Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Dushyanta included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana�).
Story of ٳṣyԳٲ
A reputed King of the Lunar dynasty. 2) Genealogy. Descended from վṣṇ ٳܲ:��Atri�Candra�Budha�ʳܰū�Āܲ�ṣa�۲پ�ū�Janamejaya�ʰԱ�Namasyu—Vīٲⲹ—Śuṇḍ�Bahugava�ṃyپ‸鲹DZī 鲹ܻś�ѲپԳٳܰǻ�ٳṣyԳٲ.
Ѳپ had two sons: Santurodha and Pratiratha, and Santurodha had three sons: ٳṣyԳٲ* ʰī and Sumanta. Pratiratha begot ṇv and he, ѱپٳ.
His reign.
Within a short period of time ٳṣyԳٲ bacame the emperor of India. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 68, Verse 3). His empire extended up to the sea, and he became an object of envy for other rulers. Under his rule the four castes flourished in affluence. None was threatened with illness or by thieves. The seasons marched in due order, the clouds raining at the proper time etc. "Like the ocean not getting agitated, and putting up with everything with unique patience like the earth, ٳṣyԳٲ ruled the country" (Ādi Parva, Chapter 68).
Marriage and birth of son.
Once ٳṣyԳٲ set out to a forest to hunt. Seated in his chariot, which moved with the speed of Ҳḍa he came to a beautiful forest. Weary with hunger and thirst the King, leaving the attendants behind walked into the hermitage of the sage ṇv. Proceeding along the sand on the banks of ī river and drinking with his eyes the beauties of the hermitage he reached ṇv’s ś. 'Who is there in the ś?' queried the King, whereupon ŚܲԳٲ, the foster daughter of ṇv came out, and in the absence of her father welcomed the guest. Enchanted by the beauty of ŚܲԳٲ, the King questioned her about her lineage and she told him the story about վś峾ٰ’s love for ѱԲ, and ṇv bringing up their daughter. ٳṣyԳٲ felt deep love for her, and in accordance with rules prescribed in Dharma śāstras married her in the Ի way. He also accepted her stipulation that the son born to her should become the next monarch. ŚܲԳٲ got pregnant, and after promising that she would duly be conducted to the palace ٳṣyԳٲ returned.
No sooner had ٳṣyԳٲ left the ś than ṇv, who had been out returned to the ś. With his divine eyes he understood what had happened in his absence. ṇv blessed ŚܲԳٲ that she would have an excellent son, who would become an excellent ruler of the world surrounded by the sea.
In due course of time ŚܲԳٲ delivered a son. ṇv did the rites pertaining to the birth of the child, and named the child Sarvadamana. The child grew up to become six years old, and ṇv realising that the further stay of ŚܲԳٲ and her son at the ś would stand in the way of the child’s welfare and progress sent the mother and the child to Ჹپܰ, the capital of ٳṣyԳٲ, attended by his disciples. When they reached ٳṣyԳٲ’s palace and sent word to him about their arrival he, pleading ignorance about his marriage with ŚܲԳٲ, refused to receive her and the child. ٳṣyԳٲ and ŚܲԳٲ hotly argued the question. At last, when ŚܲԳٲ, with swelling emotions was about to leave the palace, a celestial voice announced that ٳṣyԳٲ had, in fact, married ŚܲԳٲ, that Sarvadamana was his son and that he (Sarvadamana) would become a great ruler under the name Bharata. (Ādi Parva, Chapters 69-74).
Other information.
(1) ٳṣyԳٲ did not eat flesh. (ԳśԲ Parva, Chapter 115, Verse 64).
(2) After his death ٳṣyԳٲ stayed in Yama’s assembly worshipping him. ( Parva, Chapter 8, Verse 15).
*) The genealogy given above has been taken jointly from Ծܰṇa, 岵ٲ and վṣṇpurāṇa. But the Ѳٲ (Ādi Parva, Chapter 94, Verse 17) gives Ilin as the name of ٳṣyԳٲ’s father and Rathantī as that of his mother. It may be surmised that Santurodha and Ilin were one and the same individual.