Vp4 8

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 22 Jul 2011 10:58 and updated at 22 Jul 2011 10:58

VISHNU PURANA

BOOK 4.

CHAPTER 8.

Sons of ayus. Line of Kshatravriddha, or kings of Kasi. Former birth of Dhanwantari. Various names of Pratarddana. Greatness of Alarka.

aYUS, the eldest son of Pururavas, married the daughter of Rahu (or arahu), by whom he had five sons, Nahusha, Kshatravriddha 1, Rambha 2, Raji, and Anenas 3.

The son of Kshatravriddha was Suhotra 4, who had three sons, Kasa 5, Lesa 6, and Ghritsamada. The son of the last was saunaka 7, who first established the distinctions of the four castes 8. The son of Kasa was Kasiraja 9; his son was Dirghatamas 10; his son was Dhanwantari, whose nature was exempt from human infirmities, and who in every existence had been master of universal knowledge. In his past life (or when he was produced by the agitation of the milky sea), Narayana had conferred upon him the boon, that he should subsequently be born in the

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family of Kasiraja, should compose the eightfold system of medical science 11, and should be thereafter entitled to a share of offerings made to the gods. The son of Dhanwantari was Ketumat; his son was Bhimaratha; his son was Divodasa 12; his son was Pratarddana, so

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named from destroying the race of Bhadrasrenya. He had various other appellations, as satrujit, the victor over his foes, from having vanquished all his enemies; Vatsa, or child, from his father s frequently calling him by that name; Ritadhwaja, he whose emblem was truth, being a great observer of veracity; and Kuvalayaswa, because he had a horse (aswa) called Kuvalaya 13. The son of this prince was Alarka, of whom this verse is sung in the present day; "For sixty thousand and sixty hundred years no other youthful monarch except Alarka, reigned over the earth 14." The son of Alarka was

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[paragraph continues] Santati 15; his son was Sunitha; his son was Suketu; his son was Dharmaketu; his son was Satyaketu; his son was Vibhu; his son was Suvibhu; his son was Sukumara; his son was Dhrishtaketu; his son was Vainahotra; his son was Bharga; his son was Bhargabhumi; from whom also rules for the four castes were promulgated 16. These are the Kasya

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princes, or descendants of Kasa 17. We will now enumerate the descendants of Raji.

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