Book Iv. Chapter Xii
*
"The Vishnu Purana", translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, [1840],
p. 420
Chap. Xii.
Descendants of Kroshtri. Jymagha's connubial affection for his wife aivy: their descendants kings of Vidarbha and Chedi.
Kroshtri, the son of Yadu 1, had a son named Vrijinvat 2; his son was Swh 3; his son was Rushadru 4; his son was Chitraratha; his son was aavindu, who was lord of the fourteen great gems 5; he had a hundred thousand wives and a million of sons 6. The most renowned of them were Prithuyaas, Prithukarman, Prithujaya, Prithukrtti, Prithudna, and Prithuravas. The son of the last of these six 7 was Tamas 8; his son was Uanas 9, who celebrated a hundred sacrifices of the horse; his son was iteyus 10; his son was Rukmakavacha 11; his son was Parvrit, who lead five sons, Rukmshu, Prithurukman, Jymagha, Plita, and Harita 12. To this day the following verse relating to Jymagha
p. 421
is repeated: "Of all the husbands submissive to their wives, who have been or who will be, the most eminent is the king Jymagha 13, who was the husband of aivy." aivy was barren; but Jymagha was so much afraid of her, that he did not take any other wife. On one occasion the king, after a desperate conflict with elephants and horse, defeated a powerful foe, who abandoning wife, children, kin, army, treasure, and dominion, fled. When the enemy was put to flight, Jymagha beheld a lovely princess left alone, and exclaiming, "Save me, father! Save me, brother!" as her large eyes rolled wildly with affright. The king was struck by her beauty, and penetrated with affection for her, and said to himself, "This is fortunate; I have no children, and am the husband of a sterile bride; this maiden has fallen into my hands to rear up to me posterity: I will espouse her; but first I will take her in my car, and convey her to my palace, where I must request the concurrence of the queen in these nuptials." Accordingly he took the princess into his chariot, and returned to his own capital.
When Jymagha's approach was announced, aivy came to the palace gate, attended by the ministers, the courtiers, and the citizens, to welcome the victorious monarch: but when she beheld the maiden standing on the left hand of the king, her lips swelled and slightly quivered with resentment, and she said to Jymagha, "Who is this light-hearted damsel that is with you in the chariot?" The king unprepared with a reply,
p. 422
made answer precipitately, through fear of his queen; "This is my daughter-in-law. I have never had a son," rejoined aivy, "and you have no other children. Of what son of yours then is this girl the wife?" The king disconcerted by the jealousy and anger which the words of aivy displayed, made this reply to her in order to prevent further contention; "She is the young bride of the future son whom thou shalt bring forth." Hearing this, aivy smiled gently, and said, "So be it;" and the king entered into his great palace.
In consequence of this conversation regarding the birth of a son having taken place in an auspicious conjunction, aspect, and season, the queen, although passed the time of women, became shortly afterwards pregnant, and bore a son. His father named him Vidarbha, and married him to the damsel he had brought home. They had three sons, Kratha, Kaiika 14, and Romapda 15. The son of Romapda was Babhru 16, and his son was Dhriti 17. The son of Kaiika was Chedi, whose descendants were called the Chaidya kings 18. The son of Kratha was Kunti 19; his son was Vrishni 20; his son was Nirvriti 21; his son was Dasrha; his son was Vyoman; his son was Jmta; his son was Vikriti 22; his son was Bhmaratha; his son was Navaratha 23; his son was Daaratha 24; his son was akuni; his son was Karambhi; his son was Devarta; his son was Devakshatra 25; his son was Madhu 26; his son was Anavaratha; his
p. 423
son was Kuruvatsa; his son was Anuratha; his son was Puruhotra; his son was Anu; his son was Satwata, from whom the princes of this house were termed Stwatas. This was the progeny of Jymagha; by listening to the account of whom, a man is purified from his sins.
Footnotes
420:1 In the Brhma P. and Hari V. we have two families from Kroshtri; one which is much the same as that of the text; the other makes short work of a long story, as we shall again notice.
420:2 Vajravat: Krma.
420:3 nti: Krma. Swha: Matsya. Trianku Linga.
420:4 Vishnsu: Agni. Rishabha: Linga. Kuika: Krma. Rueku: Bhgavata.
420:5 Or articles the best of their kind; seven animate, and seven inanimate; a wife, a priest, a general, a charioteer, a horse, an elephant, and a body of foot soldiers; or, instead of the last three, an executioner, an encomiast, a reader of the Vedas; and a chariot, an umbrella, a jewel, a sword, a shield, a banner, and a treasure.
420:6 The text states this in plain prose, but the Vyu quotes a verse which makes out but a hundred hundred or 10,000 sons.
420:7 The Matsya has the first, third, and fifth of our text, and Prithudharma, Prithukrtti, and Prithumat. The Krma has also six names, but makes as many successions.
420:8 Suyajna: Agni, Brhma, Matsya. Dharma: Bhgavata.
420:9 Ushat: Brhma, Hari V.
420:10 itkshu: Agni. ineyus: Brhma. Purujit: Bhgavata. The Vyu has Maruta and Kambalavarhish, brothers, instead.
420:11 Considerable variety prevails here. The Brhma and Hari V. have Marutta the Rjarshi (a gross blunder, see p. 352), Kambalavarhish, ataprasti, Rukmakavacha: the Agni--Marutta, Kambalavarhish, Rukmeshu: whilst the Bhgavata makes Ruchaka son of Uanas, and father to the five princes who in the text are the grandsons of Rukmakavacha.
420:12 The Bhgavata has Rukmeshu, Rukman, Jymagha, Prithu, and Purujit. The p. 421 Vyu reads the two last names Parigha and Hari. The Brhma and Hari V. insert Parajit as the father of the five named as in the text.
421:13 Most of the other authorities mention that the elder of the five brothers, Rukmeshu, succeeded his father in the sovereignty; and that the second, Prithurukman, remained in his brother's service. Plita and Harita were set over Videha (Linga) or Tirhut, and Jymagha went forth to settle where he might: according to the Vyu he conquered Madhyadea (the country along the Narmad), Mekal, and the uktimat mountains. So the Brhma P. states that he established himself along the Rikshavat mountain, and dwelt in uktimati. He names his son, as we shall see, Vidarbha: the country so called is Berar, and amongst his descendants we have the Chaidyas or princes of Boghelkand, and Chandail, and Dasrha, more correctly perhaps Dasarna, Chattisgher; so that this story of Jymagha's adventures appears to allude to the first settlement of the Ydava tribes along the Narmad, more to the south and west than before.
422:14 The Bhgavata has Kua; the Matsya, Kauika: all the authorities agree in specifying three sons.
422:15 Lomapda: Agni.
422:16 Vastu: Vyu. Kriti: Agni.
422:17 huti: Vyu. Iti: Padma. Dyuti: Matsya. Bhriti: Krma. This latter is singular in carrying on the line of Romapda for twelve generations farther.
422:18 The Bhgavata, however, makes the princes of Chedi continuous from Romapda; as, Babhru, Dhriti, Uka, Chedi--the Chaidyas, amongst whom were Damaghosha and iupla.
422:19 Kumbhi: Padma.
422:20 Dhrishta: Vyu. Dhrishti: Matsya,
422:21 Nivritti: Vyu. Nidhriti: Agni. The Brhma makes three sons, Avanta, Darha, and Balivrishahan. In the Linga it is said of Dasrha that he was 'destroyer of the host of copper (faced; European?) foes.'
422:22 Vikala: Matsya.
422:23 Nararatha: Brhma, Hari V.
422:24 Dridharatha: Agni. Devarta: Linga.
422:25 Soma: Linga. Devanakshatra: Padma.
422:26 There is great variety in the succeeding appellations: p. 423
Bhgavata.
Vyu.
Brhma.
Matsya.
Padma.
Krma.
Madhu
Madhu
Madhu
Madhu
Madhu
Madhu
Kuruvaa
Manu
Manavaas
Uruvas
Puru
Kuru
Anu
Puruvatsa
Purudwat
Purudwat
Punarvasu
Anu
Puruhotra
yu
Purudwat
Satwa
Madhu
and Satwa
Jantu
Jantu
Ansa
Satwata
Satwata
Satwata
Satwata
Satwata
Andhaka
Satwata
[paragraph continues] The Linga has Purushaprabhu, Manwat, Pratarddana, Satwata; and the Agni, Dravavasu, Puruhuta, Jantu, and Stwata. Some of these originate, no doubt, in the blunders of copyists, but they cannot all be referred to that source.
"The Vishnu Purana", translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, [1840],
p. 420
Chap. Xii.
Descendants of Kroshtri. Jymagha's connubial affection for his wife aivy: their descendants kings of Vidarbha and Chedi.
Kroshtri, the son of Yadu 1, had a son named Vrijinvat 2; his son was Swh 3; his son was Rushadru 4; his son was Chitraratha; his son was aavindu, who was lord of the fourteen great gems 5; he had a hundred thousand wives and a million of sons 6. The most renowned of them were Prithuyaas, Prithukarman, Prithujaya, Prithukrtti, Prithudna, and Prithuravas. The son of the last of these six 7 was Tamas 8; his son was Uanas 9, who celebrated a hundred sacrifices of the horse; his son was iteyus 10; his son was Rukmakavacha 11; his son was Parvrit, who lead five sons, Rukmshu, Prithurukman, Jymagha, Plita, and Harita 12. To this day the following verse relating to Jymagha
p. 421
is repeated: "Of all the husbands submissive to their wives, who have been or who will be, the most eminent is the king Jymagha 13, who was the husband of aivy." aivy was barren; but Jymagha was so much afraid of her, that he did not take any other wife. On one occasion the king, after a desperate conflict with elephants and horse, defeated a powerful foe, who abandoning wife, children, kin, army, treasure, and dominion, fled. When the enemy was put to flight, Jymagha beheld a lovely princess left alone, and exclaiming, "Save me, father! Save me, brother!" as her large eyes rolled wildly with affright. The king was struck by her beauty, and penetrated with affection for her, and said to himself, "This is fortunate; I have no children, and am the husband of a sterile bride; this maiden has fallen into my hands to rear up to me posterity: I will espouse her; but first I will take her in my car, and convey her to my palace, where I must request the concurrence of the queen in these nuptials." Accordingly he took the princess into his chariot, and returned to his own capital.
When Jymagha's approach was announced, aivy came to the palace gate, attended by the ministers, the courtiers, and the citizens, to welcome the victorious monarch: but when she beheld the maiden standing on the left hand of the king, her lips swelled and slightly quivered with resentment, and she said to Jymagha, "Who is this light-hearted damsel that is with you in the chariot?" The king unprepared with a reply,
p. 422
made answer precipitately, through fear of his queen; "This is my daughter-in-law. I have never had a son," rejoined aivy, "and you have no other children. Of what son of yours then is this girl the wife?" The king disconcerted by the jealousy and anger which the words of aivy displayed, made this reply to her in order to prevent further contention; "She is the young bride of the future son whom thou shalt bring forth." Hearing this, aivy smiled gently, and said, "So be it;" and the king entered into his great palace.
In consequence of this conversation regarding the birth of a son having taken place in an auspicious conjunction, aspect, and season, the queen, although passed the time of women, became shortly afterwards pregnant, and bore a son. His father named him Vidarbha, and married him to the damsel he had brought home. They had three sons, Kratha, Kaiika 14, and Romapda 15. The son of Romapda was Babhru 16, and his son was Dhriti 17. The son of Kaiika was Chedi, whose descendants were called the Chaidya kings 18. The son of Kratha was Kunti 19; his son was Vrishni 20; his son was Nirvriti 21; his son was Dasrha; his son was Vyoman; his son was Jmta; his son was Vikriti 22; his son was Bhmaratha; his son was Navaratha 23; his son was Daaratha 24; his son was akuni; his son was Karambhi; his son was Devarta; his son was Devakshatra 25; his son was Madhu 26; his son was Anavaratha; his
p. 423
son was Kuruvatsa; his son was Anuratha; his son was Puruhotra; his son was Anu; his son was Satwata, from whom the princes of this house were termed Stwatas. This was the progeny of Jymagha; by listening to the account of whom, a man is purified from his sins.
Footnotes
420:1 In the Brhma P. and Hari V. we have two families from Kroshtri; one which is much the same as that of the text; the other makes short work of a long story, as we shall again notice.
420:2 Vajravat: Krma.
420:3 nti: Krma. Swha: Matsya. Trianku Linga.
420:4 Vishnsu: Agni. Rishabha: Linga. Kuika: Krma. Rueku: Bhgavata.
420:5 Or articles the best of their kind; seven animate, and seven inanimate; a wife, a priest, a general, a charioteer, a horse, an elephant, and a body of foot soldiers; or, instead of the last three, an executioner, an encomiast, a reader of the Vedas; and a chariot, an umbrella, a jewel, a sword, a shield, a banner, and a treasure.
420:6 The text states this in plain prose, but the Vyu quotes a verse which makes out but a hundred hundred or 10,000 sons.
420:7 The Matsya has the first, third, and fifth of our text, and Prithudharma, Prithukrtti, and Prithumat. The Krma has also six names, but makes as many successions.
420:8 Suyajna: Agni, Brhma, Matsya. Dharma: Bhgavata.
420:9 Ushat: Brhma, Hari V.
420:10 itkshu: Agni. ineyus: Brhma. Purujit: Bhgavata. The Vyu has Maruta and Kambalavarhish, brothers, instead.
420:11 Considerable variety prevails here. The Brhma and Hari V. have Marutta the Rjarshi (a gross blunder, see p. 352), Kambalavarhish, ataprasti, Rukmakavacha: the Agni--Marutta, Kambalavarhish, Rukmeshu: whilst the Bhgavata makes Ruchaka son of Uanas, and father to the five princes who in the text are the grandsons of Rukmakavacha.
420:12 The Bhgavata has Rukmeshu, Rukman, Jymagha, Prithu, and Purujit. The p. 421 Vyu reads the two last names Parigha and Hari. The Brhma and Hari V. insert Parajit as the father of the five named as in the text.
421:13 Most of the other authorities mention that the elder of the five brothers, Rukmeshu, succeeded his father in the sovereignty; and that the second, Prithurukman, remained in his brother's service. Plita and Harita were set over Videha (Linga) or Tirhut, and Jymagha went forth to settle where he might: according to the Vyu he conquered Madhyadea (the country along the Narmad), Mekal, and the uktimat mountains. So the Brhma P. states that he established himself along the Rikshavat mountain, and dwelt in uktimati. He names his son, as we shall see, Vidarbha: the country so called is Berar, and amongst his descendants we have the Chaidyas or princes of Boghelkand, and Chandail, and Dasrha, more correctly perhaps Dasarna, Chattisgher; so that this story of Jymagha's adventures appears to allude to the first settlement of the Ydava tribes along the Narmad, more to the south and west than before.
422:14 The Bhgavata has Kua; the Matsya, Kauika: all the authorities agree in specifying three sons.
422:15 Lomapda: Agni.
422:16 Vastu: Vyu. Kriti: Agni.
422:17 huti: Vyu. Iti: Padma. Dyuti: Matsya. Bhriti: Krma. This latter is singular in carrying on the line of Romapda for twelve generations farther.
422:18 The Bhgavata, however, makes the princes of Chedi continuous from Romapda; as, Babhru, Dhriti, Uka, Chedi--the Chaidyas, amongst whom were Damaghosha and iupla.
422:19 Kumbhi: Padma.
422:20 Dhrishta: Vyu. Dhrishti: Matsya,
422:21 Nivritti: Vyu. Nidhriti: Agni. The Brhma makes three sons, Avanta, Darha, and Balivrishahan. In the Linga it is said of Dasrha that he was 'destroyer of the host of copper (faced; European?) foes.'
422:22 Vikala: Matsya.
422:23 Nararatha: Brhma, Hari V.
422:24 Dridharatha: Agni. Devarta: Linga.
422:25 Soma: Linga. Devanakshatra: Padma.
422:26 There is great variety in the succeeding appellations: p. 423
Bhgavata.
Vyu.
Brhma.
Matsya.
Padma.
Krma.
Madhu
Madhu
Madhu
Madhu
Madhu
Madhu
Kuruvaa
Manu
Manavaas
Uruvas
Puru
Kuru
Anu
Puruvatsa
Purudwat
Purudwat
Punarvasu
Anu
Puruhotra
yu
Purudwat
Satwa
Madhu
and Satwa
Jantu
Jantu
Ansa
Satwata
Satwata
Satwata
Satwata
Satwata
Andhaka
Satwata
[paragraph continues] The Linga has Purushaprabhu, Manwat, Pratarddana, Satwata; and the Agni, Dravavasu, Puruhuta, Jantu, and Stwata. Some of these originate, no doubt, in the blunders of copyists, but they cannot all be referred to that source.
