Richika
Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 25 Jul 2011 11:09 and updated at 25 Jul 2011 11:09
VISHNU PURANA NOUN
| vp.4.7 | Sons of Pururavas. Descendants of Amavasu. Indra born as Gadhi. Legend of Richika and Satyavati. Birth of Jamadagni and Viswamitra. Parasurama the son of the former. Legend( of Parasurama.) Sunahsephas and others the sons of Viswamitra, forming the Kausika race. |
| vp.4.7 | The son of Jahnu was Sumantu 6; his son was Ajaka; his son was Valakaswa 7; his son was Kusa 8, who had four sons, Kusamba, Kusanabha, Amurttaya, and Amavasu 9. Kusamba, being desirous of a son, engaged in devout penance to obtain one who should be equal to Indra. Observing the intensity of his devotions, Indra was alarmed lest a prince of power like his own should be engendered, and determined therefore to take upon himself the character of Kusamba s son 10. He was accordingly born as Gadhi, of the race of Kusa Kausika(). Gadhi had a daughter named Satyavati. Richika, of the descendants of Bhrigu, demanded her in marriage. The king was very unwilling to give his daughter to a peevish old Brahman, and demanded of him, as the nuptial present, a thousand fleet horses, whose colour should be white, with one black ear. Richika having propitiated Varuna, the god of ocean, obtained from him, at the holy place called Aswatirtha, a thousand such steeds; and giving them to the king, espoused his daughter 11. |
| vp.4.7 | In order to effect the birth of a son, Richika 12 prepared a dish of rice, barley, and pulse, with butter and milk, for his wife to eat; and at her |
| vp.4.7 | When Richika returned home, and beheld Satyavati, he said to her, "Sinful woman, what hast thou done! I view thy body of a fearful appearance. Of a surety thou hast eaten the consecrated food which was prepared for thy mother: thou hast done wrong. In that food I had infused the properties of power and strength and heroism; in thine, the qualities suited to a Brahman, gentleness, knowledge, and resignation. In consequence of having reversed my plans, thy son shall follow a warrior s propensities, and use weapons, and fight, and slay. Thy mother s son shall be born with the inclinations of a Brahman, and be addicted to peace and piety." Satyavati, hearing this, fell at her husband s feet, and said, "My lord, I have done this thing through ignorance; have compassion on me; let me not have a son such as thou hast foretold: if such there must be, let it be my grandson, not my son." The Muni, relenting at her distress, replied, "So let it be." Accordingly in due season she gave birth to Jamadagni; and her mother brought forth Viswamitra. Satyavati afterwards became the Kausiki river 13. Jamadagni married Renuka, the daughter of Renu, of the |
| vp.4.7 | Jamadagni" (the son of Richika 15) was a pious sage, who by the fervour of his devotions, whilst engaged in holy study, obtained entire possession of the Vedas. Having gone to king Prasenajit, he demanded in marriage his daughter Renuka, and the king gave her unto him. The descendant of Bhrigu conducted the princess to his hermitage, and dwelt with her there, and she was contented to partake in his ascetic life. They had four sons, and then a fifth, who was Jamadagnya, the last but not the least of the brethren, Once when her sons were all absent, to gather the fruits on which they fed, Renuka, who was exact in the discharge of all her duties, went forth to bathe. On her way to the stream she beheld Chitraratha, the prince of Mrittikavati, with a garland of lotuses on his neck, sporting with his queen in the water, and she felt envious of their felicity. Defiled by unworthy thoughts, wetted but not purified by the stream, she returned disquieted to the hermitage, and her husband perceived her agitation. Beholding her fallen from perfection, and shorn of the lustre of her sanctity, Jamadagni reproved her, and was exceeding wroth. Upon this there came her sons from the wood, first the eldest, Rumanwat, then Sushena, then Vasu, and then Viswavasu; and each, as he entered, was successively commanded by his father to put his mother to death; but amazed, and influenced by natural affection, neither of them made any reply: therefore Jamadagni was angry, and cursed them, |
| vp.4.7 | e first of warriors, likewise slew. Thrice seven times did the clear the earth of the Kshatriya caste 19; and he filled with their blood the five large lakes of Samanta panchaka, from which he offered libations to the race of Bhrigu. There did he behold his sire again, and the son of Richika beheld his son, and told him what to do. Offering a solemn sacrifice to the king of the gods, Jamadagnya presented the earth to the ministering priests. To Kasyapa he gave the altar made of gold, ten fathoms in length, and nine in height 20. With the permission of Kasyapa, the Brahmans divided it in pieces amongst them, |
Share:-
