The Vishnu Purana: Book IV: Chapter VII | Internet Sacred Text Archive

CHAP. VII.

Sons of Purúravas. Descendants of Amávasu. Indra born as Gádhí. Legend of Richíka and Satyavatí. Birth of Jamadagni and Viśwámitra. Paraśuráma the son of the former. (Legend of Paraśuráma.) Sunahśephas and others the sons of Viśwámitra, forming the Kauśika race.

PURÚRAVAS had six sons, Áyus, Dhímat, Amávasu, Viśwavasu, Śatáyus, and Śrutáyus 1. The son of Amávasu was Bhíma 2; his son was Kánchana 3; his son was Suhotra 4, whose son was Jahnu. This prince, whilst performing a sacrifice, saw the whole of the place overflowed by the waters of the Ganges. Highly offended at this intrusion, his eyes red with anger, he united the spirit of sacrifice with himself, by the power of his devotion, and drank up the river. The gods and sages upon this came to him, and appeased his indignation, and reobtained Gangá from him, in the capacity of his daughter (whence she is called Jáhnaví) 5.

The son of Jahnu was Sumantu 6; his son was Ajaka; his son was Valákáśwa 7; his son was Kuśá 8, who had four sons, Kuśámba, Kuśanábha, Amúrttaya, and Amávasu 9. Kuśámba, 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 Kuśámba's son 10. He was accordingly born as Gádhi, of the race of Kuśa (Kauśika). Gádhi had a daughter named Satyavatí. Richíka, 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. Richíka having propitiated Varuńa, the god of ocean, obtained from him, at the holy place called Aśwatírtha, a thousand such steeds; and giving them to the king, espoused his daughter 11.

In order to effect the birth of a son, Richíka 12 prepared a dish of rice, barley, and pulse, with butter and milk, for his wife to eat; and at her