The Line of Purukutsa and the Birth of Sagara

Verse 1 (vishnu.4.3.1)

अतश्च मांधातुः पुत्रसंततिरभिधीयते

ataśca māṁdhātuḥ putrasaṁtatirabhidhīyate

Now the succession of Mandhata's sons is told.

Verse 2 (vishnu.4.3.2)

अंबरीषस्य मांधातृतनयस्य युवनाश्वः पुत्रोऽभूत्

aṁbarīṣasya māṁdhātṛtanayasya yuvanāśvaḥ putro'bhūt

Ambarisha, son of Mandhata, had a son named Yuvanashva.

Verse 3 (vishnu.4.3.3)

तस्माद्धारीतः यतोंगिरसो हारीता

tasmāddhārītaḥ yatoṁgiraso hārītā

From him came Harita, from whom the Angirasa Haritas descended.

Verse 4 (vishnu.4.3.4)

रसातले मौनेया नाम गंधर्वा बभूवुष्षट्कोटिसंख्यातास्तैरशेषाणि नागकुलान्यपहृतप्रधानरत्नाधिपत्यान्यक्रियंत

rasātale mauneyā nāma gaṁdharvā babhūvuṣṣaṭkoṭisaṁkhyātāstairaśeṣāṇi nāgakulānyapahṛtapradhānaratnādhipatyānyakriyaṁta

In Rasatala there were gandharvas called Mauneyas, sixty million in number, by whom all the naga clans were stripped of their foremost jewels and lordship.

Verse 5 (vishnu.4.3.5)

तैश्च गंधर्ववीर्यावभूतैरुरगेश्वरैस्तूयमानो भगवानशेषदेवेश आस्ते तच्छ्रवणोन्मीलितोन्निद्रपुंडरीकनयनो जलशयनो निद्रावसानप्रबुद्धः प्रणिपत्याभिहितः । भगवन्नस्माकमेतेभ्यो गंधर्वेभ्यो भयमुत्पन्नं कथमुपशममेष्यतीति

taiśca gaṁdharvavīryāvabhūtairurageśvaraistūyamāno bhagavānaśeṣadeveśa āste tacchravaṇonmīlitonnidrapuṁḍarīkanayano jalaśayano nidrāvasānaprabuddhaḥ praṇipatyābhihitaḥ | bhagavannasmākametebhyo gaṁdharvebhyo bhayamutpannaṁ kathamupaśamameṣyatīti

The lords of the serpents, overpowered by the gandharvas' might, praised the Lord of all gods, who lay reclining on the waters; as he opened his lotus-eyes at their praise and woke, they bowed and said: 'Lord, how shall this fear of ours, arisen from these gandharvas, be pacified?'

Verse 6 (vishnu.4.3.6)

आह च भगवाननादिनिधनपुरुषोत्तमो योसौ यौवनाश्वस्य मांधातुः पुरुकुत्सनामा पुत्रस्तमहमनुप्रविश्य तानशेषान् दुष्टगंधर्वानुपशमं नयिष्यामीति

āha ca bhagavānanādinidhanapuruṣottamo yosau yauvanāśvasya māṁdhātuḥ purukutsanāmā putrastamahamanupraviśya tānaśeṣān duṣṭagaṁdharvānupaśamaṁ nayiṣyāmīti

The beginningless and endless Purushottama said: 'Entering into Purukutsa, son of Mandhata, son of Yuvanashva, I shall bring all these wicked gandharvas to their end.'

Verse 7 (vishnu.4.3.7)

तदाकर्ण्य भगवते जलशायिने कृतप्रणामाः पुनर्नागलोकमागताः पन्नगाधिपतयो नर्मदां च पुरुकुत्सानयनाय चोदयामासुः

tadākarṇya bhagavate jalaśāyine kṛtapraṇāmāḥ punarnāgalokamāgatāḥ pannagādhipatayo narmadāṁ ca purukutsānayanāya codayāmāsuḥ

Hearing this, the lords of the serpents, bowing to the Lord who reclines on the waters, returned to the world of the nagas and urged Narmada to bring Purukutsa there.

Verse 8 (vishnu.4.3.8)

सा चैनं रसातलं नीतवती

sā cainaṁ rasātalaṁ nītavatī

And she brought him down to Rasatala.

Verse 9 (vishnu.4.3.9)

रसातलगतश्चासौ भगवत्तेजसाप्यायितात्मवीर्य्यस्सकलगंधर्वान्निजघान

rasātalagataścāsau bhagavattejasāpyāyitātmavīryyassakalagaṁdharvānnijaghāna

Having reached Rasatala, his strength empowered by the Lord's energy, he slew all the gandharvas.

Verse 10 (vishnu.4.3.10)

पुनश्च स्वपुरमाजगाम

punaśca svapuramājagāma

And then he returned to his own city.

Verse 11 (vishnu.4.3.11)

सकलपन्नगाधिपतयश्च नर्मदायै वरं ददुः । यत्तेनुस्मरणसमवेतं नामग्रहणं करिष्यति न तस्य सर्पविषभयं भविष्यतीति

sakalapannagādhipatayaśca narmadāyai varaṁ daduḥ | yattenusmaraṇasamavetaṁ nāmagrahaṇaṁ kariṣyati na tasya sarpaviṣabhayaṁ bhaviṣyatīti

And all the lords of the serpents granted Narmada a boon: that whoever pronounces her name with remembrance of her shall have no fear of snake-poison.

Verse 12 (vishnu.4.3.12)

अत्र च श्लोकः

atra ca ślokaḥ

Here is a verse regarding this —

Verse 13 (vishnu.4.3.13)

नर्मदायै नमः प्रातर्नर्मदायै नमो निशि । नमोस्तु नर्मदे तुभ्यं त्राहि मां विषसर्पतः

narmadāyai namaḥ prātarnarmadāyai namo niśi | namostu narmade tubhyaṁ trāhi māṁ viṣasarpataḥ

'Homage to Narmada in the morning, homage to Narmada at night; homage be to you, O Narmada — protect me from venomous serpents.'

Verse 14 (vishnu.4.3.14)

इत्युच्चार्याहर्निशमंधकारप्रवेशे वा सर्पैर्न दश्यते न चापि कृतानुस्मरणभुजो विषमपि भुक्तमुपघाताय भवति

ityuccāryāharniśamaṁdhakārapraveśe vā sarpairna daśyate na cāpi kṛtānusmaraṇabhujo viṣamapi bhuktamupaghātāya bhavati

By reciting this, day or night, even when entering darkness, one is not bitten by serpents, nor does poison, even if consumed, harm one who has thus called it to mind.

Verse 15 (vishnu.4.3.15)

पुरुकुत्साय संततिविच्छेदो न भविष्यतीत्युरगपतयो वरं ददुः

purukutsāya saṁtativicchedo na bhaviṣyatītyuragapatayo varaṁ daduḥ

The lords of the serpents also granted Purukutsa a boon: that his lineage should never be cut off.

Verse 16 (vishnu.4.3.16)

पुरुकुत्सो नर्मदायां त्रसद्दस्युमजीजनत्

purukutso narmadāyāṁ trasaddasyumajījanat

Purukutsa begot Trasaddasyu upon Narmada.

Verse 17 (vishnu.4.3.17)

त्रसद्दस्युतस्संभूतोऽनरण्यः यं रावणोदिग्विजये जघान

trasaddasyutassaṁbhūto'naraṇyaḥ yaṁ rāvaṇodigvijaye jaghāna

From Trasaddasyu was born Anaranya, whom Ravana slew during his conquest of the world.

Verse 18 (vishnu.4.3.18)

अनरण्यस्य पृषदश्वः पृषदश्वस्य हर्यश्वः पुत्रोऽभवत्

anaraṇyasya pṛṣadaśvaḥ pṛṣadaśvasya haryaśvaḥ putro'bhavat

Anaranya's son was Prishadashva; Prishadashva's son was Haryashva.

Verse 19 (vishnu.4.3.19)

तस्य च हस्तः पुत्रोऽभवत्

tasya ca hastaḥ putro'bhavat

And his son was Hasta.

Verse 20 (vishnu.4.3.20)

ततश्च सुमनास्तस्यापि त्रिधन्वा त्रिधन्वनस्त्रय्यारुणिः

tataśca sumanāstasyāpi tridhanvā tridhanvanastrayyāruṇiḥ

From him, Sumanas; his son, Tridhanva; and Tridhanva's son, Trayyaruni.

Verse 21 (vishnu.4.3.21)

त्रय्यारुणेस्सत्यव्रतः योऽसौ त्रिशंकुसंज्ञामवाप

trayyāruṇessatyavrataḥ yo'sau triśaṁkusaṁjñāmavāpa

Trayyaruni's son was Satyavrata, who obtained the name Trishanku.

Verse 22 (vishnu.4.3.22)

स चंडालतामुपगतश्च

sa caṁḍālatāmupagataśca

And he fell into the condition of a chandala.

Verse 23 (vishnu.4.3.23)

द्वादशवर्षिक्यामनावृष्ट्यां विश्वामित्रकलत्रापत्यपोषणार्थं चंडालप्रतिग्रहपरिहरणाय च जाह्नवीतीरन्यग्रोधे मृगमांसमनुदिनं बबंध

dvādaśavarṣikyāmanāvṛṣṭyāṁ viśvāmitrakalatrāpatyapoṣaṇārthaṁ caṁḍālapratigrahapariharaṇāya ca jāhnavītīranyagrodhe mṛgamāṁsamanudinaṁ babaṁdha

During a twelve-year drought, to support Vishvamitra's wife and children while avoiding giving them a chandala's alms directly, he daily hung deer-meat on a banyan tree by the Ganga.

Verse 24 (vishnu.4.3.24)

स तु परितुष्टेन विश्वामित्रेण सशरीरस्स्वर्गमारोपितः

sa tu parituṣṭena viśvāmitreṇa saśarīrassvargamāropitaḥ

Being satisfied by this, Vishvamitra raised him bodily to heaven.

Verse 25 (vishnu.4.3.25)

त्रिशंकोर्हरिश्चंद्र स्तस्माच्च रोहिताश्वस्ततश्च हरितो हरितस्य चंचुश्चंचोर्विजयवसुदेवौ रुरुको विजयाद्रु कस्य वृकः

triśaṁkorhariścaṁdra stasmācca rohitāśvastataśca harito haritasya caṁcuścaṁcorvijayavasudevau ruruko vijayādru kasya vṛkaḥ

Trishanku's son was Harishchandra; from him, Rohitashva; from him, Harita; Harita's son, Chanchu; Chanchu's sons, Vijaya and Vasudeva; Vijaya's son, Ruruka; Ruruka's son, Vrika.

Verse 26 (vishnu.4.3.26)

ततो वृकस्य बाहुः योऽसौ हैहयतालजंघादिभिः पराजितॐतर्वत्न्या महिष्या सह वनं प्रविवेश

tato vṛkasya bāhuḥ yo'sau haihayatālajaṁghādibhiḥ parājitaoṁtarvatnyā mahiṣyā saha vanaṁ praviveśa

From Vrika came Bahu, who, defeated by the Haihayas, Talajanghas, and others, entered the forest with his pregnant queen.

Verse 27 (vishnu.4.3.27)

तस्याश्चा सपत्न्या गर्भस्तंभनाय गरो दत्तः

tasyāścā sapatnyā garbhastaṁbhanāya garo dattaḥ

His co-wife gave her poison to arrest the pregnancy.

Verse 28 (vishnu.4.3.28)

तेनास्य गर्भस्सप्तवर्षाणि जठर एव तस्थौ

tenāsya garbhassaptavarṣāṇi jaṭhara eva tasthau

Because of this, the embryo remained in the womb for seven years.

Verse 29 (vishnu.4.3.29)

स च बाहुर्वृद्धभावादौर्वाश्रमममीपे ममार

sa ca bāhurvṛddhabhāvādaurvāśramamamīpe mamāra

And that Bahu died of old age near the hermitage of the sage Aurva.

Verse 30 (vishnu.4.3.30)

सा तस्य भार्या चितां कृत्वा तमारोप्यानुमरणकृतनिश्चयाऽभूत्

sā tasya bhāryā citāṁ kṛtvā tamāropyānumaraṇakṛtaniścayā'bhūt

His wife, having built a funeral pyre and placed him upon it, resolved to die with him.

Verse 31 (vishnu.4.3.31)

अथैतामतीतानागतवर्त्तमानकालत्रयवेदी भगवानौर्वस्स्वाश्रमान्निर्गत्याब्रवीत्

athaitāmatītānāgatavarttamānakālatrayavedī bhagavānaurvassvāśramānnirgatyābravīt

Then the sage Aurva, knowing the three times — past, future, and present — came out of his hermitage and said:

Verse 32 (vishnu.4.3.32)

अलमलमनेनासद्ग्राहेणाखिलभूमं डलपतिरतिवीर्यपराक्रमो नैकयज्ञकृदरातिपक्षक्षयकर्त्ता तवोदरे चक्रवर्त्ती तिष्ठति

alamalamanenāsadgrāheṇākhilabhūmaṁ ḍalapatirativīryaparākramo naikayajñakṛdarātipakṣakṣayakarttā tavodare cakravarttī tiṣṭhati

'Enough, enough of this misguided resolve — for in your womb there abides a mighty universal emperor, performer of many sacrifices, destroyer of his enemies' ranks!'

Verse 33 (vishnu.4.3.33)

नैवमतिसाहसाध्यवसायिनी भवती भवेत्युक्ता सा तस्मादनुमरणनिर्बंधाद्विरराम

naivamatisāhasādhyavasāyinī bhavatī bhavetyuktā sā tasmādanumaraṇanirbaṁdhādvirarāma

'You must not persist in so reckless a resolve.' Thus told, she desisted from her insistence on dying with him.

Verse 34 (vishnu.4.3.34)

तेनैव च भगवता स्वाश्रममानीता

tenaiva ca bhagavatā svāśramamānītā

And she was brought by that very sage to his own hermitage.

Verse 35 (vishnu.4.3.35)

तत्र कतिपयदिनाभ्यंतरे च सहैव तेन गरेणातितेजस्वी बालको जज्ञे

tatra katipayadinābhyaṁtare ca sahaiva tena gareṇātitejasvī bālako jajñe

There, within a few days, an exceedingly radiant boy was born, together with that poison.

Verse 36 (vishnu.4.3.36)

तस्यौर्वो जातकर्मादिक्रिया निष्पाद्य सगर इति नाम चकार

tasyaurvo jātakarmādikriyā niṣpādya sagara iti nāma cakāra

Aurva, having performed his birth-rites and the rest, named him Sagara.

Verse 37 (vishnu.4.3.37)

कृतोपनयनं चैनमौर्वो वेदशास्त्राण्यस्त्रं चाग्नेयं भार्गवाख्यमध्यापयामास

kṛtopanayanaṁ cainamaurvo vedaśāstrāṇyastraṁ cāgneyaṁ bhārgavākhyamadhyāpayāmāsa

After performing his sacred-thread ceremony, Aurva taught him the Vedas and scriptures, and the fire-weapon called after Bhargava.

Verse 38 (vishnu.4.3.38)

उत्पन्नबुद्धिश्च मातरमब्रवीत्

utpannabuddhiśca mātaramabravīt

When his understanding had matured, he said to his mother:

Verse 39 (vishnu.4.3.39)

अंब कथयात्र वयं क्व तातोस्माकमित्येवमादिपृच्छंतं माता सर्वमेवावोचत्

aṁba kathayātra vayaṁ kva tātosmākamityevamādipṛcchaṁtaṁ mātā sarvamevāvocat

'Mother, tell me — where are we, and where is our father?' As he asked such things, his mother told him everything.

Verse 40 (vishnu.4.3.40)

ततश्च पितृराज्यापहरणादमर्षितो हैहयतालजंघादिवधाय प्रतिज्ञामकरोत्

tataśca pitṛrājyāpaharaṇādamarṣito haihayatālajaṁghādivadhāya pratijñāmakarot

Then, angered at the seizure of his father's kingdom, he vowed to slay the Haihayas, Talajanghas, and the rest.

Verse 41 (vishnu.4.3.41)

प्रायशश्च हैहयतालजंघाञ्जघान

prāyaśaśca haihayatālajaṁghāñjaghāna

And he slew almost all of the Haihayas and Talajanghas.

Verse 42 (vishnu.4.3.42)

शकयवनकांभोजपारदपप्लवाः हन्यमानास्तत्कुलगुरुं वसिष्ठं शरणं जग्मुः

śakayavanakāṁbhojapāradapaplavāḥ hanyamānāstatkulaguruṁ vasiṣṭhaṁ śaraṇaṁ jagmuḥ

The Shakas, Yavanas, Kambojas, Paradas, and Pahlavas, being struck down, sought refuge with Vasishtha, their family's priest.

Verse 43 (vishnu.4.3.43)

अथैनान्वसिष्ठो जीवन्मृतकान् कृत्वा सगरमाह

athainānvasiṣṭho jīvanmṛtakān kṛtvā sagaramāha

Then Vasishtha, having rendered them 'living dead,' said to Sagara:

Verse 44 (vishnu.4.3.44)

वत्सालमेभिर्जीवन्मृतकैरनुमृतैः

vatsālamebhirjīvanmṛtakairanumṛtaiḥ

'My child, enough — these, though living, have already been made as good as dead; slay them no further.'

Verse 45 (vishnu.4.3.45)

एते च मयैव त्वत्प्रतिज्ञापरिपालनाय निजधर्मद्विजसंगपरित्यागं कारिताः

ete ca mayaiva tvatpratijñāparipālanāya nijadharmadvijasaṁgaparityāgaṁ kāritāḥ

'I myself, to fulfill your vow, have caused them to abandon their own dharma and their fellowship with the twice-born.'

Verse 46 (vishnu.4.3.46)

तथेति तद्गुरुवचनमभिनंद्य तेषां वेषान्यत्वमकारयत्

tatheti tadguruvacanamabhinaṁdya teṣāṁ veṣānyatvamakārayat

Saying 'so be it,' welcoming his guru's words, he made them change their outward appearance.

Verse 47 (vishnu.4.3.47)

यवनान्मुंडितशिरसोर्द्धमुंडिताञ्च्छकान् प्रलंबकेशान् पारदान् पप्लवाञ्श्मश्रुधरान् निस्स्वाध्यायवषट्कारानेतानन्यांश्च क्षत्रियांश्चकार

yavanānmuṁḍitaśirasorddhamuṁḍitāñcchakān pralaṁbakeśān pāradān paplavāñśmaśrudharān nissvādhyāyavaṣaṭkārānetānanyāṁśca kṣatriyāṁścakāra

He made the Yavanas shave their heads entirely, the Shakas shave half their heads, the Paradas wear long hair, and the Pahlavas wear beards — and made these and other kshatriyas cease Vedic recitation and the vashat exclamation.

Verse 48 (vishnu.4.3.48)

एते चात्मधर्मपरित्यागाद्ब्राह्मणैः परित्यक्ता म्लेच्छतां ययुः

ete cātmadharmaparityāgādbrāhmaṇaiḥ parityaktā mlecchatāṁ yayuḥ

Having abandoned their own dharma, they were cast off by the brahmanas and fell into the condition of mlecchas.

Verse 49 (vishnu.4.3.49)

सगरोपि स्वमधिष्ठानमागम्य अस्खलितचक्रस्सप्तद्वीपवतीमिमामुर्वीं प्रशशास

sagaropi svamadhiṣṭhānamāgamya askhalitacakrassaptadvīpavatīmimāmurvīṁ praśaśāsa

And Sagara, returning to his own capital, ruled unopposed over this earth with its seven continents.