Vishnu Puran Fourth Ansh: The Solar and Lunar Dynasties, from Ikshvaku to Shri Ram

The fourth part is the historical section of the Purana: the genealogies of India's two great royal lines, the Solar and the Lunar, with stories of their chief kings. Ayodhya's Raghukul is part of the Solar line, which makes this part especially dear to readers of Shri Ram Janmabhumi.

Chapters 1 and 2: the beginning of the Solar dynasty

The Solar dynasty began with Ikshvaku, son of Vaivasvata Manu, with Ayodhya as its capital. Through Manu's child Ila, sometimes a woman and sometimes the man Sudyumna, the Lunar line too was linked, for Ila married Budha, son of the moon.

Kakutstha: Puranjaya, a descendant of Ikshvaku, fought in a war of gods and asuras seated on the hump (kakud) of Indra in the form of a bull, and so was called Kakutstha; Shri Ram is called Kakutstha after him.

Mandhata: King Yuvanashva accidentally drank water consecrated for the birth of a son, and a son was born from his body. Indra gave the child his finger to suck, saying "mam dhasyati" ("he will drink me"), hence the name Mandhata. He became a world emperor.

The sage Saubhari: seeing the family happiness of fish in the water, Saubhari wished to become a householder and married Mandhata's fifty daughters. With immense wealth and many children his desires still grew. At last he understood that desire is never satisfied, renounced again and went to the forest.

Chapters 3 and 4: from Trishanku to Shri Ram

• Trishanku: wished to go to heaven in his body; Vishvamitra created a separate heaven for him.
• Harishchandra: the truthful king who gave up kingdom, wife and son for the sake of truth.
• Sagara: his sixty thousand sons, searching for the sacrificial horse, mistook the sage Kapila for a thief and were burned to ash by his gaze.
• Anshuman, Dilipa and Bhagiratha: three generations performed austerities to bring the Ganga to earth. Through Bhagiratha's penance she descended, Shiva caught her in his hair, and she redeemed Sagara's sons.
• Kalmashapada (Saudasa), Ashmaka, Khatvanga: after helping the gods, Khatvanga learned he had only one muhurta to live, and in that moment meditated on God and attained liberation.
• Dirghabahu (Dilipa), Raghu, Aja, Dasharatha: after Raghu the line is called Raghuvansha.
• Shri Ram: God himself was born as Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna, sons of Dasharatha. The Vishnu Puran tells it briefly: guarding Vishvamitra's sacrifice, slaying Tataka, breaking Shiva's bow and marrying Sita, going to the forest for his father's word, Sita's abduction, Ravana's death, the return to Ayodhya, the coronation and Ram Rajya. Rama's sons were Kusha and Lava.

After Shri Ram the line continued through Kusha to Atithi, Nishadha, Nala, Nabha and on to Brihadbala, who was killed by Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata war.

Chapter 5: the line of Nimi and Sita

From the churning of the body of Nimi, son of Ikshvaku, Janaka was born; so his descendants are called Janaka and Vaideha, and the city Mithila. In this line was Siradhvaja Janaka, who found Sita in the earth while ploughing.

Chapters 6 to 10: the Lunar dynasty

Budha was the son of Soma, the moon; Pururava was the son of Budha and Ila.

• Pururava and Urvashi: the apsara Urvashi married Pururava on certain conditions; when they were broken she left, and Pururava wandered in grief.
• Nahusha: grew proud on becoming Indra, made the sages carry his palanquin, and was cursed by Agastya to become a python.
• Yayati: married Devayani, daughter of Shukracharya, and Sharmishtha, daughter of the asura king. Cursed by Shukra with old age, he asked his sons to exchange it with him; only the youngest, Puru, agreed. After a thousand years of pleasure Yayati said: "Na jatu kamah kamanam upabhogena shamyati": desire is never quenched by enjoyment, just as fire blazes higher with ghee. He returned Puru's youth and gave him the kingdom.

From Yayati's sons came the lines: the Yadavas from Yadu, the Pauravas (later the Kurus) from Puru, and others from Turvasu, Druhyu and Anu.

Chapters 11 to 15: the Yadavas and the Syamantaka jewel

Among the Yadavas was Kartavirya Arjuna of a thousand arms, who even captured Ravana but was slain by Parashurama. Later came the branches of Jyamagha, Vidarbha, Vrishni, Andhaka and others.

The Syamantaka jewel: Satrajit received from the sun the Syamantaka jewel, which produced gold daily. Krishna said it should be kept by King Ugrasena, but Satrajit refused. His brother Prasena wore it hunting and was killed by a lion; the lion was killed by Jambavan, who took the jewel. People accused Krishna of stealing it. Searching, Krishna reached Jambavan's cave and they fought for twenty-one days. Jambavan recognised his Lord Rama in Krishna and gave him his daughter Jambavati and the jewel. Krishna returned it to Satrajit, who, ashamed, gave his daughter Satyabhama in marriage to Krishna. (The tradition of avoiding the sight of the moon on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi is linked to this story.)

In this line were Vasudeva and Devaki, parents of Balarama and Krishna.

Chapters 16 to 20: the Pauravas and the Kurus

In Puru's line was Bharata, son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala, after whom too the land is called Bharat. Then came Hastin, founder of Hastinapura, Kuru (Kurukshetra), Shantanu, Bhishma, Dhritarashtra, Pandu, the Pandavas and Kauravas, and Parikshit, grandson of Arjuna, whose son was Janamejaya.

Chapters 21 to 24: the kings of the Kali age

As prophecy, the dynasties of Magadha are listed: Brihadratha, Pradyota, Shishunaga, the Nandas, Chandragupta Maurya (established by Chanakya), the Shungas, Kanvas, Andhras and others. The part ends with the greed and injustice of kings in the Kali age and the suffering of the people, and observes that even the greatest kings have become mere stories with time, so the pride of "this is mine" is empty.

What this part teaches

• The kings of Raghukul show that truth, keeping one's word and sacrifice make a family great.
• Yayati's lesson: desire is calmed not by indulgence but by wisdom.
• The Syamantaka story: when falsely accused, bring out the truth with patience.
• Even great empires are lost to time; only dharma and good name remain.