The Dynasty of Puru

Verse 1 (bhagavata.9.20.1)

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच पूरोर्वंशं प्रवक्ष्यामि यत्र जातोऽसि भारत । यत्र राजर्षयो वंश्या ब्रह्मवंश्याश्च जज्ञिरे ॥ १ ॥

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca pūror vaṁśaṁ pravakṣyāmi yatra jāto ’si bhārata yatra rājarṣayo vaṁśyā brahma-vaṁśyāś ca jajñire

Sri Badarayani said: I shall now tell of the dynasty of Puru, O descendant of Bharata, in which you yourself were born — a line in which royal sages appeared, and from among them, lines of brahmanas as well.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.9.20.2)

जनमेजयो ह्यभूत् पूरोः प्रचिन्वांस्तत्सुतस्ततः । प्रवीरोऽथ मनुस्युर्वै तस्माच्चारुपदोऽभवत् ॥ २ ॥

janamejayo hy abhūt pūroḥ pracinvāṁs tat-sutas tataḥ pravīro ’tha manusyur vai tasmāc cārupado ’bhavat

From Puru was born Janamejaya; his son was Prachinvan; then Pravira; from him, Manasyu; and from Manasyu came Charupada.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.9.20.3)

तस्य सुद्युरभूत् पुत्रस्तस्माद् बहुगवस्ततः । संयातिस्तस्याहंयाती रौद्राश्वस्तत्सुतः स्मृतः ॥ ३ ॥

tasya sudyur abhūt putras tasmād bahugavas tataḥ saṁyātis tasyāhaṁyātī raudrāśvas tat-sutaḥ smṛtaḥ

His son was Sudyu; from him, Bahugava; Bahugava's son was Samyati; from Samyati, Ahamyati; and his son was known as Raudrashva.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.9.20.4)

ऋतेयुस्तस्य कक्षेयुः स्थण्डिलेयुः कृतेयुकः । जलेयुः सन्नतेयुश्च धर्मसत्यव्रतेयवः ॥ ४ ॥

ṛteyus tasya kakṣeyuḥ sthaṇḍileyuḥ kṛteyukaḥ jaleyuḥ sannateyuś ca dharma-satya-vrateyavaḥ

His sons were Riteyu, Kaksheyu, Sthandileyu, Kriteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu and Vrateyu —

Verse 5 (bhagavata.9.20.5)

दशैतेऽप्सरसः पुत्रा वनेयुश्चावमः स्मृतः । घृताच्यामिन्द्रियाणीव मुख्यस्य जगदात्मनः ॥ ५ ॥

daśaite ’psarasaḥ putrā vaneyuś cāvamaḥ smṛtaḥ ghṛtācyām indriyāṇīva mukhyasya jagad-ātmanaḥ

— these ten, sons of the Apsara Ghritachi, with Vaneyu reckoned the youngest, were to Raudrashva, foremost soul, as the senses are to the life-breath of the world.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.9.20.6)

ऋतेयो रन्तिनावोऽभूत् त्रयस्तस्यात्मजा नृप । सुमतिर्ध्रुवोऽप्रतिरथः कण्वोऽप्रतिरथात्मजः ॥ ६ ॥

ṛteyo rantināvo ’bhūt trayas tasyātmajā nṛpa sumatir dhruvo ’pratirathaḥ kaṇvo ’pratirathātmajaḥ

O King, from Riteyu was born Rantinava, whose three sons were Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha; Apratiratha's son was Kanva.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.9.20.7)

तस्य मेधातिथिस्तस्मात् प्रस्कन्नाद्या द्विजातयः । पुत्रोऽभूत् सुमते रेभिर्दुष्मन्तस्तत्सुतो मतः ॥ ७ ॥

tasya medhātithis tasmāt praskannādyā dvijātayaḥ putro ’bhūt sumate rebhir duṣmantas tat-suto mataḥ

His son was Medhatithi, from whom came the brahmanas headed by Praskanna. To Sumati was born a son, Rebhi, and Dushmanta is known as Rebhi's son.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.9.20.8)

दुष्मन्तो मृगयां यातः कण्वाश्रमपदं गतः । तत्रासीनां स्वप्रभया मण्डयन्तीं रमामिव ॥ ८ ॥

duṣmanto mṛgayāṁ yātaḥ kaṇvāśrama-padaṁ gataḥ tatrāsīnāṁ sva-prabhayā maṇḍayantīṁ ramām iva

Dushmanta, gone out to hunt, came to the site of Kanva's hermitage; there he saw a woman seated, adorning the place with her own radiance like the goddess Rama herself.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.9.20.9)

विलोक्य सद्यो मुमुहे देवमायामिव स्त्रियम् । बभाषे तां वरारोहां भटैः कतिपयैर्वृतः ॥ ९ ॥

vilokya sadyo mumuhe deva-māyām iva striyam babhāṣe tāṁ varārohāṁ bhaṭaiḥ katipayair vṛtaḥ

Beholding her, he was at once bewildered, as though beholding some divine illusion in the form of a woman; and, surrounded by a few soldiers, he spoke to that fair-limbed maiden.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.9.20.10)

तद्दर्शनप्रमुदितः सन्निवृत्तपरिश्रमः । पप्रच्छ कामसन्तप्तः प्रहसञ्श्लक्ष्णया गिरा ॥ १० ॥

tad-darśana-pramuditaḥ sannivṛtta-pariśramaḥ papraccha kāma-santaptaḥ prahasañ ślakṣṇayā girā

Delighted at the sight of her, his weariness gone, burning now with desire, he questioned her, smiling, in a soft voice.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.9.20.11)

का त्वं कमलपत्राक्षि कस्यासि हृदयङ्गमे । किंस्विच्चिकीर्षितं तत्र भवत्या निर्जने वने ॥ ११ ॥

kā tvaṁ kamala-patrākṣi kasyāsi hṛdayaṅ-game kiṁ svic cikīrṣitaṁ tatra bhavatyā nirjane vane

Who are you, O lotus-eyed one, whose heart-delighting daughter are you? And what is it you seek to accomplish here, in this lonely forest?

Verse 12 (bhagavata.9.20.12)

व्यक्तं राजन्यतनयां वेद्म्यहं त्वां सुमध्यमे । न हि चेतः पौरवाणामधर्मे रमते क्वचित् ॥ १२ ॥

vyaktaṁ rājanya-tanayāṁ vedmy ahaṁ tvāṁ sumadhyame na hi cetaḥ pauravāṇām adharme ramate kvacit

O slender-waisted one, it is plain to me that you must be a kshatriya's daughter — for the mind of the Pauravas never delights in anything contrary to dharma.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.9.20.13)

श्रीशकुन्तलोवाच विश्वामित्रात्मजैवाहं त्यक्ता मेनकया वने । वेदैतद् भगवान् कण्वो वीर किं करवाम ते ॥ १३ ॥

śrī-śakuntalovāca viśvāmitrātmajaivāhaṁ tyaktā menakayā vane vedaitad bhagavān kaṇvo vīra kiṁ karavāma te

Sri Shakuntala said: I am indeed the daughter of Vishvamitra, left in this forest by Menaka. Bhagavan Kanva knows this whole matter. O hero, what may I do for you?

Verse 14 (bhagavata.9.20.14)

आस्यतां ह्यरविन्दाक्ष गृह्यतामर्हणं च नः । भुज्यतां सन्ति नीवारा उष्यतां यदि रोचते ॥ १४ ॥

āsyatāṁ hy aravindākṣa gṛhyatām arhaṇaṁ ca naḥ bhujyatāṁ santi nīvārā uṣyatāṁ yadi rocate

Be seated, O lotus-eyed one, and accept our hospitality; there is wild rice to eat — and stay on, if it should please you.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.9.20.15)

श्रीदुष्मन्त उवाच उपपन्नमिदं सुभ्रु जातायाः कुशिकान्वये । स्वयं हि वृणुते राज्ञां कन्यकाः सदृशं वरम् ॥ १५ ॥

śrī-duṣmanta uvāca upapannam idaṁ subhru jātāyāḥ kuśikānvaye svayaṁ hi vṛṇute rājñāṁ kanyakāḥ sadṛśaṁ varam

Sri Dushmanta said: This befits well one born, O fair-browed one, in the line of Kushika — for kings' daughters themselves choose a fitting husband.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.9.20.16)

ओमित्युक्ते यथाधर्ममुपयेमे शकुन्तलाम् । गान्धर्वविधिना राजा देशकालविधानवित् ॥ १६ ॥

om ity ukte yathā-dharmam upayeme śakuntalām gāndharva-vidhinā rājā deśa-kāla-vidhānavit

When she said "yes," the King, versed in the proper ordinance of place and time, married Shakuntala according to dharma, by the rite of the Gandharvas.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.9.20.17)

अमोघवीर्यो राजर्षिर्महिष्यां वीर्यमादधे । श्वोभूते स्वपुरं यातः कालेनासूत सा सुतम् ॥ १७ ॥

amogha-vīryo rājarṣir mahiṣyāṁ vīryam ādadhe śvo-bhūte sva-puraṁ yātaḥ kālenāsūta sā sutam

The royal sage, whose seed never failed, placed his seed in the queen; the next day he departed for his own city, and in time she bore a son.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.9.20.18)

कण्वः कुमारस्य वने चक्रे समुचिताः क्रियाः । बद्ध्वा मृगेन्द्रंतरसा क्रीडति स्म स बालकः ॥ १८ ॥

kaṇvaḥ kumārasya vane cakre samucitāḥ kriyāḥ baddhvā mṛgendraṁ tarasā krīḍati sma sa bālakaḥ

Kanva performed all the proper rites for the boy in the forest; and that child, even so young, would seize a lion by force and play with it.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.9.20.19)

तं दुरत्ययविक्रान्तमादाय प्रमदोत्तमा । हरेरंशांशसम्भूतं भर्तुरन्तिकमागमत् ॥ १९ ॥

taṁ duratyaya-vikrāntam ādāya pramadottamā harer aṁśāṁśa-sambhūtaṁ bhartur antikam āgamat

Taking that boy of unrivaled prowess, who had come into being as a fragment of a fragment of Bhagavan Hari, that finest of women came into the presence of her husband.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.9.20.20)

यदा न जगृहे राजा भार्यापुत्रावनिन्दितौ । शृण्वतां सर्वभूतानां खे वागाहाशरीरिणी ॥ २० ॥

yadā na jagṛhe rājā bhāryā-putrāv aninditau śṛṇvatāṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ khe vāg āhāśarīriṇī

When the King refused to accept his blameless wife and son, a bodiless voice spoke out from the sky, heard by all beings present.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.9.20.21)

माता भस्त्रा पितुः पुत्रो येन जातः स एव सः । भरस्व पुत्रं दुष्मन्त मावमंस्थाः शकुन्तलाम् ॥ २१ ॥

mātā bhastrā pituḥ putro yena jātaḥ sa eva saḥ bharasva putraṁ duṣmanta māvamaṁsthāḥ śakuntalām

— The mother is but the bellows; the son belongs to the father by whose seed he was born — he is that father himself. Maintain your son, O Dushmanta; do not dishonor Shakuntala.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.9.20.22)

रेतोधाः पुत्रो नयति नरदेव यमक्षयात् । त्वं चास्य धाता गर्भस्य सत्यमाह शकुन्तला ॥ २२ ॥

reto-dhāḥ putro nayati naradeva yama-kṣayāt tvaṁ cāsya dhātā garbhasya satyam āha śakuntalā

— O lord of men, it is the son who leads the seed-giver out of Yama's realm; you are the true begetter of this child in the womb — Shakuntala speaks the truth.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.9.20.23)

पितर्युपरते सोऽपि चक्रवर्ती महायशाः । महिमा गीयते तस्य हरेरंशभुवो भुवि ॥ २३ ॥

pitary uparate so ’pi cakravartī mahā-yaśāḥ mahimā gīyate tasya harer aṁśa-bhuvo bhuvi

When his father passed away, that son, of great renown, became emperor; and his glory, as one born of a portion of Hari, is sung upon this earth.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.9.20.24)

चक्रं दक्षिणहस्तेऽस्य पद्मकोशोऽस्य पादयोः । ईजे महाभिषेकेण सोऽभिषिक्तोऽधिराड् विभुः ॥ २४ ॥

cakraṁ dakṣiṇa-haste ’sya padma-kośo ’sya pādayoḥ īje mahābhiṣekeṇa so ’bhiṣikto ’dhirāḍ vibhuḥ

On his right hand was the mark of the discus, and on his feet, the mark of the lotus-whorl; anointed with a great consecration, he performed sacrifice and became the mighty sovereign emperor.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.9.20.25)

पञ्चपञ्चाशता मेध्यैर्गङ्गायामनु वाजिभिः । मामतेयं पुरोधाय यमुनामनु च प्रभुः ॥ २५ ॥

pañca-pañcāśatā medhyair gaṅgāyām anu vājibhiḥ māmateyaṁ purodhāya yamunām anu ca prabhuḥ

That lord, with Mamateya (of Brihaspati's line) as his priest, bound fifty-five sacrificial horses along the Ganga, and likewise along the Yamuna —

Verse 26 (bhagavata.9.20.26)

अष्टसप्ततिमेध्याश्वान् बबन्ध प्रददद् वसु । भरतस्य हि दौष्मन्तेरग्निः साचीगुणे चितः । सहस्रं बद्वशो यस्मिन् ब्राह्मणा गा विभेजिरे ॥ २६ ॥

aṣṭa-saptati-medhyāśvān babandha pradadad vasu bharatasya hi dauṣmanter agniḥ sācī-guṇe citaḥ sahasraṁ badvaśo yasmin brāhmaṇā gā vibhejire

— seventy-eight sacrificial horses, distributing wealth all the while. For Bharata, son of Dushmanta, the sacrificial fire was laid in the shape of a falcon, at which the brahmanas received cattle by the thousand, one badva each.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.9.20.27)

त्रयस्त्रिंशच्छतं ह्यश्वान्बद्ध्वा विस्मापयन् नृपान् । दौष्मन्तिरत्यगान्मायां देवानां गुरुमाययौ ॥ २७ ॥

trayas-triṁśac-chataṁ hy aśvān baddhvā vismāpayan nṛpān dauṣmantir atyagān māyāṁ devānāṁ gurum āyayau

Binding three thousand three hundred horses, the son of Dushmanta astonished all the kings; he surpassed even the illusion-power of the gods and attained Hari, the master of the gods.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.9.20.28)

मृगाञ्छुक्लदतः कृष्णान् हिरण्येन परीवृतान् । अदात् कर्मणि मष्णारे नियुतानि चतुर्दश ॥ २८ ॥

mṛgāñ chukla-dataḥ kṛṣṇān hiraṇyena parīvṛtān adāt karmaṇi maṣṇāre niyutāni caturdaśa

At the Mashnara sacrifice he gave away fourteen lakh black-bodied, white-tusked elephants, adorned all about with gold.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.9.20.29)

भरतस्य महत् कर्म न पूर्वे नापरे नृपाः । नैवापुर्नैव प्राप्स्यन्ति बाहुभ्यां त्रिदिवं यथा ॥ २९ ॥

bharatasya mahat karma na pūrve nāpare nṛpāḥ naivāpur naiva prāpsyanti bāhubhyāṁ tridivaṁ yathā

Bharata's great deeds neither the kings of old attained, nor will kings to come ever attain — just as no one reaches the heavens by the strength of his own two arms.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.9.20.30)

किरातहूणान् यवनान् पौण्ड्रान् कङ्कान् खशाञ्छकान् । अब्रह्मण्यनृपांश्चाहन् म्लेच्छान् दिग्विजयेऽखिलान् ॥ ३० ॥

kirāta-hūṇān yavanān pauṇḍrān kaṅkān khaśāñ chakān abrahmaṇya-nṛpāṁś cāhan mlecchān dig-vijaye ’khilān

In his conquest of all directions he struck down the Kiratas, Hunas, Yavanas, Paundras, Kankas, Khashas, Shakas, and every mleccha king opposed to the brahminical order.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.9.20.31)

जित्वा पुरासुरा देवान् ये रसौकांसि भेजिरे । देवस्त्रियो रसां नीताः प्राणिभिः पुनराहरत् ॥ ३१ ॥

jitvā purāsurā devān ye rasaukāṁsi bhejire deva-striyo rasāṁ nītāḥ prāṇibhiḥ punar āharat

Those demons who, having once conquered the gods, had taken refuge in Rasatala and carried off the wives of the gods with them — from them he retrieved those women, together with their attendants, once more.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.9.20.32)

सर्वान्कामान् दुदुहतुः प्रजानां तस्य रोदसी । समास्त्रिणवसाहस्रीर्दिक्षु चक्रमवर्तयत् ॥ ३२ ॥

sarvān kāmān duduhatuḥ prajānāṁ tasya rodasī samās tri-ṇava-sāhasrīr dikṣu cakram avartayat

For twenty-seven thousand years both heaven and earth yielded all desires to his subjects, as he set his rule turning in every direction.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.9.20.33)

स संराड्लोकपालाख्यमैश्वर्यमधिराट् श्रियम् । चक्रं चास्खलितं प्राणान् मृषेत्युपरराम ह ॥ ३३ ॥

sa saṁrāḍ loka-pālākhyam aiśvaryam adhirāṭ śriyam cakraṁ cāskhalitaṁ prāṇān mṛṣety upararāma ha

That supreme ruler, holding the majesty called "guardian of the world," the sovereign's fortune, an unimpeded dominion, and life itself — deeming all of it false, he at last ceased from it.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.9.20.34)

तस्यासन् नृप वैदर्भ्यः पत्न्यस्तिस्रः सुसम्मताः । जघ्नुस्त्यागभयात् पुत्रान् नानुरूपा इतीरिते ॥ ३४ ॥

tasyāsan nṛpa vaidarbhyaḥ patnyas tisraḥ susammatāḥ jaghnus tyāga-bhayāt putrān nānurūpā itīrite

O King, he had three highly esteemed wives, princesses of Vidarbha; fearing they would be forsaken, once it was said their sons did not resemble him, they slew their own children.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.9.20.35)

तस्यैवं वितथे वंशे तदर्थं यजतः सुतम् । मरुत्स्तोमेन मरुतो भरद्वाजमुपाददुः ॥ ३५ ॥

tasyaivaṁ vitathe vaṁśe tad-arthaṁ yajataḥ sutam marut-stomena maruto bharadvājam upādaduḥ

When his line was thus rendered fruitless, he performed sacrifice for the sake of a son; and the Maruts, through the Marut-stoma rite, bestowed upon him Bharadvaja.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.9.20.36)

अन्तर्वत्न्यां भ्रातृपत्न्यां मैथुनाय बृहस्पतिः । प्रवृत्तो वारितो गर्भं शप्त्वा वीर्यमुपासृजत् ॥ ३६ ॥

antarvatnyāṁ bhrātṛ-patnyāṁ maithunāya bṛhaspatiḥ pravṛtto vārito garbhaṁ śaptvā vīryam upāsṛjat

Brihaspati, drawn to union with his brother's pregnant wife, was restrained by the child in her womb; cursing that child, he nonetheless discharged his seed.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.9.20.37)

तं त्यक्तुकामां ममतां भर्तुस्त्यागविशङ्किताम् । नामनिर्वाचनं तस्य श्लोकमेनं सुरा जगुः ॥ ३७ ॥

taṁ tyaktu-kāmāṁ mamatāṁ bhartus tyāga-viśaṅkitām nāma-nirvācanaṁ tasya ślokam enaṁ surā jaguḥ

Fearing her husband would forsake her, Mamata wished to abandon that child; then the gods themselves sang out this verse, naming him.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.9.20.38)

मूढे भर द्वाजमिमं भर द्वाजं बृहस्पते । यातौ यदुक्त्वा पितरौ भरद्वाजस्ततस्त्वयम् ॥ ३८ ॥

mūḍhe bhara dvājam imaṁ bhara dvājaṁ bṛhaspate yātau yad uktvā pitarau bharadvājas tatas tv ayam

"O foolish woman, maintain this child [bhara dvājam] — O Brihaspati, you maintain the child too [bhara dvājam]!" So saying, both parents departed; and thus this child came to be called Bharadvaja.

Verse 39 (bhagavata.9.20.39)

चोद्यमाना सुरैरेवं मत्वा वितथमात्मजम् । व्यसृजन् मरुतोऽबिभ्रन् दत्तोऽयं वितथेऽन्वये ॥ ३९ ॥

codyamānā surair evaṁ matvā vitatham ātmajam vyasṛjan maruto ’bibhran datto ’yaṁ vitathe ’nvaye

Though thus urged by the gods, she deemed her son fruitless (vitatha) and abandoned him; the Maruts then raised him, and he was given into the line of Vitatha.