Achyutaya namah
Ninth Canto Chapter Six
In this chapter, the story of Māndhāta and Saubhari are narrated.
Maharishi Śuka continued, “King Ambarīṣa had three sons, Virūpa, Ketumān and Śambhu. Among them Virūpa had a son named Pṛṣadaśva. Pṛṣadaśva’s son was Rathītara. Rathītara remained childless for a long time. Thereafter he beseeched Maharishi Angira to save his lineage. Maharishi Angira then transferred his radiance into Rathītara’s wife. She then gave birth to many sons and thereby their lineage was saved.
Although these children of Rathītara begotten through his wife belonged to Rathītara’s dynasty they were known as Angīra gotra i.e. belonging to the lineage of Angīra. They thus were a mixture of the warrior (kshatriya) clan as well as the Brahmin clan.
Ikṣwāku who was born from Manu’s nostril when Manu sneezed, fathered a hundred sons”.
Remember that all these are divine births wherein children are born when parent yawns, sneezes etc. All this happens for a valid purpose.
“Among them Vikukṣi, Nimi and Dandaka were the eldest. Among the hundred son of Ikṣwāku, twenty-five ruled the eastern side of Aryavarta province while another twenty-five ruled the western side of Aryavarta province. Three sons ruled the areas between these two provinces. The remaining forty-seven ruled all other directions as kings of those lands. Once while performing the aṣṭaka-śrāddha ritual, Ikṣwāku said to son Vikukṣi, “My son, quickly get me some very pure meat”.
Vikukṣi immediately set out for the forests and hunted animals that were suitable for offering in sacrifice. In the process he was exhausted”.
In those eons, after the completion of the sacrifice the person offering the sacrifice would use the sanctified water to bring the animal back to life. In Kali yuga if animal sacrifice is offered, do they have the ability to restore it back to life? They kill the animal and eat its flesh, that’s all.
“Vikukṣi, who was extremely fatigued, forgot that he was to fetch animals for offering in sacrifice. To abate his hunger he quickly ate a rabbit that he had killed. He brought the remaining animals back to the kingdom and handed them over to his father.
Ikṣwāku presented the meat to his Guru Vasiṣṭha and begged that the śrardha ceremony (ritual for fore-fathers) should be commenced using that flesh. Maharishi Vasiṣṭha who understood that some meat in that had been consumed said to the king, “O king, this meat is impure and hence is not fit to be offered during the ritual to fore-fathers. Setting aside the dictates of the Shastras, your son Vikukṣi had consumed some meat”.
Ikṣwāku was infuriated upon knowing this. Had the animal been offered in sacrifice it could be revived back to life and set free again in the forest. Now due to the actions of his son, it was impossible to revive them back to life. Ikṣwāku banished his son immediately from his kingdom for his wrong-doing.
Ikṣwāku who was a very great Yogi, discussed with Guru Vasiṣṭha about the Supreme Essence. As a result of these discussions he could establish himself in Jnana-yoga. He left behind his body and merged into the Absolute Lord.
Vikukṣi thereafter returned to his kingdom and ruled over it. He performed many Yagnas and worshipped the Supreme Lord. As he had previously consumed rabbit-meat he became famous as Saśāda.
Puranjaya was the son of Vikukṣi. For his numerous glorious deeds he became famous as Indravāha and Kakutstha. I shall narrate them in detail to you. Please listen.
Towards the end of Kṛta-yuga a dangerous war broke out between the Devatas and demons which appeared to consume the entire creation. The Devatas who were defeated by the demons requested Puranjaya for help. Puranjaya agreed on the condition that Lord Indra would be his vehicle. The Supreme Lord Srihari instructed Indra to become Puranjaya’s vehicle. Indra took on the form of a gigantic bull.
Puranjaya readied for the war. He wore his armour and took up a bow belonging to the heavens in his hand. Taking up very sharp arrows he mounted the bull and sat on its hump. The Devatas extolled him profusely. He was greatly strengthened due to Vishnu’s radiance.
Together with the Devatas, Puranjaya attacked and devastated the residence of the demons located on the west. A violent war ensued which caused the bodies of all those who were witnessing it to horripilate. With his powerful arrows, Puranjaya despatched all the demons who had opposed him to the residence of Yama.
Unable to withstand the onslaught of Puranjaya, who was ferocious like the raging fire of devastation and tormented by the arrows rained upon them, the demons ran back to their residence located in the lower planetary region called Patala.
The saintly-king Puranjaya thus conquered the demons and handed over their capital city together with all its riches to Indra, the Lord of heaven. From then on, he was known as Puranjaya, the conquerer (jaya) of the city (Pura). As he sat on the bull’s hump he was addressed as Kakutstha. As he had retained Indra as his vehicle he was known as Indravāhana.
Puranjaya’s son was Anenasa. Anenasa’s son was Pṛthu. Pṛthu’s son was Vishwarandhi. Vishwarandhi’s son was Chandra. Chandra’s son was Yuvanāśva. Yuvanāśva’s son was Śābasthi. Śābhasti constructed a city which was known as Śābasthi-nagara. His son was Bṛhadaśva whose son was Kuvalayāśva.
In order to please Maharishi Uttanaka, valorous king Kuvalayāśva together with his 21,000 sons killed the demon Dhundhu. From then on, this valourous king obtained the title Dhundhumāra. In that fight however, barring three, all his other sons were burnt under the fierce flames that arose from the demon’s mouth. These three sons were Dṛḍāśva, Kapilāśva and Bhadrāśva. Dṛḍāśva’s son was Haryaśva. Haryaśva’s son was Nikumbha.
Nikumbha’s son was Bṛhanāśva whose son was Kṛśāśva. Kṛśāśva’s son was Senajit whose son was Yuvanāśva. Yuvanāśva remained childless. Yuvanāśva who was grieving at this retired into the forests together with his hundred wives.