# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 102 — Vasiṣṭha recounts the royal lineage *He traces the dynasty from creation through Ikṣvāku and Sagara, invoking its tradition of eldest succession* Portion: The dispute over Kingship and duty · Verses: 31 · Ref format: 2.102. ## Sequence - Seeing Rāma's anger, Vasiṣṭha explains that Jābāli understands the world's coming and going and spoke this way to persuade him to return (102.1) - he begins his account of the royal lineage with the waters at creation: Brahmā appears, takes a boar's form, raises the earth, and creates the world (102.2–3) - from Brahmā comes Marīci, from Marīci Kaśyapa, from Kaśyapa Vivasvān, and from Vivasvān Manu → Manu gives the earth to his son Ikṣvāku, the first King at Ayodhyā (102.4–6) - the succession continues through Kukṣi, Vikukṣi, Bāṇa, and Anaraṇya, whose reign is free of failed rains, famine, and theft (102.7–9) - Anaraṇya is followed by Pṛthu, then Triśaṅku, who reaches heaven in his own body, and then Dhundhumāra, Yuvanāśva, and Māndhātṛ (102.10–12). - Māndhātṛ's son Susaṃdhi has two sons, Dhruvasaṃdhi and Prasenajit → Dhruvasaṃdhi's son is an earlier Bharata, whose son is Asita (102.12–14) - the Haihayas, Tālajaṅghas, and Śaśabindus drive Asita into exile after battle; he lives as a muni on a mountain while both his wives are pregnant (102.14–15) - Kālindī approaches the ṛṣi Cyavana on the Himālaya seeking a boon for the birth of her son (102.16–17) - despite poison given by her co-wife to destroy the embryo, the child is born together with the poison and is named Sagara (102.17–18) - Sagara later has the ocean-bed dug out in connection with his sacrifice (102.19) - he expels his son Asamañja for misconduct; the line continues through Asamañja's son Aṃśumān, then Dilīpa and Bhagīratha (102.20–21). - Vasiṣṭha follows the succession through Kakutstha, Raghu, and Pravṛddha, the man-eater also known as Kalmāṣapāda Saudāsa (102.22–23) - the succeeding generations are Śaṅkhaṇa, Sudarśana, Agnivarṇa, Śīghraga, Maru, Praśuśruka, Ambarīṣa, Nahuṣa, and Nābhāga (102.24–27) - Nābhāga has the sons Aja and Suvrata, and Aja's son is Daśaratha (102.28) - Vasiṣṭha concludes that Rāma, as Daśaratha's eldest heir, should preserve this family's succession rule and accept the Kingdom (102.29–31). ## Verses **2.102.1** kruddham ājñāya rāma tu vasiṣṭhaḥ pratyuvāca ha jābālir api jānīte lokasyāsya gatāgatim nivartayitu kāmas tu tvām etad vākyam abravīt But Vasiṣṭha, perceiving that Rāma was angry, replied: “Jābāli too knows the coming and going of this world; it was from a wish to turn you back that he spoke these words.” **2.102.2** imāṃ lokasamutpattiṃ lokanātha nibodha me sarvaṃ salilam evāsīt pṛthivī yatra nirmitā tataḥ samabhavad brahmā svayambhūr daivataiḥ saha Learn from me this origin of the world, O lord of the world: all was water alone, wherein the earth was fashioned; then arose Brahmā the self-existent, together with the gods. **2.102.3** sa varāhas tato bhūtvā projjahāra vasuṃdharām asṛjac ca jagat sarvaṃ saha putraiḥ kṛtātmabhiḥ He, then becoming a boar, raised up the earth, and created the whole world together with his sons of perfected souls. **2.102.4** ākāśaprabhavo brahmā śāśvato nitya avyayaḥ tasmān marīciḥ saṃjajñe marīceḥ kaśyapaḥ sutaḥ Brahmā, sprung from the ether, eternal, everlasting, imperishable; from him Marīci was born, and Marīci's son was Kaśyapa. **2.102.5** vivasvān kaśyapāj jajñe manur vaivastavaḥ smṛtaḥ sa tu prajāpatiḥ pūrvam ikṣvākus tu manoḥ sutaḥ From Kaśyapa was born Vivasvān; Manu is known as Vaivasvata. He was formerly the Prajāpati, and Ikṣvāku was the son of Manu. **2.102.6** yasyeyaṃ prathamaṃ dattā samṛddhā manunā mahī tam ikṣvākum ayodhyāyāṃ rājānaṃ viddhi pūrvakam To whom this prosperous earth was first given by Manu—know that Ikṣvāku as the first king in Ayodhyā. **2.102.7** ikṣvākos tu sutaḥ śrīmān kukṣir eveti viśrutaḥ kukṣer athātmajo vīro vikukṣir udapadyata Ikṣvāku's illustrious son was renowned as Kukṣi; and from Kukṣi was born a valiant son, Vikukṣi. **2.102.8** vikukṣes tu mahātejā bāṇaḥ putraḥ pratāpavān bāṇasya tu mahābāhur anaraṇyo mahāyaśāḥ Vikukṣi's son was the mighty, valorous Bāṇa; and Bāṇa's son was the great-armed, illustrious Anaraṇya. **2.102.9** nānā vṛṣṭir babhūvāsmin na durbhikṣaṃ satāṃ vare anaraṇye mahārāje taskaro vāpi kaś cana Under this best of the good there was no failure of rain, no famine, nor any thief at all—under Anaraṇya, the great king. **2.102.10** anaraṇyān mahābāhuḥ pṛthū rājā babhūva ha tasmāt pṛthor mahārājas triśaṅkur udapadyata sa satyavacanād vīraḥ saśarīro divaṃ gataḥ From Anaraṇya came the great-armed King Pṛthu; from that Pṛthu, the great king, was born Triśaṅku, who by his truthfulness, the hero, went to heaven in his own body. **2.102.11** triśaṅkor abhavat sūnur dhundhumāro mahāyaśāḥ dhundhumārān mahātejā yuvanāśvo vyajāyata Triśaṅku's son was the illustrious Dhundhumāra; from Dhundhumāra was born the mighty Yuvanāśva. **2.102.12** yuvanāśva sutaḥ śrīmān māndhātā samapadyata māndhātus tu mahātejāḥ susaṃdhir udapadyata Yuvanāśva's illustrious son was Māndhātṛ; and from Māndhātṛ, of great splendour, was born Susaṃdhi. **2.102.13** susaṃdher api putrau dvau dhruvasaṃdhiḥ prasenajit yaśasvī dhruvasaṃdhes tu bharato ripusūdanaḥ Susaṃdhi had two sons, Dhruvasaṃdhi and Prasenajit; and the illustrious Dhruvasaṃdhi's son was Bharata, slayer of foes. **2.102.14** bharatāt tu mahābāhor asito nāma jāyata yasyaite pratirājāna udapadyanta śatravaḥ haihayās tālajaṅghāś ca śūrāś ca śaśabindavaḥ From the great-armed Bharata was born one named Asita, against whom these rival kings arose as enemies: the Haihayas, the Tālajaṅghas, and the valiant Śaśabindus. **2.102.15** tāṃs tu sarvān prativyūhya yuddhe rājā pravāsitaḥ sa ca śailavare ramye babhūvābhirato muniḥ dve cāsya bhārye garbhiṇyau babhūvatur iti śrutiḥ Having marshalled his forces against them all in battle, the king was driven into exile; and he became a contented sage on a lovely mountain. And his two wives were with child—so runs the tradition. **2.102.16** bhārgavaś cyavano nāma himavantam upāśritaḥ tam ṛṣiṃ samupāgamya kālindī tv abhyavādayat A descendant of Bhṛgu named Cyavana dwelt upon the Himālaya; approaching that sage, Kālindī saluted him. **2.102.17** sa tām abhyavadad vipro varepsuṃ putrajanmani tataḥ sā gṛham āgamya devī putraṃ vyajāyata The brahmin greeted her in return as she sought a boon for the birth of a son; then that lady, returning home, gave birth to a son. **2.102.18** sapatnyā tu garas tasyai datto garbhajighāṃsayā gareṇa saha tenaiva jātaḥ sa sagaro 'bhavat But poison was given to her by her co-wife, out of a wish to destroy the embryo; born together with that very poison, he became Sagara. **2.102.19** sa rājā sagaro nāma yaḥ samudram akhānayat iṣṭvā parvaṇi vegena trāsayantam imāḥ prajāḥ It was that king named Sagara who, having sacrificed, had the ocean-bed dug out with force at the sacred juncture, so terrifying these creatures. **2.102.20** asamañjas tu putro 'bhūt sagarasyeti naḥ śrutam jīvann eva sa pitrā tu nirastaḥ pāpakarmakṛt Asamañja was Sagara's son, so we have heard; a doer of evil deeds, he was cast out by his father while yet alive. **2.102.21** aṃśumān iti putro 'bhūd asamañjasya vīryavān dilīpo 'ṃśumataḥ putro dilīpasya bhagīrathaḥ Asamañja's valiant son was named Aṃśumān; Aṃśumān's son was Dilīpa, and Dilīpa's son was Bhagīratha. **2.102.22** bhagīrathāt kakutsthas tu kākutsthā yena tu smṛtāḥ kakutsthasya tu putro 'bhūd raghur yena tu rāghavaḥ From Bhagīratha came Kakutstha, from whom they are called Kākutsthas; and Kakutstha's son was Raghu, from whom [comes the name] Rāghava. **2.102.23** raghos tu putras tejasvī pravṛddhaḥ puruṣādakaḥ kalmāṣapādaḥ saudāsa ity evaṃ prathito bhuvi Raghu's splendid son was Pravṛddha, an eater of men, renowned on earth as Kalmāṣapāda Saudāsa. **2.102.24** kalmāṣapādaputro 'bhūc chaṅkhaṇas tv iti viśrutaḥ yas tu tad vīryam āsādya sahaseno vyanīnaśat Kalmāṣapāda's son was renowned as Śaṅkhaṇa, who, gaining that valour, destroyed his foes together with their army. **2.102.25** śaṅkhaṇasya tu putro 'bhūc chūraḥ śrīmān sudarśanaḥ sudarśanasyāgnivarṇa agnivarṣasya śīghragaḥ Śaṅkhaṇa's son was the valiant, illustrious Sudarśana; Sudarśana's son was Agnivarṇa, and Agnivarṇa's son Śīghraga. **2.102.26** śīghragasya maruḥ putro maroḥ putraḥ praśuśrukaḥ praśuśrukasya putro 'bhūd ambarīṣo mahādyutiḥ Śīghraga's son was Maru, Maru's son Praśuśruka; and Praśuśruka's son was Ambarīṣa of great splendour. **2.102.27** ambarīṣasya putro 'bhūn nahuṣaḥ satyavikramaḥ nahuṣasya ca nābhāgaḥ putraḥ paramadhārmikaḥ Ambarīṣa's son was Nahuṣa of true valour; and Nahuṣa's son was Nābhāga, supremely righteous. **2.102.28** ajaś ca suvrataś caiva nābhāgasya sutāv ubhau ajasya caiva dharmātmā rājā daśarathaḥ sutaḥ Aja and Suvrata were both the sons of Nābhāga; and Aja's son was the righteous King Daśaratha. **2.102.29** tasya jyeṣṭho 'si dāyādo rāma ity abhiviśrutaḥ tad gṛhāṇa svakaṃ rājyam avekṣasva jagan nṛpa You are his eldest heir, renowned as Rāma; therefore take your own kingdom, and watch over the world, O king. **2.102.30** ikṣvākūṇāṃ hi sarveṣāṃ rājā bhavati pūrvajaḥ pūrvajenāvaraḥ putro jyeṣṭho rājye 'bhiṣicyate For among all the Ikṣvākus the firstborn becomes king; a younger son is not [anointed] over the elder—the eldest is consecrated to the kingship. **2.102.31** sa rāghavāṇāṃ kuladharmam ātmanaḥ sanātanaṃ nādya vihātum arhasi prabhūtaratnām anuśādhi medinīṃ prabhūtarāṣṭrāṃ pitṛvan mahāyaśāḥ You ought not now to abandon this your own eternal family-law of the Rāghavas; rule, O illustrious one, the earth rich in jewels and abounding in realms, as your fathers did.