Manu's Lineage Continued

Suta said

Earlier Ikshvaku was born as Manu's son, through his nose. Ikshvaku had a hundred sons, generous in giving fees. Brahmanas, before them there were no kings in Aryavarta. Among them Vikukshi was the eldest and became king in Ayodhya. Hear what he did and what happened to his line through destiny. There was a shraddha and he was told to arrange it, but before it was completed he ate a hare and so became Shashada. When Ikshvaku abandoned him, Shashada entered a forest. When Ikshvaku died, by Vasishtha's words he was made king. He is said to have had fifteen sons, the foremost Shakuni, kings who protected the region of Uttarapatha. Ayodha's valiant son was Kakutstha. Kakutstha's son was Arinabha and Arinabha's son is said to have been Prithu. Prithu's son was Vishtarashva, whose son was Indra, lord of people. Indra's son was Yuvanashva, whose son was Shravasta, lord of people. Shravasta's son was wise Shravastaka, who built Shravasti. Shravastaka's son was the illustrious Brihadashva, whose son was Yuvanashva, whose son was Kuvalashva.

Having killed Dhundhu, that excellent king won the name Dhundhumara. Kuvalashva had a hundred sons, excellent archers, and his father installed him in the kingdom. After handing his prosperity to his son, the king wished to enter the forest, but as the royal sage was about to leave, Utanka stopped him. Utanka said: your task is to protect the earth by dharma. Listen, king: when the earth is protected by a great soul like you there is no cause for anxiety, so you should not go to the forest. A plain of cold desert lies near my hermitage, an ocean full of sand. A danava insolent from strength lies hidden in the sand underground, gigantic and very strong, unkillable by the gods. He is the terrible son of the rakshasa Madhu, named Dhundhu. To destroy the worlds he lies there practising terrible austerities. He breathes out after a whole year, and then the earth with its mountains, forests and groves trembles, with sparks of coal and red smoke, and because of this I cannot stay in my hermitage. Mighty-armed one, for the worlds' welfare restrain him. When you kill him the world will return to normal. Lord of the earth, you alone can slay him. Faultless one, Vishnu gave me a great boon in an earlier yuga, so your own energy will be reinforced by Vishnu's. In this world there is great dharma in protecting the subjects, which cannot be seen in the forest, so your mind should not turn that way. Indra among kings, there is no dharma like protecting subjects; royal sages did so in earlier times. So addressed by great-souled Utanka, the royal sage, to restrain Dhundhu, offered his son Kuvalashva: illustrious best of brahmanas, I have laid down my weapons, but doubtless this son of mine will be Dhundhumara. Having instructed his son the king left to practise austerities. To kill Dhundhu, Kuvalashva went with Utanka. At Utanka's invocation, for the worlds' welfare, Bhagavan Vishnu's energy entered his body. As the invincible one advanced a loud voice came from the sky: this prosperous prince will now be Dhundhumara. From every direction the gods surrounded him with divine garlands, praised him and said, "Be victorious, live long." The king, best of victors, went there with his sons and dug a pit in that ocean of sand. Brahmana rishi, Narayana's energy pervaded him and he became very energetic and stronger. His sons dug and found Dhundhu hidden in the sand, covering the western direction. Flames came from his mouth and he seemed to whirl the worlds in rage. Torrents of water poured out as if great waves had been stirred by the moon's rising. The fire that came out burned the hundred sons, lord among sages, leaving only three. Indra among brahmanas, the king then rushed at the very strong, energetic rakshasa Dhundhu, destroyer of brahmanas, and with a fiery arrow stopped that forceful flood of water, using fire to calm the water. He slew the gigantic rakshasa whose strength lay in water and showed Utanka what he had done. Utanka granted the king a boon: he would have inexhaustible riches and not be beaten by enemies, would always be devoted to dharma and have an eternal home in heaven, and the sons killed by the rakshasa would gain undecaying worlds.

Of the three sons who survived, Dridhashva is said to have been the eldest, with Hamsashva and Kapilashva the younger princes. Dhundhumara's son Dridhashva had a son Haryashva, whose son was Nikumbha, always devoted to dharma. Nikumbha's son Samhatashva was skilled in battle, and his sons were Akshashva and Kritashva. His daughter Haimavati, revered by the virtuous as Dhrishadvati, was famous in the three worlds and had a son Prasenjit. Prasenjit got a wife, Gouri, devoted to her husband, who, cursed by him, became the river Bahuda. His son was the great king Yuvanashva, whose son Mandhata was famous in the three worlds. His wife was Chaitrarathi, Shashabindu's daughter, devoted to her husband and with ten thousand younger brothers. Through her Mandhata had two sons, Purukutsa, who knew dharma, and King Muchukunda, devoted to dharma. Purukutsa's son was learned, wise Trayyaruni, whose son was the very strong prince Satyavrata. But he was deluded and abducted and married women already wed to great-souled men, breaking the marriage mantras. Driven by desire, play and arrogance, he abducted another's maiden from the city. Afraid of association with adharma, Trayyaruni cast him out and in rage spoke many words of censure. Satyavrata asked where he would go, and the king told him to live with outcastes. Cast out by his father, the brave Satyavrata, wishing to follow dharma, lived there. Because of his son's deeds King Trayyaruni lost all attachment, left everything and went to the forest to practise austerities for Shankara. Brahmana rishi, because of that adharma the chastiser of Paka did not rain in that kingdom for twelve years. At that time the great ascetic Vishvamitra had left his wife in that kingdom and gone to the ocean shore for great austerities. To keep the other sons alive, his wife tied a noose round the neck of the middle son and offered to sell him for a hundred cows. Mighty-armed Satyavrata, with dharma in his self, saw the great sage's son being offered for sale by his own mother with a noose round his neck, and freed him. To please Vishvamitra and out of compassion he supported them. Since then, because he had been bound at the neck, the great ascetic son of the sage Vishvamitra came to be called Galava.