The Descendants of King Mandhata

Summary

9.7

In this chapter the descendants of King Mandhata are described, and in this connection the histories of Purukutsa and Hariscandra are also given.

The most prominent son of Mandhata was Ambarisa, his son was Yauvanasva, and Yauvanasva’s son was Harita.

These three personalities were the best in the dynasty of Mandhata.

Purukutsa, another son of Mandhata, married the sister of the snakes (sarpa-gana) named Narmada.

The son of Purukutsa was Trasaddasyu, whose son was Anaranya.

Anaranya’s son was Haryasva, Haryasva’s son was Praruna, Praruna’s son was Tribandhana, and Tribandhana’s son was Satyavrata, also known as Trisanku.

When Trisanku kidnapped the daughter of a brahmana, his father cursed him for this sinful act, and Trisanku became a candala, worse than a sudra.

Later, by the influence of Visvamitra, he was brought to the heavenly planes, but by the influence of the demigods he fell back downward.

He was stopped in his fall, however, by the influence of Visvamitra.

The son of Trisanku was Hariscandra.

Hariscandra once performed a Rajasuya-yajna, but Visvamitra cunningly took all of Hariscandra’s possessions as a daksina contribution and chastised Hariscandra in various ways.

Because of this, a quarrel arose between Visvamitra and Vasistha.

Hariscandra had no sons, but on the advice of Narada he worshiped Varuna and in this way got a son named Rohita.

Hariscandra promised that Rohita would be used to perform a Varuna-yajna.

Varuna reminded Hariscandra repeatedly about this yajna, but the King, because of affection for his son, gave various arguments to avoid sacrificing him.

Thus time passed, and gradually the son grew up.

To safeguard his life, the boy then took bow and arrows in hand and went to the forest.

Meanwhile, at home, Hariscandra suffered from dropsy because of an attack from Varuna.

When Rohita received the news that his father was suffering, he wanted to return to the capital, but King Indra prevented him from doing so.

Following the instructions of Indra, Rohita lived in the forest for six years and then returned home.

Rohita purchased Sunahsepha, the second son of Ajigarta, and gave him to his father, Hariscandra, as the sacrificial animal.

In this way, the sacrifice was performed, Varuna and the other demigods were pacified, and Hariscandra was freed from disease.

In this sacrifice, Visvamitra was the hota priest, Jamadagni was the adhvaryu, Vasistha was the brahma, and Ayasya was the udgata.

King Indra, being very satisfied by the sacrifice, gave Hariscandra a golden chariot, and Visvamitra gave him transcendental knowledge.

Thus Sukadeva Gosvami describes how Hariscandra achieved perfection.

9.7.1

sri-suka uvaca

mandhatuh putra-pravaro

yo ’mbarisah prakirtitah

pitamahena pravrto

yauvanasvas tu tat-sutah

haritas tasya putro ’bhun

mandhatr-pravara ime

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; mandhatuh—of Mandhata; putra-pravarah—the prominent son; yah—the one who; ambarisah—by the name Ambarisa; prakirtitah—celebrated; pitamahena—by his grandfather Yuvanasva; pravrtah—accepted; yauvanasvah—named Yauvanasva; tu—and; tat-sutah—the son of Ambarisa; haritah—by the name Harita; tasya—of Yauvanasva; putrah—the son; abhut—became; mandhatr—in the dynasty of Mandhata; pravarah—most prominent; ime—all of them.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: The most prominent among the sons of Mandhata was he who is celebrated as Ambarisa.

Ambarisa was accepted as son by his grandfather Yuvanasva.

Ambarisa’s son was Yauvanasva, and Yauvanasva’s son was Harita.

In Mandhata’s dynasty, Ambarisa, Harita and Yauvanasva were very prominent.

9.7.2

narmada bhratrbhir datta

purukutsaya yoragaih

taya rasatalam nito

bhujagendra-prayuktaya

SYNONYMS

narmada—by the name Narmada; bhratrbhih—by her brothers; datta—was given in charity; purukutsaya—unto Purukutsa; ya—she who; uragaih—by the serpents (sarpa-gana); taya—by her; rasatalam—to the lower region of the universe; nitah—was brought; bhujaga-indra-prayuktaya—engaged by Vasuki, the King of the serpents.

TRANSLATION

The serpent brothers of Narmada gave Narmada to Purukutsa.

Being sent by Vasuki, she took Purukutsa to the lower region of the universe.

PURPORT

Before describing the descendants of Purukutsa, the son of Mandhata, Sukadeva Gosvami first describes how Purukutsa was married to Narmada, who was induced to take him to the lower region of the universe.

9.7.3

gandharvan avadhit tatra

vadhyan vai visnu-sakti-dhrk

nagal labdha-varah sarpad

abhayam smaratam idam

SYNONYMS

gandharvan—the inhabitants of Gandharvaloka; avadhit—he killed; tatra—there (in the lower region of the universe); vadhyan—who deserved to be killed; vai—indeed; visnu-sakti-dhrk—being empowered by Lord Visnu; nagat—from the Nagas; labdha-varah—having received a benediction; sarpat—from the snakes; abhayam—assurances; smaratam—of those who remember; idam—this incident.

TRANSLATION

There in Rasatala, the lower region of the universe, Purukutsa, being empowered by Lord Visnu, was able to kill all the Gandharvas who deserved to be killed.

Purukutsa received the benediction from the serpents that anyone who remembers this history of his being brought by Narmada to the lower region of the universe will be assured of safety from the attack of snakes.

9.7.4

trasaddasyuh paurukutso

yo ’naranyasya deha-krt

haryasvas tat-sutas tasmat

praruno ’tha tribandhanah

SYNONYMS

trasaddasyuh—by the name Trasaddasyu; paurukutsah—the son of Purukutsa; yah—who; anaranyasya—of Anaranya; deha-krt—the father; haryasvah—by the name Haryasva; tat-sutah—the son of Anaranya; tasmat—from him (Haryasva); prarunah—by the name Praruna; atha—then, from Praruna; tribandhanah—his son, Tribandhana.

TRANSLATION

The son of Purukutsa was Trasaddasyu, who was the father of Anaranya.

Anaranya’s son was Haryasva, the father of Praruna.

Praruna was the father of Tribandhana.

9.7.5-6

tasya satyavratah putras

trisankur iti visrutah

praptas candalatam sapad

guroh kausika-tejasa

sasariro gatah svargam

adyapi divi drsyate

patito ’vak-sira devais

tenaiva stambhito balat

SYNONYMS

tasya—of Tribandhana; satyavratah—by the name Satyavrata; putrah—the son; trisankuh—by the name Trisanku; iti—thus; visrutah—celebrated; praptah—had obtained; candalatam—the quality of a candala, lower than a sudra; sapat—from the curse; guroh—of his father; kausika-tejasa—by the prowess of Kausika (Visvamitra); sasarirah—while in this body; gatah—went; svargam—to the heavenly plane; adya api—until today; divi—in the sky; drsyate—can be seen; patitah—having fallen down; avak-sirah—with his head hanging downward; devaih—by the prowess of the demigods; tena—by Visvamitra; eva—indeed; stambhitah—fixed; balat—by superior power.

TRANSLATION

The son of Tribandhana was Satyavrata, who is celebrated by the name Trisanku.

Because he kidnapped the daughter of a brahmana when she was being married, his father cursed him to become a candala, lower than a sudra.

Thereafter, by the influence of Visvamitra, he went to the higher planeary system, the heavenly planes, in his material body, but because of the prowess of the demigods he fell back downward.

Nonetheless, by the power of Visvamitra, he did not fall all the way down; even today he can still be seen hanging in the sky, head downward.

9.7.7

traisankavo hariscandro

visvamitra-vasisthayoh

yan-nimittam abhud yuddham

paksinor bahu-varsikam

SYNONYMS

traisankavah—the son of Trisanku; hariscandrah—by the name Hariscandra; visvamitra-vasisthayoh—between Visvamitra and Vasistha; yat-nimittam—because of Hariscandra; abhut—there was; yuddham—a great fight; paksinoh—both of whom had been converted into birds; bahu-varsikam—for many years.

TRANSLATION

The son of Trisanku was Hariscandra.

Because of Hariscandra there was a quarrel between Visvamitra and Vasistha, who for many years fought one another, having been transformed into birds.

PURPORT

Visvamitra and Vasistha were always inimical.

Formerly, Visvamitra was a ksatriya, and by undergoing severe austerities he wanted to become a brahmana, but Vasistha would not agree to accept him.

In this way there was always disagreement between the two.

Later, however, Vasistha accepted him because of Visvamitra’s quality of forgiveness.

Once Hariscandra performed a yajna for which Visvamitra was the priest, but Visvamitra, being angry at Hariscandra, took away all his possessions, claiming them as a contribution of daksina.

Vasistha, however, did not like this, and therefore a fight arose between Vasistha and Visvamitra.

The fighting became so severe that each of them cursed the other.

One of them said, May you become a bird and the other said, May you become a duck Thus both of them became birds and continued fighting for many years because of Hariscandra.

We can see that such a great mystic yogi as Saubhari became a victim of sense gratification, and such great sages as Vasistha and Visvamitra became birds.

This is the material world.

Abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino ’rjuna (Bg.8.16).

Within this material world, or within this universe, however elevated one may be in material qualities, one must suffer the conditions of birth, death, old age and disease (janma-mrtyu jara-vyadhi).

Therefore Krsna says that this material world is simply miserable (duhkhalayam asasvatam (Bg.8.15)).

The Bhagavatam says, padam padam yad vipadam: at every step here there is danger.

Therefore, because the Krsna consciousness movement provides the opportunity for the human being to get out of this material world simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, this movement is the greatest benediction in human society.

9.7.8

so ’napatyo visannatma

naradasyopadesatah

varunam saranam yatah

putro me jayatam prabho

SYNONYMS

sah—that Hariscandra; anapatyah—being without a son; visanna-atma—therefore very morose; naradasya—of Narada; upadesatah—by the advice; varunam—unto Varuna; saranam yatah—took shelter; putrah—a son; me—of me; jayatam—let there be born; prabho—O my lord.

TRANSLATION

Hariscandra had no son and was therefore extremely morose.

Once, therefore, following the advice of Narada, he took shelter of Varuna and said to him My lord I have no son.

9.7.9

yadi viro maharaja

tenaiva tvam yaje iti

tatheti varunenasya

putro jatas tu rohitah

SYNONYMS

yadi—if; virah—there is a son; maharaja—O Maharaja Pariksit; tena eva—even by that son; tvam—unto you; yaje—I shall offer sacrifice; iti—thus; tatha—as you desire; iti—thus accepted; varunena—by Varuna; asya—of Maharaja Hariscandra; putrah—a son; jatah—was born; tu—indeed; rohitah—by the name Rohita.

TRANSLATION

O King Pariksit, Hariscandra begged Varuna, My lord, if a son is born to me, with that son I shall perform a sacrifice for your satisfaction When Hariscandra said this, Varuna replied, Let it be so Because of Varuna’s benediction, Hariscandra begot a son named Rohita.

9.7.10

jatah suto hy anenanga

mam yajasveti so ’bravit

yada pasur nirdasah syad

atha medhyo bhaved iti

SYNONYMS

jatah—has been born; sutah—a son; hi—indeed; anena—by this son; anga—O Hariscandra; mam—unto me; yajasva—offer sacrifice; iti—thus; sah—he, Varuna; abravit—said; yada—when; pasuh—an animal; nirdasah—has passed ten days; syat—should become; atha—then; medhyah—suitable for offering in sacrifice; bhavet—becomes; iti—thus (Hariscandra said).

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, when the child was born, Varuna approached Hariscandra and said, Now you have a son.

9.7.11

nirdase ca sa agatya

yajasvety aha so ’bravit

dantah pasor yaj jayerann

atha medhyo bhaved iti

SYNONYMS

nirdase—after ten days; ca—also; sah—he, Varuna; agatya—coming there; yajasva—now sacrifice; iti—thus; aha—said; sah—he, Hariscandra; abravit—replied; dantah—the teeth; pasoh—of the animal; yat—when; jayeran—have appeared; atha—then; medhyah—fit for being sacrificed; bhavet—will become; iti—thus.

TRANSLATION

9.7.12

danta jata yajasveti

sa pratyahatha so ’bravit

yada patanty asya danta

atha medhyo bhaved iti

SYNONYMS

dantah—the teeth; jatah—have grown; yajasva—now sacrifice; iti—thus; sah—he, Varuna; pratyaha—said; atha—thereupon; sah—he, Hariscandra; abravit—replied; yada—when; patanti—fall out; asya—his; dantah—teeth; atha—then; medhyah—fit for sacrifice; bhavet—will become; iti—thus.

TRANSLATION

9.7.13

pasor nipatita danta

yajasvety aha so ’bravit

yada pasoh punar danta

jayante ’tha pasuh sucih

SYNONYMS

pasoh—of the animal; nipatitah—have fallen out; dantah—the teeth; yajasva—now sacrifice him; iti—thus; aha—said (Varuna); sah—he, Hariscandra; abravit—replied; yada—when; pasoh—of the animal; punah—again; dantah—the teeth; jayante—grow; atha—then; pasuh—the animal; sucih—is purified for being sacrificed.

TRANSLATION

9.7.14

punar jata yajasveti

sa pratyahatha so ’bravit

sannahiko yada rajan

rajanyo ’tha pasuh sucih

SYNONYMS

punah—again; jatah—have grown; yajasva—now you offer the sacrifice; iti—thus; sah—he, Varuna; pratyaha—replied; atha—thereafter; sah—he, Hariscandra; abravit—said; sannahikah—able to equip himself with a shield; yada—when; rajan—O King Varuna; rajanyah—the ksatriya; atha—then; pasuh—the sacrificial animal; sucih—becomes purified.

TRANSLATION

9.7.15

iti putranuragena

sneha-yantrita-cetasa

kalam vancayata tam tam

ukto devas tam aiksata

SYNONYMS

iti—in this way; putra-anuragena—because of affection for the son; sneha-yantrita-cetasa—his mind being controlled by such affection; kalam—time; vancayata—cheating; tam—unto him; tam—that; uktah—said; devah—the demigod Varuna; tam—unto him, Hariscandra; aiksata—waited for the fulfillment of his promise.

TRANSLATION

Hariscandra was certainly very much attached to his son.

Because of this affection, he asked the demigod Varuna to wait.

Thus Varuna waited and waited for the time to come.

9.7.16

rohitas tad abhijnaya

pituh karma cikirsitam

prana-prepsur dhanus-panir

aranyam pratyapadyata

SYNONYMS

rohitah—the son of Hariscandra; tat—this fact; abhijnaya—having thoroughly understood; pituh—of his father; karma—action; cikirsitam—which he was practically doing; prana-prepsuh—wishing to save his life; dhanuh-panih—taking his bow and arrows; aranyam—to the forest; pratyapadyata—left.

TRANSLATION

Rohita could understand that his father intended to offer him as the animal for sacrifice.

Therefore, just to save himself from death, he equipped himself with bow and arrows and went to the forest.

9.7.17

pitaram varuna-grastam

srutva jata-mahodaram

rohito gramam eyaya

tam indrah pratyasedhata

SYNONYMS

pitaram—about his father; varuna-grastam—having been attacked with dropsy by Varuna; srutva—after hearing; jata—had grown; maha-udaram—inflated abdomen; rohitah—his son Rohita; gramam eyaya—wanted to come back to the capital; tam—unto him (Rohita); indrah—King Indra; pratyasedhata—forbade to go there.

TRANSLATION

When Rohita heard that his father had been attacked by dropsy due to Varuna and that his abdomen had grown very large, he wanted to return to the capital, but King Indra forbade him to do so.

9.7.18

bhumeh paryatanam punyam

tirtha-ksetra-nisevanaih

rohitayadisac chakrah

so ’py aranye ’vasat samam

SYNONYMS

bhumeh—of the surface of the world; paryatanam—traveling; punyam—holy places; tirtha-ksetra—places of pilgrimage; nisevanaih—by serving or going to and coming from such places; rohitaya—unto Rohita; adisat—ordered; sakrah—King Indra; sah—he, Rohita; api—also; aranye—in the forest; avasat—lived; samam—for one year.

TRANSLATION

King Indra advised Rohita to travel to different pilgrimage sites and holy places, for such activities are pious indeed.

Following this instruction, Rohita went to the forest for one year.

9.7.19

evam dvitiye trtiye

caturthe pancame tatha

abhyetyabhyetya sthaviro

vipro bhutvaha vrtra-ha

SYNONYMS

evam—in this way; dvitiye—on the second year; trtiye—on the third year; caturthe—on the fourth year; pancame—on the fifth year; tatha—as well as; abhyetya—coming before him; abhyetya—again coming before him; sthavirah—a very old man; viprah—a brahmana; bhutva—becoming so; aha—said; vrtra-ha—Indra.

TRANSLATION

In this way, at the end of the second, third, fourth and fifth years, when Rohita wanted to return to his capital, the King of heaven, Indra, approached him as an old brahmana and forbade him to return, repeating the same words as in the previous year.

9.7.20

sastham samvatsaram tatra

caritva rohitah purim

upavrajann ajigartad

akrinan madhyamam sutam

sunahsepham pasum pitre

pradaya samavandata

SYNONYMS

sastham—the sixth; samvatsaram—year; tatra—in the forest; caritva—wandering; rohitah—the son of Hariscandra; purim—in his capital; upavrajan—went there; ajigartat—from Ajigarta; akrinat—purchased; madhyamam—the second; sutam—son; sunahsepham—whose name was Sunahsepha; pasum—to use as the sacrificial animal; pitre—unto his father; pradaya—offering; samavandata—respectfully offered his obeisances.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, in the sixth year, after wandering in the forest, Rohita returned to the capital of his father.

He purchased from Ajigarta his second son, named Sunahsepha.

Then he offered Sunahsepha to his father, Hariscandra, to be used as the sacrificial animal and offered Hariscandra his respectful obeisances.

PURPORT

It appears that in those days a man could be purchased for any purpose.

Hariscandra was in need of a person to sacrifice as the animal in a yajna and thus fulfill his promise to Varuna, and a man was purchased from another man for this purpose.

Millions of years ago, animal sacrifice and slave trade both existed.

Indeed, they have existed since time immemorial.

9.7.21

tatah purusa-medhena

hariscandro maha-yasah

muktodaro ’yajad devan

varunadin mahat-kathah

SYNONYMS

tatah—thereafter; purusa-medhena—by sacrificing a man in the yajna; hariscandrah—King Hariscandra; maha-yasah—very famous; mukta-udarah—became free from dropsy; ayajat—offered sacrifices; devan—unto the demigods; varuna-adin—headed by Varuna and others; mahat-kathah—famous in history with other exalted personalities.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, the famous King Hariscandra, one of the exalted persons in history, performed grand sacrifices by sacrificing a man and pleased all the demigods.

In this way his dropsy created by Varuna was cured.

9.7.22

visvamitro ’bhavat tasmin

hota cadhvaryur atmavan

jamadagnir abhud brahma

vasistho ’yasyah sama-gah

SYNONYMS

visvamitrah—the great sage and mystic Visvamitra; abhavat—became; tasmin—in that great sacrifice; hota—the chief priest to offer oblations; ca—also; adhvaryuh—a person who recites hymns from the Yajur Veda and performs ritualistic ceremonies; atmavan—fully self-realized; jamadagnih—Jamadagni; abhut—became; brahma—acting as the chief brahmana; vasisthah—the great sage; ayasyah—another great sage; sama-gah—engaged as the reciter of the Sama Veda mantras.

TRANSLATION

In that great human sacrifice, Visvamitra was the chief priest to offer oblations, the perfectly self-realized Jamadagni had the responsibility for chanting the mantras from the Yajur Veda, Vasistha was the chief brahminical priest, and the sage Ayasya was the reciter of the hymns of the Sama Veda.

9.7.23

tasmai tusto dadav indrah

satakaumbhamayam ratham

sunahsephasya mahatmyam

uparistat pracaksyate

SYNONYMS

tasmai—unto him, King Hariscandra; tustah—being very pleased; dadau—delivered; indrah—the King of heaven; satakaumbha-mayam—made of gold; ratham—a chariot; sunahsephasya—about Sunahsepha; mahatmyam—glories; uparistat—in the course of describing the sons of Visvamitra; pracaksyate—will be narrated.

TRANSLATION

King Indra, being very pleased with Hariscandra, offered him a gift of a golden chariot.

Sunahsepha’s glories will be presented along with the description of the son of Visvamitra.

9.7.24

satyam saram dhrtim drstva

sabharyasya ca bhupateh

visvamitro bhrsam prito

dadav avihatam gatim

SYNONYMS

satyam—truthfulness; saram—firmness; dhrtim—forbearance; drstva—by seeing; sa-bharyasya—with his wife; ca—and; bhupateh—of Maharaja Hariscandra; visvamitrah—the great sage Visvamitra; bhrsam—very much; pritah—being pleased; dadau—gave him; avihatam gatim—imperishable knowledge.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Visvamitra saw that Maharaja Hariscandra, along with his wife, was truthful, forbearing and concerned with the essence.

Thus he gave them imperishable knowledge for fulfillment of the human mission.

9.7.25-26

manah prthivyam tam adbhis

tejasapo ’nilena tat

khe vayum dharayams tac ca

bhutadau tam mahatmani

tasmin jnana-kalam dhyatva

tayajnanam vinirdahan

hitva tam svena bhavena

nirvana-sukha-samvida

anirdesyapratarkyena

tasthau vidhvasta-bandhanah

SYNONYMS

manah—the mind (full of material desires for eating, sleeping, mating and defending); prthivyam—in the earth; tam—that; adbhih—with water; tejasa—and with fire; apah—the water; anilena—in the fire; tat—that; khe—in the sky; vayum—the air; dharayan—amalgamating; tat—that; ca—also; bhuta-adau—in the false ego, the origin of material existence; tam—that (false ego); maha-atmani—in the mahat-tattva, the total material energy; tasmin—in the total material energy; jnana-kalam—spiritual knowledge and its different branches; dhyatva—by meditating; taya—by this process; ajnanam—ignorance; vinirdahan—specifically subdued; hitva—giving up; tam—material ambition; svena—by self-realization; bhavena—in devotional service; nirvana-sukha-samvida—by transcendental bliss, putting an end to material existence; anirdesya—imperceptible; apratarkyena—inconceivable; tasthau—remained; vidhvasta—completely freed from; bandhanah—material bondage.

TRANSLATION

Maharaja Hariscandra first purified his mind, which was full of material enjoyment, by amalgamating it with the earth.

Then he amalgamated the earth with water, the water with fire, the fire with the air, and the air with the sky.

Thereafter, he amalgamated the sky with the total material energy, and the total material energy with spiritual knowledge.

This spiritual knowledge is realization of one’s self as part of the Supreme Lord.

When the self-realized spiritual soul is engaged in service to the Lord, he is eternally imperceptible and inconceivable.

Thus established in spiritual knowledge, he is completely freed from material bondage.