Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Book I Chapter 70
Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Mahabharata Book I Chapter 75
Genealogy of Daksha, Manu, Bharata, Ruru, Puru, Ajamidha, Yadava, Kuru
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hear now, as I recite the recorded genealogy, that is sacred and subservient to religion, profit and pleasure, of these royal sages--Daksha, the lord of creation, Manu, the son of Surya, Bharata, Ruru, Puru, and Ajamidha. I shall also recite to thee, O sinless one, the genealogies of the Yadavas and of the Kurus and of the king of the Bharata line. These genealogies are sacred and their recitation is a great act of propitiation. That recitation conferreth wealth, fame and long life. And, O sinless one, all these I have named shone in their splendour and were equal unto the great Rishis in energy.
"Prachetas had ten sons who were all devoted to asceticism and possessed of every virtue. They burnt, of old, by the fire emanating from their mouths, several plants of poisonous and innumerable large trees that had covered the Earth and became a source of great discomfort to man. After these ten, was born another named Daksha. It is from Daksha that all creatures have sprung. Therefore is he, O tiger among men, called the Grandfather. Born of Prachetas the Muni Daksha, uniting himself with Virini, begat a thousand sons of rigid vows, all like himself. And Narada taught these thousand sons of Daksha the excellent philosophy of Sankhya as a means of salvation. And, O Janamejaya, the lord of creation, Daksha, then, from the desire of making creatures, begat fifty daughters. And he made all of them his appointed daughters (so that their sons might be his sons also for the performance of all religious acts). And he bestowed ten of his daughters on Dharma, and thirteen on Kasyapa. And he gave twenty-seven to Chandra, who are all engaged in indicating time. And Kasyapa, the son of Marichi, begat on the eldest of his thirteen wives, the Adityas, the celestials endued with great energy and having Indra as their head and also Vivaswat (the Sun). And of Vivaswat was born the lord Yama. And Martanda (Vivaswat) also begat another son after Yama, gifted with great intelligence and named Manu. And Manu was endued with great wisdom and devoted to virtue. And he became the progenitor of a line. And in Manu's race have been born all human beings, who have, therefore, been called Manavas. And it is of Manu that all men including Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and others have been descended, and are, therefore, all called Manavas. Subsequently, O monarch, the Brahmanas became united with the Kshatriyas. And those sons of Manu that were Brahmanas devoted themselves to the study of the Vedas.
Manu's children - And Manu begat ten other children named Vena, Dhrishnu, Narishyanta, Nabhaga, Ikshvaku, Karusha, Saryati, the eighth, a daughter named Ila, Prishadhru the ninth, and Nabhagarishta, the tenth. They all betook themselves to the practices of Kshatriyas. Besides these, Manu had fifty other sons on Earth. But we heard that they all perished, quarrelling with one another. The learned Pururavas was born of Ila. It hath been heard by us that Ila was both his mother and father. And the great Pururavas had sway over thirteen islands of the sea. And, though a human being, he was always surrounded by companions that were superhuman. And Pururavas intoxicated with power quarrelled with the Brahmanas and little caring for their anger robbed them of their wealth. Beholding all this Sanatkumara came from the region of Brahman and gave him good counsel, which was, however, rejected by Pururavas. Then the wrath of the great Rishis was excited, and the avaricious monarch, who intoxicated with power, had lost his reason, was immediately destroyed by their curse.
"It was Pururavas who first brought from the region of the Gandharvas the three kinds of fire (for sacrificial purpose). And he brought thence, the Apsara Urvasi also. And the
- son of Ila begat upon Urvashi six sons who were called Ayus, Dhiman, Amavasu and Dhridhayus, and Vanayus, and Shrutayus. And it is said that
- Ayus begat four sons named Nahusha, Vriddhasarman, Rajingaya, and Anenas, on the daughter of Swarbhanu. And, O monarch, Nahusha, of all the sons of Ayus, being gifted with great
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intelligence and prowess ruled his extensive kingdom virtuously. And king Nahusha supported evenly the Pitris, the celestials, the Rishis, the Brahmanas, the Gandharvas, the Nagas, the Rakshasas, the Kshatriyas, and the Vaisyas. And he suppressed all robber-gangs with a mighty hand. But he made the Rishis pay tribute and carry him on their backs like bests of burden. And, conquering the very gods by the beauty of his person, his asceticism, prowess, and energy, he ruled as if he were Indra himself. And
- Yati betaking himself to asceticism became a Muni like unto Brahman himself.
Yayati became a monarch of great prowess and virtue. He ruled the whole Earth, performed numerous sacrifices, worshipped the Pitris with great reverence, and always respected the gods. And he brought the whole world under his sway and was never vanquished by any foe. And the
- sons of Yayati were all great bowmen and resplendent with every virtue. And, O king, they were begotten upon (his two wives) Devayani and Sarmishtha. And of
- Devayani were born Yadu and Turvasu, and of
- Sarmishtha were born Drahyu, Anu, and Puru. And, O king, having virtuously ruled his subjects for a long time, Yayati was attacked with a hideous decrepitude destroying his personal beauty. And attacked by decrepitude, the monarch then spoke, O Bharata, unto his sons Yadu and Puru and Turvasu and Drahyu and Anu these words, 'Ye dear sons, I wish to be a young man and to gratify my appetites in the company of young women. Do you help me therein.' To him his eldest son born of Devayani then said, 'What needest thou, O king? Dost thou want to have your youth?' Yayati then told him, 'Accept thou my decrepitude, O son! With thy youth I would enjoy myself. During the time of a great sacrifice I have been cursed by the Muni Usanas (Sukra). O son, I would enjoy myself with your youth. Take any of you this my decrepitude and with my body rule ye my kingdom. I would enjoy myself with a renovated body. Therefore, ye my sons, take ye my decrepitude.' But none of his sons accepted his decrepitude. Then his youngest son Puru said unto him, 'O king, enjoy thyself thou once again with a renovated body and returned youth! I shall take thy decrepitude and at thy command rule thy kingdom.' Thus addressed, the royal sage, by virtue of his ascetic power then transferred his own decrepitude unto that high-souled son of his and with the youth of Puru became a youth; while with the monarch's age Puru ruled his kingdom.
"Then, after a thousand years had passed away, Yayati, that tiger among kings, remained as strong and powerful as a tiger. And he enjoyed for a long time the companionship of his two wives. And in the gardens of Chitraratha (the king of Gandharvas), the king also enjoyed the company of the Apsara Viswachi. But even after all this, the great king found his appetites unsatiated. The king, then recollected the following truths contained in the Puranas, 'Truly, one's appetites are never satiated by enjoyment.
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[paragraph continues] On the other hand, like sacrificial butter poured into the fire, they flame up with indulgence. Even if one enjoyed the whole Earth with its wealth, diamonds and gold, animals and women, one may not yet be satiated. It is only when man doth not commit any sin in respect of any living thing, in thought, deed, or speech, it is then that he attaineth to purity as that of Brahman. When one feareth nothing, when one is not feared by anything, when one wisheth for nothing, when one injureth nothing, it is then that one attaineth to the purity of Brahman.' The wise monarch seeing this and satisfied that one's appetites are never satiated, set his mind at rest by meditation, and took back from his son his own decrepitude. And giving him back his youth, though his own appetites were unsatiated, and installing him on the throne, he spoke unto Puru thus, 'Thou art my true heir, thou art my true son by whom my race is to be continued. In the world shall my race be known by thy name.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then that tiger among kings, having installed his son Puru on the throne, went away to the mount of Bhrigu for devoting himself to asceticism. And, having acquired great ascetic merit, after long years, he succumbed to the inevitable influence of Time. He left his human body by observing the vow of fasting, and ascended to heaven with his wives.'"
Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Mahabharata Book I Chapter 70: Sanskrit
1 [व]
प्रजापतेस तु दक्षस्य मनॊर वैवस्वतस्य च
भरतस्य कुरॊः पूरॊर अजमीढस्य चान्वये
2 यादवानाम इमं वंशं पौरवाणां च सर्वशः
तथैव भारतानां च पुण्यं सवस्त्य अयनं महत
धन्यं यशस्यम आयुष्यं कीर्तयिष्यामि ते ऽनघ
3 तेजॊभिर उदिताः सर्वे महर्षिसमतेजसः
दश प्रचेतसः पुत्राः सन्तः पूर्वजनाः समृताः
मेघजेनाग्निना ये ते पूर्वं दग्धा महौजसः
4 तेभ्यः पराचेतसॊ जज्ञे दक्षॊ दक्षाद इमाः परजाः
संभूताः पुरुषव्याघ्र स हि लॊकपितामहः
5 वीरिण्या सह संगम्य दक्षः पराचेतसॊ मुनिः
आत्मतुल्यान अजनयत सहस्रं संशितव्रतान
6 सहस्रसंख्यान समितान सुतान दक्षस्य नारदः
मॊक्षम अध्यापयाम आस सांख्यज्ञानम अनुत्तमम
7 ततः पञ्चाशतं कन्याः पुत्रिका अभिसंदधे
परजापतेः परजा दक्षः सिसृक्षुर जनमेजय
8 ददौ स दश धर्माय कश्यपाय तरयॊदश
कालस्य नयने युक्ताः सप्त विंशतिम इन्दवे
9 तरयॊदशानां पत्नीनां या तु दाक्षायणी वरा
मारीचः कश्यपस तस्याम आदित्यान समजीजनत
इन्द्रादीन वीर्यसंपन्नान विवस्वन्तम अथापि च
10 विवस्वतः सुतॊ जज्ञे यमॊ वैवस्वतः परभुः
मार्तण्डश च यमस्यापि पुत्रॊ राजन्न अजायत
11 मार्तण्डस्य मनुर धीमान अजायत सुतः परभुः
मनॊर वंशॊ मानवानां ततॊ ऽयं परथितॊ ऽभवत
बरह्मक्षत्रादयस तस्मान मनॊर जातास तु मानवाः
12 तत्राभवत तदा राजन बरह्मक्षत्रेण संगतम
बराह्मणा मानवास तेषां साङ्गं वेदम अदीधरन
13 वेनं धृष्णुं नरिष्यन्तं नाभागेक्ष्वाकुम एव च
करूषम अथ शर्यातिं तत्रैवात्राष्टमीम इलाम
14 पृषध्र नवमान आहुः कषत्रधर्मपरायणान
नाभागारिष्ट दशमान मनॊः पुत्रान महाबलान
15 पञ्चाशतं मनॊः पुत्रास तथैवान्ये ऽभवन कषितौ
अन्यॊन्यभेदात ते सर्वे निनेशुर इति नः शरुतम
16 पुरूरवास ततॊ विद्वान इलायां समपद्यत
सा वै तस्याभवन माता पिता चेति हि नः शरुतम
17 तरयॊदश समुद्रस्य दवीपान अश्नन पुरूरवाः
अमानुषैर वृतः सत्त्वैर मानुषः सन महायशाः
18 विप्रैः स विग्रहं चक्रे वीर्यॊन्मत्तः पुरूरवाः
जहार च स विप्राणां रत्नान्य उत्क्रॊशताम अपि
19 सनत्कुमारस तं राजन बरह्मलॊकाद उपेत्य ह
अनुदर्शयां ततश चक्रे परत्यगृह्णान न चाप्य असौ
20 ततॊ महर्षिभिः करुद्धैः शप्तः सद्यॊ वयनश्यत
लॊभान्वितॊ मदबलान नष्टसंज्ञॊ नराधिपः
21 स हि गन्धर्वलॊकस्थ उर्वश्या सहितॊ विराट
आनिनाय करियार्थे ऽगनीन यथावद विहितांस तरिधा
22 षट पुत्रा जज्ञिरे ऽथैलाद आयुर धीमान अमावसुः
दृढायुश च वनायुश च श्रुतायुश चॊर्वशी सुताः
23 नहुषं वृद्धशर्माणं रजिंरम्भम अनेनसम
स्वर भावनी सुतान एतान आयॊः पुत्रान परचक्षते
24 आयुषॊ नहुषः पुत्रॊ धीमान सत्यपराक्रमः
राज्यं शशास सुमहद धर्मेण पृथिवीपतिः
25 पितॄन देवान ऋषीन विप्रान गन्धर्वॊरगराक्षसान
नहुषः पालयाम आस बरह्मक्षत्रम अथॊ विशः
26 स हत्वा दस्यु संघातान ऋषीन करम अदापयत
पशुवच चैव तान पृष्ठे वाहयाम आस वीर्यवान
27 कारयाम आस चेन्द्रत्वम अभिभूय दिवौकसः
तेजसा तपसा चैव विक्रमेणौजसा तथा
28 यतिं ययातिं संयातिम आयातिं पाञ्चम उद्धवम
नहुषॊ जनयाम आस षट पुत्रान परियवाससि
29 ययातिर नाहुषः सम्राड आसीत सत्यपराक्रमः
स पालयाम आस महीम ईजे च विविधैः सवैः
30 अतिशक्त्या पितॄन अर्चन देवांश च परयतः सदा
अन्वगृह्णात परजाः सर्वा ययातिर अपराजितः
31 तस्य पुत्रा महेष्वासाः सर्वैः समुदिता गुणैः
देव यान्यां महाराज शर्मिष्ठायां च जज्ञिरे
32 देव यान्याम अजायेतां यदुस तुर्वसुर एव च
द्रुह्युश चानुश च पूरुश च शर्मिष्ठायां परजज्ञिरे
33 स शाश्वतीः समा राजन परजा धर्मेण पालयन
जराम आर्छन महाघॊरां नाहुषॊ रूपनाशिनीम
34 जराभिभूतः पुत्रान स राजा वचनम अब्रवीत
यदुं पूरुं तुर्वसुं च द्रुह्युं चानुं च भारत
35 यौवनेन चरन कामान युवा युवतिभिः सह
विहर्तुम अहम इच्छामि साह्यं कुरुत पुत्रकाः
36 तं पुत्रॊ देवयानेयः पूर्वजॊ यदुर अब्रवीत
किं कार्यं भवतः कार्यम अस्माभिर यौवनेन च
37 ययातिर अब्रवीत तं वै जरा मे परतिगृह्यताम
यौवनेन तवदीयेन चरेयं विषयान अहम
38 यजतॊ दीर्घसत्रैर मे शापाच चॊशनसॊ मुनेः
कामार्थः परिहीणॊ मे तप्ये ऽहं तेन पुत्रकाः
39 मामकेन शरीरेण राज्यम एकः परशास्तु वः
अहं तन्वाभिनवया युवा कामान अवाप्नुयाम
40 न ते तस्य परत्यगृह्णन यदुप्रभृतयॊ जराम
तम अब्रवीत ततः पूरुः कनीयान सत्यविक्रमः
41 राजंश चराभिनवया तन्वा यौवनगॊचरः
अहं जरां समास्थाय राज्ये सथास्यामि त आज्ञया
42 एवम उक्तः स राजर्षिर तपॊ वीर्यसमाश्रयात
संचारयाम आस जरां तदा पुत्रे महात्मनि
43 पौरवेणाथ वयसा राजा यौवनम आस्थितः
यायातेनापि वयसा राज्यं पूरुर अकारयत
44 ततॊ वर्षसहस्रान्ते ययातिर अपराजितः
अतृप्त एव कामानां पूरुं पुत्रम उवाच ह
45 तवया दायादवान अस्मि तवं मे वंशकरः सुतः
पौरवॊ वंश इति ते खयातिं लॊके गमिष्यति
46 ततः स नृपशार्दूलः पूरुं राज्ये ऽभिषिच्य च
कालेन महता पश्चात कालधर्मम उपेयिवान
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