rule



 

 

Canto 9

Hari Haraye Namah


 

Chapter 20: The Dynasty of Pûru up to Bharata

(1) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'I shall now describe the dynasty of Pûru in which you were born, oh son of Bharata. From the saintly kings of that dynasty many brahmin dynasties originated. (2) From Pûru the son Janamejaya appeared, Pracinvân was his son and from him there was Pravîra from whom next Manusyu appeared. He in his turn fathered Cârupada. (3) The son appearing from him was Sudyu who had a son named Bahugava. From Bahugava Samyâti was born who had a son named Ahamyâti. His son was called Raudrâs'va. (4-5) Just like the ten senses [of action and perception] originated from the primal force of the universal self, [with him] from an Apsara girl known as Ghritâcî ten sons were born: Riteyu, Kaksheyu, Sthandileyu, Kriteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu, Vrateyu and Vaneyu who was the youngest. (6) From Riteyu a son named Rantinâva appeared and his three sons, oh ruler of man, were Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha. Kanva was Apratiratha's son. (7) From him there was Medhâtithi from whom there were Praskanna and others who were all twice-born souls [brahmins]. From Sumati there was Rebhi and his son was called Dushmanta.

(8-9) Dushmanta one day went hunting and arrived at the âs'rama of Kanva. There he saw a woman sitting who radiated with a beauty like that of the goddess of fortune. Seeing her he immediately felt himself strongly drawn towards this manifestation of divine feminine beauty. In the company of some of his soldiers he then addressed that finest of all ladies. (10) Exhilarated by her presence he was relieved of the fatigue of his hunting excursion. Driven by lusty feelings, he smilingly asked with pleasing words: (11) 'Who are you, oh lotus petal-eyed lady? Who do you belong to, oh beauty of my heart and what are your intentions, all by yourself being here in the forest? (12) You appear to be of royal blood. You can count on it that I, as a descendant of Pûru, oh raving beauty, never outside of the dharma think of enjoying whatever!'

(13) S'rî S'akuntalâ said: 'I was born from Vis'vâmitra and was by Menakâ [my mother] left behind in this forest. Kanva the mighty saint, knows everything about it! Oh my hero, what can I do for you? (14) Please come and sit next to me, oh lotus-eyed soul, accept my humble service. Please eat from the nîvârâ ['of a virgin'] rice that I have to offer and stay here if you want to.'

(15) S'rî Dushmanta answered: 'This, oh beautiful eyebrows, befits your position of being born in the family of Vis'vâmitra. It is indeed so that the daughters of a royal family personally choose a suitable husband.'

(16) The king, well aware of what would befit the time and place, said yes and then married, according to the rules of dharma, with S'akuntalâ the gandharva way [of mutual consent]. (17) Unerring in his virility the saintly king deposited his semen in the queen and turned back to his residence in the morning. In due course of time she then gave birth to a son. (18) Kanva Muni executed in the forest the prescribed ceremonies for the child. The boy later on became known for having captured with great force a lion and having played with it. (19) [His mother S'akuntalâ,] the best of women, took him who as a partial expansion of the Lord was of an insurmountable strength, with her to her husband [Dushmanta]. (20) When the king did not accept them as his wife and son, while they had done nothing wrong, for everyone to hear there was a loud sound from the sky. An incorporeal voice declared: (21) 'The mother is like a bellows to the son of the father who begot him. He therefore belongs to the father. Just take care of your son, oh Dushmanta, and do not offend S'akuntalâ! (22) Oh King, he who discharged the semen is by the son saved from the punishment of  Yamarâja [death]. S'akuntalâ, who said that you are the one who fathered the child, has spoken the truth.'

(23) After his father had passed away, the son became an emperor of great fame and glory who was celebrated as a partial representation of the Lord on earth [see also B.G. 10: 41]. (24-26) He carried the mark of the cakra on his right hand and the mark of the lotus whorl on the soles of his feet. Because he was of worship with a grand ritualistic ceremony he received the position of the lord and master over the entire world. He used fifty-five horses for performing sacrifices from the mouth of the Ganges up to its source. For that purpose he appointed the son of Mamatâ as the priest. In the same way he proceeded at the bank of the Yamunâ where he bound [the as'vamedha plate of honor to] seventy-eight horses of sacrifice. He who was called Bharata, the son of Dushmanta, established his fire of sacrifice in the best possible way, gave away a fortune in charity and divided a badva [13.084] cows among the brahmins present. (27) The son of Dushmanta, who astonished all the kings by bringing together for these yajñas three-thousand three-hundred horses, [thus] surpassed the opulence of the demigods and gained [the favor of] the spiritual master [the Lord]. (28) During the sacrifice at Mashnâra he in charity donated fourteen lakhs of fine black elephants with the whitest tusks, that were covered with golden ornaments. (29) Just as one cannot seize the heavenly worlds by the strength of one's arms, it is impossible for any ruler in the past or the future to equal the exalted activities of Bharata. (30) When he conquered the directions, he killed all the barbarian rulers who opposed the brahminical culture, like the Kirâtas [Africans], the Hûnân [the Huns], the Yavanas [the Greek] the Paundras [the wild men of south Bihar and Bengal], the Kankas [the Scandinavians?], the Khas'âs [the Mongolians] and the S'akas [the Tartars]. (31) In the past, when the Asuras had conquered the demigods and they returned to the lower worlds [Rasâtala], all the wives and daughters of the godly souls had been transported to the nether worlds, but he brought all of them and their associates back to their original places. (32) Sending his troops and circulating his instructions in all directions, for twenty-seven thousand years heaven and earth provided whatever his subjects desired. (33) He, the emperor, the ruler over all rulers and places, who was impeccable with the achievements of his power, the realm and the order of state, [in the end considered] all of his life false and thus he ceased to enjoy them. (34) He, oh master of man, had three wives, daughters of Vidarbha who were most pleasing and suitable. But afraid that they would be rejected by him, because their sons were not as perfect as their father, they killed them. (35) Thus being frustrated in generating offspring, he performed a marut-stoma sacrifice to beget sons. The Maruts thereupon presented him Bharadvâja.

(36) Brihaspati [the scholar and priest of the demigods who was his father, in the past] felt attracted to his brother's pregnant wife and wanted to make love to her. But when the son in the womb forbade him to engage that way, he cursed him and discharged his semen anyway. (37) For Mamatâ [the mother], who out of fear to be abandoned by her husband [Utathya] wanted to get rid of the child, was at its name-giving ceremony the following verse pronounced by the God-conscious souls: (38) 'Oh foolish woman, take care of this child that has two fathers.' [She thereupon said:] 'Oh Brihaspati, maintain it yourself, although it has another father!' With both the parents having turned away from the child by saying these words, the child consequently was called Bharadvâja ['a burden for both']. (39) Even though she by the God-conscious souls was encouraged to maintain the child, the mother still rejected it, for she thought that, in the light of what had happened, it had no purpose in life. It was maintained by the Maruts who gave it [to Bharata] when the dynasty was unfulfilled.'

 

next

 
 

  Third revised edition, loaded February 26, 2020.

 

 

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:

Text 1

The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'I shall now describe the dynasty of Pûru in which you were born, oh son of Bharata. From the saintly kings of that dynasty many brahmin dynasties originated.
The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'I shall now describe the dynasty of Pûru in which you were born o son of Bharata; the kings of that dynasty were one after the other all saintly and many a brahmin line of descendants took from it its beginning. (Vedabase)

 

Text 2

From Pûru the son Janamejaya appeared, Pracinvân was his son and from him there was Pravîra from whom next Manusyu appeared. He in his turn fathered Cârupada.

Janamejaya was the one who appeared from Pûru, Pracinvân was his son and from him was there Pravîra after whom Manusyu appeared; it was of him that Cârupada appeared. (Vedabase)

 

Text 3

The son appearing from him was Sudyu who had a son named Bahugava. From Bahugava Samyâti was born who had a son named Ahamyâti. His son was called Raudrâs'va.

The son appearing from him was Sudyu who had a son named Bahugava of whom was born Samyâti who had a son named Ahamyâti; the memorable Raudrâs'vâ was his son. (Vedabase)

 

Text 4-5

Just like the ten senses [of action and perception] originated from the primal force of the universal self, [with him] from an Apsara girl known as Ghritâcî ten sons were born: Riteyu, Kaksheyu, Sthandileyu, Kriteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu, Vrateyu and Vaneyu who was the youngest.

With an apsara girl known as Ghritacî were there, alike the ten senses [of action and perception] of the life force of the universal self, ten sons born: Riteyu, Kaksheyu, Sthandileyu, Kriteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu,Vrateyu and Vaneyu as the youngest. (Vedabase)

 

Text 6

From Riteyu a son named Rantinâva appeared and his three sons, oh ruler of man, were Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha. Kanva was Apratiratha's son.

From Riteyu appeared a son named Rantinâva and his three sons, o ruler of man, were Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha. Kanva was Apratiratha's son. (Vedabase)

   

Text 7

From him there was Medhâtithi from whom there were Praskanna and others who were all twice-born souls [brahmins]. From Sumati there was Rebhi and his son was called Dushmanta.

Of him there was Medhâtithi of whom there were Praskanna and others who were all twice-born souls. From Sumati there was Rebhi whose son is the known Dushmanta. (Vedabase)

   

Text 8-9

Dushmanta one day went hunting and arrived at the âs'rama of Kanva. There he saw a woman sitting who radiated with a beauty like that of the goddess of fortune. Seeing her he immediately felt himself strongly drawn towards this manifestation of divine feminine beauty. In the company of some of his soldiers he then addressed that finest of all ladies.

Once Dushmanta went hunting and arrived at the âs'rama of Kanva. When he came there saw he a woman sitting who shone in her own beauty like the goddess of fortune. Seeing her he directly felt himself strongly drawn towards her, such a manifest divine beauty of a woman, and surrounded by some soldiers addressed he that best of all ladies. (Vedabase)

  

Text 10

Exhilarated by her presence he was relieved of the fatigue of his hunting excursion. Driven by lusty feelings, he smilingly asked with pleasing words:

Exhilarated by her presence was he relieved of the fatigue of his hunting excursion and asked he, driven by lusty feelings, with pleasing words jokingly: (Vedabase)

 

Text 11

'Who are you, oh lotus petal-eyed lady? Who do you belong to, oh beauty of my heart and what are your intentions, all by yourself being here in the forest?

'Who are you o lotuspetal-eyed lady, whom do you belong to, o beauty to my heart, and what did you think to do here alone in the forest? (Vedabase)

 

Text 12

You appear to be of royal blood. You can count on it that I, as a descendant of Pûru, oh raving beauty, never outside of the dharma think of enjoying whatever!'

It appears you're of royal blood. Be sure that I as a descendant of Pûru, o raving beauty, are never of a mind to enjoy against the dharma whenever!' (Vedabase)

 

Text 13

S'rî S'akuntalâ said: 'I was born from Vis'vâmitra and was by Menakâ [my mother] left behind in this forest. Kanva the mighty saint, knows everything about it! Oh my hero, what can I do for you?

S'rî S'akuntalâ said: 'I, born from Vis'vâmitra, was all alone left behind in this forest by Menakâ [her mother]; Kanva that finest saint, knows all about it! O my hero, what may I do for you? (Vedabase)

 

Text 14

Please come and sit next to me oh lotus-eyed soul, accept my humble service. Please eat from the nîvârâ ['of a virgin'] rice that I have to offer and stay here if you want to.'

Please come and sit with me o lotus eyed one, accept my humble service, eat from the nîvârâ ['of a virgin'] rice that I have to offer and stay here if you wish so.' (Vedabase)

 

Text 15

S'rî Dushmanta answered: 'This, oh beautiful eyebrows, befits your position of being born in the family of Vis'vâmitra. It is indeed so that the daughters of a royal family personally choose a suitable husband.'

S'rî Dushmanta answered: 'This o beautiful eyebrows, is worthy your position of being born in the family of Vis'vâmitra; it is indeed so that the daughters of a royal family select to their own idea their husbands [a gandharva marriage].' (Vedabase)

  

Text 16

The king, well aware of what would befit the time and place, said yes and then married, according to the rules of dharma, with S'akuntalâ the gandharva way [of mutual consent].

Saying Aum [see B.G. 17: 24] to this, married the king, fully aware of what would befit the time and place, S'akuntalâ in line with the dharma to the gandharva rule. (Vedabase)

 

Text 17

Unerring in his virility the saintly king deposited his semen in the queen and turned back to his residence in the morning. In due course of time she then gave birth to a son.

Unerring in his virility [only for a child discharging] deposited the saintly king his semen in the queen and returned he in the morning to his own place. After due time gave she then birth to a son. (Vedabase)

 

Text 18

Kanva Muni executed in the forest the prescribed ceremonies for the child. The boy later on became known for having captured with great force a lion and having played with it.

Kanva Muni executed in the forest the prescribed ceremonies for the son who as a child was remembered to capture a lion by force and play with it. (Vedabase)

 

Text 19

[His mother S'akuntalâ,] the best of women, took him who as a partial expansion of the Lord was of an insurmountable strength, with her to her husband [Dushmanta].

Him, insurmountable in his strength as a part of a plenary portion of the Lord, did she, the best of women, take with her going for her husband. (Vedabase)

 

Text 20

When the king did not accept them as his wife and son, while they had done nothing wrong, for everyone to hear there was a loud sound from the sky. An incorporeal voice declared:

When the king did not accept them as his real wife and son, while they had done nothing wrong, could by all people be heard a loud sound from the sky: it was an unembodied voice declaring: (Vedabase)

 

Text 21

'The mother is like a bellows to the son of the father who begot him. He therefore belongs to the father. Just take care of your son, oh Dushmanta, and do not offend S'akuntalâ!

'Since the mother is like a bellows to the son of the father that begot him, belongs the son to the father; just maintain your son o Dushmanta and do not offend S'akuntalâ! (Vedabase)

 

Text 22

Oh King, he who discharged the semen is by the son saved from the punishment of Yamarâja [death]. S'akuntalâ, who said that you are the one who fathered the child, has spoken the truth.'

What S'akuntalâ said of you being the procreator of this child is the truth; he who discharged the semen, o god of man, your good self, is the one who by the son must be saved from the punishment of [the Lord of] death.' (Vedabase)

  

Text 23

After his father had passed away, the son became an emperor of great fame and glory who was celebrated as a partial representation of the Lord on earth [see also B.G. 10: 41].

After his father passed away was the king succeeded by his son and he became an emperor of great fame and glory celebrated as a partial representation of the Lord on this earth [see also B.G. 10: 41]. (Vedabase)

   

Text 24-26

He carried the mark of the cakra on his right hand and the mark of the lotus whorl on the soles of his feet. Because he was of worship with a grand ritualistic ceremony he received the position of the lord and master over the entire world. He used fifty-five horses for performing sacrifices from the mouth of the Ganges up to its source. For that purpose he appointed the son of Mamatâ as the priest. In the same way he proceeded at the bank of the Yamunâ where he bound [the as'vamedha plate of honor to] seventy-eight horses of sacrifice. He who was called Bharata, the son of Dushmanta, established his fire of sacrifice in the best possible way, gave away a fortune in charity and divided a badva [13.084] cows among the brahmins present.

With the mark of the cakra on his right hand and the mark of the lotuswhorl on his soles, was he of worship with a great ceremony and was he promoted to the position of the topmost ruler and master over everything. Fifty-five horses he used for the sacrifices from the mouth to the Ganges to the source for which he, the mighty one, appointed Bhrigu as the priest. In due order he also did so at the bank of Yamunâ where he bound [the as'vamedha plate to] seventy-eight horses of sacrifice. Of him Bharata, the son of Dushmanta, were riches given in charity, was the sacrifice established on an excellent site and were shares of a badva-thousand [13.084] cows received by the brahmins present. (Vedabase)

 

Text 27

The son of Dushmanta, who astonished all the kings by bringing together for these yajñas three-thousand three-hundred horses, [thus] surpassed the opulence of the demigods and gained [the favor of] the spiritual master [the Lord].

The son of Dushmanta brought together for the yajña an astonishing threethousand-threehundred horses and surpassed all kings in achieving the opulence of the demigods and the Supreme Spiritual Master. (Vedabase)

 

Text 28

During the sacrifice at Mashnâra he in charity donated fourteen lakhs of fine black elephants with the whitest tusks, that were covered with golden ornaments.

In the mashnâra sacrifice gave he in charity fourteen lakhs of fine black elephants with the whitest tusks, complete with golden ornaments [Mashnâra refers to the name of the place]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 29

Just as one cannot seize the heavenly worlds by the strength of one's arms, it is impossible for any ruler in the past or the future to equal the exalted activities of Bharata.

Like it for certain is impossible to seize the heavenly planets by the strength of one's arms is it neither possible to parallel the exalted activities of Bharata, nor will any of the human rulers after him ever be able to attain such a thing. (Vedabase)

 

Text 30

When he conquered the directions, he killed all the barbarian rulers who opposed the brahminical culture, like the Kirâtas [Africans], the Hûnân [the Huns], the Yavanas [the Greek] the Paundras [the wild men of south Bihar and Bengal], the Kankas [the Scandinavians?], the Khas'âs [the Mongolians] and the S'akas [the Tartars].

All such barbarian rulers of man against the brahminical culture as the Kirâtas [Africans], the northern tribes [the Huns], the Yavanas [the meat-eaters] the Paundras [the wild men of south Bihar and Bengal] and the Kankas [kankana means bracelet], the Khasâs [the Mongolians] and the S'akas [women/men] he killed conquering all directions. (Vedabase)

 

Text 31

In the past, when the Asuras had conquered the demigods and they returned to the lower worlds [Rasâtala], all the wives and daughters of the godly souls had been transported to the nether worlds, but he brought all of them and their associates back to their original places.

Formerly conquering the godly had all the asuras who had taken shelter of the lower worlds [Rasâtala] brought all the wives and daughters of the godly to below but he took them with all their associates back to their original places. (Vedabase)

 

Text 32

Sending his troops and circulating his instructions in all directions, for twenty-seven thousand years heaven and earth provided whatever his subjects desired.

For twenty-seven thousand years provided he whatever his subjects desired both on earth as in heaven and his order and orders went around in all directions. (Vedabase)

 

Text 33

He, the emperor, the ruler over all rulers and places, who was impeccable with the achievements of his power, the realm and the order of state, [in the end considered] all of his life false and thus he ceased to enjoy them.

He the emperor, the ruler of all rulers and places, impeccable with the opulences of the power, the realm, the order of state and such, in the end considered all of his life and goods false and thus stopped he enjoying them. (Vedabase)

 

Text 34

He, oh master of man, had three wives, daughters of Vidarbha who were most pleasing and suitable. But afraid that they would be rejected by him, because their sons were not as perfect as their father, they killed them.

Of him there were, o master of man, three wives, daughters of Vidarbha, who all three were most pleasing and suitable. They afraid thinking that their sons, not being as perfect as their father, would be rejected, had killed them. (Vedabase)

 

Text 35

Thus being frustrated in generating offspring, he performed a marut-stoma sacrifice to beget sons. The Maruts thereupon presented him Bharadvâja.

Thus frustrated in generating offspring performed he a marut-stoma sacrifice to beget sons whereupon the Maruts presented him Bharadvâja. (Vedabase)

 

Text 36

Brihaspati [the scholar and priest of the demigods who was his father, in the past] felt attracted to his brother's pregnant wife and wanted to make love to her. But when the son in the womb forbade him to engage that way, he cursed him and discharged his semen anyway.

[It had so happened that once] With his brothers pregnant wife desiring sex Brihaspati so inclined was forbidden to engage that way by the son in the womb, upon which he had cursed him discharging his semen anyway. (Vedabase)

 

Text 37

For Mamatâ [the mother], who out of fear to be abandoned by her husband [Utathya] wanted to get rid of the child, was at its name-giving ceremony the following verse pronounced by the God-conscious souls:

Unto Mamatâ [the mother], who out of fear to be abandoned for the illicit practice wanted to get rid of the child, was at its name-giving ceremony by the god-conscious the following verse enunciated: (Vedabase)

 

Text 38

'Oh foolish woman, take care of this child that has two fathers.' [She thereupon said:] 'Oh Brihaspati, maintain it yourself, although it has another father!' With both the parents having turned away from the child by saying these words, the child consequently was called Bharadvâja ['a burden for both'].

'O foolish woman, just maintain it although it's born from a double liaison' [and:] 'Though of an illicit connection, o Bhrihaspati, do maintain it!', and so was with this being said the child named Bharadvâja ['a burden for both'] because both the parents had turned away from it. (Vedabase)

 

Text 39

Even though she by the God-conscious souls was encouraged to maintain the child, the mother still rejected it, for she thought that, in the light of what had happened, it had no purpose in life. It was maintained by the Maruts who gave it [to Bharata] when the dynasty was unfulfilled.'

Though by the godly encouraged to maintain it did the mother reject her child, with what had happened considering it without a purpose, and was it maintained by the Maruts and given [by them to Bharata] when the dynasty was unfulfilled. (Vedabase)

 

 

 

 

Creative Commons
                License
The text and audio are offered under the conditions of the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
The painting on this page is from Raja Ravi Varma
and found in the Gov. Museum of Chennai.
Production:
Filognostic Association of The Order of Time


 

 

Feed-back | Links | Downloads | MusicPictures | What's New | Search | Donations