātvata’s son Andhaka begot four sons Kukura, Bhajamāna, Śuci and Kambalabarhiṣa. Kukura’s son was Vahni. Vahni begot Viloma. Vimola begot Kapōtarama. Anu was the son of Kapotarama. Anu’s friend was Tumbura. Anu begot Andhaka. Andhaka’s son was Dundubhi. Dundubhi’s son was Aridyota. His son was Punarvasa. Punarvasa’s son was Āhuka and his daughter was Āhuki.

Āhuka begot Dēvaka and Ugrasena. Dēvaka had four sons Devavān, Upadēva, Sudēva, Dēvavardhana. He also had seven daughters viz., Upadēva, Śāntidēva, Śrideva, Dhṛtadeva, Dēvarakṣita, Sahadeva and Devaki. All these sisters married Vasudeva.

Kamsa, Sunāma, Nyagrodha, Kanka, Śanku, Śankuvu, Suharāṣṭrapāla, Dṛṣṭi, Tuṣṭi were the nine sons of Ugrasena. He also had five daughters Kamsā, Kamsavatī, Kaṇkā, Sūrabhū and Rāṣṭrapālika. Vasudeva’s brothers Dēvabhāga and others married these daughters.

Chitraratha’s son Vidūratha begot Śūra. His son was Bhajamāna who begot Śini. Śini’s son was Swayambhoja. His son was Hṛdīka. Hṛdīka’s sons were Dēvamīḍha, Śatadhana and Krtavarma. Dēvamīḍha’s son was Śūra whose wife was Mārīśa.

The couple Śūra and Mārīśa had 10 pure-hearted sons called. Vasudeva, Dēvabhāga, Dēvaśravasa, Ānaka, Śṛnjaya, Śāmaka, Kaṇka, Śamīka, Vatsaka and Vṛka. Among them, Vasudeva was to be the father of the Supreme Lord when he incarnated on earth. For this reason, when Vasudeva was born celestials beat drums and kettle-drums and hence we was also known as ānakadundubhi. The couple Śūra and Mārīśa had five daughters viz., Pṛtha, Śrtadēva, Śrutakīrti, Śrutaśrava and Rājādhidēvi.

Śūra had a friend Kunti who was childless for a long time. Hence Śūra gave his daughter Pṛtha to Kunti in adoption. Pṛtha was also known as Kunti. Kunti offered services to Maharishi Durvasa. Pleased with her, Maharishi Durvasa initiated her into a mantra by which she could invoke the Devatas. In order to test the power of the mantra, one morning Kunti invoked the Sun-god. That next moment, the Sun-god appeared before her. Astonished upon seeing the Sun-god standing in front of her, Kunti said to him, “O Sun-god! I chanted this mantra purely to test its efficacy. Kindly pardon my mistake. Please go away”.

The Sun-god replied, “O Kunti! My visit should not go for a waste. Hence I am going to bless you with a son. However as you are unmarried, I will ensure that your virginity is not dissolved”. Saying this, Sun-god transferred his radiance into Kunti.

Krishnaya namah