Ambarisha

Ambarisha (अंबरीष) was a Suryavanshi king of Ayodhya known to Panini and mentioned in Ramayana/Mahabharata.

Variants of name

• Ambarish
• Ambarishaputra
• Amvarisha

Genealogy

Manu prayed to Vishnu for one hundred years for other sons. He got ten sons like unto himself. Ikshvaku was the eldest.

Manu

↓

1.Ikshvaku - 2.Nriga - 3.Saryati - 4.Dishta - 5.Dhrishta - 6.Karusha - 7.Narishyanta - 8.Prishadhra - 9.Nabhaga - 10.Kavi

Nabhaga → Nabhaga → Ambarisha (+ Ketumat + Sambhu) → Virupa → Prishadasva → Rathitara

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Yuvanasva → Mandhata → Purukuta (m. Narmoda) (+ Ambarisha + Muchukunda:Yogin) → Trasadasya → Anaranya → Horyasva → Praruna → Tribandhana → Satyavrata or Tri Sanku → Haris Chandra → Rohita → Harita → Champa (Founder of Champa) → Sudeva → Vijaya → Bharuka → Vrika → Bahuka

Mention by Panini

Ambarisha-putra (अंबरीष-पुत्र) is a term mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.

History

V. S. Agrawala mentions Vishayas known to Panini which includes - Ambarishaputra (अंबरीषपुत्र), under Rajanyadi (राजन्यादि) (IV.2.53).

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James Todd writes about Ambarisha. — The Ramayana affords another synchronism ; namely, that Ambarisha of Ayodhya, the fortieth prince of the Solar line, was the contemporary of Gadhi, the founder of Kanauj, and of Lomapada the Prince of Angadesa.

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James Todd writes that Vishvamitra was the son of Gadhi (of the race of Kausika), King of Gadhipura, and contemporary of Ambarisha, King of Ayodhya or Oudh, the fortieth prince from Ikshwaku ; consequently about two hundred years anterior to Rama. This event therefore, whence we infer that the system of castes was approaching perfection, was probably about one thousand four hundred years before Christ.

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James Todd writes that the successors of Suryavanshi king Champa, the twenty-seventh, the founder of Champapur in Bihar. In Sir William's, Sadeva succeeds, and he is followed by Vijaya ; but my authorities state these both to be sons of Champa, and that Vijaya, the younger, was his successor, as the elder, Sadeva, took to religious austerity. The thirty-third and thirty-sixth, Kesi and Dilipa, are not noticed by Sir William Jones ; but there is a much more important person than either of these omitted, who is a grand link of connexion, and affording a good synchronism of the earliest history. This is Ambarisha, the fortieth, the contemporary of Gadhi, who was the founder of Gadhipura or Kanauj. Nala, Sarura, and Dilipa (Nos. 4i, 45, 54 of my lists) are all omitted by Sir William Jones.

गौरवंश

दलीप सिंह अहलावत लिखते हैं: गौरवंश गौर, गौरेह, गुरु आदि नामों से प्रसिद्ध है। कर्नल जेम्स टॉड, गौरीशंकर हरीचन्द ओझा आदि इतिहासकारों ने यह कल्पना की थी कि इस वंश का नाम गुरु अथवा गौर वर्ण के कारण पड़ा था। परन्तु विशाल प्राचीन साहित्य की गहरी खोज से इस गौरवंश के प्रचलित होने की सत्यता का पता चला है जो कि निम्न प्रकार से है - सृष्टि के आरम्भ में सतयुग में सूर्यवंशज वैवस्वत मनु की परम्परा में ब्रह्मा की 22वीं पीढ़ी में युवनाश्व नामक राजा हुए थे। उनका विवाह चन्द्रवंशी राजा मतिनार की कन्या गौरी से हुआ था। इससे सम्राट् मांधता उत्पन्न हुए। ‘गौरी कन्या च विख्याता मांधातुर्जननी शुभा’ वायु पुराण 99-130 इसका प्रमाण है। ‘गौरी’ माता के कारण ही मांधाता की उपाधि ‘गौर’ हुई। मांधाता के ही वंशधर गौर नाम से लोकप्रसिद्ध हुए। पं० भगवद्दत्त बी० ए० ने भी अपने लिखित ‘भारतवर्ष’ का इतिहास पृ० 756 पर इसकी पुष्टि की है।

मांधाता की ठीक बारहवीं पीढ़ी में सत्यवादी राजा हरिश्चन्द्र हुए। मांधाता न केवल सम्राट् ही थे अपितु वे अपनी विशाल विजय-यात्राओं से ‘त्रैलोक्यविजयी’ (वायुपुराण 88-67); ‘सार्वभौम चक्रवर्ती’ (गोपथब्राह्मण 1-2-10); दिग्विजयी सम्राट् (बुद्ध चरित 10-13) के पद पर प्रतिष्ठित हुए। वायु पुराण 88-68, विष्णु पुराण 4-1-65, महाभारत द्रोणपर्व 6-2-11 में समान रूप से लिखा है कि उदयगिरि से अस्ताचल तक सारी भूमि सम्राट् मांधाता के राज्य में थी¹। इनकी राजधानी अयोध्या में थी। भारतवर्ष में इनसे बड़ा चक्रवर्ती सम्राट् कोई दूसरा नहीं हुआ। पं० भगवद्दत्त बी० ए० कृत ‘भारतवर्ष का इतिहास’ पृ० 69 पर लिखा है कि -

“गौर सम्राट् मांधाता के कई पुत्रों में से एक अम्बरीष थे जिससे उसका पुत्र युवनाश्व हुआ। युवनाश्व का पुत्र हारीत हुआ जो कि एक महान् ऋषि कहलाया। इस हारीत ऋषि के वंशज क्षत्रिय से ब्राह्मण हो गए जिनका गोत्र ‘अंगिरस’ प्रचलित हुआ। आगे इनकी संतति गौड़ ब्राह्मण कहलाने लगी।”

सारांश यह है कि गौर सम्राट् मांधाता से ‘गौरवंश’ प्रचलित हुआ। उनके प्रपौत्र क्षत्रिय हारीत के वंशज गौड़ ब्राह्मण हैं। सम्राट् मांधाता के क्षत्रियवंशज गण का नाम ‘गौरवंश’ प्रचलित हुआ जो कि जाट वंश (गोत्र) है।

In Bhagavata Purana

Srimad Bhagavatam 9.7.1 : Sukadeva Gosvami said: The most prominent among the sons of Mandhata was he who is celebrated as Ambarisha. Ambarisha was accepted as son by his grandfather Yuvanasva. Ambarisha's son was Yauvanasva, and Yauvanasva's son was Harita. In Mandhata's dynasty, Ambarisha, Harita and Yauvanasva were very prominent.

Yuvanashva - Yuvanasva had no son. So the Rishis performed a sacrifice directed to Indra. One night Yuvanasva became very thirsty and entered the Yajna house. He found all the Rishis sleeping at the time. He thought it improper to rouse the Rishis and drank what ever water he found near at hand. By chance that happened to be the consecrated water with the power of producing a son. When the Rishis rose up they did not find the water. On enquiry, when they knew what had happened, every one wondered what the outcome would be. In time the king brought forth a son from his right side. The little thing cried out for milk. Indra said- "Do not weep, child, you shall drink wine ( Mān Dhātā)". So saying he offered the child his fore finger. From this, the child was called Mandhata.

Mandhata Ancestry

Yuvanasva, by the blessing of the Rishis, did not meet with death at delivery. Mandhata was a very powerful king. The thieves dreaded him much. He performed many sacrifices and made many gifts. He married Indumati, daughter of Sasabindu. He had three sons Purukutsa, Ambarisha, and the Yogin Muchukunda. He had also fifty daughters.

Rishi Soubhari made Tapas in the "waters of the Yamuna. One day he saw the pairing of a couple of fish and became excited. He requested king Mandhata to give him one daughter in marriage. The king said : " By Svayamvara, you may get my daughter " (i. e. the girl must choose her own husband from amongst a number of men offering themselves as husbands.) The Rishi thought because he was old and decrepit therefore the king wanted to put him off. So Soubhari by yogic powers became young and beautiful. All the fifty daughters then accepted him for their husband. The Rishi prepared for himself all the enjoyments of life and passed his days in company with his 50 wives. He then became disgusted with this sensual life and afterwards attained Moksha with his wives.

Yuvanasva adopted his grand son Ambarisha. Ambarisha had one son Youvanasva. His son was Harita. These three, Ambarisha, Youvanasva and Harita were the founders of the chief clans of the Mandhata Dynasty.

The elemental serpents gave their sister Narmodā in marriage to Purukutsa. Purukutsa accompanied Narmoda to Rasatala at the request of Vasuki. There he killed such Gandharvas as deserved to be killed. Those who remember this story have no fear from serpents. Such was the blessing of the elemental serpents.

Yuvanasva → Mandhata → Purukuta (m. Narmoda) (+ Ambarisha + Muchukunda:Yogin) → Trasadasya → Anaranya → Horyasva → Praruna → Tribandhana → Satyavrata or Tri Sanku → Haris Chandra

Mandhata → Ambarisha (adopted by Yuvanasva) → Youvanasva → Harita

In Mahabharata

Ambarisha (अम्बरीष) is mentioned in Mahabharata (XII.29.93), (XIII.116.65), (XIII.115)

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Anusasana Parva/Book XIII Chapter 116 gives List of Kings who had abstained from flesh in Karttika month. Ambarisha is included in verse (XIII.116.65)....."They were Nabhaga and Ambarisha and the high-souled Gaya and Ayu and Anaranya and Dilipa and Raghu and Puru..."

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Shanti Parva Mahabharata Book XII Chapter 29 mentions Ambarisha in verse (XII.29.93).... We hear, O Srinjaya, that Amvarisha also, the son of Nabhaga, fell a prey to death. That protector (of the world) and foremost of kings was regarded by his subjects as the embodiment of virtue.

References

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