"Vaishampaayana said, 'Hear now, as I recite the recorded genealogy, that is sacred and supportive to Dharma, Arthaa and Kaamaa, of these Rajarishis -- Daksha, the lord of creation, Manu, the son of Surya, Bharata, Ruru, Puru, and Ajamidha. O sinless one (Janamejaya), I shall also recite to you the genealogies of the Yadavas, of the Kurus and of the king of the Bharata line. These genealogies are sacred and their recitation is a great act of Punya. That recitation confers wealth, fame and long life. O sinless one (Janamejaya), all these I have named shined in their splendour and were equal to Maharishis in energy.
"Prachetas had ten sons who were all devoted to asceticism and possessed of every Dharma. In old times, they burnt by the fire emerging from their mouths, several plants of poisonous and innumerable large trees that had covered the Earth and became a source of great discomfort to man. After these ten, was born another named Daksha. It is from Daksha that all creatures have sprung. O tiger among men (Janamejaya), therefore is he (Daksha) called the Lokapitamaha. Born of Prachetas, the Muni Daksha, uniting himself with Veerini, fathered a thousand sons of rigid vows, all like himself. (Devarishi) Narada taught these thousand sons of Daksha the excellent philosophy of Sankhya as a means of Moksha.
"O Janamejaya, the lord of creation, Daksha, then, from the desire of making creatures, fathered fifty daughters. He made all of them his appointed daughters (so that their sons might be his sons also for the performance of all acts of Dharma). He gave ten of his daughters on Dharma, and thirteen on (Maharishi) Kaashyapa. He gave twenty-seven to Chandra, who are all engaged in indicating time (i.e. 27 stars that the Moon associates itself while making revolution around the Earth). Kaashyapa, the son of Marichi, fathered on the eldest of his thirteen wives, the Adityas, Devas endued with great energy and having (Lord) Indra as their head and also Vivaswan (the Sun). Of Vivaswat was born the lord Yama. Maartanda (Vivaswan) also fathered another son after Yama, gifted with great intelligence and named Manu.
"Manu was endued with great wisdom and devoted to Dharma. He became the creator of a line. In Manu's race have been born all human beings, who have, therefore, been called Manavas. It is of Manu that all men including Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and others have been descended, and are, therefore, all called Manavas. O monarch (Janamejaya), subsequently the Brahmanas became united with the Kshatriyas. Those sons of Manu that were Brahmanas devoted themselves to the study of Vedas. Manu fathered ten other children named Vena, Dhrishnu, Narishyanta, Naabhaaga, Ikshvaaku, Karusha, Sharyaati, the eighth - a daughter named Ila, Prishadhru - the ninth, and Naabhaagaarishta - the tenth. They all undertook themselves to the practices of Kshatriyas. Besides these, Manu had fifty other sons on Earth. But we heard that they all perished, quarrelling with one another.
"The learned Pururavas was born of Ila (daughter of Manu). It has been heard by us that Ila was both his mother and father. The great Pururavas had rule over thirteen islands of the sea. Though a human being, he was always surrounded by companions that were superhuman. Pururavas intoxicated with power quarrelled with the Brahmanas and little caring for their anger robbed them of their wealth. Seeing all this Sanatkumara (the four spiritual sons of Lord Brahma) came from Brahmaloka and gave him (Pururavas) good advice, which was, however, rejected by Pururavas. Then the anger of the great Rishis (Sanatkumara) was excited, and the greedy monarch (Pururavas), who intoxicated with power, had lost his reason, was immediately destroyed by their curse.
"It was Pururavas who first brought from the region of the Gandharvas the three kinds of fire (i.e. the fire, lightening and the Sun - for the purpose of yagna). He brought as a consequence, the Apsara Urvasi also. The son of Ila (Pururavas) fathered upon Urvashi six sons who were called Aayus, Dhimaan, Amaavasu, Dhridhayu, Vanaayu, and Shrutaayu. It is said that Aayus fathered four sons named Nahusha, Vriddhasharma, Rajingaya, and Anenas, on the daughter of Swarbhaanu. O monarch (Janamejaya), Nahusha, of all the sons of Ayus, being gifted with great intelligence and capability ruled his extensive kingdom as per Dharma.
"King Nahusha supported evenly Pitris, Devas, Rishis, Brahmanas, Gandharvas, Naagaas, Rakshasas, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas. He suppressed all robber-gangs with a mighty hand. But he made the Rishis pay tribute and carry him on their backs like bests of burden. Conquering the very Devas by the beauty of his person, his Tapas, capability, and energy, he ruled as if he were (Lord) Indra himself.
"Nahusha fathered six sons, all of sweet speech, named Yati, Yayaati, Sanyaati, Ayaati, and Uddhava. Yati undertaking himself to Tapas became a Muni like to (Lord) Brahma Himself. Yayaati became a monarch of great capability and Dharma. He ruled the whole Earth, performed numerous yagnas, worshipped the Pitris with great respect, and always respected Devas. He brought the whole world under his rule and was never conquered by any enemy. The sons of Yayaati were all great bowmen and splendid with every Dharma.
"O king (Janamejaya), they (sons of Yayaati) were fathered upon (his two wives) Devayaani and Sharmishtha. Of Devayani were born Yadu and Turvasu, and of Sharmishtha were born Drahyu, Anu, and Pooru. O king (Janamejaya), having ruled his subjects for a long time as per Dharma, Yayaati was attacked with a terrible ageing (old age) destroying his personal beauty. O Bharata (Janamejaya), attacked by ageing, the monarch (Yayaati) then spoke to his sons Yadu, Pooru, Turvasu, Drahyu and Anu these words, 'O dear sons, I wish to be a young man and to satisfy my appetites in the company of young women. Do you help me in that place?'
"To him his eldest son born of Devayani then said, 'What need you, O king? Do you want to have your youth?' Yayati then told him, 'You accept my oldness, O son! With your youth I would enjoy myself. During the time of a Maha yagna, I have been cursed by the Muni Ushanas (Rishi Shukra). O son, I would enjoy myself with your youth. Any of you take this my oldness and with my body you rule my kingdom. I would enjoy myself with a renovated body. Therefore, O my sons, you take my oldness.'
"But none of his sons accepted his oldness. Then his youngest son Pooru said to him, 'O king (Yayaati), you enjoy yourself once again with a renovated body and returned youth! I shall take your oldness and at your command rule your kingdom.' Thus addressed, the Rajarishi (Yayaati), by virtue of his Tapas power then transferred his own oldness to that high-souled son of his and with the youth of Pooru became a youth; while with the monarch's age Pooru ruled his kingdom.
"Then, after a thousand years had passed away, Yayaati, that tiger among kings, remained as strong and powerful as a tiger. He enjoyed for a long time the companionship of his two wives (Devayaani and Sharmishtha). In the gardens of Chitraratha (the king of Gandharvas), the king also enjoyed the company of the Apsara Vishwachi. But even after all this, the great king found his appetites unsatiated. The king (Yayaati), then recollected the following truths contained in the Puranas, 'Truly, one's appetites are never satisfied by enjoyment. On the other hand, like sacrificial butter poured into the fire, they flame up with indulgence. Even if one enjoyed the whole Earth with its wealth, diamonds and gold, animals and women, one may not yet be satisfied. It is only when man does not commit any sin in respect of any living thing, in thought, action, or speech, it is then that he attains to purity as that of (Lord) Brahma. When one fears nothing, when one is not feared by anything, when one wishes for nothing, when one injures nothing, it is then that one attains to the purity of (Lord) Brahma.' The wise monarch (Yayaati) seeing this and satisfied that one's appetites are never satisfied, set his mind at rest by meditation, and took back from his son his own oldness. Giving him back his youth, though his own appetites were unsatisfied, and installing him on the throne, he spoke to Pooru thus, 'You are my true heir, you are my true son by whom my race is to be continued. In the world shall my race be known by your name.'
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'Then that tiger among kings (Yayaati), having installed his son Pooru on the throne, went away to the mount of Bhrigu for devoting himself to Tapas. Having acquired great merit of Tapas, after long years, he succumbed to the inevitable influence of Time. He (Yayaati) left his human body by observing the vow of fasting, and ascended to heaven with his wives.'"
No comments:
Post a Comment