The Vrishni-Andhaka Line and the Birth of Vasudeva's Sons

Verse 1 (vishnu.4.14.1)

श्रीपराशर उवाच अनमित्रस्य पुत्रः शिनिर्नामाभवत्

śrīparāśara uvāca anamitrasya putraḥ śinirnāmābhavat

Animitra's son was named Shini.

Verse 2 (vishnu.4.14.2)

तस्यापि सत्यकः सत्यकात्सात्यकिर्युयुधानापरनामा

tasyāpi satyakaḥ satyakātsātyakiryuyudhānāparanāmā

His son was Satyaka; from Satyaka came Satyaki, whose other name was Yuyudhana.

Verse 3 (vishnu.4.14.3)

तस्मादपि संजयः तत्पुत्रश्च कुणिः कुणेर्युगन्धरः

tasmādapi saṁjayaḥ tatputraśca kuṇiḥ kuṇeryugandharaḥ

From him came Sanjaya; his son was Kuni, and from Kuni came Yugandhara.

Verse 4 (vishnu.4.14.4)

इत्येते शैनेयाः

ityete śaineyāḥ

These are called the Shaineyas, the descendants of Shini.

Verse 5 (vishnu.4.14.5)

अनमित्रस्यान्वये वृष्णिः तस्मात्श्चफल्कः तत्प्रभावः काथेन एव

anamitrasyānvaye vṛṣṇiḥ tasmātścaphalkaḥ tatprabhāvaḥ kāthena eva

In Animitra's line came Vrishni; from him came Shvaphalka, whose power has already been told.

Verse 6 (vishnu.4.14.6)

श्वफल्कस्यान्यः कनीयांश्चित्रकोनाम भ्राता

śvaphalkasyānyaḥ kanīyāṁścitrakonāma bhrātā

Shvaphalka's younger brother was named Chitraka.

Verse 7 (vishnu.4.14.7)

श्वफल्कादक्रूरो गान्दिन्यामभवत्

śvaphalkādakrūro gāndinyāmabhavat

From Shvaphalka, by Gandini, Akrura was born.

Verse 8 (vishnu.4.14.8)

तथोपमद्गः

tathopamadgaḥ

And also Upamadgu.

Verse 9 (vishnu.4.14.9)

उपमद्गोर्मृदामृदविश्वारिमेजयगिरिक्षत्रोपक्षत्रशतघ्नारिमर्दनधर्मदृग्दृष्टधर्मगन्धमोजवाहप्रतिवाहाख्याः पुत्राःसुताराख्या कन्या च

upamadgormṛdāmṛdaviśvārimejayagirikṣatropakṣatraśataghnārimardanadharmadṛgdṛṣṭadharmagandhamojavāhaprativāhākhyāḥ putrāḥsutārākhyā kanyā ca

Upamadgu's sons were named Mridu, Avishvari, Mrigayajaya, Girikshatra, Upakshatra, Shatrughna, Arimardana, Dharmadrik, Drishtavarma, Gandha, Mojavaha and Prativaha, and he had a daughter named Sutara.

Verse 10 (vishnu.4.14.10)

देववानुपदेवश्चाक्रूरपुत्रौ

devavānupadevaścākrūraputrau

Devavan and Upadeva were Akrura's sons.

Verse 11 (vishnu.4.14.11)

पृथुविपृथुप्रमुखाश्चित्रकस्य पुत्रा बहवो बभूवुः

pṛthuvipṛthupramukhāścitrakasya putrā bahavo babhūvuḥ

Prithu, Viprithu and other prominent sons were born to Chitraka, many in number.

Verse 12 (vishnu.4.14.12)

कुकुरभजमानशुचिकंबलबर्हिषाख्यास्तथान्धकस्य चत्वारः पुत्राः

kukurabhajamānaśucikaṁbalabarhiṣākhyāstathāndhakasya catvāraḥ putrāḥ

Kukura, Bhajamana, Shuchi and Kambalabarhisha were the four sons of Andhaka.

Verse 13 (vishnu.4.14.13)

कुकुराद्धृष्टः तस्माच्च कपोतरोमा ततश्च विलोमा तस्मादपि तुंबुरसखोऽभवदनुसंज्ञश्च

kukurāddhṛṣṭaḥ tasmācca kapotaromā tataśca vilomā tasmādapi tuṁburasakho'bhavadanusaṁjñaśca

From Kukura came Hrishta; from him Kapotaroma; from him Viloma; and from him too came a son called the friend of Tumburu, and one named Anu.

Verse 14 (vishnu.4.14.14)

अनोरानकदुन्दभिः ततश्चा भिजितभिजितः पुनर्वसुः

anorānakadundabhiḥ tataścā bhijitabhijitaḥ punarvasuḥ

From Anu came Anakadundubhi; from him Abhijit; from him Punarvasu.

Verse 15 (vishnu.4.14.15)

तस्याप्याहुकः आहुकी च कन्या

tasyāpyāhukaḥ āhukī ca kanyā

He too had a son named Ahuka and a daughter named Ahuki.

Verse 16 (vishnu.4.14.16)

आहुकस्य देवकोग्रसेनौ द्वौ पुत्रौ

āhukasya devakograsenau dvau putrau

Ahuka had two sons, Devaka and Ugrasena.

Verse 17 (vishnu.4.14.17)

देववानुपदेवः सहदेवो देवरक्षिता च देवकस्य चत्वारः पुत्राः

devavānupadevaḥ sahadevo devarakṣitā ca devakasya catvāraḥ putrāḥ

Devavan, Upadeva, Sahadeva and Devarakshita were the four sons of Devaka.

Verse 18 (vishnu.4.14.18)

तेषां वृकदेवोपदेवा देवरक्षिता श्रीदेवा शान्तिदेवा सहदेवा देवकी च सप्तभगिन्यः

teṣāṁ vṛkadevopadevā devarakṣitā śrīdevā śāntidevā sahadevā devakī ca saptabhaginyaḥ

Their sisters were seven: Vrikadeva, Upadeva, Devarakshita, Shridevaa, Shantideva, Sahadeva and Devaki.

Verse 19 (vishnu.4.14.19)

ताश्च सर्वा वसुदेव उपयेमे

tāśca sarvā vasudeva upayeme

Vasudeva took all of them in marriage.

Verse 20 (vishnu.4.14.20)

उग्रसेनस्यापि कंसन्यग्रोधसुनामानकाह्वशङ्कुसुभूमिराष्ट्रपालयुद्धतुष्टिसुतुष्टिंमत्संज्ञाः पुत्रा बभूवुः

ugrasenasyāpi kaṁsanyagrodhasunāmānakāhvaśaṅkusubhūmirāṣṭrapālayuddhatuṣṭisutuṣṭiṁmatsaṁjñāḥ putrā babhūvuḥ

Ugrasena too had sons named Kamsa, Nyagrodha, Sunama, Kanka, Shanku, Subhumi, Rashtrapala, Yuddhamushti and Tushtiman.

Verse 21 (vishnu.4.14.21)

कंसाकंसवतीसुतनूराष्ट्रपलिकाह्वाश्चोग्रसेनस्य तनूजाः कन्याः

kaṁsākaṁsavatīsutanūrāṣṭrapalikāhvāścograsenasya tanūjāḥ kanyāḥ

Kamsa, Kamsavati, Sutanu, Rashtrapali and Kanki were Ugrasena's daughters.

Verse 22 (vishnu.4.14.22)

भजमानाच्च विदूरथः पुत्रोऽभवत्

bhajamānācca vidūrathaḥ putro'bhavat

From Bhajamana came a son named Vidüratha.

Verse 23 (vishnu.4.14.23)

विदूरथाच्छूरः शुराच्छमी शमिनः प्रतिक्षत्रः तस्मात्स्वयंभोजः ततश्च हृदिकः

vidūrathācchūraḥ śurācchamī śaminaḥ pratikṣatraḥ tasmātsvayaṁbhojaḥ tataśca hṛdikaḥ

From Viduratha came Shura; from Shura, Shami; from Shami, Pratikshatra; from him Svayambhoja; from him Hridika.

Verse 24 (vishnu.4.14.24)

तस्यापि कृतवर्मशतधनुर्देवमीढुषाख्याः पुत्रा बभूवुः

tasyāpi kṛtavarmaśatadhanurdevamīḍhuṣākhyāḥ putrā babhūvuḥ

He too had sons named Kritavarma, Shatadhanu and Devamidhusha.

Verse 25 (vishnu.4.14.25)

देवमीढुषस्यापि शूरः

devamīḍhuṣasyāpi śūraḥ

Devamidhusha's son too was Shura.

Verse 26 (vishnu.4.14.26)

शुरस्यापि मारीषा नाम पत्न्यभवत्

śurasyāpi mārīṣā nāma patnyabhavat

Shura's wife was named Marisha.

Verse 27 (vishnu.4.14.27)

तस्यां चासौ दशपुत्रानजनयद्वसुदेवरूर्वान्

tasyāṁ cāsau daśaputrānajanayadvasudevarūrvān

By her he begot ten sons, with Vasudeva foremost among them.

Verse 28 (vishnu.4.14.28)

वसुदेवस्य जातमात्रस्यैव तद्गृहे भगवदंशावतारमव्याहतदृष्ट्या पश्यद्भिर्देवैर्दिव्यानकदुन्दुभयो वादिताः

vasudevasya jātamātrasyaiva tadgṛhe bhagavadaṁśāvatāramavyāhatadṛṣṭyā paśyadbhirdevairdivyānakadundubhayo vāditāḥ

The very moment Vasudeva was born, the gods, beholding with unhindered vision the descent of a portion of the Lord in that house, sounded celestial anaka and dundubhi drums.

Verse 29 (vishnu.4.14.29)

ततश्चसावानकदुन्दुभिसंज्ञामवाप

tataścasāvānakadundubhisaṁjñāmavāpa

From that very moment he acquired the name Anakadundubhi.

Verse 30 (vishnu.4.14.30)

तस्य च देवभागदेवश्रवाष्टकककुच्चक्रवत्सधारकसृंजयश्यामशमिकगञ्जूषसंज्ञा नव भ्रतरोऽभवन्

tasya ca devabhāgadevaśravāṣṭakakakuccakravatsadhārakasṛṁjayaśyāmaśamikagañjūṣasaṁjñā nava bhrataro'bhavan

He too had nine brothers named Devabhaga, Devashrava, Ashtaka, Kaku, Chakravatsa, Dharaka, Srinjaya, Shyamashamika and Gandusha.

Verse 31 (vishnu.4.14.31)

पृथा श्रुतदेवा श्रुत कीर्तिः श्रुतश्रवा राजाधिदेवी च वसुदेदादीनां पञ्च भगिन्योऽभवन्

pṛthā śrutadevā śruta kīrtiḥ śrutaśravā rājādhidevī ca vasudedādīnāṁ pañca bhaginyo'bhavan

Pritha, Shrutadeva, Shrutakirti, Shrutashrava and Rajadhidevi were the five sisters of Vasudeva and his brothers.

Verse 32 (vishnu.4.14.32)

शुरस्य कुन्तिर्नाम सखाभवत्

śurasya kuntirnāma sakhābhavat

Shura had a friend named Kunti.

Verse 33 (vishnu.4.14.33)

तस्मै चापुत्राय पृथामात्मजां विधिना शुरो दत्तवान्

tasmai cāputrāya pṛthāmātmajāṁ vidhinā śuro dattavān

To that friend, who was without a son, Shura duly gave his own daughter Pritha.

Verse 34 (vishnu.4.14.34)

तां च पाण्डुरुवाह

tāṁ ca pāṇḍuruvāha

Pandu took her in marriage.

Verse 35 (vishnu.4.14.35)

तस्यां च धर्मानिलेन्द्रैर्युधिष्ठरभीमसेनार्जुनाख्यास्त्रयः पुत्राःसमुत्पादिताः

tasyāṁ ca dharmānilendrairyudhiṣṭharabhīmasenārjunākhyāstrayaḥ putrāḥsamutpāditāḥ

By her, through Dharma, Vayu and Indra, three sons were begotten: Yudhishthira, Bhimasena and Arjuna.

Verse 36 (vishnu.4.14.36)

पूर्वमेवानूढायाश्च भगवता भास्वता कानीनः कर्णो नाम पुत्रोऽजन्यत

pūrvamevānūḍhāyāśca bhagavatā bhāsvatā kānīnaḥ karṇo nāma putro'janyata

Even earlier, while yet unwed, she bore, through Lord Surya, a son called Karna, born of a maiden.

Verse 37 (vishnu.4.14.37)

तस्याश्च सपत्नी माद्री नामाभूत्

tasyāśca sapatnī mādrī nāmābhūt

Her co-wife was named Madri.

Verse 38 (vishnu.4.14.38)

तस्यां च नासत्यदस्त्राभ्यां नकुलसहदेवौ पाण्डोः पुत्रौ जनितौ

tasyāṁ ca nāsatyadastrābhyāṁ nakulasahadevau pāṇḍoḥ putrau janitau

By her, through the Ashvins Nasatya and Dasra, were born Pandu's two sons Nakula and Sahadeva.

Verse 39 (vishnu.4.14.39)

श्रुतदेवां तु वृद्धधर्मा नाम कारूश उवयेमे

śrutadevāṁ tu vṛddhadharmā nāma kārūśa uvayeme

Shrutadeva was married by the king of the Karusha country, named Vriddhasharma.

Verse 40 (vishnu.4.14.40)

तस्याञ्च च दन्तवक्रो नाम महासुरो जज्ञे

tasyāñca ca dantavakro nāma mahāsuro jajñe

By her was born the great demon named Dantavakra.

Verse 41 (vishnu.4.14.41)

श्रुतकीर्तिमपि केकयराजा उपयेमे

śrutakīrtimapi kekayarājā upayeme

Shrutakirti too was married by the king of the Kekaya country.

Verse 42 (vishnu.4.14.42)

तस्यां च संतर्दनादयः कैकेयाः पञ्च पुत्रा बभूवुः

tasyāṁ ca saṁtardanādayaḥ kaikeyāḥ pañca putrā babhūvuḥ

By her were born the five Kaikeya princes, Santardana and the rest.

Verse 43 (vishnu.4.14.43)

राजाधिदेव्यमावन्त्यौ विन्दानुविन्दौ जज्ञाते

rājādhidevyamāvantyau vindānuvindau jajñāte

By Rajadhidevi, through the king of Avanti, Vinda and Anuvinda were born.

Verse 44 (vishnu.4.14.44)

श्रुतश्रवसमपि चेदिराजो दमघोषनामोपयेमे

śrutaśravasamapi cedirājo damaghoṣanāmopayeme

Shrutashrava too was married by Damaghosha, king of the Chedi country.

Verse 45 (vishnu.4.14.45)

तस्यां च शिशुपालमुत्पादयामास

tasyāṁ ca śiśupālamutpādayāmāsa

By her he begot Shishupala.

Verse 46 (vishnu.4.14.46)

स वा पूर्वमप्युदारविक्रमो दैत्यानामादिपुरुषो हिरण्यकशिपुरभवत्

sa vā pūrvamapyudāravikramo daityānāmādipuruṣo hiraṇyakaśipurabhavat

That same being had, in an earlier birth, been Hiranyakashipu, the first among the demons, of boundless might,

Verse 47 (vishnu.4.14.47)

यश्च भगवता सकललोकगुरुणा नारसिंहेन घातितः

yaśca bhagavatā sakalalokaguruṇā nārasiṁhena ghātitaḥ

who was slain by the Lord in his form as Narasimha, the guru of all the worlds.

Verse 48 (vishnu.4.14.48)

पुनरपि अक्षयवीर्यशौर्यसंपत्पराक्रमगुणःसमाक्रान्तसकलत्रैलोकेश्वरप्रभावो दशाननो नामाभूत्

punarapi akṣayavīryaśauryasaṁpatparākramaguṇaḥsamākrāntasakalatrailokeśvaraprabhāvo daśānano nāmābhūt

He then, endowed with undiminished might, valor, wealth and prowess, became the ten-headed Ravana, whose power overwhelmed the very lords of all three worlds,

Verse 49 (vishnu.4.14.49)

बहुकालोपभुक्तभगवत्सकाशावाप्तशरीरपातोद्भवपुण्यफलो भगवता राघवरूपिणा सोऽपि निधनमुपपादितः

bahukālopabhuktabhagavatsakāśāvāptaśarīrapātodbhavapuṇyaphalo bhagavatā rāghavarūpiṇā so'pi nidhanamupapāditaḥ

and who, through the merit of a death met so long in the Lord's own proximity, met his end again at the hands of the Lord in the form of Raghava.

Verse 50 (vishnu.4.14.50)

पुनश्चेदिराजस्य दमघोषस्यात्मजः शिशु पालनामाभवत्

punaścedirājasya damaghoṣasyātmajaḥ śiśu pālanāmābhavat

That same being then became Shishupala, son of Damaghosha, king of the Chedis.

Verse 51 (vishnu.4.14.51)

शिशुपालत्वेपि भगवतो भूभारावतारणायावतीर्णांशस्य पुण्डरीकनयनाख्यस्योपरि द्वेषानुबन्धमतितराञ्चकार

śiśupālatvepi bhagavato bhūbhārāvatāraṇāyāvatīrṇāṁśasya puṇḍarīkanayanākhyasyopari dveṣānubandhamatitarāñcakāra

Even as Shishupala, he nursed the deepest hatred against the lotus-eyed Lord, who had descended to lighten the burden of the earth.

Verse 52 (vishnu.4.14.52)

भगवता च स निधनमुपानीतस्तत्रैव परमात्मभूते मनस एकाग्रतया सायुज्यमवाप

bhagavatā ca sa nidhanamupānītastatraiva paramātmabhūte manasa ekāgratayā sāyujyamavāpa

By the Lord's own hand he met his end, and in that very instant, through his mind's single-pointed fixation on that Supreme Self, he attained sayujya, absorption into the Lord.

Verse 53 (vishnu.4.14.53)

भगवान् यदि प्रसन्नो यथाभिलषितं ददाति तथा अग्रसन्नोपि निघ्नन् दिव्यमनुपमं स्थानं प्रयच्छति

bhagavān yadi prasanno yathābhilaṣitaṁ dadāti tathā agrasannopi nighnan divyamanupamaṁ sthānaṁ prayacchati

As the Lord, when pleased, grants a boon exactly as desired, so too, even displeased — even while slaying — he bestows a divine and matchless abode.