Wilson, HH - Hindu Mythology and Tradition Vol 4

si^ «JAN 80792^

mo\M

BL/135 :?8A5

864 V.

4

WORK S BY

THE LATE

HORACE HAYMAN WILSON, M.A., F.R.S., MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETIES OF CALCUTTA AND PARIS, AND OF THE ORIENTAL SOCIETY OP GERMANY; FOREIGN MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FRANCE;

MEMBER OF THE IMPERIAL ACADEMIES OF

ST.

PETERSBURGH AND VIENNA,

AND OF THE ROYAL ACADEMIES OF MUNICH AND BERLIN; PH.D. BRESLAU; M. D. MARBURG, ETC.;

AND BODEN PROFESSOR OF SANSKRIT

VOL.

IN

THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.

IX.

LONDON: TRUBNER &

CO., 60,

PATERNOSTER ROW.

1868.

luro.

THE

VISHNU PURANA A SYSTEM OF

HINDU MYTHOLOGY AND TRADITION. TRANSLATED

FROM THE ORIGINAL SANSKRIT, AND

ILLUSTRATED BY NOTES DERIVED CHIEFLY FROM OTHER PURANAS, BY THE LATE

II.

H.

WILSON,

BODEN PROFESSOR OF SANSKRIT

IN

M.A., F.R.S., THE UNIVERSITY OK OXFORD,

ETC., ETC.

EDITED BY

FITZEDWARD HALL. VOL.

IV.

LONDON: TRUBNER &

CO., GO,

PATERNOSTER ROW.

18(18.

—

VISHNU PURANA. BOOK

IV. (continued).

CHAPTER Kings of the lunar dynasty.

VI.

Origin of

Soma

carries off Tara, the wife of Brihaspati:

and Asuras,

Budha his

:

in

consequence

married to

Ila,

:

or the Moon: he war between the gods

appeased by Brahma.

daughter of Vaivaswata.

Birth of

Legend of

son Puriiravas and the nymph Urvasi: the former institutes

offerings with fire: ascends to the sphere

IVJAITREYA.

— You

of the Gandharvas.

have given me, reverend (predynasty of the

ceptor),

an account of (the kings

Sun.

am now desirous to hear a description of the who trace their lineage from the Moon, and

I

princes

whose race

is still

art able to relate

of) the

celebrated for glorious deeds. it

to me,

Brahman,

if

Thou

thou wilt so

favour me.

PaRasara.

—You

shall

hear from me, Maitreya,* an

account of the illustrious family of the Moon, which has produced (many celebrated) rulers of the earth, a race adorned by (the regal qualities of) strength, valour, magnificence, prudence, f and activity, and

enumerating, amongst

* Literally,

note

its

monarchs, Nahusha, Yayati,

"tiger of a sage," muni-Mrdula.

See Vol.

§.

t Dyuti and IV.

iila.

1

III.,

p. 118,

VISHNU PUR AN A.

2

Kartaviryarjuna,* and others equally renowned. race will

describe to you.

I

Do you

That

attend.

Atri was the son of Brahma, the creator of the universe,

who

sprang from the lotos that grew from the

The son

navel ofNarayana.

moon),

whom Brahmaf

plants, of Brahmans,

of

iVtri

was Soma^

(the

installed as the sovereign of

and of the

stars,

t

Soma

celebrated

the Rfijasuya (sacrifice); and, from the glory thence acquired, and the extensive dominion with which he had been invested, he became arrogant (and licentious), and carried off Tara, the wife of Bfihaspati, the pre-

ceptor of the gods.

In vain Brihaspati sought to re-

cover his bride; in vain

Brahma commanded, and

the

holy sages remonstrated: Soma refused to relinquish her.§ Usanas, out of enmity to Bfihaspati, took part II

with Soma, t Rudra,

*

The Vayu

who had

says, the essence of

studied under Angiras,

Soma (Somatwa)

the eyes of Atri, and impregnated the ten quarters.

Soma was born from The Brahma Purana and Hari Vanisa give a

vata** says, merely, that

issued from

The Bhaga-

the eyes of Atri.

grosser

name

to

the effusion.

*

That

is

to say, Arjuna, son of Kritavirya,

See, for him. Chapter XI.

of this Book,

t Called, in the original, by his epithet abjayoni. X

II

6,

Compare

Vol.

II.,

p. 85.

In the corresponding passage of the Bhdgavata-purdna,

— the name

is

Sukra.

Usanas, see Vol.

•» IX.,

II.,

X1V.,*3.

p.

— IX.,

XIV.,

For the discordant accounts of the parentage of l.";2,

note 1; for Sukra,

ibid.,

pp. 117, 155.

BOOK

IV.,

CHAP.

VI.

befriended

(the father of Brihaspati*),

his fellow-

In consequence of Usanas, their preceptor,

student.

joining Soma, Jambha, Kujambha, and

all

the Daityas,

Danavas, and other foes of the gods, came, assistance ;f whilst Indra

of Brihaspati.

allies

and

all

also, to his

the gods were the

t

Then there ensued

a fierce contest, which, being on

account of Taraka (or Tara), was termed the Taraka-

maya

or Taraka war. §

In

this,

the gods, led by Rudra,

hurled then* missiles on the enemy;!] and the Daityas IT (with equal determination assailed) the gods.

Earth,

shaken to her centre by the struggle between such foes, had recourse to Brahma, for protection; on w^hich

he interposed, and, commanding Usanas, with the demons, and Rudra** with the deities, to desist from strife, compelled Soma to restore Tara to her husband, ff Finding that she was pregnant, H Brihaspati desired her no longer to retain her burthen; §§ and, in

obedience to his orders, she was delivered of a son.

•

See Vol.

^^(T

I

I.,

p.

153, note 2.

Nilakant'ha,

commenting on

the Mahdbhdrata,

939, explains the term tdrakdmaya as follows:

si.

II

Asura.

%

Danavas, in the original.

**

Substituted for Sankara.

It

^^^^TTTT^Tf!:

II

AntaKprasavd.

I

Sabhd-parvan,

cfTT^T fTTTT ^^ut the ordinary lection is Siteshu; and so read the Kurmaothers. I

furdna and Linga-furd;na. II

f

In the Kurma-purd/in, he has only one son, Jyamagha. Pvithukarman, Pi'ithujaya, Prithusravas, and

Prithuyasas,

sattama.

Usanas

is

son of the

** And the Harivamsa. tt The Vdyu-purdna has something different; but cipher what it is. XI

And

Prithu-

last.

I

am

unable

to

de-

the Harivamsa.

§§ Corrected from "Purujit".

See note 5 in

this page,

and note

1 in

the next. nil

Also read Maruta, in several MSS.

lowing page.

See, further,

note

:

in the fol-

VISHNU PUR AN A.

64

Rukmeshu, Prithurukma,* Jyamagha, Palita, and Harita/f To this day the followmg verse relating to

"Of all the husbands submisbeen, or who will be, the who have sive to their wives, most eminent is the king Jyamagha,^ who was the

Jyamagha

repeated:

is

Rukmakavacha.+

the text, are the grandsons of

The Bhagavata has Purujit, Rukma, § Rukmeshu, Prithu, and Jyamagha. The Vayu reads the two last names Parigha and HariJ The Brahma and Hari Vau'isa insert Parajit*![ as the father of the five named as in the text.*'"" '

^

Most of

five brothers,

the other authorities mention, that the elder of the

Rukmeshu, succeeded

his father in the sovereignty;

and that the second, Prithurukma, remained in his brother's serPalita and Harita were set over Videha (f^^f^ f^rfT vice.

^^f^ Lingaff) I

Jyamagha went

or Tirhoot; and

forth to settle

Vayu, he conquered Madhyadesa (the country along the Narmadii), Mekala, and the Suktimat

where he might: according mountains,

tt

to the

So the Brahma Parana

he established

states, that

himself along the Rikshavat mountain, and dwelt in Suktiraati.

He names

*

curs

ill

.H.

from " Prithurukraan

For

father of

This

is

its

".

The word

so

oc-

form as given above, see the

Vdyu-purdila,

1980, with which the

my MSS.

The country

Vidarbha.

shall see,

the midst of a comi^ouiu].

t One of X

we

as

Corrected, here aud below,

Harivamsa,

him

his son,

«&c.

agree.

gives Paraviit but one son, Rulimeshu, and makes

Prithurukma and the

rest.

not exact, as appears from note

1

in this page.

The Linga-

purdna has Siteshu, Maruta, Kambalabarhis, Rukmakavacha. § Corrected from "Rukman". II

^

And

so reads the Linga-purdtia.

Instead of Paravrit.

**

Only they have Hari, not Harita; and, tt Prior Section, LXVIII., 33. II It

does

mention

is

not

made

appear,

from

of Madhyadesa.

Mi'ittikavati, Suktimati,

in

my MSS.

some MSS., of

the

The names occur

Palita, for Palita.

Vdyu-purd/ia, of

and the Rikshavat mountains:

that

Narmada, Mekala,

BOOK

CHAP.

IV.,

65

XII.

husband of Saibya." Saibya was barren; but Jyamagba* 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,

was put left

When

fled.

Jyamagha beheld a

to flight,

the

enemy

lovely princess

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 I

of a sterile

me

hands, to rear up to But,

I will

first,

my

to

palace,

Berar;

called is

is

have no children, and am the husband bride. This maiden has fallen into my

fortunate.

posterity.

take her in

where

I

I will

car,

espouse her.

and convey her

must request the concurrence

amongst

and,

my

his

we have

descendants,

sarha (more correctly, perhaps, Dasarna, Chhattisgarh + this story of

Jyamagha's adventures appears

settlement of the

Yadava

tribes along the

the

and Da-

Chaidyas, or princes of Baghelkhand and Chandail,f )

;

so that

to allude to the first

Narmada, more

to the

south and west than before.

Something very similar

is

read in the Linga-purdna and also in the

Brahma-purdna. *

"Though

t That Chandail,

the is

desirous of progeny": "^llrtjehl^ft ^jf^

ancient Chedi

now

The Pandits

settled

and

this

I

IV.

all

is

represented

doubt.

by

See Vol.

I

Baghelkhaiia II.,

p. 157,

have questioned

and

note

§§.

by distant verbal similarity, the modern District of Chundeyree

beguiled

one with

has even found its way See the Hindi Premasdgara, Chapter LIII.

groundless identification

into popular literature. I

beyond

not

of Central India,

maintain that Chedi (Chanderi);

is

this position.

See Vol. XL,

p. 160, note f.

5

VISHNU PURANA.

66

of the queen in these nuptials."

Accordingly, he took

the princess into his chariot, and returned to his

own

capital.

When Jyamagha's came

approach was announced, Saibya

to the palace-gate,

attended by the ministers,

the courtiers, and the citizens, to rious monarch.

But,

when

welcome the

victo-

she beheld the maiden

left hand of" the king, her lips swelled and slightly quivered with resentment, and she said to Jyamagha: "Who is this light-hearted damsel that is with you in the chariot?" The king, unprepared with a reply, made answer precipitately, through fear of his queen: "This is my daughter-in-law." "I have never had a son," rejoined Saibya; "and you have no other

standing on the

children. Of what son of yours, then, is this girl the wdfe?"f The king, disconcerted by the jealousy and anger which the words of Saibya displayed, made this

reply to her, in order to prevent further contention:

"She

is

the

young bride of the future son

shalt bring forth."

and said "So be

Hearing it;"

this,

whom

thou

Saibya smiled gently,

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 con-

junction,

aspect,

and season, + the queen, although

passed the time of women, became, shortly afterwards, pregnant, and bore a son.

*

His father named him Vi-

According to some MSS., simply "at the side of".

Lagna, hord, ainiuka, and avayava. The scholiast defines hord to + be half a rdii; athsaka, a ninth of one; and avayava, a twelfth of one.

— BOOK

IV.,

CHAP.

67

XII.

and married him to the damsel he had brought Kratha, Kaisika/f They had three sons, and Romapada.^ The son of Romapada was Babhra;^ and his son was Dhriti.'* The son of Kaisika was Chedi,t whose descendants were called the Chaidya kings. ^ The son of Kratha was Kunti § his son w^as darblia,

—

home.'^'

"^

;

the Matsya, Kausika.

The Bhagavata has Kusa;

'

All the

||

authorities agree in specifying three sons. '

Lomapada: Agni.

'

Vastu: Vayu.

*

Ahuti:Vayu. Iti:Padma. Dyuti Matsya. Bhiiti Kurma."* latter is singular, in carrying on the line of Romapada for

II

Kriti: Agni. :

This

:

twelve generations further, ff

The Bhagavata, however, makes the princes of Chedi conRomapada; as, Babhru, Dhnti,^ Usika, Chedi Chaidyas, amongst whom were Damaghosha and Sisupala.

*

tinuous from the

Kumbhi: Padma.

^

The

*

original runs

^ qT*IM^^

fff

^ fe^TH^^^

dient youth, then,

who,

it

seems,

Two

I

Chidi(?):

§

9ff^^

of

I

cf^

^

f^'^A

^T^^^

Ij

And

"TT^ :

^%

^^

|

^^TTfTfyrrrT^Tf^^TflPl

I

I

¥^

f^^^:

I

This obe-

because of his father's prediction, married a of nubile age before he was born.

woman

best

MSS. have Kausika.

Vdyu-purdna.

^^T^^^ ^f^TH^

son of the so-called daughter-in-law,"

f Add

X^ "RHT

scholiast says, in explanation

may have been

my

f

:

The

I

so the Vdyu-purdiia, the

I

"Kunti was

offspring of Kratha,

Comment: ^TT'^T^

I

^^ITT^^

Kurma-purd/m, the Linga-purana, &c. The Linga-purdna reads

the Vdyu-purdim, the Harivamsa, &c.

Romapada,

" I find Dhfiti, The Linga-purdna has Sudhiiti. descendants of Dhriti. Some ft There seem to be names of only seven But the state of my of Kausika's descendants, also, are particularized. MSS. does not warrant \X

Ki'iti is

further detail with certainty.

the ordinary reading.

5*

VISHNU PUR ANA.

68

Vrishni;^ his son was Nirvriti;^* his son was Dasarha;

was Vyoman;t his son was Jimiita; his son was Vikriti;^: his son was Bhimaratha;§ his son \yas Navaratha;^ his son was Dasaratha;^ his son was Sakuni; his son was Karainbhi;|| his son was Devarata;1f his son was Devakshattra;^ his son was Mahis son

Dhrishti: Matsya.

Dhfishta: Vayu.

'

^

Vayu. ft

Nivfitti:

Nidhriti:

**

Agni.

The Brahma makes

sons,— Avanta, Dasarha, and Baliviishahan. In the Linga, '* destroyer it is said, of Dasarha, that he was cIT^TftlW^^*, foes.' European?) (faced; copper of of the host

three

Vikala: Matsya. Nararatha: Brahma, Hari Vamsa.§§

' * *

Dridharatha: Agni.

^

Soma: Linga.

•

One MS. has

tIF

Devarata: Linga. HH

Devanakshattra: Padma.

Nirdhriti; another, Nivi'itti.

The Linga-purdiia has

Ni-

The Kurma-purdiia gives Nivritti, preceded by Ranadhrisht'a. Vyoma. The Vdyu-put Two MSS. give, like the Bhdgavata-purdna, rdna has Vyoman; the Linga-purdna, Vyapta. One of my best MSS. of the Vishnu-purdna inserts Abhijit after Vyoman.

dhriti,

+

In three copies, Vankriti.

§

The Vdyu-purdiia interposes

Rathavara

between

Bhimaratha and

Navaratha. II

Karambhaka: Vdyu-purdiia.

Karambha,

in the Kiirma-purdna, which has, hereabouts, I

am

unable to

% And tt

out in

also,

my MSS. Devaraj: Kurma-purdna.

Linga-purdna.

My MSS.

X\ In

make

so the Linga-purdna, &c.

•* Vfita:

in the Linga-purdna;

numerous names, &c. which

have

my MSS.

Nirvritti, also.

there

is

a very different reading:

^UTIT %^ffr ^T^T ^ITfriW^^-

!

present chapter, §§ This work— and so the Brahina-purdtia— has, in the many other peculiarities, here unnoticed, as to proper names. lill

%%

Dridharatha, in I find

my MSS.

Devakshattra there.

BOOK

IV.,

CHAP.

XII.

G9

his son was Kuruwas Paruhotra; son his AnLiratba;f was vatsa; his son his son was Aihsu;: his son was Satwata,§ from whom

dhu;^ his son was Anavaratha;*

'

There

is

great

VISHNU PURANA.

70

were termed Satwiitas. This was the progeny of Jyamagha; by Ustening to the account of whom, a man is purified from his sins. the princes of this house

The Linga* has Purushaprabhu, Manwat, Pratardana, Satwata; and the Agni, Dravavasu, Puruhuta, Jantu, and Satwata. Some of these originate, no doubt, in the blunders of copyists; but they cannot,

•

My

Aiiisu

all,

best

be referred to that source.

MSS. have: Madhu, Kuruvaiiisa

and Purudwat, Satwa (son of

Aiiisu),

or Kuruvaiiisaka,

Satwata.

Ann,

CHAPTER Bhoja

Sons of Satwata. of Sattrajita

XIII.

princfes of Miittikavati.

Surya the friend

appears to him in a bodily form

:

Syamantaka gem Sattrajita gives

it

to Prasena,

:

him the

gives

and marvellous properties.

brilliance

its

:

who

is

killed

by a

lion: the lion

by the bear Jambavat. Krishna, suspected of killing Prasena, goes to look for him in the forests: traces the bear

killed

to his cave

with him for the jewel

fights

:

:

the contest pro-

longed: supposed, by his companions, to be slain: he overthrows

Jambavat, and marries his daughter, Jambavati: returns, with her and the jcAvel, to Dwaraka: restores the jewel to Sattrajita, his daughter,

and marries

Satyabhama. Sattrajita murdered by Quarrel between Krishna

Satadhanwan: avenged by Krishna.

and Balartima. Akrura possessed of the jewel: leaves Dwaraka. Public calamities. Meeting of the Yadavas. Story of Akrura's birth:

the

he

is

invited to return: accused, by Krishna, of having

Syamantaka jewel

in his charge

THE

:

:

produces

it

in full

assembly:

it

Krishna acquitted of having purloined

remains

it.

sons of Satwata* were Bhajin,f Bhajamana,

Devavndha,§ Mahabhoja, and Bhajamanal had three sons, Nhni,^ Kri-

Divya, Andhaka,: Vnshni/|| '

The Agni acknowledges but

* Variant:

-was

Satwata;

four sons;

and so throughout

Kausalya, according

but

this chapter.

to the Vdyu-purdria,

all

the rest

Satwata's wife

Brahma-purdna, and

Ilari-

vamia.

t Corrected from "Bhajina". + For the conflicting accounts of

his parentage, see Goldstiicker's Sanskrit

Dictionary, sub voce. § Corrected, in this chapter,

from "Devavriddha".

Satwata's sons, according to the Bhdgavata-piird/ia, IX., XXIV., 6, 7, were Bhajamana, Bhaji, Divya, Vfishni, Devavfidha, Andhaka, and MaII

habhoja.

^ He

was

skilled in the

Dhamrveda,

the

Kurma-purdna

alleges.

VISHNU PURANA.

72

kana/* and Vrishni,^ by one wife, and as many f by another, t—Satajit, Sahasrajit, and Ayutajit/^§ The son of Devavridha was Babhru, of whom this verse is recited: "We hear, when afar, and we behold, w^hen

agree in the number,

[j

"^

^

Krimi: Brahma,** Agni, Kiirma. ff Kramaiia: Brahma. Bhagavata. §§ Dhrishthi: BhagavataJ|

'

^

is

IT

Pariava: Vayu.

Kinkina

Mahabhoja

and, mostly, in the names.

sometimes read Mahabhaga.

+1

Kfiparia:

Padma.

:

|]

Brahma. HIT

The Brahma and Hari Varhsa

and Puranjaya,*** and,

add, to the

to the second,

first three,

Siira

Dasaka. fff

• Corrupted, in some of my MSS., into Krikwana and Krinwana. t This second family is unrecognized by the Kurma-ptirdna. J Both wives bore the name of Sfinjaya, agreeably to the Vdyu-pu-

rdna and Harivamm. § Professor Wilson

my MSS.

all

but one,

different in the

had "Satajit, Sahasrajit, and Ayutajit"; but, in I

All the names are, apparently,

find as above.

Vdyu-purdna,

my

copies of which are, here, very illegible.

The Linga-purdna has Ayutayus, Satayus, and Harshakrit, with Sfinjaya as their mother, and does not II

%

name

the

first

set of sons at

all.

See the end of the next note. As in the Linga-purdna; Mahabahu, in the Brahna-purdna and Ha-

Not

so.

Add: for Bhajin, Bhajana, Linga-purdna; Bhogin, BrahmaHarivamm. Also see note in the preceding page. The Linga-purdna reads, instead of Bhajamana, bhrdjamdna, and makes

rivamm.

purd/ia and

]j

an epithet of Bhajana.

it

** •j-f

++

And

Harivai'nia.

I find

And

Nisi(?) chere.

§§ Kfitaka: II

II

%%

Nimlochi: Bhdgavata-piirdna.

so reads the Harivainia.

Vfishni

Kurma-purdna.

is

Vfisha, in

the accepted lection.

my MSS.

The Harivamia has Dhfishfa,

There

is

no

third son in the Ktirma-purdna. *'"

And

so adds the

ttt This saka",

is

Vdyu-purdna.

the reading

of

The Vdyu-purdna,

my best MSS. Professor my MSS., has Vamaka.

in

Wilson had "Da-

BOOK nigh, that

Babhru

is

equal to the gods.

is

CHAP.

IV.,

the

73

XIII.

of men, and Devavi'idha

first

Sixty-six persons, following the

precepts of one, and six thousand and eight,

who were

f Mahabhoja was a pious prince: his descendants were the disciples* of the other, obtained immortality."

Bhojas, the princes of MrittikavatiV + thence called

Vrishni had two sons, Sumitra and

Marttikavatas.'^§

Yudhajit:^ from the former, Anamitrali and Sini were

'

By

'

These are made,

the Hari ^

the Parriasa river:

Brahma

IF

Puraria: a river in Malwa.

incorrectly, the descendants of Babhru, in

Vamsa. **

The Bhagavata, Matsya, and Vayu

agree, in the main, as to

the genealogy that follows, with our text.

The Vayu

states that

Vrishni had two wives, Madri and Gandhari: by the former he

had Yudhajit and Anamitra, and, by the latter, Sumitra and Devamidhusha. ff The Matsya also names the ladies, but gives Su-

•

So the

scholiast explains the

word purusha here.

^: %^ ^^^Wt "^^^Tfv:

^'t:

ii

—

6 8, These stanzas occur in the Linga-purdna, Prior Section, LXVIIL, difference, in the Bhdgavata-purdna, IX., XXIV., 9, 10, with the sole Also compare the Hariin both works, of 'sixty-five' for 'sixty-six'. vama, si. 2011—2013. The Vdyu-purdna &c. have very different numbers.

and

X

The commentator dleges

^Tt^^T^ 'n^ ST'l text,

no city

§

The

11

A

f

See Vol SI. 2014.

that

'f^^

the

city

^T

f^fTT

was

called

Mi'ittikavana:

^frNT^flT:

I

In the

named, as appears from the next note.

original has only

single

•* •j-j-

at all is

I

cTl^T^^

^^T

^if^^^ffT ^^f

:

I

MS. has Anumitra. II.,

There seems

p.

152, notes 2

to be

and

§.

something wrong here;

purdria agree in reading:

for

my MSS.

of the

Vdyu-

:

VISHNU PURANA.

74

Prasena and

sons,

Sattrajita.t

was the friend of the

(the Sun)

On

was Nighna,f who had The divme Aditya

of Anamitra

The son

born.^*

two

latter.

Sattrajita, whilst

one occasion,

walking along the

and makes Madri the mother of Yudhajit,

mitra to Gandhari,

Devamidhusha, Anamitra,

and

Sini.

The Agni has a

similar

arrangement, but substitutes Dhrishta for Vfishrii, and makes him the fifteenth

The Linga, § Padma, made great confusion, apparently without any warrant, the name of Vrishni in

descent from Satwata.

Brahma Puranas, and Hari by

altering,

Varhsa|| have

to Kroshtfi. '

The BhagavatalF makes them sons

and Agni, us observed

of Yudhajit; the Matsya

preceding note,

in the

his brothers,

as

well as Sumitra's.

Here, Gandhari is rejnesented as having only one son, Sumitra; and Madri has Yudhajit, Devamidhusha, Anamitra, and Sini. Instead of Devamidhusha, Professor Wilson gave, by inadvertence,

"Devimidhush",

as the

name

in the

Vdyu-piird/ia.

At the same

time,

he found, in the Matsya-purdna, "Devamidhusha".

1%

The Sanskrit runs:

^t^T^

-gTinf^W 5^'JH^fi:

Anamitra and Sini '^T'Tfir^fjI^ ff^T Vrishni. The Kurma-purdna says, expressly I

t Nimna: Bhdgavata-purdna. X Corrected, everywhere, from "Satrajit".

are,

I

fTcT"

thus, other sons of

The Bhdgavata-purdna has

both Sattrajita and Sattrajit; the Lmga-purdna, the latter.

In the Vdyu-

purdna, the reading seems to be Sakrajit. § This Puraiia, in

my

MSS., has

that he had Sumitra by Gandhari, mitra, II

and

It states, too,

and, by Madri, Devamidhusha,

Ana-

Sini.

According to

my

him only Madri, t IX., XXIV., 12.

of

Vfishiii, not Kroshfi'i.

;

best MSS.,

of Yudhajit,

Gandhari is mother of Sumitra, and Devamidhusha, and Anamitra.

— BOOK

IV.,

sea-shore, addressed his

75

ciiAr. XIII.

mind

and hymned

to Siirya,

on which, the divinity appeared and stood Beholding him in an indistinct shape, Sathim. before tnijita said to the Sun: "I have beheld thee, lord, in the heavens, as a globe of fire. Now do thou show his praises;

favour unto me, that

On

form."*

Syamantaka from

I

may

see thee in thy proper

the Sun, taking the jewel called

this,

off his neck,

placed

it

apart;

and

beheld him of a dwarfish stature, wdth a body like burnished copper, and with slightly reddish Sattrajita

eyes.f Having offered his adorations, the Sun desired to demand a boon; and he requested that the

him

The Sun presented it to him, Having obtained the spotless gem of gems, Sattrajita wore it on his neck; and, becoming as brilliant, thereby, as the Sun himself, irradiating all the regions with his splendour, he returned to Dwaraka. The inhabitants of that citv, beholding him approach, repaired to the eternal

jewel might become

and then resumed

his.

his place in the sky.

male, Purushottama,

— who,

to sustain the burthen of

the earth, had assumed a mortal form (as Krishna), and said to him: "Lord, assuredly the (divine) Sun

coming "It

is

to visit you."

But Krishna: smiled, and

not the divine Sun, but Sattrajita, to

is

said:

whom

Aditya has presented the Syamantaka gem; and he now wears it. Gro and behold him without apprehension." Accordingly, they departed. Sattrajita, having

:

Here, as just before, the Translator has supplied the

name

of Kfishiia.

VISHNU PURANA.

76

deposited the jewel, which

to his house, there

gone

yielded, daily, eight loads* of gold, and, through

marvellous vh-tue, dispelled

its

fear of portents, wild

all

and famine, f Achyuta was of opinion + that this wonderful gem

beasts, fire, robbers,

should be in the possession of Ugrasena;§ but,

al-

though he had the power of taking it from Sattrajita, he did not deprive him of it, that he might not occasion any disagreement amongst the family. Sattrajita, on the other hand, fearing that Krishna would ask ||

him

for the jewel, transferred

Now,

it

to his brother Pra-

was the peculiar property of this jewel, it was an inexhaustible source of good a virtuous person, yet, when worn by a man of bad

sena. that,

to

it

although

character,

it

w^as the

mounted

and went

his horse,

In the chase, he

cause of his death.

gem and hung

having taken the

was

killed IF

it

to the

by a

lion.

the jewel in his mouth, was about to

was observed and bears,

and gave

*

killed

who, carrying it

to his

round

Prasena, his neck,

woods to hunt. The lion, taking depart, when he

by Jambavat, the king of the

off the

gem, retired into his cave,

son Sukumaraka** to play with.

Bhdra, which here, more probably, imports a weight of gold equal tulds. So the commentator understands the term; and the

twenty

to

same yiew

is

taken by Sridhara, commenting on the Bhdgavaia-purdna,

X., LVI., 11.

:

Read 'wished', f^tj^t

II

^ **

^^

I

or 'king". He is spoken of further on. Exchanged, by the Translator, for Achyuta. And so was his horse, according to the original.

§ Called, in the original,

i/i ;//;«;/,

Corrected from "Sukumara", here and everywhere below.

BOOK

IV.,

CHAP.

77

XIII.

time had elapsed, and Prasena did not Yadavas* began to whisper, one to another,

When some appear, the

and

to say:t "This

is

murder of Prasena,

in

Desirous of

Krishna's doing.

the jewel, and not obtaining

it,

he has perpetrated the

order to get

it

into his pos-

session."

When these calumnious rumours came to the knowledge of Krishna,: he collected a number of the Yadavas, and, accompanied by them, pursued the course of Prasena by the impressions of his horse's hoofs. §

Ascertaining,

by

this

horse had been killed by a

means, that he and his

lion,

he was acquitted, by Desirous of

the people, of any share in his death.

all

recovering the gem, he thence followed the steps of the lion, and, at no great distance, came to the place

where the

lion

had been

killed

by the

bear. Following

he arrived at the foot of a mountain, where he desired the Yadavas to await him, whilst he continued the track. Still guided by the marks of the feet, he discovered a cavern, and had scarcely entered it, when he heard the nurse of Sukuthe footmarks of the

latter,

him: "The lion killed Prasena; the by Jambavat. Weep not, Sukumaraka. The Syamantaka is your own." Thus assured of his object, Krishna advanced into the cavern, and

maraka saying lion has

been

to

killed

II

saw the

brilliant

jewel in the hands of the nurse,

*

YadulokaK.

I

Bhagavat, in the original.

scene of this hunt of Krishna's was, according to the purdna, the Rikshavat and Vindhya mountains. § Tlie

who

Vdyu-

VISHNU PURANA.

78

giving it, as a plaything, to Sukumaraka. The nurse soon descried his approach, and, marking his eyes fixed upon the gem with eager desire, called \yas

loudly for help.

Hearing her

and a

cries,

Jambavat,

full

of

ensued between

came him and Achyuta, which lasted twenty-one days. The Yadavas who had accompanied the latter -waited seven to the cave;

ano'er,

conflict

or eight days, in expectation of his return foe of Madhu

still

came not

forth,

he must have met his death not have required so

many

in

;

but, as the

they concluded that

the cavern.

"It could

days," they thought, "to

overcome an enemy;" and, accordingly, they departed, and returned to Dwaraka, and announced that Krishna had been killed. When the relations of Achyuta heard this intelligence, they

performed

to the occasion.

all

the obsequial rites suited

The food and water thus

offered to

Krishna, in the celebration of his Sraddha, served to support his life and invigorate his strength in the

which he was engaged; whilst his adverwearied by daily conflict with a powerful foe,

combat sary,

in

bruised and battered, in every limb, by heavy blows,

and enfeebled by want of food, became unable longer Overcome by his mighty antagonist, Jambavat cast himself before him, and said: "Thou, mighty being, art, surely, invincible by all the demons,

to resist him.

and by the

spirits of

heaven, earth, or

hell;

much

less

creatures in

by mean and powerless a human shape, and, still less, by such as

we

are born of brute origin. *

art thou to be vanquished

are,

who

Undoubtedly,

BOOK thou

art a portion of

IV.,

my

CHAP.

sovereign lord, Narayana, the

defender of the universe." bavat, Krishna

79

xrii.

Thus addressed by Jamfully, that he had

explained to him,

descended to take upon himself the burthen of the earth, and kindly alleviated the bodily pain which the fight, by touching him with his Jambavat again prostrated himself before Krishna, and presented to him his daughter, Janiba-

bear suffered from the hand.

vati, as

'' an offering suitable to a guest.

He

also de-

Syamantaka jewel. Although a o-ift from such an individual was not fit for his acceptance, yet Krishnaf took the gem, for the purpose

livered to his visitor the

of clearing his reputation.

He

then returned, along

with (his bride) Jambavati, to Dwaraka. When the people of Dwaraka beheld Krishna alive

and returned, they were filled with delight, so that those who were bowed down with years recovered youthful vigour; and all the Yadavas, men and women, assembled round Anakadundubhi, (the father of the and congratulated him. Krishna: related to the whole assembly of the Yadavas all that had happened, exactly as it had befallen, and, restoring the Syamantaka jewel to Sattrajita, was exonerated from the crime hero),

of which he had been falsely accused.

He

then led

Jambavati into the inner apartments. When Sattrajita reflected that he had been the cause

t Achynta, in the Sanakrit. Bhagavat. t The original has

VISHNU PUllANA.

80

of the aspersions upon Krishna's character, he felt alarmed; and, to conciliate the prince, he gave him to wife his daughter, Satyabhama. The maiden had been,

previously, sought in marriage

by several

of the

most

distinguished Yadavas, as Akrura, Kfitavarman, and

Satadhanwan,*

wedded

who were

to another,

highly incensed at her being

and leagued

in

enmity against Sat-

amongst them, with Akrura and Kritavarman, said to Satadhanwanrf "This caitiff Sat-

The

trajita.

trajita

us,

chief

has offered a gross insult to you, as well as to solicited his daughter, by giving her to

who

Let him not live. Why do you not kill him, and take the jewel? Should Achyuta therefore enter into feud with you, we will take your part." Upon this Krishna.

promise, Satadhanwan undertook to slay Sattrajita.

When news burned

in the

t

Pandu had been wax,^§ Krishna, who knew

arrived that the sons of

house of

||

the real truth, set off for Varan avata, to allay the ani-

'

t

This alludes to events detailed

•^^^cT^^ir^T^

the last note, pramtikha

is

in the

l[rT^5^^^'f

:

I

Mahabharata. 1

In the passage quoted in

rendered "most distinguished"; here, "chief".

Read: "Akrura, Kritavarman, Satadhanwan, and other Yadavas": "Akrura, Kritavarman, and others."

and

The house referred to was smeared and stocked with and other combustibles, with the intention of burning Kunti and her SODS in it. The design fell through, so far as they were concerned. § Jatu, 'lac'.

lac

II

^ the

Bhagavat, in the original.

Adi-parvan, title

CXLI.— CLI. These

of Jatugriha-parvan.

chapters comprise a section bearing

BOOK

IV.,

CHAP.

81

XIII.

mosity of Duryodhana, and to perform the duties his relationship required. Satadhanwan, taking advantage of his absence, killed Sattrajita in his sleep, and took

Upon this coming to the of the gem. knowledge of Satyabhama, she immediately mounted her chariot, and, filled with fury at her father's murder, repaired to Varahavata, and told her husband how

possession

had been killed by Satadhanwan, in resentment of her having been married to another, and how he had carried off the jewel; and she implored him to take prompt measures to avenge such heinous Sattrajita

wrong. Krishna, who is ever internally placid, being informed of these transactions, said to Satyabhama, as his eyes flashed with indignation: "These are, indeed, audacious injuries: but I will not submit to them from so vile a wretch.*

They must

assail the

tree,

who

the birds that there have built their nests, f sorrow: it needs not your lamenexcessive Dismiss tations to excite any wrath.": Returning, forthwith,

would

to

kill

Dwaraka, Krishna § took Baladeva

to him:

"A

and now

lion slew Prasena,

Sattrajita has

apart,

hunting

and

said

in the forests;

been murdered by Satadhan-

wan. As both these are removed, the jewel which belonged to them is our common right. Up, then; ascend

your car; and put Satadhanwan to death!" Being thus excited by his brother, Balarama engaged resolutely in the enterprise. But Satadhanwan,

§

Vasudeva, ia the Sanskrit.

IV.

6

VISHNU PURANA.

82

being aware of their hostile designs, repaired to Ki'itavarman, and required his assistance. Kritavarman, however, dedined to assist him; pleading his inability to enccaae in a conflict with both Baladeva and Krish-

Satadhanwan, thus disappointed, applied to But he said: "You must have recourse to some other protector. How should I be able to defend you? There is no one, even amongst the immortals,—

na.*

Akrura.

whose

are

praises

verse,— who

is

celebrated

throughout the uni-

capable of contending with the wielder

stamp of whose foot the three worlds tremble; whose hand makes the wives of the Asuras widows; whose weapons no host, however mighty, can resist. No one is capable of encountering

of the discus

;

at the

who

the wielder of the ploughshare,

annihilates the

prowess of his enemies by the glances of his eyes, that roll with the joys of wine; and whose vast ploughshare manifests his might, by seizing and exterminatino;

the most formidable foes."t

"Since this

is

the

"and you are unable

case," replied Satadhanwan,*

to

me, at least accept and take care of this jewel." "I will do so," answered Akrura, "if you promise, that, even in the last extremity, you will not divulge assist

its

being in

my

possession. "

To

agreed; and Akrura took the jewel.

this

Satadhanwan

And

the former,

mounting a very swift mare,— one that could hundred leagues a day,— fled (from Dwaraka).

travel a

Here again the original has Vasudeva; and so frequently below. Ki'ishi'ia and Baladeva are is rendered very freely. eulogized, in it, under the names, respectively, of Chakrin and Sirin. •

t Akriira's speech

I

Satadhanus

below.

is

the

name,

in

the

original,

here and several times

BOOK

IV.,

CHAP.

83

XIII.

Wlien Krishna heard of Satadhanwan's

flight,

he

harnessed his four horses,— Saibya, Sugriva, Meghapushpa, and Balahaka,— to his car, and, accompanied

by Balarama,* set off in pursuit. The mare (held her speed, and) accompHshed her hundred leagues; but,

when she reached

the country of Mithila,

(lier

was exhausted, and) she (dropped down and)

strength

died. Sa-

flight on foot, where the mare had perished,) Krishna said to Balarama: f "Do you remain in the car, w^hilst I follow the villain on foot, and put him to death. The ground here is bad; and

tadhanwan,^ dismounting, continued his

(When

his pursuers

the horses will not it."

came

fee

to the place

able to drag the chariot across

Balarama, accordingly, stayed with the car; and

Krishna follow^ed Satadhanwan on

foot.

When he had

chased him for two kos, he discharged his discus;

Satadhanwan was at a considerable disweapon struck off his head. Krishna, then coming up, searched his body and his dress for the Syamantaka jewel, but found it not. He then returned to Balabhadra, and told him that they had effected the death of Satadhanwan to no purpose; for the precious gem, the quintessence of all worlds, was not upon his

and, although tance, the

person.

When

Balabhadra heard

this,

he flew into a

violent rage, and said to Vasudeva:

"Shame

you, to be thus greedy of wealth!

I

*

The Vayu

calls

upon

Sudhanwan, or Satadhanwan, king of

Mithila,

Substituted, by the Translator, for Baladeva. t The Sanskrit has Balabhadra, here and just below. •

light

acknowledge no

VISHND PURANA.

84

brotherhood with you. Here hes

my path. Go whither

have done with Dwaraka, with you, with all our house. It is of no use to seek to impose upon me with thy perjuries."* Thus reviling his brother, who fruitlessly endeavoured to appease him, Balabhadra went to the city of Videha,f where Janaka^ received him hospitably; and there he remained.

you

please.

I

Vasudeva returned

to

Dwaraka.

It

was during

his

stay in the dwelling of Janaka, that Duryodhana, the

son of Dhritarashtra, learned from Balabhadra the art of fighting with the mace.

At the expiration of three

years, Ugrasena and other chiefs of the Yadavas,+

being

satisfied that

Krishna had

rtot

the jewel, went to

Yideha,§ and removed Balabhadra's|| suspicions, and

brought him home. Akrura, carefully considering the treasures^ which the precious jewel secured to him, constantly celebrated

A

'

rather violent anachronism, to

make Janaka contemporary

with Balarama.

t Yideha mentioned. *

I

find

is

a country.

See Vol.

II.,

The name p.

of its capital, here intended,

is

not

165.

^^U%»T"IT^f7rf*C^^t,

"Babhru,

Ugrasena,

and other

Yadavas."

Who

is

the

in identifying

Babhru here mentioned?

him with the Babhru, son

There would be an anachronism of Devaviidha, named in p. 72,

supra. § 11

%

Videhapuri, "the capital of Videha."

My MSS. The

yield 'Baladeva's'.

original has 'gold', suvarna.

See notefj above.

"

BOOK and,

rites,*

religious

CHAP.

IV.,

purified

85

XIII.

with holy prayers/

lived in affluence for fifty-two years ;f and, through the

was no dearth or pestllencet At the end of that period, Sa-

virtue of that gem, there

whole

in the

The

*

country.'^

text gives the

commencement

commentator does not say whence

f^'^'^W^T ^T"^f?I

%^Pl"

"O

I

it is

of the prayer; § but the

taken: ^^•Tlffl'

goddess,

the

Kshattriya or Vaisya engaged in religious duties

"^f^^-

murderer of a is

the slayer of

Brahman;" i. e., the crime is equally heinous. Perhaps the last word should be ^"^fTlll 'is'. * Some of the circumstances of this marvellous gem IF seem a

to identify

it

with

a stone of widely diffused celebrity in the

East, and which, according given, originally, by

Noah

to

to

Mohammedan

the

writers,

*

Yajna,

t

^^^Rfpr tf ^fi^t^'l" t^r^^wwfT H^^(2itfr

'sacrifices.'

"^

"Wt^H

fT^'1"

f^^fS^"^TfX!r

a Vaisya engaged in sacrifice

Brahman:

of a

was

Japheth ; the Hajarul matar of the

therefore

is

07i

I

"For he a par, for

that

kills

^"RiT^

a Kshattriya or

sinfulness, with the slayer

he kept himself invested with the mail of re-

ligious observances for sixty-two years." I

Read "portent, famine, epidemic, or the

§ I

am

a prayer

at a is

loss to

like,"

TT'^t^TO'T^t^TI-

account for Professor Wilson's supposition that All that the scholiast says is: ^^^^rft

here given.

1

So read almost all my MSS. See note f, above. M. Langlois, in his translation of the HarivaMa, Vol. I., p. 170, note 4, observes: "Qu'etait-ce que cette pierre poetique d\x Syamaniaca? II

%

On

pourrait,

d'apres ce recit,

supposer que c'etait quelque mine de diaet I'abondance dans les etats du

mants, qui avait repandu

la richesse

prince qui la possedait.

On

pourrait

croire

aussi que

le

Syamantaca

souryacdnta,

chose qne cette pierre merveilleuse appelee par les Indiens Men et que nous prenons quelquefois pour le cristal; ou

un ornement

royal,

etait la

meme

se disputaient.

marque

distinctive de I'autorite,

que tous ces princes

VISHNU PURANA.

86

trughna, the great-grandson of Satwata,* was killed

by the Bhojas; and, as they were in bonds of alliance with Akriira, he accompanied them in their flight from

Sang yeddah of the Persians, and Jeddah tash of the

Arabs,

Turks, the possession of which secures rain and

The

fertility.

author of the Habibus Siyar gravely asserts, that this stone was in the hands of the Mongols, in his day, or in the tenth f century.

*

descent of Satrughna given in

This does not harmonize with the

the next chapter, over,

if

the

same person

intended in both places.

is

Satrughna of the next chapter

the

I

is

brother

More-

of Aknira,

Vide

infra, pp. 94, 95.

t This should be "sixteenth". +

"When,

after

the ark rested on

See the end of the next note.

escaping the tremendous catastrophe

Mount

Jiid,

and the great

direct inspiration of the Divine Being,

proceeded to

discretion,

allot

to

his

or from

children

of the Deluge,

patriarch,

either

the impulse

by the

of his

own

the different quarters

of

Yapheth the countries of the north and east. And we are further informed, that, when the latter was about to depart for the regions allotted to him, he requested that his father would instruct him in some form of prayer, or invocation, that should, whenever he the earth, he assigned

required

it,

to

procure for his people the blessing of rain.

In compliance

with this request, Noah imparted to his son one of the mysterious names of God, inscribing delivered, at the

it

on a stone;

same time,

which, as an everlasting memorial, he

into his possession.

Yapheth now proceeded,

with the whole of his family, to the north-east, according

devoting himself, that

plains in instituted,

for

as

is

manner

the

quarter, to

of those

who

a wandering and pastoral

his followers,

the

to

inhabit life;

appointment; the boundless

and, having

most just and virtuous regulations

for

their conduct, never failed to procure for them, through the influence of

him by his father, rain and moisture for whenever occasion made it necessary. This stone has been denominated, by the Arabs, the Hidjer-ul-mattyr, lapis imbifer, or rainstone; by the Persians, Sang-ijeddali, aid-stone, or stone of power; and, by the Turks, Jeddah-taush. And it is affirmed, that the same stone was preserved among the Moghiils and Ouzbeks, possessing the same myste-

the sacred deposit consigned to their lands,

rious property, to

teenth Vol.

century."

II.,

the days

Major

pp. 457, 458.

of the author,

David Price's

in the

beginning of the

Chronological

Retrospect^

six-

&c.,

BOOK

IV.,

CHAP.

Dwaraka. From the moment of

87

XIII.

his departure, various

and the whose emblem is Ga-

calamities, portents, snakes, dearth,* plague, f

began

like

to prevail

;

so that he

rudat called together the Yadavas, with Balabhadra

and Ugrasena, and recommended them to consider it was that so many prodigies should have occurred at the same time. On this, Andhaka, one of the elders of the Yadu race, thus spake: "Wherever Swa-

how

phalka,§ the father of Akriira, dwelt, there famine,

were unknown. want of rain in the kingdom of Kasiraja,!! Swaphalka was brought there, and immediately there fell rain from the heavens, t It happened, also, that the queen of Kasiraja conceived, and was

plague, dearth, and other visitations

Once, when

there was

quick with a daughter;** but,

when

the time of de-

from the womb. Twelve years passed away, and still the girl was unborn. Then Kasiraja spake to the child, and said:

livery arrived, the child issued not

your birth thus delayed? Come Why do you inflict this mother?' Thus adyour protracted suffering upon father, you will pre'If, answered: dressed, the infant 'Daughter,

forth.

why

I desire to

is

behold you.

sent a cow, every day, to the Brahmans, I shall, at the end of three years more, be born.' The king, accordingly, presented, daily, a

cow

to the

Brahmans;

and, at the end of three years, the damsel came into t Maraka.

*

AndvrisMi.

I

Uragari, in the original; significatively, 'the

\

enemy

of snakes.'

§ For his origin, vide infra, p. 94. Corrected, throughout, from "Kasiraja". II

^ "God

•

rained",

^^ ^^^.

Ascertained, says the scholiast, for such,

by means

of astrology, &c.

VISHNU PURANA.

88

Her

the world.

father called her Gandini;* and he

subsequently gave her to Swaphalka,

when he came

Gandini, as long as she

to his palace for his benefit.

gave a cow to the Brahmans every day. Akriira was her son by Swaphalka; and his birth, therefore, proceeds from a combination of uncommon excellence, f When a person such as he is is absent from us, is it likely that famine, pestilence, and prodigies + lived,

should turn.

to occur?

fail

The

faults of

Let him, then, be invited to reof exalted worth must not be

men

too severely scrutinized. "§

Agreeably to the advice of Andhaka the

elder,

the

||

Yadavas sent a mission, headed by Kesava, Ugrasena, and Balabhadra, to assure Akrurat that no notice would be taken of any irregularity committed by him; and, having satisfied him that he was in no danger, they brought him back to Dwaraka. Immediately on his arrival,

in

consequence of the properties of the and every other cal-

jewel, the plague, dearth, famine,

amity and portent ceased. reflected,

'

^

Krishna, observing

that the descent of Akriira

Krishna's reflecting,

the

this,

from Gandini

commentator observes,

is

to

be

understood of him only as consistent with the account here given of him, as

*

11

^

So

The

if

he were a mere

man

;

for,

called because of the 'cow' given

original

calls

him

as he

away

was

'daily'

"elder of the Yadus",

omniscient,

by her

father.

ej^cf^ 4^|fV|^^

Called, in the Sanskrit, Swaphalki, from the father, Swaphalka.

BOOK

IV.,

CHAP.

89

XIIT.

and Swaplialka was a cause wholly disproportionate to such an effect, and that some more powerful influence must be exerted, to arrest pestilence and famine.

"Of

a surety", said he to himself, "the great

Syamantaka jewel is in his keeping; for such, I have heard, are amongst its properties. This Akriira, too, has been lately celebrating sacrifice after sacrifice his own means are insufficient for such expenses: it is beyond a doubt, that he has the jewel." Having come to this conclusion, he called a meeting of all the Yadavas at his house, under the pretext of some festive celebration.* When they were all seated, and the purport of their assembling had been explained, and :

the business accomplished, Krishna f entered into conversation with Akriira, and, after laughing and joking, said to him: "Kinsman, you are a very prince in your liberality;

but

we know very

well, that the precious

jewel which was stolen by Satadhanwant was delivered, by him, to you, and is now in your possession, to the great benefit of this kingdom. § So let it remain.

there

was no occasion

however, appears,

for

in this

him

to

reflect

or reason.

Krishna,

story, in a very different light

from

and the adventure, it may be remarked, is detached from the place in which we might have expected to find it,— the narrative of his life,— which forms

that in

which he

is

usually represented;

the subject of the next Book.

f Jauardana, in the Sanskrit. * Corrected from "Sudhanwan",— a mere

But vide supra,

p. 83,

note

1.

slip of the pen,

presumably.

VISHNU PURANA.

90

We

derive advantage from

all

bhadra suspects that

I

kindness to me, show

who had

Akrura,

have it

it;

But Bala-

its virtues.

and, therefore, out of

(to the

When

assembly)."

was thus "If I deny

the jewel with him,

taxed,

he hesitated what he should do. that I have the jewel," thought he, "they will search my person, and find the gem hidden amongst my clothes. I

cannot submit to a search."

So

reflecting,

Akrura

whole world: "It is true that the Syamantaka jewel was entrusted to me by Satadhanwan.* When he went from hence, I expected, every day, that you would ask me for it; said to Narayana, the cause of the

and with much inconvenience, therefore, until

it

so

now.f

much

The charge

of

anxiety, that I have

it

have kept

me

to

been incapable of en-

joying any pleasure, and have never ease.

I

has subjected

Afraid that you would think

known a moment's

me

unfit to retain

possession of a jewel so essential to the welfare of the I forbore to mention to you its being in my But now take it, yourself, and give the care of Having thus spoken, Akrura it to whom you please." drew forth, from his garments, a small gold box,+ and took from it the jewel. On displaying it to the assembly of the Yadavas, the whole chamber where they

kingdom, hands.

sat

was illuminated by

ffTHfTT

its

radiance.

I

*

Here

*

Samudgaka.

-we find

Satadhanus again, in the Sanskrit,

"This", said

BOOK "is the

Akri'ira,

IV.,

CHAP.

(Syamantaka) gem, which was con-

me by Satadhanwan. belongs now take it." When the Yadavas beheld

whom

Let him to

signed to

filled

91

xiir.

the jewel,

it

they were

with astonishment, and loudly expressed their

Balabhadra immediately claimed the jewel, with Achyuta, as formerly

delight.

as his property jointly

agreed upon;* whilst Satyabhama demanded as

right,

it

it,

as her

had, originally, belonged to her father.

Between these two, Krishna considered himself as an ox between the two wheels of a cart,f and thus spake to Akriira, in the presence of

all

the Yadavas: "This

jewel has been exhibited to the assembly, in order to

my reputation. It is the joint right of Balabhadra and myself, and is the patrimonial inheritance of Satyabhama. But this jewel, to be of advantage to the w^hole kingdom, should be taken charge of by a person who leads a life of perpetual continence. If worn by clear

an impure individual,

it

will

be the cause of his death.

have sixteen thousand wives, I am not qualified to have the care of it. It is not likely that Satyabhama will agree to the conditions that would

Now,

as

I

her to the possession of the jewel ;t and, as to Balabhadra, he is too much addicted to wine and entitle

the pleasures of sense to lead a are, therefore,

^^ t

I

life

of self-denial.

out of the question; and

all

Bala and Satya are the proper names that here occur.

efi^

%rI^^*ITTr

I

The

We

the Yada-

original has nothing more.

VISHNU PURANA.

92

Satyabhama,* and myself request you,

vas, Balabhadra,

most bountiful Akrura, to retain the care of the jewel, as you have done hitherto, for the general good: for you are qualified to have the keeping of it; and, in your hands, it has been productive of benefit to the You must not decline compliance with our country. request." Akrura, thus urged, accepted the jewel, and,

wore

thenceforth,

it,

publicly,

round

his neck,

where

shone with dazzling brightness; and Akrura moved about like the sun, wearing a garland of light.

it

He who

calls

to

mind the vindication f of from false aspersions

character of) Krishna t

(the shall

never become the subject of unfounded accusation in the least degree, and, living in the senses, shall

'

The

full

be cleansed from every

story of the

Sjamantaka gem occurs

Vayu, Matsya, Brahma, and Hari

may be

Variisa,

exercise of his

sin.

|1

^

in the

and

other Purarias.

H

whole

Independently of the part borne, in

it

series.

It

considered as one

is

Bhagavata, § alluded to in

common it,

to the

by Krishna,

presents a curious and, no doubt, a faithful, picture of ancient

manners, acts

of

— in

the loose self-government of a kindred clan, in the

personal

which ensue,

violence which

in the public

that is taken,

are committed,

in the feuds

meetings which are held, and the part

by the elders and by the women,

in all the pro-

ceedings of the community.

*

Here again called Satya, in the original. f Kshdland, literally, 'washing'. * Substituted, by the Translator, for Bhagavat. § X., LVI. and LVII. Chapters XXXVIII. and XXXIX. II

^

The version

of the story given in the preceding pages is

than that of any other Purana

I

have examined.

much

fuller

—

CHAPTER The

Andhaka.

Anamitra, of Swaphalka and Chitraka, of

Sini, of

Descendants of

XIV.

children of

his daughter Pritha married to

Pandu her :

children,

and his brothers; also Kariia, by Aditya.

thira

Husbands and children

Paridu by

Madrf.

daughters.

Previous births of Sisupala.

THE

The

Devaka and Ugrasena.

de-

Children of Siira: his son Vasudeva:

scendants of Bhajamana.

Yudhish-

The sons

of Sura's

younger brother* of Anamitra f was

of

other

Sini;t

son was Satyaka; his son was Yiiyudhana, also

his

known by

the

name

of Satyaki; his son was Asanga;§

his son w^as Timi;^|| his son

was Yugandhara.

^

These

princes were termed Saineyas.l '

^

Dyumni: Matsya.ff

Kuiii: Bhagavata.**

Bhuti: Vayu.

The Agni makes

these,

all,

brother's sons of Satyaka, and

adds another, Kishabha, the father of Swaphalka. •

'Son', according to two

MSS.

f Vide supra,

p. 73.

This Sini, according to the Bhdgavata-purdna, IX., XXIV., 13, was son of Anamitra. The same work, in the stanza immediately preceding that just referred to, recognizes the Sini of our text,— a brother of Anamitra. *

vide supra, p. 74, note *,

— speaks

youngest son of Anamitra, son of

Vfishiii.

The Kitrma-p., Here, Sini

From

is

this the

According to

also,

Vdyii-purdna

,

Section,

Prior

the youngest son of Vrishni. § Variants: Sanga, Sanjaya, II

Kuiii, in

differs slightly.

Sini was son of Anamitra, youngest son of Vrishiii.

this,

The Linga-purdna

of two Sinis:

one MS.;

%

The Vdyu-purdtia

**

And

Srii'ii,

calls

LXIX.,

15,

knows only one

Sini,

(?)

and Asima.

Jaya: Bhdgavata-purdna.

in another.

them Bhautyas,

as being descendants of Bhiiti.

so in the Linga-purdna.

Caltt Bhiimi, in the Harivamsa, which here wants a stanza, in the

cutta edition.

VISHNU PURANA.

94

In the family of Anamitra, Pfisni*

was born;

his

son was Swaphalka/ the sanctity of whose character f has been described: the younger brother of Swaphalka

was named Chitraka.t Swaphalka had, by Gandini, Upamadgu,§ Mfidura,|| Arimebesides Akrura,

'

The

Swaphalka, IF according

authorities are not agreed here.

comes from

to the Agni, as just remarked,

Sini, the son of

Ana-

The Bhagavata, instead of Prisni, has Vrishi'ii, son of Anamitra;** the Brahma ff and Hari Vamsa++ have Vfishni; and The Matsya also makes the Agni, Prishni, son of Yudhajit,§§ mitra.

Yudhcijit the ancestor of Akrura, through Rishabha and Jayanta.

Yudhajit, in the Brahma, &c.,

the son of Kroshtri.

is

||

jl

MSS. f "Sanctity of character" is for prahkdva. Bhdgavata-piinma. According to the Llnga-purd/ia,

*

Yi'ishni, in four

+

Chitraratha:

Chitraka was son of Sumitra. §

Two MSS.

give

Upamangu,

as in,

instance,

for

the

Vdyu-purdna;

which then has Mangn, as has the Brahmd-purdna. Several of the notes with note II

^

that

should

follow

1)C

compared together, and

in p. 96, infra.

The Brahma-purdi'ia has Madura.

Also read Mridara and Mi'idn.

Swaphalka was son of Yudhajit, son, the commentator says, was Devaniidliusha; and ho explains the term Varshiii, applied to Swaphalka, The text is as follows: as signifying "founder of the Vrishi'ii family".

^

According

to

the

Liiuja-purdna,

This

son of a son of Madri.

Comment: ** Vrishi'ii

^TT^IT:

unnamed

frT^ ^^^W^^^TT^??^"^^

was Anamitra's third son, according

XXIV., 14. tt My MS. gives Prishni, son §§ The Vdyu-purdna has:

to the

g^TTf^TT:

Puraua referred

to: IX.,

NJ

Compare

^

of Yudhajita.

s»

\e

^

XI SI. 1908.

\»

the first verse of the stanza quoted in note

the Ilarivamia,

il.

2080.

|li|

^, ahove; and see

Vide supra, p. 73, note

3,

ad fintm-

:

BOOK jaya,*

Giri,

CHAP. XIV.

IV.,

95

Ksliattropakshattra,f Satruglina,t Ari-

mardaiia, § Dharmadhrik, moclia, Avalia,

Drislitasarman,1I Gandhaand Prativaha. f f He had, also, a

"^"'

||

^

++

daughter, Sutara. ++

'

The

vary in the reading of these names,

different authorities

Professor Wilson had "Sarimejaya"; his Hindu-made English version,

*

''Ravi,

The

Sarinjaya," preceded by "Mi'ida".

-

original,

T'^^f^lJT-

f^Tf^'^*'? might be resolved into "Miidu, Ravisa, Arimejaya": but that this is corrupt appears from the high authority of the Vdyu-purd/ia,

which reads

t These names are written, in the original, as one long compound; and it is more likely than not that we should here read "Kshattra, Professor Wilson's

Upakshattra".

Bengal translation has "Girikshetra,

Upakshetra". One MS. gives Kshattropeta. The Vdyu-purd/ia gives, plainly, Girirakshas and Yaksha. I

Satruhan

§

Three MSS.

:

BraJnna-'purdna.

The Vdyu-purd/ia seems

have Avimardana.

to

give

Parimardana. Dharmabhrit:

II

^

Vdyu-purd/ia and Brahma-purdiia.

Corrected from "Dhrisht'asarman".

One MS. has Drisht'adharma, Wilson had, instead of two names, "Gandhamojavaha"; and all my MSS. but one— which has Gandhamohavaha, might be read There is little risk in the alteration which I to yield Gandhamojavaha. ** Professor

—

have ventured; as the Vdyu-purd/ia has

****** IffT^Tf 3Tf?f^Tft

^[s^ift^^^Tx?-?::

^ ^ft^T

I

WTTl^T

II

ft In the Brahna-purdiia there are, hereabouts, in my single MS., many partly undecipherable, and yet indubitable, variations from the Vish/iupurd/ia.

The

Uariva/'/iia

adds

chapter under annotation, scarcely worth that XX

work

is

with

reference it

to

the

has seemed

while to swell the notes by transcribing, particularly as

The Vdyu-purd/ia

my MSS.;

our Purai'ia,

so easily accessible.

in note «*, above. to

to

not a few particulars which

calls

her Vasudeva.

In the Li/iga-purd/ia, her

in the Hariva/hsa, Sundari.

See the Sanskrit quotation is Sudhara, according

name

VISHNU PURANA.

96

Devavat and Upadeva* were the sons of Aki'ura.f The sons of Chitrakat were Prithu and Viprithu, § and many others/ Andhaka|| had four sons, Kutbough they generally concur '

in the

The Matsya and Padma

call

number.

If

them sons of Akrura,

no

but,

doubt, incorrectly.**

*

Instead of these two names,

one MS. has Deva and Anupadeva,

Bengal translation. The Brahma-purdna gives Yastudeva and Upadeva; the Harivaima, Prasena and Upadeva. and Haf His vi'ife, according to the Linga-purd/'ia, Brahma-purdna, as has Professor Wilson's.

rivaihsa, is Ugraseni. *

Corrected from "Chitrika".

§

Corrected,

Viduratha: Bhdgavata-purdna.

from "Vipritha".

The Vdyu-purdna has Satyaka, ^ The Linga-purdna has, in my MSS.: Akrura, Upamangu, Mangu, Vfita, Janamejaya, Girirakshas, Upaksha, Satrughna, Arimardana, DharmaThe Haribhfit, Yiisht'adharma, Godhana, Vara, Avaha, and Prativaha. vamia, si. 1916 1918, has, in my best MSS.: Akrura, Upamangu, Mangu, Mridara, Arimejaya, Arikshipa, Upeksha, Satrughna, Arimardana, Dharmadhrik,Yatidharmau,Gndhramojandhaka, Avaha, Prativaha. In ^/. 2083— 2085, II

—

we

find

Madura

Satruhan

for

for Mridara, Girikshipa for Arikshipa,

Akshepa

for

Upeksha,

Satrughna, Dharmabhrit for Dharmadhrik, and Dharmin for

The Bhdgavata-purdna has

Yatidharman.

:

Akrura, Asanga,

Sarameya,

Miidura, Mriduvid (or Mfiduri), Giri, Dharmavriddha, Sukarman, Kshetropeksha, Arimardana, Satrughna, Gandhamada, Pratibahu. The Brahtnapurdiia has, with other names,

readings of the

Arimejaya, Avaha, and Prativaha.

The

Vdyu-purdna, scattered through the preceding notes, are

especially deserving of attention.

There

is little

doubt, that, of

all

the Purai'ias, the

Vdyu-purdna generally

presents, in their oldest extant Paurauik form, the particulars that

make

up the works of the class to which it belongs. ** In the Vdyu-purdna they are called Prithu, Viprithu, Aswagriva, Aswabahu, Suparswaka, Gaveshaiia, Arisht'anemi, Aswa, Suvarman, In the Linga-purdna we read: Dharmabhrit, Abhiimi, and Bahubhiimi. Viprithu,

Prithu,

Aswagriva, Subahu,

Sudhasiika,

Gaveshana,

Arishta-

nemi, Aswa, Dharma, Dharmabhrit, Subhiimi, and Bahubhiimi. Much the same persons are named in the Brahma-purdna, where they are called

The list 2087—2089.

sons of Sumitra. 1920, 1921

;

slightly differs,

again, in the JIartvaMa,

dl.

BOOK

CHAP. XIV.

IV.,

97

The son was Kapotaroman; his son was Viloman;^§ his son was Bhava/ who was also called Chandanodakadundubhi;'^]] he was a

kiira,*Bhajamana, Suchi. ^ Kambalabarliisha.f

Kukura was Vrishta;^+

of

his son

—

Vayu.

Saiiiin:1I

'

makes them

Matsya.

Sasi:

^

:

Agni.**

Matsya, &c.

This

Dhrishta:

++

Kapotaroman; saying he was Vilomaja,

Matsya;

Nava:

have Raivata,

Linga.***

Bala:

Corrected, here and below, from

*

aa

Vayu;||||

Nala:

Tamas:

Matsya.

Bhagavata.

:

The Matsya, Vayu, and Agni agree with our

*

it

'irregularly

Agni.lfl

Tittiri,

Agni.

Anu

Kiirma.

we

place of Viloman,

In

begotten.' Taittiri,

last

Sundara.

Dhrishnu: Brahma, §§ Hari Vaiiisa. The Bhagavata puts Viloman first. The Linga makes

epithet of

*

Sini

calls the first

Vayu,

Vfishni: Bhagavata,ff

^

Agni.

and

the sons of Babhvu,

"Kukkura", which

I

The

text.

find nowhere.

The Vdyu-yurdna has Kakuda. t Corrected from "Kambalavarhish". + In one MS. is Dhrishta; in another,

Cue MS. here The ordinary

§ II

that followed by the Translator,

reading,

^r^^'^^^^^^^^f^^

^IIT

Vrisht'i.

inserts Taittiri; another, Taitiri.

Tt^T^TT^ ^*i^«i^

in

my MSS.

Colonel

near the end.

.

Srisantakarna.

In Colonel Wilford's manuscript extracts,

I

find

Purnotsanga, and

Also see the Asiatic Researches, Vol. IX., i>. IIG. Satakanii, and 5G years, in the collection just spoken of.

IS years.

%%

16'

Colonel

:

VISHNU Pl'RANA.

196

will

be Lambodara;' his son will be Ivilaka;^* his son be Meghaswati;^ his son will be Patumat;^ his

but

the

will

^

Apilaka,

lika,

11

him,

before

has,

latter

18 years, Matsya.

'

a

Srfvaswani, f

18

years.

t

12 years,

Chivilika or Vivi-

Vayu and Matsya;§

Bhagavata.

Omitted, Vayu and Matsya.l Patumavi, ** 24 years, Vayu; Atamana,tt Bhagavata.

' *

Wilford,

in

the Asiatic Researches where

has the same.

It

of Srisatakarui's

state the length

Two MSS.

*

referred

to

my

in

last

note,

same time, he does not reign,— 56 years,— but leaves a blank.

noticeable, that,

is

at

the

Colonel Wilford professes to have found

exhibit Divilaka.

Yivilaka.

Vide infra,

t This strange word must, certainly, be a mistake. note

200,

p.

f.

In Colonel Wilford's excerpts, the Vdyu-purdria here, again, agrees Also see the But I suspect interpolation. the Matsya-purdna.

+

with

Asiatic Researches, Vol. IX., p. 116,

My MSS.

§

I!

a

of the

Matsya-purdna have Apitaka; and

copy, according to Professor Wilson.

cliffe

The name intended seems

trisyllable;

as

evident

is

to

be

Vide infra,

Vikala.

from the verse

At

where

all it

Rad-

so has the p.

199, note 4.

events,

occurs

it

for

is

the

second time

Colonel Wilford has

Vivilaka,

which

may have

suggested Professor

Wilson's "Vivilika".

f MS.

It agrees, here,

as represented

according to my MSS., and according to the Radcliffe Vide infra, by Professor Wilson, with our Purana.

note §. This name looks rather doubtful. Colonel Wilford's MS. of extracts has Paduravi. The Colonel prints "Pat'umabi". The person here intended may be the same as Puclumayi, or whatever p. 200,

•

his

of

name is, mentioned in the Nasik cave-inscriptions. Bombay Asiatic Society, Vol. VII., p. 52.

See the Journal

the.

tt Corrected from "Drirhamana", which is quite indefensible, and must The "rh" is meant for 'dh'. have been misread for something else. Colonel Wilford has the name above. See the verse quoted in note '

,

I

have given, of which

I

find

no variant.

BOOK

197

CHAP. XXIV.

IV.,

son will be Arishtakarman

; '

son will be Hala;' his

* his

his son will be Pravilasena;*t

son will be Pattalaka;'f

be Sundara (named) Satakarnin;^§ his son be Chakora Satakarnin;*' his son will be Siva-

his son will will

'

Nemikrishna,

Matsya. ^ ^ *

25

years,

5 years, Matsya; Haleya, Bhagavata. 1 year, Vayu; Mandalaka, IF 5 years, Matsya ** omitted, Bhagavata. ff ;

Purishasena,n

II

21

years,

Vayu;

Purindrasena,

5 years,

gives

him three

Purishataru, §§ Bhagavata.

;

Satakanii only,

years; ^

Arishtakarrii,

Hala,

Matsya *

Vayu;

25 years,

|1

Vayu and Matsya:

the second, but one.

II

Chakora,fff

6 months,

ff

the

first

Sunanda,*** Bhagavata.

Vayu;

Vikarrii, 6 months, Matsya.

Arishtakania is the name given by Colonel Wilford. t Corrected from "Talaka", which I find in no MS. of our Purana. Colonel Wilford Professor Wilson's Hindu-made version has Uttalaka. *

gives the

name

correctly.

See, further, note ft, below.

Three MSS. have, like Colonel Wilford, Praviliasena; one, Pulindasena. In like manner, I have amended, just § Corrected from "Satakarni". Colonel Wilford below, "Chakora Satakarni" and "Sivasri Satakanii". has Sundara Satakarna and Chakora Satakarni. t

jl

^

Anisht'akarman

:

Bhdgavata-purd/ia.

Corrected from "Mandalaka".

** The Vdyu-purdna here assigns a reign of 5 years to some king whose name is utterly corrupted in my MSS. Colonel Wilford has Pulaka, and o years: Asiatic Researches, Vol. IX., p. 116. is tt Not so: it has Talaka, which Colonel Wilford found, and which in all my MSS., &c. ** I find Purikasheiia; and so found Colonel Wilford. impossible. §§ I find Purishabhiru. Colonel Wilford's "Purishbhoru" is III!

In the

Vdyu-purdna, according

to

my

copies,

Satakanii

is

made

to

reign but one year:

And

^^

so says Colonel Wilford.

Vide infra,

p.

201, note f-

•**

Sunandana is the name; and Colonel Wilford so has Also vid^ ttt The Vdyu-purdna has Chakorasatakariii. note

+.

Chakora

is

the

name

in the

Bkdgavata-purdna.

it.

infra,

p.

201,

198

VISHNU PURANA.

swati;*

his son will be Gomatiputra;''""

his

son

be Pulimat;^ his son will be Sivasri Satakarnin son will be Sivaskandha; 1

;

will

f his

^

his son will be Yajnasri;*'§

t

Vayu and Matsya.H Gotamiputra, ** 21 years, Vayu and Matsya.

28 years,

!|

Pulomat, ff 28 years, Matsya; Pnrimat, Bhagavata. Omitted, Vayu; 7 years, Matsya; Medasiras,

Vayu

Omitted,

t+

Bhagavata.

Matsya. §§ 29 years, Vayu;||il 9 years, Matsya. *

A

single

;

7 years,

MS. has Gotaraiputra, which may be

original reading of the

Vishnu-purdna.

a restoration

See note §, below.

of the

The Bhdgn-

vata-purdna has Gomatiputra.

t Colonel Wilforrl bisects him into Satakarni and Sivasri. X One MS. gives Sivaskanda, the reading of Colonel Wilford, of the Translator's Bengal version, and that of the Bhdgavata-purdna. § Satakarni,

and

called

—

referred

presently states,

is

king

of

south,

the

— as

Wilson

Professor

an inscription at Junagur.

to in

See the

Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, for 1838, pp. 339 and 341; and the Journal of the Bombay Asiatic Society, Vol. VII., pp. 120 and This inscription, which

126.

is

in Sanskrit,

shows that the name of the

king in question begins with a dental sibilant. Further, in the Nasik cave-inscriptions,

posed to correspond jnasri Satakarni.

to

Srisatakanii,

Journal of

the

names

are found which are sup-

Gotamiputra Srisatakarni, and Ya-

Bombay

Asiatic Society, Vol. V., pp. 43,

47, 66.

We

have,

it is evident, excellent authority for accepting Gotamiputra, Gautamiputra and Gomatiputra. According to Colonel Wilford, the Vdyu-purdna has Sivaswamin. I

as against II

find Sivaswati.

^ Colonel Wilford represents the Bhdgavata-purdna as naming Vat'aka and Sivaswati between Chakora and Gomati})utra. The name Vataka is in no MS. that I have examined; and there is no room for it in the line where it was supposed to occur. **

Gautamiputra

is

in both

has this name. But see note

Puranas, in

§,

above,

my

copies

ad finem;

;

and Colonel Wilford

also, note § in p. 201, infra.

ft The Vdyu-purdna has no name here. XX Corrected from "Medhasiras". §§ ilil

Vide infra,

p.

201, note

Yajnasri Satakarnin,

\\.

and 19 years,

purdiia but one, which gives,

like

in

all

my

copies of the

Colonel Wilford, 29 years.

Vdyu-

BOOK

IV.,

CHAP. XXIV.

199

his son will be Vijaya;^ his son will be Chandrasri;^ his son will be Pulomarchis.'^ 6 years,

'

These'' thirty

Vayu* and Matsya.

Dandasri,f 3 years, Vayu; Chandrasri,

^

Andhra-

10 years,

t

Matsya;

Chandravijua, § Bhagavata. Pulovapi,

^

II

7 years,

Vayu; Pulomat,

7 years,

Matsya; Salo-

madhi,1[ Bhagavata.

The Vayu and Bhagavata

*

state,

also,

30 kings,

and 456

years;** the Matsya has 29 ff kings, and 460 years. The actual enumeration of the text gives but 24 names; that of the Bhagabut 23; that of the Vayu, but

vata,

whole 29 names, adding several

The Matsya has

17.

to the

list

the

of our text; and the

aggregate of the reigns amounts to 435 years and 6 months.

The

difference

probably, from

between

this

and

some inaccuracy

pears to be fuller than any other, it

as

it

in

the

total

++

arises,

MSS. As this list apmay be advisable to insert

the

it

occurs in the Radcliffe copy of the Matsya Purana:§§

Colonel Wilford has Satakarni, and 60 years.

"

specified

I

suspect an error.

t The full name, in the Vdyu-purdna, is Danflasri Satakarni. * Vide infra, p. 201, note *» My MSS. here harmonize neither with .

the Radclifte as quoted by Professor Wilson, nor with the

MS. which he

used for his short notes hereabouts. § Corrected

The

also, has.

the

name

that

Colonel

Wilford,

original runs:

Colonel Wilford seems to have found Puloman.

II

^

from "Chaudravijaya",

Corrected,

"Lomadhi"

is

Colonel Wilford's from "Sulomadhi" mere blunder, and easily enough to be accounted for.

here and below, a

See the verse quoted in note §, above. The aggregate which I find is 411 years:

*

ft My MSS. of the Matsya-purdiia agree in saying 19; and herein, to begin with, they must, all, be corrupt This aggregate cannot be received with confidence, as must be clear II

from

the

details

given in

my numerous

annotations on

the

list

that

follows.

§§

It

must have been some other copy, and one abounding with omisWilson followed for his last twenty-four notes pre-

sions, that Professor

VISHNU PURANA.

200

bhritya kings will reign four hundred and fifty-six years. 1.

Sisuka

23 years.

2.

Krishna

18

3.

Simalakarrii*

18

4.

Purnotsanga

18

5.

Srivaswanif

18

6.

Satakarrii

56

7.

Lambodara

18

8.

Apitaka*

12

Sangha§

18

10.

Satakarnill

18

11.

Skandhaswati

7

12.

Mrigendra1[

3

13.

Kuntalaswati**

8

14.

Swatikarria

15.

Pulomavitfl

IG.

Gorakshaswasri

9.

Matsya-purdna, quite

;

else,

why

look

into

while,

much from

as

... 25

t+

when we

ceding that under annotation present themselves,

1

36

Radcliffe

importance of the matter before us,

make

to

with

out,

certainty,

the

duration of the reign of each,

numerous discrepancies that My four MSS. of the

details?

considerably

differing

the

the

shall

I

among themselves,

differ

Whatever the copy as here cited. it being hopeless, with my materials, twenty-nine desired kings, and the not enter into

many

particulars,

in dealing with the Translator's regal catalogue. *

And

To I

be corrected to Srimallakariii.

Compare note 2 all my MSS.

in p. 196, supra-

10 years assigned to him, in

find

t Skandhastambhi is the reading in my copies. Vide supra, p. 196, notes 2 and §. I § [|

My MSS. Swati

have Meghaswati. the reading which

is

%

Mfigendraswatikarna, in

**

All

my

I

find.

my MSS.

copies give Kuntalaswatikarna.

ft Pulomavi

is

the

name

in

my MSS.

;

and then follows Meghaswati,

with 38 years. t+

note

My MSS. 1

in p.

have Gaurakrishna, Naurikrishna, and Vikrishiia. 197, supra.

Compare

:

BOOK After these,

IV.,

various

201

CHAP. XXIV. races will

reign;

17.

Hala

5 years.

18.

Mantalaka*

5

5

19.

Purindrasenaf

20.

Rajadaswati*

21.

Sivaswati

28

seven

as,

6 months.

22.

Gautamiputra §

21

23.

Pulomat

28

24.

Sivasri

25.

Skandhaswati

26.

Yajnasril

27.

Vijaya

28.

Vadasri**

29.

Pulomat

7

7

II

9 6

10 7

Total: 435 years, 6 months. Several of the names vary, in this

not, with the other appellations,

the

metre,

and

The dynasty ++

*

list,

from those

in

This

is

Vide supra,

the p.

is

seem

to

copy.

according to the convenience of

be the family designations

or

of considerable chronological interest, as

name

in

one of

197, notes 3

my MSS.

Chakoraswatikania, in

§ This corrects the

titles. it

ad-

the rest having Mandalaka.

;

and %. this name, Sundaraswatikari'ia, and

t My copies give, after Vide supra, p. 197, note 5, and the annotations thereon. *

my

adjuncts Swati and Satikarriaff appear to be conjoined, or

The

1

year.

my MSS.

name

in note 2

198, supra, which see,

in p.

and

the annotation thereon. I

lind Sivaskandasatakarni,

and 9 years.

Ij

if

Yajnasrisatakaruika, and 20 years, according to

** In

my

also, find Swatikarna Below are the details of the Andhrabhi'ityas, according to the chapter the BrahmdMa-purdna copied in Colonel Wilford's volume of Pauranik

tt

I

;

++

of

my MSS.

See notes 2 and I in p. 199, supra. Satakarnin, Satakarni, and Satakaniika.

copies, Chandasvisatakarni.

extracts

Chhismaka Krishna

23 years.

Srisatakarni

18

18

202

VISHNU PIRANA.

Abhiras,

Gardabhilas

ten

,

*

Sakas,

sixteen

eight

some plausible verifications. That a powerful race of Andhra princes ruled in India in the beginning of the Christian

mits of

Piirnotsanga

18 years.

Satakan'ii

56

Lambodara

18

Apilaka

12

Saudasa

18

Avi(??)

12

Skandaswati

7

Bhavaka

5

12

Pravillasena

Sundara Satakarni Chakora Satakarni

Mahendra

1

6 3

Satakariii

Knntala Satakarni

8

Swatisheiia

Yantramati

1

34

(??)

Satakarni

29

4

Avi(??)

Sivaskanda Satakariii

The

8

Yajnasri Satakarni

.19

Dandasri Satakarni

3

Puloman

7

(sic)

reign of Chakora

is

here given as of six years,

— not

months, as

the Matsya-purdna.

in

The

Brahindnda-ptirdna

The duration

number.

enigmatically.

asserts

that

of the dynasty

Apparently,

it

is

these kings is

given, but

will is

be

thirty

in

expressed rather

418 years.

Colonel Wilford, in preparing his table of the Andhrabhi'ityas, in the Asiatic Researches, Vol. IX., p. 116, could not have followed, exclusively, BrakmdMa-purd/ia, the extract of his which I have been obliged

for the

means of controlling it. Thus, his text must have difmine or he would not have given the reign of Srisatakanii as of ten years. And again, he assigns 28 years to Skandaswati; his to use without

fered from

extract

seems

;

assigning to

only

7,

and most

distinctly,

too.

Like

myself,

he

have had no other than the strange-looking readings Avi and

Yiintramati. * I

Corrected from "Garddhabas", an inadvertence for "Gardabhas", which

find

nowhere.

Professor Wilson's

Hindu-made version has Gardabhiras.

:

BOOK Yavanas,

we

era,

;

Tusharas,

fourteen

*

Miindas,

thirteen

from Pliny, who describes them as possessed of

learn

thirty fortified cities, with an

The Andraef

phants.

203

CHAP. XXIV.

IV.,

army

of 100,000

men and

2000 ele-

of this writer are, probably, the people of

Andhra being the proper deThe Peutingerian tables, however, place

the upper part of the Peninsula;

signation of Telingana.

on the banks of the Ganges; and the southern

the Andre-Indi

princes

may have

Towards

extended, or shifted, the

the close of the dynasty,

we

site

agree with those of princes of middle India, of is

made by

pili,

the Chinese

as,

;

A. D. 408 (Des Guignes,

king of Magadha in 621

of their power.

names

find

that appear to

whom

mention

Yue-gnai (Yajnasri), king of KiaI.,

45),

and Ho-Io-mien (PulomJint),

(ibid., I., 56).

The

Pauraiiik

lists

place

two princes more nearly together; but we cannot rely implicitly upon their accuracy. Calculating from Chandragupta these

downwards, the Indian date of Yajna and the Chinese Yue-gnai corresponds

;

for

we have

10

Mauryas

137 years.

10

Sungas

112

4 27

Kaiiwayanas

45

Andhras

437§ 731

Deduct, for Chandragupta's date, 312 B. C. 419 A.C.,

But

1

suspect that Gardabhila

and that

it

had

its origin,

of confusion between wf and

Colonel

is

only a Bengal corruption of (iardabhin

in part, in the liability, in the local characters, «5T.

Compare Vol

writes "Gardabhinas",

Wilford

would have led him

to write Gardabhins.

II.,

p.

100, note f. for

grammar

Asiatic Researches,

Vol. IX.,

though

regard

and 219. One MS. has Tushkaras. For the Tusharas or Tukharas, see Vol. 176, note •; and p. 186, note 5, with the annotatidns thereon.

pp. 155

p.

t Pliny speaks of gens Andarce: VI., XIX. + The nominative case of Pulomat. § This total

is

exceedingly doubtful.

Whence

it

is

taken, too?

II.,

VISHNU PURANA.

204

Maunas,

eleven

— (altogether,

seventy-nine

prin-

a date remarkably near that derivable from the Chinese annals.

Puloman be the same with the Chinese Ho-lo-mien, some considerable omission in the Pauranik dynasty. There is a further identification in the case of Ho-lomien, which makes it certain that a prince of Magadha is inIf the Indian

there must be

tended

;

as the place of his residence

is called,

Kia-so-mo-pu-lo-ching and Po-to-li-tse-ching,

The

*

sumapura and Pataliputra.

by the Chinese,

equivalent of the latter

consists not only in the identity of the sounds Patali

but in the translation of 'putra' by 'tse'; each

in

their respective languages,

son.

No

'

and Po-to-

word meaning,

li,

'

Kuname

or, in Sanskrit,

doubt

can be enter-

tained, therefore, that the city intended is the metropolis of

gadha, or

— Pataliputra,

Puloman f with

Wilford

or Palibothra.

the Po-lo-mu-en of

identifies

the Chinese;

Ma-

Pulomat but

Des

Guignes interprets Po-lo-mu-en-kue,t 'royaume des Brahmanes.'

Buchanan (Hamilton), following the Bhagavata, as to the name Salomadhi, would place him about A.D. 846; but his premises are far from accurate, and his deduction, in this of the last king,

instance at least,

Introduction, p.

is 16.

of no weight: Genealogies of the Hindus,

He

supposes the Andhra kings of Magadha

have retained their power on the Ganges

to

medan invasion

(or the twelfth century),

the south, and reigned at

Warankal,

until

when

the

Moham-

they retired to

in Telingana.

Inscriptions

and coins, however, confirm the statement of the Purarias, that a different dynasty succeeded to the Andhras some centuries before the that,

Mohammedan

conquests; and the Chinese, also, record,

upon the death of the king of Magadha, Ho-lo-mien (Pu-

loman?), some time before A. D. took place.

Des Guignes.

Some

648,

very

great troubles

curious

in

India

and authentic

testimony to the actual existence of these Andhra kings has been

*

The

full

representation

of the Chinese is

"Pafaliputra City",

t See note + in the preceding page. + Equivalent to Brdhma/ia-rdsht'ra.

"Kusumapura City" and

BOOK

who

ces)/*

will

IV.,

205

CHAP. XXTV.

be sovereigns of the earth for one

by the discovery of an ancient inscription in Guwhich Rudra Daman, the Kshatrapa (or Satrap) of Su-

lately afforded jarat,

in

recorded to have repeatedly overcome Satakarni.f king

rashtra,

is

of the

southern

country (Dakshinapatha).

without date; but

it is

two Maurya

the

its

inscription

Chandragupta and Asoka,

princes,

very long prior to

The

is

an old character, and makes mention of

in

Mr.

composition.

as

Prinsep, to

J.

if

not

whom we

are indebted for the deciphering and translating of this important

document, has been, also, successful

on a series

amongst clined,

coins

of

whom

the

belonging

name

of

to

in

deciphering the legends

the

princes

of

Surasht'ra,

Rudra Daman occurs; and he

is

in-

although with hesitation, to place these princes about a

century after Asoka,

— or

Rudra Daman, about 153 B. C. JourMay, 1837, and April, 1838. :

nal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,

According

to the

computation hazarded above, from our

text, the

Andhra kings should not commence till about 20 years B. C, which would agree with Pliny's notice of them; but it is race of

possible that they existed earlier in the south of India, although

they established their authority in

Magadha only

in the first cen-

turies of the Christian era.

parallel dynasties are thus particularized in our other

These

'

authorities:

Abhiras, vata.

7,

Gardabhins,

*

I

Matsya;

10,

Vayu; kings of Avabhriti,

7,

Bhaga-

+

10, §

Matsya,

have parenthesized

this

|1

Vayu, Bhagavata.

sumination, as being added from the com-

mentary. Vide supra, p. 198, note §. t Corrected from "Satakarui". Avabhfityas. The comment It calls these Abhiras by the name of tator on the Bhdgavata-purdna says they were so denominated, as beingkings of the city of Avabhriti. § I!

7,

in

both the Puranas, in

Gardabhilas

is

the

name

all

in

my all

copies of them.

my MSS.

of the

which recognizes only seven of them. Rut vide supra, on the probability that Gardabhila is a mere corruption.

Matsya-purdna, p.

202, note »,

206

VISHNU PURANA.

thousand three hundred and ninety-nine* years; and, Sakas,

f Matsya, Vayu; Kankas, 16, Bhagavata. Matsya, Vayu, Bhagavata,

18,

Yavanas,

8,

Tusharas,

Matsya, Vayu; Tushkaras,

14,

Marundas, §

13,

Vayu; Puriindas,

13,

|

14,

+

Bhagavata.

Matsya; Suruntlas, 1

10,

Bhagavata. Mauiias, 18.** Vayu; Hiinas, gavata. §§ Total: 85 kings, j

Vayu;

Matsya; ff Maulas,

ID,

89,

Matsya;

lU

:t+

\^\r^i-

and 1399 years, Bha-

76,

gavata.

The

two authorities give the years of each dynasty sev-

otlier

The numbers

erally.

apparently, intended to be the same;

are,

but those of the Matsya are palpable blunders, although almost all the

MSS.

Tusharas, 500

*

(all

Matsya have 7000)

the copies of the

all

my

t

10, in the

*

I

§

One MS.

Vayu

Marundas,

And

".

I

my MSS.

find Pushkasas.

My

jl

Vdyu-purdna, according to

;

MSS., from " ninety

commentary has T^^T^g^lJlJ-fT^^TfW

the

of the

Gardabhins, 72; Sakas, 380; Yavanas, 82;

on the authority of

Corrected,

The chronology

agree in the reading.

is: Abhiras, 67 years;

yields Murm'idas, the better reading, almost certainly.

oldest

MS.

yields Puraiiclas; two, Puruiidas; the remaining,

Pa-

ranjas.

^

Guruiidas, according to

**

This

to be

is

my

exchanged

MSS., &c.

The MSS. have

for 11.

further on, they correct themselves.

Vide infra,

p.

18,

it

is

true; buf,

210, note

ft The Matsya-'purdna has, besides, several particulars which

^. I

cannot

decipher. ++

This

probably, a Bengal corruption

is,

my MSS. &c

yield.

vide supra,

202, note *.

p.

On

the

The Bhdgavata-purdtia says of

liability

that

Mauuas, the name which between wf and 5f,

of

of confusion

the

Maunas

will

reign for a

period

300 years.

agrees with the Vdyu§§ The BrahmdMa-purdna, in my one MS purdna, as known to me, a few particulars excepted. Thus: it assigns ,

the Sakas

the nil

300 years;

it

Mauna kings eleven Those

has Swarandas,

not

Mnnnu'las;

only.

totals are supj)lied

l>y

the Translator.

and

it

makes

BOOK

2U7

CHA]'. XXIV.

IV.,

eleven Pauras will be kings for three hundred

then,

200;* and Mlechchhasf (intending, perhaps, Maunas), 300 years. Total, not,

and,

J

1601 years;

however, if

or less than 19 years to a reign.

comprise,

they

Tliey are

continuous, but nearly contemporary, dynasties; as

they probably

do,

the

The Matsya

very wide of the truth.

—

more dynasty, another Andhra there were seven:

begins the

{vide supra,

p.

Greek and

may

Scythian princes of the west of India, the periods

194,

not be

with one

list

note

1),

of

whom

"When

the dominion of the Andhras has ceased, there shall be

seven other Andhras, kings of the race of their servants; and, then, nine§ Abhiras.

what similar

^•yiuji

"Of

these, the

reading.

^^t ^wt:

^«tt: 5^:

Andhras having passed away, there as, ten

read in different copies; but this

shall

be seven

The passage

&c

Abhiras,"

1

is

is dif-

the only intelligible

At the same time, it subsequently specifies a period Andhra dynasty, different from that be-

the duration of the

for

fore given, or three

referred to

*

it,

of the Vayu, although some-

has a different purport:

^f^m^ ^

contemporary races; ferently

The passage

''

in terms,

hundred years, as

a different race was

if

:

This interpretation

may

be doubtful.

The

original,

as alone

1

iiiid

runs:

4j^i!^l

^^:

^-Ki rT^T^ %^giTrf^:

II

t Vide infra, p. 210, note ^. + This is the Translator's total. § Only one of my MSS. has a reading that yields a luimber; and that

number is ten. The lection which

is ^f^rlT*. ^W I find So have, to be sure, all my MSS. uf the Vdyu-purdi'ia; and the I the verse look.s uuuaturai. Still, grammar and metre are correct II

^

I

.

VISHNU PURANA.

208

When

^

years.

they

shall

one hundred."

The Matsya has

"The

twice five hundred:

Sriparvatiya Andhras, twice

there

something faulty

evidently,

is,

in

Sriparvata being in Telingana.

two

races,

the

these passages of the Puraiias.

all

the

MSS. The is

There is, probably, some conMagadha and Tailinga kings, in The Bhagavata has a dynasty of 194,

p.

Colonel Wilford has attempted a verification of these

1).

dynasties; in

some

instances, perhaps, with success, though, cer-

The Abhiras he calls the shepherd-kings of They were, more probably, Greeks, or ScyParthians, along the lower Indus. Traces of the name

not in

tainly,

ex-

remarkable;

seven Andhra kings, but of a different period (vide supra, note

But

f^tj^TlIrf ^^TT^

pression of the Matsya, 'Sriparvatiya Andhras,'

fusion of the

One MS.

hundred years."

five

consistently, fifty-two years:

more

Kaila-

the

possess the earth two hundred years and

"The Andhras

has,

destroyed,

are

all.

the north of India. thians, or

formerly observed,*

as

occur,

a distinct race,

the Ahirs,f as

The Sakas

Mahfil.

power kings

is

may

the Sacse;

Vol.

and note Dr.

and the duration of

The

The Tusharas he makes

if it

II.,

p.

their

Yavana

eight

Bactria,

or,

the Parthians. +

they

were a corruption of the same words that

Brahmdncla-purdna:

The period here recognized *

Araish-i-

Bhagavata has the preferable reading, Tushkaras,

find in the

and

Abiria of Ptolemy;

exist in Gujerat.

Greek princes of

as he supposes,

be,

Western India.

should not be surprised

we

tlie

not unlikely to be near the truth.

rather, of If the

are

in

still

185,

note

2.

is

of two

hundred and

fifty

Also see the same volume,

years. p.

133, text,

*

Bhau

Daji announces that he has discovered an inscription of the One of their kings, he says, was Iswarasena, son of

Abhiras near Nasik. Sivadatta.

f For the pp. X

Journal of tril)e

the

Bombay

of Ahirs, see Sir

Asiatic Society, 11.

Vol. VIII., p. 243.

M. Elliot's Supplemental Glossary,

6—9. It

does not seem that

it

has.

Vide supra,

p.

206, note +.

BOOK kila*

Yavanas

be kings, the chief of

will

were (he Tochari, a Scythian has

it,

209

CHAP. XXIV.

IV.,

The

race.

According

of Ptolemy.

the

to

Matsya,

Mo-

were

of

theuj

calls

Wilford regards

Arya-mlechchhas; quere, barbarians of Ariana.

the

— the

they

The Vayu

Mlechchha origin (Mlechchha-sariibhava).

will

Muriindas, or, as he

Mauruiidas, he considers to be a tribe of Huns,

ruiidas

the

whom

Maunas as, also, a tribe of Huns and the word is, in all MSS. of the Matsya, Hunas;t traces of whom may be still ;

found

the west and south of India:

in

t

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,

Gardabhins Wilford conjectures Gor, king of Persia; but

were a

tribe

this

is

Vol.

HL,

The

103.

p.

descendants

of Bahraui

very questionable.

That they

to

be

may be

west of India

in the

Inscription at Merritch,

some

conjectured; as

strange tales prevail, there, of a Gandharva, changed to an ass,

marrying the daughter of the king of Dhara: (Asiatic Researches, Cutch \ by Mrs. Vol. VI., p. 35, and Vol. IX., p. 147; also, '

Postans,

p.

18); fables suggested,

no doubt, by the name Garda-

There is, also, evidently, some affinity between these Gardabhins and the old Gadhiya Paisa, or 'assmoney', as vulgarly termed, found in various parts of Western bha, signifying 'an ass'.

India, and which

is,

unquestionably, of ancient date: Journal of

the Asiatic Society of Bengal, December,

be the coinage original of

of the

1835,

It

p. 688.

may

Gardabha princes; Gardabha being

Gadha. meaning,

also,

an 'ass'.

I

the

have elsewhere

conjectured the possibility of their being current about a century

and a half before our era: Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,' Colonel Tod, quoting a parallel passage in Vol. III., p. 385. Hindi, reads, instead of Gardabhin,§ Gor-ind, which he explains "the Indras (or lords) of Gor"; but the reading

is,

undoubtedly,

erroneous. '

The

copies agree in reading Pauras;

* Almost as common and Kaichchhikila, also.

t See Vol. II., \ This position

as this reading

is

but the commentator

Kailikila;

aiul

See, further, p. 211, infra, notes

p.

134, note f-

is

open

to

much

doubt.

§ Corrected from " Garddhabhin"'.

IV.

14

find

I 1

and

Kilakila :.

210

VISHNU PURANA.

be Vindhyasakti

remarks that

it

been specified

;

is,

will

be Dharma,f from

sometimes, Maunas:t but they have already

unless the term be repeated in order to separate

the duration of this dynasty

be the purport of the

to

Puranjaya;* his son

his son will be

:

be Ramachandra; his son

will

from that of the

rest.

Such seems

of the Bhagavata § will possess the earth 1099 years,

similar

" These kings (Andhras, &c.,)

passajj;e

:

and, the eleven Maulas, 300:"

No

such

name

as Pauras occurs in

analogy of duration

Vayu

:

"Eleven Mlechchhas

The

the other authorities.

them with the Mlechchhas of the

identifies

will possess the earth for three cen-

turies:"

And

the

Vayu may

300,

— come

much

Maunas;

refer to the

The

assigned for them. to

the

periods

same

of

no other period

as

Bhagavata

the

as that of our text,

— 1099

is

and

1390;** the

one including the three centuries of the Maunas, the other stating it

separately.

making

*

The Vayu,

the total 1601,

apparently,

ff instead of

Parapnranjaya, in one MS.

adds

1390.

Vide infra,

to

it

It is

the rest; thus

evident that the

212, notes § and

p.

. [

t Corrected from "Adharma", for which I find no authority. The origmal runs: ffi^IT^^T^ Even Professor Wilson's Bengal translation I

has Dharraa. I

Three of luy MSS. actually have Maunas.

§ XII., II

I

29, 30.

I.,

find if^wfT^

% One

of

I

my MSS.

^^ids

supra,

p.

206, note ++.

reads 4^1 «t| '^^'re"^'^

I

Also vide supra,

p.

206,

note **. **

Our

text

Vide supra,

p.

affords

an aggregate of 1399,

206, note

like the

Bhdyavata-purdna.

•.

tt The Translator, not the

Vdyu-purdna, supplies

this total.

— BOOK

whom

CHAP. XXIV.

IV.,

211

be Varanga,* Kritanandana, SushiiiaMdi,f

will

Nandiyasas, Sisuka, and Pravira: these

hundred and

six years.

same scheme

intended

is

some inaccuracy

by the either

affects

m411 rule foi' a

From them

^

proceed

will

several authorities;

the

original

although

statement

or the

existing manuscripts. Kilakila, Kolakila, Kolikila, Kilinakila, as

'

read.

be

to

it

Sir William Jones's Pandit

I

a

city

in

belief,

his

termed,

variously

understood

Kilagila, §

as

of Marasiiiiha Deva,

it

a long

there

is

king of the

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. IV.,

:

p. 282.

The Puraiias refer, probably, when the Greek princes, or their

This inscription dates A. D. to

where

an inscription

in

is

Maratha country (Asiatic Researches,

called the capital

is

Konkan

the

it

that he

and there has been found a confirmation of

XI., p. U2);

Vol

stated

1058.

antecedent date,

Indo-Scythic successors, following the course of the Indus, spread

upper part of the western coast of the Peninsula.

to the

them Yavanas

text calls

were Yavanas fft'S^fTI

The

and the Vayu and Matsya say they

in institutions,

manners, and policy:

The Bhagavatal names

:

I

;

five

^I^TfTJ

of their

WTT-

princes,

Bhutananda, Vangiri, Sisunandi, Yasonandi,** and Praviraka, * Four MSS. have Vangara; one, Vyangala. t Substituted for the "S'udhiuandi " of the former edition, which I have met with nowhere. Sushinandi, the ordinary lection, is the word One MS. has Sukhinandi; in Professor Wilson's Hindu-made version.

one, Sushiruandi; one, Sishyanandi.

Four MSS. of the Vdyu-purdna have Kolikiias; one,

*

Kilakilas.

Two

copies of the Matsya-purdna give Kilikilas; one, Kilakilas; the fourth, Kilakalas.

The reading

Brahmdnda-purdna is Kailakilas. The Bhdgawhich the commentator Siidhara says The commentator on the Vishnu-puran a calls the

of the

vata-purdna speaks of KiHkila, is

the

city

name

of a city.

Kehkila.

seems to be These words I

§ It

a

mountain, giving name to a stronghold thereon. Vdyuin the Matsya-purdna, but not in the

find

I

purdna,

% **

XII.,

I.,

30, 31.

Called brother of Sisunandi.

VISHNU FURANA.

212

then,

sons;

thirteen

who

and they

will reign 106 years;

The

former, 60. f

and

city,'

latter is

of

imperfect re-

The Matsya has no further The Vayu makes Pravira

enumeration of any dynasty.

the son of Vindhyasakti ;* the

number

the

to

are, therefore,

presentatives of the series in our text. specific

and Pnshpami-

three Bahlikas;

and Patumitra, and others,

tra,

latter reigning

96 years,

king of Kanchanapuri,

+

'

and the

the golden

followed by four sons, whose names are not men-

is

Between Vindhyasakti and Pravira, however, a dynasty of kings is introduced, some of the names of which resemble those of the Kilakila princes of the text. § They are: Bhogin (the son of Seshanaga ), Sadachandra, Nakhavat, Dhanadha-

tioned.

|1

mita,

H Vimsaja, Bhutinanda,

Sungas?

(the copies

have

— at

a period before the end of the

'^^T^

•!

*"

younger brother, Nandiyasas f f and,

his

;

*

Dr.

Bhau

he says,

Madhunandi,

in his race, there will

be

has published an inscription from Ajunta, in which, a king Vindhyasakti and his son Pravara-

Daji

there

^^^^),

mention of

is

The same names of sire and son are found, he alleges, in the See the Journal His MSS. must differ, then, from mine. VII., p. 65. of the Bombay Asiatic Society, Vol. stated that Dauhitra and t In the BrahmdMa-purdiia, it seems to be sena.

Vdyu-purdna.

others

— see

below,

— will

for sixty

reign

years;

and then follows some-

thing quite unintelligible in my MS. Vdyu-purdna, the city is called Kanchanaka. I In the

anything but clear, hereabouts, in my MSS. of Parapuranjaya (or Swarapuranjaya, according to three copies out of five) and he is said to be son of Sesha, Vide supra, p. 210, note *. king of the Nagas. Vdyu-purdna: I find, in the

The Vdyu-purdna

§

It

speaks

— see

the

is

next note,

—

;

II

The BrahnidMa-purdna has the same verse. % Three MSS. of the Vdyu-purdna have Dhanadharman; the remaining two, Dhanadharma. ** One MS. has H; and so reads the Brahmdnda-purdna. The resulting is "after the Sungas". to me, has, instead of tt The Brahmdnda-purdna, at least as known these names: Kamachandra, Nakhavat(?), Varadharmin, Vangava(?), Bhii-

sense

minanda, Sisunandi, Naudiyasas.

BOOK

over Mekala.

thirteen, will rule

three other Rajas,

— Dauhitra,

are called princes

of Vidisa

perhaps, 'foreign,'

—

There

*

* Sisuka,

be nine

t

— the

hitter

and constitute the Naga dynasty.

—a

These

meaning,

Our

The

text of this passage runs thus

'Their sons,'

fTr^'^T:

•

the

:

text

warrior of a mixed

sprung from a Brahman father and Kshattriya mother.

race, '

will

and Ripukayan.f

or Videsa,

Vindhyasakti a Murdhabhishikta, §

calls

213

CHAP. XXIV.

IV.,

||

TTr'J'^^T^^^ir^ ^T^j^-

commentator explains by f^^«I^MT-

^"^V, "thirteen sons of Vindhyasakti and the rest." The Bhagavata has a different statement, identifying the sons of the Vindbya race with the Bahlikas, and

^'^TW

^ift ^^T^snr

making them

thirteen:

As

commen-

"The

Bahlikas will be their thirteen sons."

tator:

%^t ^cTT^T^^t ^^T^^ ^Tf^^T ^rWR*^q^(^^ f rH

^f^^f^TT "There will kas, of Bhutananda and I

be, severally, thirteen sons, called Bahli-

the rest."

The following

" Pushpamitra, a king, and, then, Durmitra."

were does not appear.

The commentator

•

Variants: Dauhitrya and Daihitra.

t

I

The

find rest

nothing

seem

to

the

like this

name, but,

speak of a

in

Who

says:

most of

Purikaya.

city,

verse is:

or what they

"Pushpamitra

my MSS.,

Purikaya.

The Brahmdmla-purnna

gives Purikaya. I

All

my MSS.

have Vaidesa,

must be wrong. The commentator explains

with Vaidisaka as

its

adjective.

One

or other §

adds that there

Ij

This

is

is

a variant,

term,

this

TT^f^'^:

the definition of what

is

,

and rightly, l)y mukhya. He which he explains by -^fw-

more ordinarily written mvrdkdva-

sikta.

^ Not one of my MSS. has anything Imt - •q^f^TT^^^W The Translator's reading seems to be corrnpted from a fragment of the comment: ^xqf^^T^'^^^lT I

I

••

See note

• in

p.

215, infra.

"

214

VISHNU PURANA.

and there

the seven Kosalas;

kings in

was another king; and Durmitra was

TRT^

TT^^:

^"m

I

^

^f^"^

'TUT 5"^:

Here

I

When

have four sons.

there will be three Bahlika kings,

the

Vindhya race

— Supratika,

and Sakyamanabhava*

reign thirty years,

king of the Mahishas.f the Patumitras, also,

who

evi-

is,

"Pravira,

not quite satisfactory, accords better with our text. says, "will

tj'oqf^'^

^SI'^J

The Vayu, though

dently, careless and inaccurate compilation.

it

be as

will

son:"

his

(quere

The Pushpamitras

is

Nabhira,

extinct,

who

this

will

name),

and

then be,

will

will be seven kings of Mekala.

Such

the generation:"

is

IT^'H^'R^ TT^T

^ffftWT

^f^TTfTf:

II

**

^:

^^{^"Rt ^^ ^rf^nftfTT ^rlfTT: The plural verb, with only two Bahlika names, II

omission; unless

we

but the following

name and

correct

Mahishas," seems to have

it

to *f|"i^% 'they

title,

little

indicates

two

some

will reign:'

"Sakyamanabhava, king of

connexion with the Bahlikas.

the If.

a subsequent part of the citation, the reading 'trayodasa' be

in

must, then, be thirteen Patumitras; but

correct,

it

ficult to

know what

*

See note

, I|

to

do with 'sapta',

seven.'

'

it

will be dif-

If,

ff

for 'santa-

below.

f The Sanskrit cited requires 'Mahishins'. +

One MS. has ^Tnf1"^«S'^ *TTT^'

^'^i^'h

gi'^^es

Bhara, instead of

Nabhira.

§

One

of

my MSS,

gives f^lff?TI

,

the

reading of the

BrahmdMa-

purdna. II

In one of

purdria, in 5[

This

is

my

my

MSS.,

f^^t •IT^T^'^^m

one copy, has ^T"Wl"

the only reading of

my

;

and the Brahmdnda-

•TTTRT^^T^T

I

MSS.; and the Brahmdnda-purdna

has the same. **

The Brahmdnda-purdna has the same

verses, but, in

my

single MS.,

in a very corrupt form,

ff The seven kings of Mekala are unnamed, as in our Purai'ia. As to Pushpamitras and the Patumitras, the import is, probably, that

the

BOOK

many Naishadha we might

215

CHAr. XXIV.

IV.,

princes.'* sense

might be,

"these thirteen kings ruled fur seventy-seven years, f

However

tih'',

may

this

be,

it

seems

the

'seventy',

read 'saptatih',

njost correct to separate

the thirteen sons

Vindhya princes from the three Bahlikas, and them from the Pushpamitras and Patumitras, who governed Me-

or fanjilies of the

Narmada

(see Vol.

note 4+).

kala,

a country on the

What

the Bahlikas (or princes of Balkh,) had to do in this part of

India

doubtful. The Durmitra of the Bhagavata has been conjecby Colonel Tod (Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society,

but

it is

not clear that even the Bhagavata considers this

name

prince as one of the Bahlikas; and the

For

Deme-

be intended for the Bactrian prince

to

p. 325),

I.,

trius:

'

160,

p.

is

tured,

Vol.

II.,

the situation

of Kosala,

while the

there were thirteen of the latter,

occurs nowhere else.

Vol,

see

11. ,

number

See the next note, near the end. On referring to the beginning of note 1

note

172,

p.

2.

of the former is not

mentioned. "

in p. 213,

supra,

it

will

be seen that the Translator has transcribed a part of the original of this quotation passage. I repeat a few words there given, and continue the

:

the Pushpamitras

"Then

the Mekalas

and there

will be just as

Thus,

many Naishadha kinas."^ The comment

not

njitra,— will

^^^

^^^I^^T: ^F

I

is

as

^tll-

—

said

probably,

of Mekala;

I

where the Pushpamitras and the Patumitras their founders, Pushpamitra and Patureign; there is no mention, as there is in the Vdyu-purdna

is

it

dynasties,

If

and the Patumitras, thirteen, will reign; and and there will be nine kings in Kosala;

seven;

be

^xq^T^T^^T^nrt^^

follows;

Kosala;

will

we

named from

are told nothing, here, of the Kosalas, but of the city of

and the "seven" defines the number of the Mekala kings.

we suppose that our text— which,

here,

is in

prose, and, therefore,

com-

paratively liable to vitiation, should read ^^qfTTTTg, it will harmonize with the Vdyu-purdna, in not defining the number of the Pushpamitras,

and

in recognizing the

One

of

my MSS.

Patumitras as thirteen.

Vide supra,

p.

214, note ft-

yields Mekalakas, for Mekalas,

be the sense, even if the t Such, owing to the word iti, could not reading were as it is suggested to alter it. The only Mekala named there is a designation of the river Narmada. X

— VISHNU PURANA.

216

Magadha,* a sovereignf named Viswasphatika

In

will establish

other tribes: he will extirpate the Kshat-

triya (or martial) race,

The

three copies of the

"more

the Meghas,

and elevate fishermen, t bar-

Vayu

read Komala, and

^TT^^t g TT^T^

*rf^wfnT ^it^^tt:

The Bhagavata agrees wifh our race of Nala:

•i