The Vishnu Purana
Chapters
The Vishnu Purana: Book IV: Chapter XIX

449:15 The Bráhma P. and Hari V., the latter especially, appear to have modified this legend, with the view perhaps of reconciling those circumstances which are related of Bharadwája as a sage with his p. 450 history as a king. Whilst therefore they state that Bharadwája was brought by the winds to Bharata, they state that he was so brought to perform a sacrifice, by which a son was born, whom Bharadwája also inaugurated. In the Váyu, Matsya, and Agni, however, the story is much more consistently narrated; and Bharadwája, being abandoned by his natural parent, is brought by the winds, as a child, not as a sage; and being adopted by Bharata, is one and the same with Vitatha, as our text relates. Thus in the Váyu, the Maruts bring to Bharata, already sacrificing for progeny, Bharadwája, the son of Vrihaspati; and Bharata receiving him, says, "This Bharadwája shall be Vitatha." The Matsya also says, the Maruts in compassion took the child, and being pleased with Bharata's worship, gave it to him, and he was named Vitatha. And the Agni tells the whole story in one verse: 'Then the son of Vrihaspati, being taken by the winds; Bharadwája was transferred with sacrifice, and was Vitatha.' The account given in the Bhágavata is to the same purpose. The commentator on the text also makes the matter clear enough: 'The name of Bharadwája in the condition of son of Bharata was Vitatha.' It is clear that a new-born infant could not be the officiating priest at a sacrifice for his own adoption, whatever the compiler of the Hari Vanśa may please to assert. From Bharadwája, a Brahman by birth, and king by adoption, descended Brahmans and Kshatriyas, the children of two fathers: The Mahábhárata, in the Ádi Parvan, tells the story very simply. In one place, p. 136. v. 3710, it says that Bharata, on the birth of his children proving vain, obtained from Bharadwája, by great sacrifices, a son, Bhúmanyu; and in another passage it makes Bhúmanyu the son of Bharata by Sunandá, daughter of Śarvasena, king of Káśí; p. 139. v. 3785. The two are not incompatible.

450:16 Manyu: Bhágavata. Suketu: Agni. But the Bráhma and Hari V. omit this and the next generation, and make Suhotra, Anuhotra, Gaya, Garga, and Kapila the sons of Vitatha: they then assign to Suhotra two sons, Káśíka and Ghritsamati, and identify them and their descendants with the progeny of Áyu, who were kings of Káśí (see p. 409. n. 15); a piece of confusion unwarranted by any other authority except the Agni.

450:17 Vrihat, Ahárya, Nara, Garga: Matsya.

450:18 Guruvírya and Trideva: Váyu. The first is called Gurudhí, Matsya; and Guru, p. 451 Bhágavata: they agree in Rantideva. The Bhágavata describes the great liberality of this prince, and his practice of Yoga. According to a legend preserved in the Megha Duta, his sacrifices of kine were so numerous, that their blood formed the river Charmanvatí, the modern Chambal.

451:19 Śivi: Matsya.