The Descendants of King Mandhata

Verse 1 (bhagavata.9.7.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच मान्धातुः पुत्रप्रवरो योऽम्बरीषः प्रकीर्तितः । पितामहेन प्रवृतो यौवनाश्वस्तु तत्सुतः । हारीतस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभून्मान्धातृप्रवरा इमे ॥ 7.1 ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca māndhātuḥ putra-pravaro yo ’mbarīṣaḥ prakīrtitaḥ pitāmahena pravṛto yauvanāśvas tu tat-sutaḥ hārītas tasya putro ’bhūn māndhātṛ-pravarā ime

Shukadeva said: The foremost among Mandhata's sons was he who is celebrated as Ambarisha, whom his grandfather Yuvanashva accepted as his own son. His son was Yauvanashva, and Yauvanashva's son was Harita — these three, Ambarisha, Yauvanashva and Harita, were the most prominent in Mandhata's line.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.9.7.2)

नर्मदा भ्रातृभिर्दत्ता पुरुकुत्साय योरगैः । तया रसातलं नीतो भुजगेन्द्रप्रयुक्तया ॥ 7.2 ॥

narmadā bhrātṛbhir dattā purukutsāya yoragaiḥ tayā rasātalaṁ nīto bhujagendra-prayuktayā

Narmada's serpent brothers gave her to Purukutsa. By her, sent at the bidding of the serpent-king Vasuki, Purukutsa was carried down into the netherworld of Rasatala.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.9.7.3)

गन्धर्वानवधीत् तत्र वध्यान् वै विष्णुशक्तिधृक् । नागाल्लब्धवरः सर्पादभयं स्मरतामिदम् ॥ 7.3 ॥

gandharvān avadhīt tatra vadhyān vai viṣṇu-śakti-dhṛk nāgāl labdha-varaḥ sarpād abhayaṁ smaratām idam

There, endowed with the power of Lord Vishnu, he slew the Gandharvas who deserved death. From the serpents he received the boon that whoever remembers this account of his shall be safe from the fear of snakes.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.9.7.4)

त्रसद्दस्युः पौरुकुत्सो योऽनरण्यस्य देहकृत् । हर्यश्वस्तत्सुतस्तस्मात्प्रारुणोऽथ त्रिबन्धनः ॥ 7.4 ॥

trasaddasyuḥ paurukutso yo ’naraṇyasya deha-kṛt haryaśvas tat-sutas tasmāt prāruṇo ’tha tribandhanaḥ

Purukutsa's son was Trasaddasyu, whose son was Anaranya. Anaranya's son was Haryashva, Haryashva's son was Praruna, and Praruna's son was Tribandhana.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.9.7.5)

तस्य सत्यव्रतः पुत्रस्त्रिशङ्कुरिति विश्रुतः । प्राप्तश्चाण्डालतां शापाद् गुरोः कौशिकतेजसा ॥ 7.5 ॥

tasya satyavrataḥ putrastriśaṅkuriti viśrutaḥ prāptaścāṇḍālatāṁ śāpād guroḥ kauśikatejasā

Tribandhana's son was Satyavrata, renowned as Trishanku. Though he fell under a guru's curse to the state of a chandala, by the power of Kaushika (Vishvamitra),

Verse 6 (bhagavata.9.7.6)

सशरीरो गतः स्वर्गमद्यापि दिवि दृश्यते । पातितोऽवाक् शिरा देवैस्तेनैव स्तम्भितो बलात् ॥ 7.6 ॥

saśarīro gataḥ svargamadyāpi divi dṛśyate pātito ’vāk śirā devaistenaiva stambhito balāt

he went to heaven in his very body and can still be seen there in the sky today — cast down head-first by the gods, yet held suspended there by that same sage's power.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.9.7.7)

त्रैशङ्कवो हरिश्चन्द्रो विश्वामित्रवसिष्ठयोः । यन्निमित्तमभूद् युद्धं पक्षिणोर्बहुवार्षिकम् ॥ 7.7 ॥

traiśaṅkavo hariścandro viśvāmitra-vasiṣṭhayoḥ yan-nimittam abhūd yuddhaṁ pakṣiṇor bahu-vārṣikam

Trishanku's son was Harishchandra, on whose account there arose that long war, lasting many years, between Vishvamitra and Vasishtha in the form of birds.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.9.7.8)

सोऽनपत्यो विषण्णात्मा नारदस्योपदेशतः । वरुणं शरणं यातः पुत्रो मे जायतां प्रभो ॥ 7.8 ॥

so ’napatyo viṣaṇṇātmā nāradasyopadeśataḥ varuṇaṁ śaraṇaṁ yātaḥ putro me jāyatāṁ prabho

Grieved at being without a son, he followed Narada's counsel and took shelter of the god Varuna, saying: "O lord, grant me a son."

Verse 9 (bhagavata.9.7.9)

यदि वीरो महाराज तेनैव त्वां यजे इति । तथेति वरुणेनास्य पुत्रो जातस्तु रोहितः ॥ 7.9 ॥

yadi vīro mahārāja tenaiva tvāṁ yaje iti tatheti varuṇenāsya putro jātas tu rohitaḥ

O King, when he said, "If a son is born to me, with him I shall sacrifice to you," Varuna replied, "Let it be so"; and by that boon Harishchandra begot a son named Rohita.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.9.7.10)

जातः सुतो ह्यनेनाङ्ग मां यजस्वेति सोऽब्रवीत् । यदा पशुर्निर्दशः स्यादथ मेध्यो भवेदिति ॥ 7.10 ॥

jātaḥ suto hy anenāṅga māṁ yajasveti so ’bravīt yadā paśur nirdaśaḥ syād atha medhyo bhaved iti

When the son was born, Varuna said, "Now perform the sacrifice for me." Harishchandra replied: "An animal becomes fit for sacrifice only ten days after its birth."

Verse 11 (bhagavata.9.7.11)

निर्दशे च स आगत्य यजस्वेत्याह सोऽब्रवीत् । दन्ताः पशोर्यज्जायेरन्नथ मेध्यो भवेदिति ॥ 7.11 ॥

nirdaśe ca sa āgatya yajasvety āha so ’bravīt dantāḥ paśor yaj jāyerann atha medhyo bhaved iti

When ten days had passed, Varuna came and said, "Now perform the sacrifice." Harishchandra said: "An animal becomes fit for sacrifice only once its teeth have appeared."

Verse 12 (bhagavata.9.7.12)

दन्ता जाता यजस्वेति स प्रत्याहाथ सोऽब्रवीत् । यदा पतन्त्यस्य दन्ता अथ मेध्यो भवेदिति ॥ 7.12 ॥

dantā jātā yajasveti sa pratyāhātha so ’bravīt yadā patanty asya dantā atha medhyo bhaved iti

When the teeth had come in, Varuna came and said, "Now perform the sacrifice." He answered: "Only once its teeth have fallen out will it be fit for sacrifice."

Verse 13 (bhagavata.9.7.13)

पशोर्निपतिता दन्ता यजस्वेत्याह सोऽब्रवीत् । यदा पशोः पुनर्दन्ता जायन्तेऽथ पशुः शुचिः ॥ 7.13 ॥

paśor nipatitā dantā yajasvety āha so ’bravīt yadā paśoḥ punar dantā jāyante ’tha paśuḥ śuciḥ

When the teeth had fallen out, Varuna came and said, "Now perform the sacrifice." He said: "Only when its teeth grow in again will the animal be pure."

Verse 14 (bhagavata.9.7.14)

पुनर्जाता यजस्वेति स प्रत्याहाथ सोऽब्रवीत् । सान्नाहिको यदा राजन् राजन्योऽथ पशुः शुचिः ॥ 7.14 ॥

punar jātā yajasveti sa pratyāhātha so ’bravīt sānnāhiko yadā rājan rājanyo ’tha paśuḥ śuciḥ

When the teeth had grown in again, Varuna said, "Now perform the sacrifice." He said: "O King, only when this creature becomes an armored kshatriya, fit to face an enemy in battle, will he be pure."

Verse 15 (bhagavata.9.7.15)

इति पुत्रानुरागेण स्नेहयन्त्रितचेतसा । कालं वञ्चयता तं तमुक्तो देवस्तमैक्षत ॥ 7.15 ॥

iti putrānurāgeṇa sneha-yantrita-cetasā kālaṁ vañcayatā taṁ tam ukto devas tam aikṣata

Thus, his heart bound by love for his son, Harishchandra kept putting off the time with such answers, and the god Varuna waited on and on.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.9.7.16)

रोहितस्तदभिज्ञाय पितुः कर्म चिकीर्षितम् । प्राणप्रेप्सुर्धनुष्पाणिररण्यं प्रत्यपद्यत ॥ 7.16 ॥

rohitas tad abhijñāya pituḥ karma cikīrṣitam prāṇa-prepsur dhanuṣ-pāṇir araṇyaṁ pratyapadyata

Rohita, perceiving that his father intended to offer him at the sacrifice, took up his bow and, to save his own life, fled into the forest.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.9.7.17)

पितरं वरुणग्रस्तं श्रुत्वा जातमहोदरम् । रोहितो ग्राममेयाय तमिन्द्रः प्रत्यषेधत ॥ 7.17 ॥

pitaraṁ varuṇa-grastaṁ śrutvā jāta-mahodaram rohito grāmam eyāya tam indraḥ pratyaṣedhata

When he heard that his father, afflicted by Varuna, had fallen ill with dropsy, he was about to return to the city — but Indra stopped him.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.9.7.18)

भूमेः पर्यटनं पुण्यं तीर्थक्षेत्रनिषेवणैः । रोहितायादिशच्छक्रः सोऽप्यरण्येऽवसत् समाम् ॥ 7.18 ॥

bhūmeḥ paryaṭanaṁ puṇyaṁ tīrtha-kṣetra-niṣevaṇaiḥ rohitāyādiśac chakraḥ so ’py araṇye ’vasat samām

Indra advised Rohita to wander instead through the holy places and sacred fields, calling it meritorious. Heeding him, Rohita remained in the forest a full year.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.9.7.19)

एवं द्वितीये तृतीये चतुर्थे पञ्चमे तथा । अभ्येत्याभ्येत्य स्थविरो विप्रो भूत्वाह वृत्रहा ॥ 7.19 ॥

evaṁ dvitīye tṛtīye caturthe pañcame tathā abhyetyābhyetya sthaviro vipro bhūtvāha vṛtra-hā

So too in the second, third, fourth and fifth years, whenever Rohita wished to return, Indra, slayer of Vritra, would come to him disguised as an aged brahmana and hold him back.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.9.7.20)

षष्ठं संवत्सरं तत्र चरित्वा रोहितः पुरीम् । उपव्रजन्नजीगर्तादक्रीणान्मध्यमं सुतम् । शुनःशेफं पशुं पित्रे प्रदाय समवन्दत ॥ 7.20 ॥

ṣaṣṭhaṁ saṁvatsaraṁ tatra caritvā rohitaḥ purīm upavrajann ajīgartād akrīṇān madhyamaṁ sutam śunaḥśephaṁ paśuṁ pitre pradāya samavandata

Having wandered thus through the sixth year, Rohita made his way back to the city. On the way, he purchased Shunahshepha, the second son of Ajigarta, and offering him to his father as the sacrificial animal, bowed before him.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.9.7.21)

ततः पुरुषमेधेन हरिश्चन्द्रो महायशाः । मुक्तोदरोऽयजद् देवान् वरुणादीन् महत्कथः ॥ 7.21 ॥

tataḥ puruṣa-medhena hariścandro mahā-yaśāḥ muktodaro ’yajad devān varuṇādīn mahat-kathaḥ

Thereafter the illustrious Harishchandra, now freed of his dropsy, worshipped the gods headed by Varuna through the purushamedha sacrifice.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.9.7.22)

विश्वामित्रोऽभवत् तस्मिन् होता चाध्वर्युरात्मवान् । जमदग्निरभूद् ब्रह्मा वसिष्ठोऽयास्यः सामगः ॥ 7.22 ॥

viśvāmitro ’bhavat tasmin hotā cādhvaryur ātmavān jamadagnir abhūd brahmā vasiṣṭho ’yāsyaḥ sāma-gaḥ

In that sacrifice, Vishvamitra served as the hota priest, the self-realized Jamadagni as the adhvaryu, Vasishtha as the brahma, and Ayasya as the chanter of the Sama hymns.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.9.7.23)

तस्मै तुष्टो ददाविन्द्रः शातकौम्भमयं रथम् । शुनःशेफस्य माहात्म्यमुपरिष्टात् प्रचक्ष्यते ॥ 7.23 ॥

tasmai tuṣṭo dadāv indraḥ śātakaumbhamayaṁ ratham śunaḥśephasya māhātmyam upariṣṭāt pracakṣyate

Pleased by this, Indra gave him a chariot wrought all of gold. The glory of Shunahshepha shall be told further on, in the account of Vishvamitra's sons.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.9.7.24)

सत्यं सारं धृतिं दृष्ट्वा सभार्यस्य च भूपतेः । विश्वामित्रो भृशं प्रीतो ददावविहतां गतिम् ॥ 7.24 ॥

satyaṁ sāraṁ dhṛtiṁ dṛṣṭvā sabhāryasya ca bhūpateḥ viśvāmitro bhṛśaṁ prīto dadāv avihatāṁ gatim

Seeing King Harishchandra and his wife's truthfulness, forbearance and grasp of what truly mattered, Vishvamitra, deeply pleased, gave them imperishable knowledge.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.9.7.25)

मनः पृथिव्यां तामद्भिस्तेजसापोऽनिलेन तत् । खे वायुं धारयंस्तच्च भूतादौ तं महात्मनि । तस्मिञ्ज्ञानकलां ध्यात्वा तयाज्ञानं विनिर्दहन् ॥ 7.25 ॥

manaḥ pṛthivyāṁ tāmadbhistejasāpo ’nilena tat khe vāyuṁ dhārayaṁstacca bhūtādau taṁ mahātmani tasmiñjñānakalāṁ dhyātvā tayājñānaṁ vinirdahan

He dissolved his mind into earth, earth into water, water into fire, fire into air, and air into the sky; then, resting the sky in the great cosmic principle, and meditating upon the Supreme Self abiding within that principle, he burned away his own ignorance.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.9.7.26)

हित्वा तां स्वेन भावेन निर्वाणसुखसंविदा । अनिर्देश्याप्रतर्क्येण तस्थौ विध्वस्तबन्धनः ॥ 7.26 ॥

hitvā tāṁ svena bhāvena nirvāṇasukhasaṁvidā anirdeśyāpratarkyeṇa tasthau vidhvastabandhanaḥ

Thus, letting go of even that in his own true nature, he came to rest in that experience of the bliss of liberation, indescribable and beyond all reasoning — utterly freed from bondage.