The Solar Line
The sun-god Surya was born as the son of Kashyapa and Aditi.
(The Markandeya Purana states that the demons were oppressing the gods. Aditi therefore prayed that Surya might be born as her son so as to vanquish the demons.)
Surya was born as an egg (anda). For days on end, nothing happened to the egg and the shell did not crack. Vishvakarma was the architect of the gods. When Vishvakarma found that nothing was happening to the egg, he cracked it open with a blow. Kashyapa was initially alarmed at this act, since he thought that the son who was inside the egg might have died. But he soon discovered that this was not the case and remarked, “the egg (anda) has not died.” From this expression, the son who was born came to be known as Martanda.
As Martanda, Surya named Samjna, Vishvakarma’s daughter. They had two sons and a daughter. The sons were named Yama and Vaivasvate (this was the one who became a Manu). The daughter was Yami (or Yamuna).
But so strong was the sun’s radiance that Samjna could not bear to look at her husband. She eventually thought of a way out. She created an image who looked exactly like her. This image was called Chhaya (shadow).
“I am going off to my father’s house,” replied Samjna. “Please stay here and pretend to be Samjna. Take care of my children and under no circumstances divulge that you are Chhaya.
“I will do what you ask,” said Chhaya. “But there is a condition. I will not relate the truth as long as I am not cursed or as long as no one grasps me by the hair. But the moment this condition is violated, I will reveal all.”
Samjna agreed to this condition and left for Vishvakarma’s house. Initially, Vishvakarma was quite happy to see his daughter. But days passed and Samjna did not return to her husband. Vishvakarma now realized that something must be amiss and cajoled his daughter to return to Surya. A thousand years passed. Finally, Samjna could bear her father’s scolding no longer. Pretending to return to her husband. She left Vishvakarma’s house. She adopted the form of a mare and started to live in the region known as Uttarakuru.
Meanwhile, Surya had not realized that Samjna had been substituted by Chhaya. Surya and Chhaya had parented two sons and a daughter. The sons were Savarni (who would become a Manu) and Shani (the planet Saturn) and the daughter was Tapati.
Chhaya was clearly more attentive towards her own children than towards Samjna’s.
Vaivasta did not mind this at all. He was the eldest and more collected and balanced. But Yama resented this apparent partiality. In a fit of childish petulance, he kicked Chhaya.
“You have dared to kick your father’s wife,” said Chhaya. “I therefore curse you that your feet will decay. It is with these feet that you have kicked me.”
Yama went and complained to Surya. He had sinned, but he was no more than a child. Might his transgression not have been overlooked on that account? Besides, whatever the provocation, does a mother ever curse her own son?
Surya did what he could to mitigate the effects of the curse. But he also realized that something must be wrong. When he demanded to know the truth from Chhaya, she revealed nothing. But when Surya threatened to curse her and grasped her by the hair, the conditions Chhaya had made were violated. Chhaya now revealed the truth.
Surya went to Vishvakarma’s house to find out where Samjna was. Hearing what had happened, Vishvakarma offered to slice off some of the sun’s energy. It was, after all, the sun’s great radiance that had motivated Samjna to do what she had done. Surya was not averse to this idea and his appearance was greatly improved by Vishvakarma’s action.
Surya got to know that Samjna was in the Uttarakuru kingdom in the form of a mare. He adopted the form of a horse and joined his wife there. As horses, Surya and Samjna had two sons named Nasatya and Dasra. Since the word ashva means horse and since these two had been born when their parents had adopted the forms of horse, they were also known as the two Ashvinis. They became the physicians of the gods.
After the Ashvinis were born, Surya and Samjna returned to their original forms.
I hope you have not forgotten that Vaivasvata Manu was the eldest son of Surya and Samjna.
Vaivasvata Manu performed a yajna so that he might have a son. But instead of a son, a daughter named Ila was born.
Therafter, nine sons were born to Vaivasvata. They were Ikshvaku, Nahusha, Dhrishta, Sharyati, Narishyanta, Pramshu, Nabhaga, Karusha, and Prishadhra.
The kings of the solar line (surya vamsha) were descended from Ikshvaku. In this line was born Rama of the Ramayana fame.
Dhundhu
In the solar line there was a king named Vrihadashva. He had twenty-one thousand sons . The eldest son was known as Kuvalashva.
When Vrihadashva aged, he decided to retire to the forest with his wife. As for the kingdom, he resolved that he would hand it over to Kuvalashva.
But as the coronation ceremony was about to take place, a sage named Utanka arrived in the capital.
Utanka told Vrihadashva, “King, please do not retire to the forest just yet. If you do so, we will not be able to to meditate in peace. My hermitage is on the shores of the ocean and the seashore is frequented by a terrible demon named Dhundhu. He is so powerful that even the gods cannot vanquish him. He hides under the sand and meditates. He exhales his breath once every year and when he does so, all hell breaks loose. Terrible sandstorms are unleashed and the sun is shrouded in dust. For an entire week there are earthquakes. You cannot go away without doing something about Dhundhu.”
“Great sage,” replied Vrihadashva, “I have given up my weapons. It would be most improper for me to take them up once again. As for Dhundhu, take my son Kuvalashva with you. I am sure that he will vanquish the demon.”
Kuvalashva and his twenty-one thousand brothers accompanied Utanka. They came to the shores of the ocean and started to dig up the sand in their search for Dhundhu. When the demon got to know about this, he unleashed a terrible storm. Tidal waves raged. Flames licked with tongues of fire. Dhundhu’s soldiers attacked Kuvalashva and his brothers. All the brothers except three were killed.
But Dhundhu had not reckoned with Kuvalashva. The storm, the waves and the fire could do Kuvalashva no harm. He killed the demon and thus acquired the name of Dhundhumara. The sage Utanka blessed him.
Trishanku
Further down the line, there was a king named Trayaruna. His son was Satyavrata. Satyavrata was exceedingly strong. But such was his desire for riches, that he committed many sins. His father Trayaruna therefore decided to banish him. Trayaruna’s chief priest was Vashishtha and the sage also supported the king’s decision.
“Go away,” Trayaruna told his son. “I do not wish to have a son who is like you.”
“What will I do and where will I live?” asked Satyavrata.
“Go and live with the chandalas (outcasts),” his father replied.
Satyabrata went and started to live with the outcasts. In due course. Trayaruna retired to the forest and there was no king to rule over the kingdom. In the absence of a king, anarchy prevailed. For twelve long years it did not rain and there was a terrible drought. Famine raged.
At the time, the sage Vishvamitra had gone away to the shores of the great ocean to meditate. The sage’s wife found it difficult to make both ends meet. There was no food to be had. She had no option but to sell off one of her sons in exchange for a hundred head of cattle. With this wealth she proposed to feed herself and her remaining sons. The person to whom the son was sold, tied a rope around the son’s neck (gala) and proceeded to drag him away from the market-place. The son thus came to acquire the name of Galava.
Satyavrata discovered what was happening. He rescued Galava and he also made arrangements to ensure that Vishvamitra’s wife and sons did not suffer in the sage’s absence. The entire family was looked after by Satyavrata. Satyavrata killed deer and other wild animals in the forest. He brought the meat to Galava’s family. He also tended to his father who had retired to the forest.
One one particular day, there was no game to be had. The sage Vashishtha possessed a cow. Satyavrata was not at all enamoured of Vashishtha. The sage had, after all, recommended that Trayaruna banish his son. Satyavrata therefore stole Vashishtha’s cow and slew it. He ate the meat himself and also fed part of it to Vishvamitra’s family.
Vashishtha was furious to learn this. He cursed Satyavrata. “You have committed three sins (shanku),” he said. “You have stolen that which belonged to others. That is your first sin. You have caused unhappiness to yur father. That is your second sin. And you have stolen and killed my cow. That is your third sin. Since you have committed three (tri) sins. I curse you that henceforth you will be known as Trishanku.”
After the twelve years of drought were over, Vishvamitra returned from his wanderings and was delighted to learn that Trishanku had taken care of his family in his absence. Despite Vashishtha’s opposition, Vishvamitra arranged for Trishanku’s coronation. As a sage, Vishvamitra had acquired great powers. He used these powers to send Trishanku to heaven in his mortal body. This was such a wonderful act that everyone marvelled at it.
(This is described in greater detail in the Harivamsha. The Ramayana adds a further twist. The gods refused to allow Trishanku entry into heaven. Vishvamitra thereupon created a second heaven for Trishanku.)
Sagara
From Trishanku was descended a king named Vahu.
Vahu was so addicted to material pursuits that he paid no attention to ruling his kingdom properly. Vahu’s enemies seized the opportunity to defeat him and deprive him of his kingdom . Vahu and his wife fled to the forest. Chief among these enemies were the Haihayas. But they were aided by the Talajanghas, the Shakas, the Yavanas, the Paradas, the Kambojas and the Pahlavas.
Vahu was old when this happened. Moreover, he was so grief-stricken at having lost his kingdom that he had lost all desire to live. He died in the forest.
King Vahu had two wives. One of these was named Yadavi. The second wife was jealous of Yadavi and attempted to kill her by administering some poison. The poison however did Yadavi no harm. When Vahu died, Yadavi decided to immolate herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. But the sage Ourva intervened.
“Please do not do that,” he requested Yadavi. “You are expecting and the act of killing the unborn baby would be a crime. Live and let him live. For, he will rule well and will defeat his father’s enemies.”
Persuaded by Ourva, Yadavi did not kill herself. She began to live in the sage’s hermitage. In due course, she gave birth to a beautiful boy. When the baby was born, the poison (gara) also emerged. Since the word sa means together with, the boy was given the name of Sagara.
Ourva took great interest in Sagara’s upbringing and education. He taught the boy the Vedas and the art of fighting. There was divine weapon known as agneyastra. Sagara also learnt how to use this wonderful weapon from Ourva.
When Sagara grew up, he decided to tackle his father’s enemies. The knowledge of the divine weapon had made him close to invincible. He defeated the Haihayas, the Shakas, the Yavanas, the Kambojas, the Parada and the Pahlavas. But when he threatened to kill them all, these enemies sought refuge with the sage Vashishtha. The sage asked Sagara to spare them and saved their lives. But they had to be given some sort of punishment. Sagara decreed that the Shakas would have half of their heads shaved off. As for the Yavanas and the Kambojas, their heads were completely shaved off. The Paradas were instructed that they would have to sport long hair and the Pahlavas were forbidden to shave their beards.
King Sagara thus conquered this enemies and became the ruler of the entire world. He decided to perform a horse sacrifice to celebrate his victory.
Sagara had two wives. They were named Keshini and Sumati. Sagara did not have any sons and his wives pleases Ourva with their prayers. Ourva granted them boons that they would have sons. The stipulation however was that one wife would give birth to a single son who would ensure that the line went on. But the other wife would have sixty thousand sons who would perish before having any children of their own.
Keshini desired the single son and accordingly gave birth to Asamanja. Sumati gave birth to a gourd. The gourd was reserved in a vat of clarifed butter. After nine months had passed, sixty thousand sons came out of the gourd.
(The names of the wives are reversed in the Mahabharata. That is, int he Mahabharata, it is Sumati who gave birth to Asamanja. Keshini had the sixty thousand sons.)
Sagara’s sons prospered.
When a horse sacrifice is performed, a horse is left free to wander where it wills. At the time when Sagara organized the horse sacrifice, he appointed his sons to look after the horse. These sons insulted the sage Kapila and were burnt into ashes.
(This story is so well known that the Vayu Purana does not go into any further details. The story can be found in the Ramayana. The Mahabharata and several of the Puranas, such as the Matsya Purana.)
