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Vaivaswat Manu had ten sons and one daughter
(Bhag. 8/13/1-3 and 9/1/11,12,16). The eldest son was Ikchvaku.
Kaushal (Ayodhya) was the kingdom of Ikchvaku dynasty. A main
branch of this family succession was called ‘Surya Vansh.’
His daughter’s name was Ela who gave birth to a son named
Pururva from the celestial god Budh, the son of Som or Chandra
Deo (Bhag. 9/1/35). Later on this family was called ‘Som Vansh
or Chandra Vansh.’ Bhakt Ambarish was the grandson of Nabhag
who was the son of Vaivaswat Manu.
In
the family succession of Ikchvaku, Mandhata,
Satyavrat (Trishanku), Harish Chandra and his son Rohit, Sagar,
Aushuman, Dileep and Bhagirath, who brought Ganga on the earth
planet, are notable; and also Khatwang who realized God in
only 45 minutes before his death. Khatwang’s son Raghu, his
son Aj and his son Dashrath; his son Bhagwan Ram,
and Lav and Kush, are the main Divine personalities who really
established the greatness of Surya Vansh
in the world.
The
family succession of Lav and Kush runs up to the Mahabharat
war when Brihadbal was killed by Abhimanyu. This family succession
goes further up to Sumitra where the Ikchvaku
succession ends. (It’s all described in the
ninth canto of the Bhagwatam.)
In
the distant family succession of Pururva,
there is a description of Maharishi Jamdagni whose son Parashuram
killed Sahasrabahu Arjun of Haihai family. There is also an
account of Sage Shaunak and Yayati of Nahush family.
In
the Chandra Vansh family succession, the
important personalities are, Dushyant, his son Bharat, and
Bharadwaj. In the lineage of Bharadwaj, King Hasti established
Hastinapur. His son Ajmeedh had many sons. In one of his son’s
family succession were Drupad, Dropadi and Dhristdyumn; and
in the other son’s family succession Kuru was important who
lived in Kurukchetra. Kuru had four sons.
From
here, the family succession of Kuru branches out in two very
important sections. In the fifth generation of his son Sudhanva
was Brihadrath who established the kingdom of Magadh.
His son Jarasandh was killed in Mahabharat war by Bheemsen.
In the twelfth generation of his other son Jahnu was Shantanu
who was the King of Hastinapur.
Shantanu
had three sons. Bhishm from Ganga (he always remained single)
and Chitrangad and Vichitravirya from Satyavati, who was also
the godmother of Bhagwan Ved Vyas. Chitrangad had no child
and Vichitravirya died at an early age. So, on the request
of Queen Satyavati, Ved Vyas Divinely caused both wives to
conceive just by sight. They gave birth to Pandu who had five
sons called the Pandavas, and Dhritrashtra who had hundred
sons called the Kauravas (the eldest of whom was Duryodhan).
They fought the Mahabharat war.
After
winning the Mahabharat war, Yudhishthir, the elder brother
of the Pandavas, ruled Hastinapur for 36 years and 8 months,
and after the ascension of Bhagwan Krishn to His Divine abode,
the Pandavas also travelled to the north and left their body
in the Himalayas. Kaliyug started immediately after the ascension
of Krishn (Bhag. 12/2/33) in 3102 BC.
Parikchit
the grandson of Arjun became the king, who, after the 30th
year of his reign (in 3072 BC), left this world after listening
to the Bhagwatam. His son was Janmejaya. The dynasty
of Chandra Vansh ended with Chemak and then other dynasties
ruled Hastinapur.
The
kingdom of Magadh remained in power up to the end of Gupt
dynasty (83 BC). In the family succession of Brihadrath,
Marjari (the grandson of Jarasandh) became the king of Magadh
after the Mahabharat war in 3139 BC.
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