Chapter Seventeen

                The Dynasties of the Sons of Pururava

 

   Ayu, the eldest son of Pururava, had five sons. This chapter describes the dynasties of four of them, beginning with Ksatravrddha.

   Ayu, the son of Pururava, had five sons-- Nahusa, Ksatravrddha, Raji, Rabha and Anena. The son of Ksatravrddha was Suhotra, who had three sons, named Kasya, Kusa and Grtsamada. The son of Grtsamada was Sunaka, and his son was Saunaka. The son of Kasya was Kasi. From Kasi came the sons and grandsons known as Rastra, Dirghatama and then Dhanvantari, who was the inaugurator of medical science and was a saktyavesa incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. The descendants of Dhanvantari were Ketuman, Bhimaratha, Divodasa and Dyuman, who was also known as Pratardana, Satrujit, Vatsa, Rtadhvaja and Kuvalayasva. The son of Dyuman was Alarka, who reigned over the kingdom for many, many years. Following in the dynasty of Alarka were Santati, Sunitha, Niketana, Dharmaketu, Satyaketu, Dhrstaketu, Sukumara, Vitihotra, Bharga and Bhargabhumi. All of them belonged to the dynasty of Kasi, the descendant of Ksatravrddha.

   The son of Rabha was Rabhasa, and his son was Gambhira. Gambhira's son was Akriya, and from Akriya came Brahmavit. The son of Anena was Suddha, and his son was Suci. The son of Suci was Citrakrt, whose son was Santaraja. Raji had five hundred sons, all of extraordinary strength. Raji was personally very powerful and was given the kingdom of heaven by Lord Indra. Later, after Raji's death, when the sons of Raji refused to return the kingdom to Indra, by Brhaspati's arrangement they became unintelligent, and Lord Indra conquered them.

   The grandson of Ksatravrddha named Kusa gave birth to a son named Prati. From Prati came Sanjaya; from Sanjaya, Jaya; from Jaya, Krta; and from Krta, Haryabala. The son of Haryabala was Sahadeva; the son of Sahadeva, Hina; the son of Hina, Jayasena; the son of Jayasena, Sankrti; and the son of Sankrti, Jaya.

 

                              TEXTS 1-3

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        sri-badarayanir uvaca

                        yah pururavasah putra

                        ayus tasyabhavan sutah

                       nahusah ksatravrddhas ca

                       raji rabhas ca viryavan

 

                          anena iti rajendra

                       srnu ksatravrdho 'nvayam

                       ksatravrddha-sutasyasan

                       suhotrasyatmajas trayah

 

                        kasyah kuso grtsamada

                         iti grtsamadad abhut

                        sunakah saunako yasya

                        bahvrca-pravaro munih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-badarayanih uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; yah--one who; pururavasah--of Pururava; putrah--son; ayuh--his name was Ayu; tasya--of him; abhavan--there were; sutah--sons; nahusah--Nahusa; ksatravrddhah ca--and Ksatravrddha; raji--Raji; rabhah--Rabha; ca--also; viryavan--very powerful; anenah--Anena; iti--thus; raja-indra--O Maharaja Pariksit; srnu--just hear from me; ksatravrdhah--of Ksatravrddha; anvayam--the dynasty; ksatravrddha--of Ksatravrddha; sutasya--of the son; asan--there were; suhotrasya--of Suhotra; atmajah--sons; trayah--three; kasyah--Kasya; kusah--Kusa; grtsamadah--Grtsamada; iti--thus; grtsamadat--from Grtsamada; abhut--there was; sunakah--Sunaka; saunakah--Saunaka; yasya--of whom (Sunaka); bahu-rca-pravarah--the best of those conversant with the Rg Veda; munih--a great saintly person.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sukadeva Gosvami said: From Pururava came a son named Ayu, whose very powerful sons were Nahusa, Ksatravrddha, Raji, Rabha and Anena. O Maharaja Pariksit, now hear about the dynasty of Ksatravrddha. Ksatravrddha's son was Suhotra, who had three sons, named Kasya, Kusa and Grtsamada. From Grtsamada came Sunaka, and from him came Saunaka, the great saint, the best of those conversant with the Rg Veda.

 

                                TEXT 4

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       kasyasya kasis tat-putro

                       rastro dirghatamah-pita

                      dhanvantarir dirghatamasa

                        ayur-veda-pravartakah

                       yajna-bhug vasudevamsah

                        smrta-matrarti-nasanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kasyasya--of Kasya; kasih--Kasi; tat-putrah--his son; rastrah--Rastra; dirghatamah-pita--he became the father of Dirghatama; dhanvantarih--Dhanvantari; dirghatamasah--from Dirghatama; ayuh-veda-pravartakah--the inaugurator of medical science, Ayur Veda; yajna-bhuk--the enjoyer of the results of sacrifice; vasudeva-amsah--incarnation of Lord Vasudeva; smrta-matra--if he is remembered; arti-nasanah--it immediately vanquishes all kinds of disease.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The son of Kasya was Kasi, and his son was Rastra, the father of Dirghatama. Dirghatama had a son named Dhanvantari, who was the inaugurator of the medical science and an incarnation of Lord Vasudeva, the enjoyer of the results of sacrifices. One who remembers the name of Dhanvantari can be released from all disease.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       tat-putrah ketuman asya

                       jajne bhimarathas tatah

                       divodaso dyumams tasmat

                        pratardana iti smrtah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tat-putrah--his son (the son of Dhanvantari); ketuman--Ketuman; asya--his; jajne--took birth; bhimarathah--a son named Bhimaratha; tatah--from him; divodasah--a son named Divodasa; dyuman--Dyuman; tasmat--from him; pratardanah--Pratardana; iti--thus; smrtah--known.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The son of Dhanvantari was Ketuman, and his son was Bhimaratha. The son of Bhimaratha was Divodasa, and the son of Divodasa was Dyuman, also known as Pratardana.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        sa eva satrujid vatsa

                          rtadhvaja itiritah

                         tatha kuvalayasveti

                       prokto 'larkadayas tatah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--that Dyuman; eva--indeed; satrujit--Satrujit; vatsah--Vatsa; rtadhvajah--Rtadhvaja; iti--like that; iritah--known; tatha--as well as; kuvalayasva--Kuvalayasva; iti--thus; proktah--well known; alarka-adayah--Alarka and other sons; tatah--from him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Dyuman was also known as Satrujit, Vatsa, Rtadhvaja and Kuvalayasva. From him were born Alarka and other sons.

 

                                TEXT 7

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        sastim varsa-sahasrani

                        sastim varsa-satani ca

                         nalarkad aparo rajan

                         bubhuje medinim yuva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sastim--sixty; varsa-sahasrani--such thousands of years; sastim--sixty; varsa-satani--hundreds of years; ca--also; na--not; alarkat--except for Alarka; aparah--anyone else; rajan--O King Pariksit; bubhuje--enjoyed; medinim--the surface of the world; yuva--as a young man.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Alarka, the son of Dyuman, reigned over the earth for sixty-six thousand years, my dear King Pariksit. No one other than him has reigned over the earth for so long as a young man.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       alarkat santatis tasmat

                        sunitho 'tha niketanah

                       dharmaketuh sutas tasmat

                          satyaketur ajayata

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   alarkat--from Alarka; santatih--a son known as Santati; tasmat--from him; sunithah--Sunitha; atha--from him; niketanah--a son named Niketana; dharmaketuh--Dharmaketu; sutah--a son; tasmat--and from Dharmaketu; satyaketuh--Satyaketu; ajayata--was born.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   From Alarka came a son named Santati, and his son was Sunitha. The son of Sunitha was Niketana, the son of Niketana was Dharmaketu, and the son of Dharmaketu was Satyaketu.

 

                                TEXT 9

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       dhrstaketus tatas tasmat

                        sukumarah ksitisvarah

                      vitihotro 'sya bhargo 'to

                       bhargabhumir abhun nrpa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dhrstaketuh--Dhrstaketu; tatah--thereafter; tasmat--from Dhrstaketu; sukumarah--a son named Sukumara; ksiti-isvarah--the emperor of the entire world; vitihotrah--a son named Vitihotra; asya--his son; bhargah--Bharga; atah--from him; bhargabhumih--a son named Bhargabhumi; abhut--generated; nrpa--O King.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O King Pariksit, from Satyaketu came a son named Dhrstaketu, and from Dhrstaketu came Sukumara, the emperor of the entire world. From Sukumara came a son named Vitihotra; from Vitihotra, Bharga; and from Bharga, Bhargabhumi.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         itime kasayo bhupah

                        ksatravrddhanvayayinah

                       rabhasya rabhasah putro

                       gambhiras cakriyas tatah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   iti--thus; ime--all of them; kasayah--born in the dynasty of Kasi; bhupah--kings; ksatravrddha-anvaya-ayinah--also within the dynasty of Ksatravrddha; rabhasya--from Rabha; rabhasah--Rabhasa; putrah--a son; gambhirah--Gambhira; ca--also; akriyah--Akriya; tatah--from him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O Maharaja Pariksit, all of these kings were descendants of Kasi, and they could also be called descendants of Ksatravrddha. The son of Rabha was Rabhasa, from Rabhasa came Gambhira, and from Gambhira came a son named Akriya.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      tad-gotram brahmavij jajne

                         srnu vamsam anenasah

                      suddhas tatah sucis tasmac

                       citrakrd dharmasarathih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tat-gotram--the descendant of Akriya; brahmavit--Brahmavit; jajne--took birth; srnu--just hear from me; vamsam--descendants; anenasah--of Anena; suddhah--a son known as Suddha; tatah--from him; sucih--Suci; tasmat--from him; citrakrt--Citrakrt; dharma-sarathih--Dharmasarathi.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The son of Akriya was known as Brahmavit, O King. Now hear about the descendants of Anena. From Anena came a son named Suddha, and his son was Suci. The son of Suci was Dharmasarathi, also called Citrakrt.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        tatah santarajo jajne

                        krta-krtyah sa atmavan

                       rajeh panca-satany asan

                         putranam amitaujasam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatah--from Citrakrt; santarajah--a son named Santaraja; jajne--was born; krta-krtyah--performed all kinds of ritualistic ceremonies; sah--he; atmavan--a self-realized soul; rajeh--of Raji; panca-satani--five hundred; asan--there were; putranam--sons; amita-ojasam--very, very powerful.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   From Citrakrt was born a son named Santaraja, a self-realized soul who performed all kinds of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies and therefore did not beget any progeny. The sons of Raji were five hundred, all very powerful.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      devair abhyarthito daityan

                        hatvendrayadadad divam

                      indras tasmai punar dattva

                        grhitva caranau rajeh

                         atmanam arpayam asa

                       prahradady-ari-sankitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   devaih--by the demigods; abhyarthitah--being requested; daityan--the demons; hatva--killing; indraya--to Indra, the King of heaven; adadat--delivered; divam--the kingdom of heaven; indrah--the King of heaven; tasmai--unto him, Raji; punah--again; dattva--returning; grhitva--capturing; caranau--the feet; rajeh--of Raji; atmanam--the self; arpayam asa--surrendered; prahrada-adi--Prahlada and others; ari-sankitah--being afraid of such enemies.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On the request of the demigods, Raji killed the demons and thus returned the kingdom of heaven to Lord Indra. But Indra, fearing such demons as Prahlada, returned the kingdom of heaven to Raji and surrendered himself at Raji's lotus feet.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         pitary uparate putra

                         yacamanaya no daduh

                        trivistapam mahendraya

                        yajna-bhagan samadaduh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pitari--when their father; uparate--passed away; putrah--the sons; yacamanaya--although requesting from them; no--not; daduh--returned; trivistapam--the heavenly kingdom; mahendraya--unto Mahendra; yajna-bhagan--the shares of ritualistic ceremonies; samadaduh--gave.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Upon Raji's death, Indra begged Raji's sons for the return of the heavenly planet. They did not return it, however, although they agreed to return Indra's shares in ritualistic ceremonies.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Raji conquered the kingdom of heaven, and therefore when Indra, the heavenly king, begged Raji's sons to return it, they refused. Because they had not taken the heavenly kingdom from Indra but had inherited it from their father, they considered it their paternal property. Why then should they return it to the demigods?

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        guruna huyamane 'gnau

                        balabhit tanayan rajeh

                      avadhid bhramsitan margan

                         na kascid avasesitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   guruna--by the spiritual master (Brhaspati); huyamane agnau--while oblations were being offered in the fire of sacrifice; balabhit--Indra; tanayan--the sons; rajeh--of Raji; avadhit--killed; bhramsitan--fallen; margat--from the moral principles; na--not; kascit--anyone; avasesitah--remained alive.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thereafter, Brhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, offered oblations in the fire so that the sons of Raji would fall from moral principles. When they fell, Lord Indra killed them easily because of their degradation. Not a single one of them remained alive.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      kusat pratih ksatravrddhat

                       sanjayas tat-suto jayah

                        tatah krtah krtasyapi

                        jajne haryabalo nrpah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kusat--from Kusa; pratih--a son named Prati; ksatravrddhat--the grandson of Ksatravrddha; sanjayah--a son named Sanjaya; tat-sutah--his son; jayah--Jaya; tatah--from him; krtah--Krta; krtasya--from Krta; api--as well as; jajne--was born; haryabalah--Haryabala; nrpah--the king.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   From Kusa, the grandson of Ksatravrddha, was born a son named Prati. The son of Prati was Sanjaya, and the son of Sanjaya was Jaya. From Jaya, Krta was born, and from Krta, King Haryabala.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         sahadevas tato hino

                        jayasenas tu tat-sutah

                       sankrtis tasya ca jayah

                      ksatra-dharma maha-rathah

                       ksatravrddhanvaya bhupa

                        ime srnv atha nahusan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sahadevah--Sahadeva; tatah--from Sahadeva; hinah--a son named Hina; jayasenah--Jayasena; tu--also; tat-sutah--the son of Hina; sankrtih--Sankrti; tasya--of Sankrti; ca--also; jayah--a son named Jaya; ksatra-dharma--expert in the duties of a ksatriya; maha-rathah--a greatly powerful fighter; ksatravrddha-anvayah--in the dynasty of Ksatravrddha; bhupah--kings; ime--all these; srnu--hear from me; atha--now; nahusan--the descendants of Nahusa.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   From Haryabala came a son named Sahadeva, and from Sahadeva came Hina. The son of Hina was Jayasena, and the son of Jayasena was Sankrti. The son of Sankrti was the powerful and expert fighter named Jaya. These kings were the members of the Ksatravrddha dynasty. Now let me describe to you the dynasty of Nahusa.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, Seventeenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Dynasties of the Sons of Pururava."