Philosophy and Religion / Harivamsa

Harivaṃśa

10. Vaivaswata Manu's offspring

VAISHAMPAYANA said:-O foremost of Bharatas, Vaisvaswata Manu had nine sons after him—Ikshwāku, Nābhaga, Dhrishnu, Sharyāti, Narishyan, Prangsha, Nābhagarishtha, Korusha and Prishadhra (1–2).

O king, desirous of progeny the patriarch Manu performed a sacrifice before Mitra and Varuna (3).

O descendant of Bharata, before the birth of these nine sons of his, Muni offered oblation to the portions of Mitra and Varuna in the present sacrifice.

When this oblation was offered, the gods, Gandharvas, men and ascetics attained to great delight and exclaimed. “Oh! wonderful is his ascetic energy! Oh! wonderful is his knowledge of scriptures (4–6).”

The tradition is, that in that sacrifice was born Ilā, clad in a celestial raiment, adorned with celestial ornaments and equipped with a celestial armour (7).

Manu, with a rod of chastisement in his hand, said to her:- “follow me, O fair one.” She gave the following moral reply to that Patriarch desirous of offspring (8).

Ilā said:—“O best of speakers, I am born of the energy of Mitra and Varuna and so I shall go to them. Do not destroy my morality (9).”

Having said this to Manu Ilā approached Mitra and Varuna and that fair one with folded hands said to them, “I am born of your energy; Manu has asked me to follow him. Tell me what I shall do” (10-11).

Hear from me what Mitra and Varuna did say to the pious and chaste Ilā who had addressed them thus (12).

“O you fair one of beautiful hips, we have been pleased with your virtue, humility, self restraint and truthfulness (13).

Therefore O great lady, you will be celebrated as our daughter, O fair one, you will be the son of Manu, perpetuating his race, celebrated in the three worlds by the name of Sudyumna. You will be pious, beloved of the world and multiply the race of Manu (14–15).”

While she, on hearing this, was about to return to her father (Manu), she was invited, on the way, by Buddha, for conjugal purposes (16).

Then Soma's son Buddha begat on her Pururava. Having given birth to that son Ilā became Pradyumna (17).

O descendant of Bharata, the three kinsmen of Sudyumna-Utkala, Gaya and the energetic Vinatashwa were greatly pious (18).

O king, the northern quarter was under Utkala, the western under Vinatashwa and the city Gayā was under Gaya (19).

O subduer of foes, Manu having entered the sun, his sons divided the earth into ten parts (20).

The eldest of them Ikshwaku obtained the central portion by whose sacrificial stakes the earth, with her forests and mines, has been marked (21).

On account of his pertaking of the nature of a female Sudyumna did not obtain this (central region).

According to the words of Vasishtha, the high-souled pious king Sudyumna was installed in the province of Pratishtāna¹ O foremost of Kurus.

Having obtained that kingdom the highly illustrious Sudyumna conferred it on Pururava and he himself reigned in Partishtana.

Utkala had three sons celebrated in the three worlds Dhristaka, Amvarisha and Danda (22-24).

Amongst them the noble Danda founded the most excellent Dandakāranya (the forest of Danda) celebrated in the world as the abode of the ascetics (25).

As soon as a man enters there he is freed from sins. O descendant of Bharata, having begotten Aila, Sudyumna repaired to heaven (26),

O monarch, that son of Manu, who was endowed with the characteristics of both a man and woman, and who took the name of Ilā, was celebrated by the name of Sudyumna (27).

O descen dant of Bharata, Shakas were the sons of Narishwanta, and Amvarisha, the foremost of kings, was the son of Nābhāga (28).

Dhrishnu's son Dharshtaka and Ranadhrishta became known as Kshatra. And Karusha's sons were the Kshatrya Kārushas, dreadful in battle (29).

In this way a thousand mighty powerful Kshatryas were born, O descendant of Bharata. The sons of Nābhāgarishtha, although Kshatryas (by birth), came by the status of Vaishyas (30).

Prāngshu had one son celebrated by the name of Sharyāti. Narishwanta's son was the powerful Danda. Saryāti had a twin son and daughter. The son was name Anartta and the daughter Sukanyā became the wife of Chyavana. Anartta's successor was the highly effulgent Reva (31–32).

His city Kusasthali was in the province of Anartta. Reva's son Raivata passed by the name of Kukudmi and was pious (32).

Having obtained the kingdom of Kusasthali he became the father of a hundred sons. He, along with his daughter, received from Brahmā instructions in music.

And O lord, many a Yuga passed away to him like a moment. He then, in his youthful state, returned to his own city filled with Yādavas (33–35).

The city of Dwāravati, charming with many damsels, was protected by the descendants of Bhoja and Vrishni races headed by Vāsudeva (36).

O slayer of foes, then informed of all these details Raivata conferred upon Baladeva that vow-observing maiden by name Revati (37).

Having given away (his daughter) he repaired to the summit of the mount Sumeru for carrying on hard austerities. Rāma too lived happily in the company of Revati (38).

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