ancient indian genealogies and chronology
TRANSCRIPT
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 1/57
Ancient Indian Genealogies and ChronologyAuthor(s): F. E. PargiterReviewed work(s):Source: Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, (Jan., 1910), pp. 1-56Published by: Cambridge University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25189631 .
Accessed: 14/08/2012 10:49
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
.
Cambridge University Press and Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland are collaborating with
JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
http://www.jstor.org
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 2/57
JOURNALOF THE
ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY
1910
I
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIESAND CHRONOLOGY
By F. E. PARGITER, MA.
rilHE subject that I venture to discuss in this paper
is one that may seemsurprising and even fantastic,
and yet, if any orderliness can be introduced into the
earliest Indian ages, it canonly be attained by examining
and co-ordinating all the genealogical and (juasi-historical
data which have been handed down in Sanskrit books.
The subject has been before my mind for many years,
and it has been only after long consideration of all the
relevant information, which I have been able to collect out
of all those books, especially the Epics and Pur?nas, that
it has seemed to me some measure of order may be educed
out of the chaos of material. That information is con
densed in the
followingpages, and no statement is made
without citing the authorities that support it. I may say
that the conclusions set out here were not reached from
any preconceived ideas, except this one (if it merits that
description), that the ancient ksatriya literature deserves
to be r-xtf/niinwl from a common-sensepoint
of view on the
supposition that it may contain genuine tradition, however
much distorted in the course of time. It wasonly
after
investigating the subject piecemeal, following each detail
JRAS. 1010. 1
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 3/57
2 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
into other details to which it led and continuallyre
arranging them as their number and mutual relations
developed, that something definite seemed at first to
emerge out of the chaos, and then gradually the subject
seemed to shape itself into somedegree of order. Even if
my views should not commend themselves to others, yet
the material collected here and the method of treatment
may, I hope, be of some service to others in elucidating the
subject. Hitherto ancient India has appeared rather like
a view in aphotograph, with the various distant objects
shown, it is true, yet somewhat flattened in perspective ;
and it has been my endeavour in this paper to apply
the stereoscopic process to it, so as to make the vista of
the past stand out in something like its true distances.
It is a commonplace that early history concerns itselfalmost entirely with celebrated men and their personal
(beds. Nothingmore than that can then be expected
in the accounts that have come down to us about ancient
India, and on the whole that is all that is ottered in
Sanskrit books, if we consider the matter that is primarily
genealogicalor
quasi-historical and the stories introduced
therein to explain or illustrate it.
fn ancient India there were two classes of celebrated
men, kings and rishis (this word may fairly be Anglicized),
and early Indian chronicles deal almost wholly with them.
A remarkable distinction must, however, be noted between
the genealogical accounts of kings and rishis. A king's
life was conditionedby
hisfamily,
hiscapital,
and his
territories. The rishi's life had no such bounds ; his youthwas
spent in the hermitage of some spiritual preceptor
whose teaching he desired, and after he had finished his
studies his life waspassed wherever he chose to fix his
hermitage, or in any capital where aking welcomed his
ministrations, or in any spot where he could best carry
out austerities (tajyas). The kings belonged to dynasties,and were
proud of and cherished the memory and fame of
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 4/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 3
their ancestors. The rishis developedno similar priestly
succession ; they cared little about preserving particulars
of their lineage, thougha
patronymicor r/otra name
attested descent in most families. Kings hoped to transmit
their realm and lineage, enhanced by their own fame, to an
enduring posterity. The rishis sought eminence in sacred
erudition and the. power of austerities, and their successors
were their
spiritual
rather than their natural sons. With
kings the dynastywas the great idea, each king being
a link in its perpetuation and exaltation. With the rishis
sacred lore was the great idea, each rishi beinga link in its
transmission and glorification. Individual ambition existed
among both classes, but the main result ultimately was
this?among ksatriya? the royal dynasty formed the.
enduring memory, and among brahmans religious doctrineand priestly power constituted the permanent achievement.
It is clear, then, that genealogical accounts and stones of
royal exploitswere the essential features of the ksatriya
record, while genealogieswere but a collateral detail with
the ancient brahmans. Royal genealogies have been
handed down in many compositions ;*
brahmanical
genealogies can hardly be said to exist. The former
constituted one of the main subjects which every Purfina
wasexpected to set out ; the latter are nowhere mentioned
as a matter that required particular attention. Marriage
alliances weresubjects of great moment with kings; the
stories told about rishis indicate that their lineage wasby
no means unblemished. The threegreat ksatriya lines,
1Tho references to Mio various works ei led uro taken from the
following editions:?Mah?hh?rala and J lar iram An., (Jalo., 18.V?; Il?mn
yaint% Bomb. ;Kilnna, Mtlrkanth:yat ami Vfiyu. I'uratias, Bihlioth. Indica ;
A gui, Garufa, Li?ga, and MaUya Purfuuis, Jiv?nanda Vidy?s?gara'sCale, editions of 1882, 1800, 1885, and 1870 respectively ; Hh?t/nro/a
l'uraiia, Bomb. ; Brahma and l'adnia Puta?as, ?nand?sraina Bomb.
Series; Vimu Parana, Wilson's Translation. The chapter is quoted as
well as the verse in the M?h. and lfariv.y because the numbering of
the verses is not always correct. It is indicated throughout by italic
figures.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 5/57
4 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
the Solar and Lunar and Yfidava dynasties, profess to
exhibit more than fifty well-remembered generations ;
among rishi families it is rare to find a list of five
continuous descents. The longest that I am aware of is
this?Vasistha, Saktri, Par?aara, Krsna Dvaip?yana Vy?sa,
Suka ?raneya and his sons1?yeteven in this line Vasistha
is probably onlya (jotra name. The most copious list of
brahman families of commonorigin
is that of the sons
and descendants of Visv?mitra,2 and the longest line of
brahmanical descent is that attributed to Vitahavya the
Haihaya;3 and both of them were ksatriyas by birth
who became brahmans.4 This marked difference can only
beexplained
on the ground that royal lineageswere not
the concern of rishis, but of court bards and court priests.
This ksatriya literature grew up in virtual independence
of brahmanical literature, and only when it had developed,
into animposing
mass and had attained great popular
appreciationwas it taken over by the brahmans as a not
unworthy branch of knowledge. It was then that it was
arranged and augmented with stories and discourses
fashioned after brahmanical ideas.
The desire of handing down their genealogies and royal
exploits existed thus among kings, and they had the
1M/Vi. i, 177, 6757-60 ; 17S, 6792-4 ; CO, 2208-9 ; xii, ,?.?/, 13642-3 ;
?31. 8483-5 ; ?7^, 1219.5-7. AV/rma, i, /.'>, 20-7. Jinriv. IS, 977-81.2
J/7JA. xii, 40, 1771-2 ; xiii, 4, 248-00. Bhilgar. ix, 7tf, 28-37.
Brahma, 10, 55-66. Fr?yit, ii, ;???, 93-9. 7/cmr. 27, 1460-74; 32,
1767-76.5MBh. xiii, ?0, 1997-2005.
4V?tnhavva gained brahmanhood {MBh. xiii, 30, 1983-97, 2005-6)
hecause aBh?rgava rislii falsely asserted by implication that he was
a brahman, and the assertion had to stand good.Visvumitra'fl difficulty
lay in the fact that he was of pure ksatriya lineage. Not a few royal
ksatriyas had no difficulty in becoming brahmans, because there had been
brahman paternity in their near ancestry ; thus among King Vitatha's
descendants (see p. 45) were Kiln va, Maudgalya, and other brahmans.
Brahmanpaternity
was sufficient in thosedtiyg.
Seep.
37 and p. 45,
n. 3. The mother might be of the lowest class, as was Vy?sa's mother,
or wa< unnecessary according to various stories.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 6/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 5
means of doingso in bards and court priests.
There was
also a strong popular interest in the traditions and ballads
relating to famous kings, and a class of men existed who
learnt the old stories and genealogies,for nothing less
than this can be implied by the many terms used to
describe them, such aspnr?-vid, ?mrdna-j-?u, panrdnihi,
vmhAi-vid, variusa-purdHfi-jvu, ; and theywere both
brah inuns and others, for the words dviju, vipra, and
jana are often added to the description. Such men or
perhaps popular traditions are referred to in other
expressions, such as ity anu?usrumaht iti ?rutam, ud**
luirantis etc.
These old genealogies, therefore, with their incidental
stories are not to be looked upon aslegends
or fables
devoid of basis or
substance,but contain
genuinehistorical
tradition, and may well be considered and dealt with
from a common-sensepoint of view. They give
us an
opportunity of viewing ancient India from the ksatriya
standpoint. The ksatriyas playeda very great part in
those early days, and a consideration of the literature that
they originated is essential to aright understanding ol
those distant times. The reproach that there was nohistorical faculty in ancient India is true only
asregards
the brahmans. The ksatriyas did display almost as much
of that facultyas could be expected in such ages in the
appreciation bestowed on the dynastieul genealogies and
ballads of royal exploits. In Bal^Ionia and Kgypt
permanent records were made in inscriptions and on clay
tablets. In ancient India there was (as far as we know)
no such method of perpetuation, and ancient deeds could
be handed down only by memory. We have the results
in the Epics and Purfinas, together with a great quantity
of brahmanical accretions.
It is, moreover, a remarkable fact that the kingson
whom praise is bestowed in the brahmanical literature are
by no means those who arehighly extolled in the ksatriya
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 7/57
G ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGV
literature. The Rig- Veda contains hymns composed during
the ages that intervened between M?ndh?tr Yauvana?va*
and Dev?pi, who lived about acentury before the great
battle between the P?ndavas and Kauravas (see p. 53).
During that long period the most famous monarchs wrere
Arjuna, Marutta, Sagara, Bharata, Bhagiratha, Ambarisa,
Dilipa II, and Rama,2 besides famous kings such as
Hariscandra, Alarka, Ajamidha, Kuril, Brahmadatta, and
others,3 yet none of these are mentioned in the hymns
except Bharata,4 and apparently Ajamidha,5 and possibly
Ruma.6 The accounts, asthey stand now, generally extol
such great rulers as munificent sacrificers, yet the rishis
have preservedno
hymns composed in their honour, if
any werecomposed. It can
hardly be supposed that no
rishis capable of song existed during the reigns of allthose monarchs. On the other hand, the kings who are
lauded in the hymns, such as the Pa??cala kings, Divodasa,
Sudas, and others (see p. 21), are hardly known to
ksatrij-a fame. It would seem, first, that the really
famous kings, confident in themselves and their big
battalions, cared little about the divine assistance which
the rishis professed to bestow, or that the brahmanical
sacrificial rites were not fully elaborated in their time ;
and, secondly, that the rishis established their spiritual
ascendancy through the later, less powerful, but devout
minded kings of Central Madhyade?a, such as Bharata's
successors and the Paiic?la kings. Hence, probably, in
great
measure thespecial sanctity
and claims asserted
for that region.It is not to be expected that precision in genealogical
1See pp. 30 and 31. Big-V. x, 134y is attributed to him.
2 Sec p. 30. 3See Table of genealogical lists, p. 26.
4Biff-1*, vi, l?, 4, and other passages. Bharata is, I believe, the only
really great king who receives appropriate esteem in the brahmanical
literature, and he reigned in Central Madhyadesa. He ap|)ears to have
been decidedly brahmatiya.5
Biff-V. iv, 44, 6. 6Biff-r. x, 03, 14.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 8/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CUKONOLOGV 7
details can be found, and for obvious reasons. In fact,
it is oftenfrankly
stated that, while the lists are
given"at length" and "in correct succession", vintarcnu and
unity) Cirvcmt,1 yet theyare not complete, and that the
names of those kings only are mentioned who were
famous or werespecially remembered.2 Sometimes it is
stated that along list is only
a succinct one, sanl'sPjtfiitKor sam?sena? Admittedly, then, the lists are not exhaustive,
and this conclusion is confirmed by three considerations.4
First, some of the lists omit even well-known names ;
thus, if we look at the Solar dynasty, the Agni and
Padma Pur?nas omit Sudfisa, father of Mitrasaha Kalnmsa
p?da, who was famed by his patronymic Saudiisa, and
the lih?gavata and K?rnia omit Ambarisa, who was
a celebrated king.Secondly,
little-
known names are
supplied bysome of the authorities ; thus, in the same
dynasty the K?rma, Liriga, Matsya, and Padma insert
Pramoda between Drdluisva and llaryasva, while the
other authorities ignore him. There is noground for
suspecting that Pramoda has been invented ; as an
insignificant king he has simply been dropped out of
the other lists. Thirdly, names occur which are obviouslyor
probably patronymics ; thus, in the Yiidava dynasty
Sat vat and his son S?tvata aregiven only by the G anula,
Liiiga, and V?yu, while the other Pur?nas omit one or
other of these names. A king who is remembered only
by his patronymic is on the verge of droppingout.
Notwithstanding such omissions, the lineage is generally
given as being continuous ; thus, in the Lunar dynasty some
authorities give from ten to thirteen generations between
1Brahma, 13, 2 ;Mataya, J3, 5 ; Vilyu, ii, 32, 1 ; 37, 115 ; JJarir. 31,
1653; 32, 1842.-
Brahma, 15, 831-2 ; Kfirma, i, #/, 00 ; ?tityci, i, <W,43 ; Padma, v, .9,
161-2 ; fiiyw, ii,,?6\ 211 ; Visnu, iv, >?; Jfariv. 15, 831.;{
Liitytt, i, 6V?, 1 ; Kftrma, i, 21, 60.4
See also
p.11, and the names in brackets in the Table of lists are
further instances of omissions.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 9/57
8 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
Kuru and Pratipa, while others reduce them to five or six.
And it is generally said or implied that the successorafter a gap was son of the predecessor before the gap.
There are four ways in which the relationship between
two kings is expressed, and they may be explainedmost
easily by styling the predecessor A and the successor B ;
and A may be either named or referred to by the pronoun
tad. Tiny are these : (1) 13 was A's son, the relation
being defined by some word meaning son or begotten;1
(2) B was of A, norelationship being specified ;2
(3) B was from or after A, the ablative casebeing used
or the equivalent adverbial form;3 and (4) B wras heir
of A.4 These different ways no doubt often mean 011I3'
the samething, namely, sonship ; still, the first does not
alwaysmean immediate
sonship ;the second and fourth
mightcover cases where brothers, nephews,
or grandsons
succeeded ; and the third might imply simply that one
king followed another with little or norelationship
between them. Such being the conditions, the additional
names which some lists give may be genuinenames ;
and, if allowance must be made for omissions, such names
inajT show with some probability where gaps occur.
Exactitude, however, in these points is not indispensable
for the present purpose. All that is necessary is that
the genealogies should be set out Avith approximate
fullness, and synchronisms will introduce fixed points
among them, from which the generations may be reviewed
and adjusted either backwards or forwards.
As regards names, the kings who wereespecially
1e.g. Yijay?d Buruko jaj?c, Buruhlt tu Vykah nut ah. Garmfa. i,
7.;?s\ 28.-
e.g. DrdluMraxya PramodaA ca and JTaryasrasya Kiknmbho 'bhftf.
Matsyn, 12, 33.'-'
e.g. N?bh?g?d Andmriso ybhuf, Sindhudvtpo 'mbarlsatah. Garuda, i,
13$. 31. Ways (2) and (3) become indistinguishable where the abl. and
the gen. are alike, e.g. B?hos tu Sagarah smrtah. Ibid. 28.4e.g. Sa??dasya tu d?y?dah Kahttstho mima. Brahma, ix, 7, 51.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 10/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY" ?)
celebrated are well known, and the names of the others
are mainly useful as marking steps in the descent, so that
aslong
as the stepsare labelled, it is not material whether
insignificantnames are
perfectly correct. Where a name
appears in several forms, I have taken that form which is
supported by most of the authorities or the best of them :
and if the variations are too many to render that possible,
I have adopted whatseems
the most likely form. Onlysuch names are included in the lists as are found in at
least two authorities.1
In these ways, though absolute accuracy is unattainable,
it may yet be possible to reach such anapproximation as
may be sufficient for working purposes.
The most salient feature that appears on acomparison
of the genealogies is the great length of the Solar dynasty
of Ayodhy?. It contains some ninety-three names, whereas
tins two next longest lists art? much shorter, namely, the
Y?dava line of Western India with somesixty-two naines,
and the Lunar or Paurava line with about fiftynames.
There aregood reasons for holding that the Solar list is
fairlycomplete
and that the latter two are far from
beingso.
India has often suffered from invading hosts from the
north-west, and there can be no doubt that similar
invasions occurred during the earliest ages. The Aryan
invasion is the first of which we have any evidence, and
there are indications that other racespoured into and
swept over North India afterwards. The most strikinginstance of this is the story of the struggle of Sagara.
1The Brahma 1'urfuia and the llnriraihsa (which is virtually a I'ursina)
cannotgenerally be regarded
as distinct authorities, for their lists has?:
such close and even verbal resemblance as to indicate that they arc little
more than two versions of oneauthority. The other J'ur?iias, while
showing much similarity in someplaces, differ considerably in other-.,
and do not readily fall into separate groups. The general expositionof the dynasties (pp. 1(1-25) will give
some idea of the connexion^
which they show with one another in some, though not in all, portions of
the genealogies.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 11/57
10 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
king of Ayodhy?, against the Haihayas and T?lajanghas
(see p. 30, etc.) and hordes of Sakas, Pahlavas, Kfunbojas,etc. All the authorities which relate the story say this.1
Bfihu. king of Ayodhyfi,2 wra.s driven from his throne bythe invaders and died afterwards in the forest; his queen
gave birth to Sagara; Sagarawas
brought up in Aurva
Bh?rgava's hermitage, and onattaining manhood fought
against, and finally subjugated the invaders. If there is
any historical truth in this story, it can only mean that
the whole of North India had been overrunby those hordes,
that every kingdom in the north-west and Madhyade?a
had fallen, that Kosala, the most easterly kingdom of
Madhyadesa, which encountered the invaders last, went
down for a time, and that Sagara subdued them and
re-established the Solardynasty.
Those eventsimply
aperiod of some
thirty years at least in Kosala, and
indicate that North -Western and Western India and
Madhyadesa must have been submerged for half a century
at least.3 The Kosala line remained unbroken, but all
the dynasties west of it must have suffered seriously,
and if we cansynchronize this period with some
period
in the other dynasties, confusion or a material gap may
1MBh. iii, 106, 8831-2; Bh?gar. ix, <S\2-7 ;Brahma, S, 47-51 ; V?yn, ii,
,'G\ 121-42; Hariv. 13, im-14, 784; B?m?y. i, 70, 27-37; ?i, 110,
15-25 (imperfectly). The map published byme in this Journal for 1908,
p. 332, will help to elucidate this paper.2
The B?m?y. calls him Asi ta.3
During this period the invaders were in power and had probably
l>egun to settle down in the countries they had conquered ; and this
also seems implied by their appealing to Vasistha (that is, one of the
Vasistha family) and his taking them under his protection, for the
Vasisthas were the court-priests ofAyodhy? (as mentioned in p. 14), and
he as a brahman may have maintained his position ascourt-priest under
the Haihaya-T?lajangha rule. Sagara's repressive treatment of the
different peoples (as explained in the passages cited above), therefore,
means probably that the rules which he imposed on them applied to
those barbarians who had settled down and remained in the territories
which he ruled as cakravartin and not to the nations outside India. He
marked oil' and degraded them from the rest of his subjects, and the
distinctions naturally disappeared in the course of time.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 12/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 11
be expected in them. That is what we do find. A great
gap occurs in the Lunar line ; the K?nyakubja dynasty
disappeared ; the K??i genealogy is confused ; and now
dynasties sprang up afterwards in Madhyadesa.
This story shows that Kosala from its eastward position
escaped various calamities that befell the morewesterly
kingdoms. Its dynastic list therefore remained continuous
and full, while the lists of other
dynasties
will be found
to have suffered breaks, and thus necessarily fall short
of it in their numbers. Further, other dynasties were
not sogreat and important continuously
as the Solar
monarchy, and their lists were not handed down with the
same veneration and fullness. Their lists aremanifestly
far from complete,as the Table of genealogies shows.
The length of the Solar line, therefore, is not to becorrected and reduced by a
comparison with the other
lines, but is a standard by which we may measure the
deficiencies and gaps in the other lists, and the Table of
genealogies will show how truly it serves this purpose.
Besides such vicissitudes, changes were also produced
by internal eou(|uests. Thus the dynasties of North and
South Pan cal a sprang from the Paurava Ajainidha of the
Lunar race. He or his sonsconquered those countries
and established separate thrones in them. Again,one of
the near descendants of Jyfunaghas son Vidarbha of the
Yftdava race was Cidi or Cedi, and he originated the
Caidya kings,1 that is, the kingdom of Cedi. That
dynasty, however,was
conqueredafterwards
bythe
Paurava Vasu, who was fifth in descent from Kuru, and
established himself asCaidya
-Uparicara. lie also
conquered theneighbouring countries as far as
Magadha,and established his five sons in ?vc kingdoms there, two
of which were Cedi and Magadha, and two others were
1A(/m,274> 17-18; f?h?yav. ix, ?4, 1-2; Matsya, 44, 35-8; Pad m a,
v, 13, 19-21 ; V?yu, ii, ?J, 36-8 ; Vistnt, iv, 7? ; ZiV///?, i, CS, 37-40 ;
Uarnda, i, itf.9, 29-30.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 13/57
12 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY"
probably Kar usa and Kaus?mb?. His eldest son,
Brhadratha, obtained Magadha and founded the dynastywhich flourished under Jar?sandha in the P?ndavas' time.1
In dealing with these ancient genealogies synchronismsare the most important points to be considered. The
genealogiesare of little practical value by themselves.
It is only by co-ordinating them that they can be made
to furnish any chronological results which may possess
any value, and this can only be done by establishing
synchronisms between the various lines. Synchronisms,
therefore, are the essential facts in the present inquiry.
Now, stories and allusions exist in plenty connecting
various kings and rishis, but are obviously not equally
worthy of credence, and it is necessary to ascertain some
criteriaby
which their trustworthinessmay
be estimated.
The following distinctions arc put forward as likely to
help, with reasonable surencss, to eliminate what cannot
be genuine tradition :?
Passages which connect different kings and rishis
may be divided into four broad classes: (1) allusions or
comments, incidental orexplanatory, in the course of
a genealogy ; (2) incidental allusions elsewhere ; (3) stories
which areprimarily ksatriya stories ; and (4) stories which
areprimarily brahmanical.
The first class occur asprofessedly genuine details and
are introduced simply because they belong naturally to the
genealogical accounts. They are most trustworthy when
moderate in number and really explanatory, and they are
open to doubt the morethey show signs of amplification
and exaggeration.2 Passages of the second class are. met
with by way of explanationor
comparison, and are most
trustworthy when they are brief and are introduced
simply and naturally.
The third class comprisesa
great number of stories of
1 See MBh. \, (13, 2334-05, and passages cited for this dynasty, p. 22.-
The Ga?ida contains very little explanatory matter.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 14/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 13
various kinds, and may be broadly divided into those that
describe some alleged occurrence and those that are mainly
laudatory. The latter kind aregenerally replete with
exaggeration, and often disregard conditions of time and
place. As an instance may be mentioned the long fight
between Bhisina and Kama Jiimadagnya in Mlih. v, 170,
etc., which isimpossible, because Rama lived many
centuries before Bhisina. This latter kind may be
discarded as worthless, but stories of the former kind
may afford useful information if they agree with other
stories, and this much is in their favour, that their ksatriyafeatures probably go back to early times, before the Epicand Pauranic literature was taken over and manipulated
by the brahmans.
The fourth class ofstories,
that areprincipally
brah
manical, bear their character unmistakably on their face.
They may be roughly divided into three kinds: (1) those
that exalt the dignity of some rishi, (2) those that
inculcate some doctrine, and (3) those that extol the
majesty of some god or the sanctity of somespot.
Probably only the first kind merit any attention, yet
there is always a doubt whether they represent the
original story. The other two kinds aregenerally
fabrications. As anexample of a
pious story blendingmoral delinquencies and chronological absurdities, it would
be difficult to match that of Cfilava in MBit, v, ]13, etc.1
It is not necessary for the present purpose to sift such
stories, and this circumspection is requisite in the stories
told in the Sfuiti-p. of the MBit., which cannot be acceptedwithout corroboration.
In these ways some discrimination is possible among*the great quantity of material, and a considerable number
of synchronisms can be collected which can claim some
degree of genuineness ; still, indrawing inferences from
them certain cautions must be borne in mind. These1
Strangely enough it finds an echo inMBit, iii, 107, 13301-2
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 15/57
14 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
cautions are more or less obvious and well known, and yet
it is wellto
state themso that the use
made ofthe
materials may not seemcapricious. They
are these.
First, patronymics do not always indicate the relation of
father and son, but often designatea descendant. Putting
aside such generic terms as Paurava, Y?dava, Bharata,
Atreya, Bh?rgava, etc., we find Visvamitra called Kausika1
after his grandfather, Rfuna Dfisarathi called Riighava2
after his great-grandfather, and Krsna called Mfidhava,
Sfitvata, Vfirsneya, and ?also Dfisfuha:* after distant
ancestors, as well as Sauri4 after a nearer ancestor. The
primary inference would be that apatronymic
means
a son or daughter, jretwe must be quite ready to take it
asmeaning
a descendant if the context or other considera
tions should so indicate.
Secondly and conversely, the simplename does not
always refer to the forefather of that name, but is also at
times applied to his descendants. This is a common use
collectively in the Pig-Veda, As an instance of its
application singlywe find Kuvalilsva of the Solar dynasty
styled Iksv?ku;5 but this use is rare asregards ksatriyas
in the Epics and Pur?nas. This caution applies with
special force to the names of rishis, and unless it is care
fully observed we may fall into all kinds of errors. Thus the
name Vasistha occurs at all periods of the Solar dynasty,6
and plainly refers to a long succession of members of the
Vasistha family ; in fact, that family appears to have held
the office of court-priests to that dynasty,as the Kasyapas
were hereditary priests of Jan ame ?aya Pari ksi ta.7
In the same way must be understood the frequent
1MBh. i, 175, 6095 ;M?rkavd. 9, 10 ; Jfarir. 13, 753.
2MBh. iii, 277, 10030.
3 ?/??. i, 222, 8078 ; ,??J, 8083-4 ; v, 77, 2581.
4MBh. i, :??i, 7989.
5MBh. iii, ?W, 13480, with 201, 13515-19.
0For instance, a Vasistha occurs with Trisaiiku (p. 33), with Sagara
(p. 10, n. 3), with Kalm?sap?da (p. 45, n. 3), and with Dasaratha
{Hamay. i, 7, 4, etc.). Other Vasisthas occur elsewhere, see p. 50.7 -i/Va?*. Bnlh. vii, 5, 27, and see viii, ^, 22.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 16/57
ANCIENT INDIAN (GENEALOGIESAND CHRONOLOGY 15
mention of Bharadv?ja, Kan va, Ootaina, Bhrgu, Atri, etc.,
at different periods. In fact, the indifference whichcharacterized the rishis as
regards theirgenealogies (as
already mentioned) led them to neglect the personalname
of members of the great (jotras, and to mention them
simply by their gotra name, with the result that the
personality of the original bearer of the name and that
of his descendants have been often confused. This applieseven to the name Visvfimitra, as will be shown among the
synchronisms, for the first and great Visvfuiiitra\s
descendants were divided into two ?jotras, the Kausikas
and the Visvfunitras.1 The rivalry between him and the
great Vasistha, who was court -priest of
Ayodhyii in
Trisanku's time, wasperpetuated among their descendants :
and,as the
brahmanswere
indifferent about personalparticulars, the accounts, as
they stand now, often show
wild confusion, all the Vasisthas being described more or
less closely in terms of the great Vasistha, and all the
Visvfunitras in terms of the great Visvfimitra.- The only
method of unravelling the confusion and of distinguishing
the various Vasisthas and Visvfunitras is to get the royal
genealogies clear, and then assign those rishis to their
several periods by attaching them to the kings with whom
theywere associated.
Thirdly, it often happened that the same name was
borne by diff?rent individuals, so that it byno means
follows that the same name in different place'smeans the
same person. It is
expressly
said that
among kingsthere
were scores of Dhrtarfistras, Janamejayas, Brahmadattas,
Bhismas, Bhmias, Kfisas, Kusas, etc.," and that in the
Lunar dynasty there were two Itksiis, two I'ariksits, three
Bliiiiiaseiias, and two Janamejayas.4 In that dynasty,1
Bh?ffav. ?x, IC, 34 7.a
See Muir'? Sanskrit Texts, i, 75, etc.;?MBh. ii, ?S', 33 fi.
4Brahma, 13, 112-13 ; Jfarir. .V>, 1817-18. Yet the lists do not show
three Bh?masenas, and two have dropped out. There were three
Janamejayas, if we reckon the monarch who reigned after the great battle.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 17/57
It) ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
moreover, we have the strange coincidence that the two
Pariksits and the two later Janamejayas were father andson
respectively.1 There wrere morekings than one that
bore the name Divod?sa, Sudfisa, orSriljaya. This caution
also must be considered in dealing with the names of
rishis, because similarity of names wasprobably just as
common among brahmans as among ksatriyas ; thus there
appear to have been two brahmans named Sunaka2
and
two named Suka.:* This even applies to such names as
Brhaspati4 and Usanas,5 with the result that personal and
mythologicalnames have probably been confused at times.
Such appears to be the proper nature and scope of an
examination of the genealogies. The next step is to state
the various dynasties, notice the authorities, and offer some
generalremarks on each
dynasty.All the lines are derived from Manu Vaivasvata : the
Solar and Videha lines from his son Iksvfiku, the Visala
dynasty from his son Dista or Nedistha, and all the rest
from his daughter Has son Purfiravas. Purflravas, line
was?yus, Nahusa, Yay?ti, and then Yayfiti's five soiis,
Vadu, Turvasu, Druhyu, Ann, and Puni.0
1 See the genealogical lists, infra. For the earlier Paiiksit and
.hinnmejayasee also Brahma, 1?, 9-11 ; V?yu, ii, 31, 21-2; J?ariv. 30,
1008-9, and cf. with MBh. xii, l'>0, 5595-0. The later are well known,
luring Ablrimanyu's son and grandson.-
One. son of Grtsamada, Bh?ijar. ix, 17, 3 ; Brahma, 11, 33 ; V?yu, ii,
.>", 4 :Harir. :J0, 1519 ; loss clearly Gartida, i, 130, 9; and Visnu, iv, 8 ;
perhaps Biff-V. ii, 1. The other, MBh. xiii. 30, 2005.:lOne was father-in-law of Anuha, king of South Paficfila, Bh?gav. ix,
Jl. 24-5 ;Mattya, 40, 50-7 ; V/cirir. 7cS\ 981 : :?0, 1039-40, 1005. See also
Ga?ida, i, 7.^), 13; fr<r?yM, ii, 37, 174-5; Visit?, iv, 2.fJ. The other was
Yvasa's son, see p. 4.4
See p. 44 infra.:*
There was aking Usanas in the Yadava line : see Table of lists.
KMBh. \, 75, 3140-01 ; On, 3700-3 ; v, 14S, 5042-52. Afftti, 27?, 5-7;
:13. 12 23. Bh?ffav. ix, 7, 11-35; 13, 1 ; 17, 1 ; IS, 1-33. Brahma, 7,
I 10 ; 10, 1-11 ; 11, 1-2 ; 1?, 1-0. Garttda, i, 7JS, 2-3 ; 7.W, 2, 7, 17, 18.
Kfirma, i. JW, 4-7; :?..', 1-11. Lihga, i, oV7, 17-24 ; 0Y>, 55-00. Matsya,
li. 40-1 ; 1?, 12-15 ; ?^, 32-4, 49 54. Padma, v, 5, 75-120 ; 12, 85-7,
103-7. Iwyw, ii, ?3, 1-17; ?.'>, 1-4, 48, 114 ; 30, 1-2 ; 31, 12-17. l'?riHf,
iv, 7, .?, tf-m 7/ffr/r. 7^, 013-30; ?C, 1303-73; ?8, 1475; 30, 1599-1004.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 18/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 17
The Solar line of Ayodhy?, derived from Manu's son
Iksv?ku,is
given by manyPur?nas
1and
bythe R?m?
yana.2 All the Pur?nas agree, subject to minor variations,
but the B?in?yana givesa list twice over which is irre
concilable with them, though many of the names are the
same. It is unquestionably erroneous, when considered as
a whole or examined in detail. It is very improbable that
the lidmdyana alone should be right and all the other
authorities wrong, and the list is manifestly too short as
compared with other dynasties. As regards details, it
omits Purukutsa and his sonTrasadasyu,:{ Hariscandra
and his son Rohita,4 and Ittuparna,5 who were all well
known kings ; and it contradicts itself by saying that
Raghu'sson was
Kalm?sap?da who was famous as
Saud?sa (Sudfisa's son),0 and yet omits Sud?sa. In all
these points the Pur?nas areright, and as
regards the
early kings from Iksv?ku to ?rdh?sva the Mah?bh?rata1
corroborates them and disagrees with the ltdmayana.
Hariscandra or his son Rohita bought Hunahsephaas
a victim in Rohita's stead, so the Pur?nas say, and the
Altar. Brahmana* corroborates them against the different
version which the Rdnnly. narrates of King Ambar?sa/'The R?m?y. makes Ambarisa great
-grandfather of
N?bh?ga, but the MBh.10 agrees with the Pur?nas that
he was N?bh?gasson. The Pur?nas make Raghu father
of Aja, but the Rdmdy. makes him father of Kalm?sap?da
and places Aja twelve generations below Raghu ; the
1
Agni, 272, 18 39 ; Bh?gav. ix, O, 4-12, 9; Brahma, 7, 44
-
S,!J4
;Ga?ida, i, /.Jf.V, 17-44; Kftrnui, i, .?W, ?\-2?, 00; Liinja, i, /;.>, 31 -
'>/;, 45 ;MaUya, 12, 25-57 ; l'adma, v, ,V, 130-02 ; Kf/yi?, ii, ;?>;,0 211 ;
Tew?, iv, S-4 ; //rtr?w. 70, 013 ; //, O?iO 15, 832. I treat Uto //a>-iV.
as a 1'urfiiia, which is what it is realty.-
i, 70, 21-43; ii, 110, (i 35.:lMBh. iii, OS, 8000-8 ; Big- V. viii, /.'>, 30 ; and perhaps vii, 10, 3.
1Aiktr. Brdh. vii, 3, 13, 14.
aJ//M. iii, 00, 2027-9 ; 7", 2700.
?ii, i/o, 29.
7iii, ?Wi, 13515-19 ; 202, 13620-1.
8vii, .?, 14-11?. ?
i, 01 and 02.
10 iii, 7:^, 10154 ; vii, (?4, 2303 ; xii, 20, 993.
JRAS. 1910. 2
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 19/57
18 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
Raghuvam?a1
supports the Pur?nas. The Pur?nas give
two Dilipas, one father of Bhagiratha and the other fatheror
grandfather of Raghu, but the R?m?y. gives only one
Dil?paas father of Bhagiratha and great-grandfather of
Raghu ; the Raghuvariisa,2 so far as it states the genealogy,
makes aDilipa father of Raghu, thus supporting the
Pur?nas. Again, the R?m?y. places Kakutstha ten steps
below M?ndh?tr, whereas the Pur?nas place him seventeen
generations before M?ndh?tr; theBrluxddevat?3 corroborates
them that Kakutstha was before M?ndh?tr's grandson
Trasadasyu.
It appears, therefore, that, wherever it is possible to
check the twro lists by other authorities, they support the
Pur?nas and disagree writh the R?m?,yana, notwithstanding
its great fame. Its list, therefore, may be put asideas
confused and erroneous, and the Pur?na list must l>e
adopted.
The Pur?na lists are in general agreement except at two
stages, namely, between Kalm?sap?da and Vrddha?arman
Ailavila, and between Ahinagu and the last king Srut?yus
Brhadbala. For the former group the Agni, Brahma,
Matsya, Padma, and Harivamm give four kings, and all
the other authorities give three different kings beginning
with Asmaka. The difference is not important, and
I have followed the majority,as the MBh. corroborates
them about A?maka.4 For the second group, which
consists of twent3r kings, the Agni, Ktirma, Liiuga, Matsya,
and Padma substitute
only
five different names ; and
theyare clearly wrong for three reasons: (I) acomparison of
the other dynasties and the synchronisms shows that there
were a great many moregenerations; (2) what the MBh.
says about Pariksit and his sons5 agrees with P?rip?tra
1v, 35 0.
2iii, 13 21.
"
vi, 50-4.4MBh. i, 122, 4730-8 ; 777, 0777 91 ; xii, 234, ?004 ; xiii, 7,?7, 0202.
He was nicknamed Sarvakarmau, xii, y.), 1792-3.8
iii, 192, 13145-78, 13198.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 20/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 1!)
and his successors in the longer list ; and .(3) one of those
Pur?nas, the Matsya, contradicts its own list by stating
that Krta, king of Dvimidha's line, was adisciple of
Hiranyan?bhin Kausalya, which name occursonly in the
long list.1
The Videha line is derived from Iksv?ku's son Niini.
It is given in full by four Pur?nas,2 and down to
Siradhvaja-Janaka by the Hdmdyana:K The Vdyu omits
all the kings between Srut?yus and Su?ruta. The Garuda,
by the omission of a verse or two which terminated the
Solar line and introduced this dynasty, tacks the latter on
to the former by making the third king (Jd?vasu son of
Prasusruta of the former line. Otherwise all the lists are
in substantial agreement. Many of the kings bore the
name Janaka,4 which was not apersonal name, but either
a gotra name 6 or a royal title.
The Y?dava race, descended from Yay?ti'sson Yadu/5
is given by many Pur?nas. It divided into two lines, one
from Yadu's sonSahasrajit, which developed after King
Haihaya into the Haihayas and after his descendant
T?lajaiigha into the branch of the T?lajanghas,7 and the
other line from another son, Krostu, which formed an
1Matnya, 49, 75-0 ; see p. 52.
2Bh?gav. ix, 6', 4; 13, 1-27. Garxula, i, 138, 44-58. Kciyw, ii, ?C, 9 ;
27, 1-23. Vistiu, iv, 5.:l
i, 77, 3-13.4
It is given in the Pur?na lists to Mithi, Dharmadhvaja, S?radhvaja
(Sitas father), and Khfuidikya ; and in the MBh. to Dharmadhvaja (xii,
322, 11855), S?radhvaja (iii, 273, 15880), Janadeva (xii, 218, 7883; 321,
11839), Karala (xii, 304, 11220), Daivarati (xii, 312, 11545), and two
others (xii, :>92, 111099 ; 328, 12200).a
The M?rkaitdeya P. says Jaiuik?ii?ili knie (13, 11) ; see also R?m?y.
i, 77, 4.H
The different origin mentioned in Hariv. 94, 5142 -95, 5257, appears
to be an ancient calumny, for it acknowledges the descent from Yay?tiand Yadu in verse 5104. See p. 40.
7Agni, 274> 1-11. Bh?gav. ix, 23, 18-30. Brahma, 13, 153-207.
Garnda, i, 139, 19-24. Ktlrma, i, ??, 12-21 ; ,?J, 1-3. Litiga, i, t?S, 2-19.
Mat?ya, 43, 5-52. Padma, v, 7J, 110-49. Ir?y?, ii, ??, 1-34, 48-53.
Visim, iv, 77. 7/art?;. 33, 1843-.?.$, 1900.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 21/57
20 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
enduring lineage.1 All the authorities are in substantial
agreement. The most noteworthy difference is that the
K?rma makes the seven Sa?avindava kings whose names
beganwith Prthu successive descendants instead of
brothers, and the exigencies of the list appear to show
that it is right. Satvat or S?tvata had several sons who
gave rise to different branches, among which there is much
confusion ; but all the authorities agreefairly
about the
branch that ended in Kaihsa, and that branch has been
adopted,Krsna being added at the end.
The Paurava (or Lunar) race was descended from
Yav?tis son Pfiru, and is given in the MBh.2 and many
of the Pur?nas.3 All the latter agree fairly well, subject
to considerable minor variations, but the former gives two
lists which present many differences and do not even agreewith each other. Both those lists leave out many of the
kings between Pfiru and Aharhy?ti ; the second then
inserts between Ahaihy?ti and Matinfira many of the
kings which the Pur?nas generally place between
Vid?ratha and Rksa II ; both fairly agree wTith the
Pur?nas from Matin?ra to Kuru, but reduce the number
of kings between Kuru and Prat?pa to five. The second
list is wrong in inserting the group of kings between
Ahaihy?ti and Matin?ra, because it is contrary to all the
other authorities, and because the synchronism of Matin?ra
with Prasenajit of the Solar race (see p. 31) proves that
the others areright. That group should be placed between
Agni, 274, 12-33. Bh?gnr. ix, 23, 30-9; 24, 1-0, 18 24. Brahma,
I U 1 15, 31, and 15, 45-59. Garnda, i, 130, 25 30, 43-8. Kfirma, i, &ft
34, 42 05. Litiga, i, ?AV, 21-49; t?!), 2, 32-40. Malnya, 44, 14-74.
Padma, v, 7./, 32, 45-00. Ti/y?, ii. .7.7, 14-
34, 2, and .??, 115-23. Visit it,
iv, 7J-7.7. llarir. 37, 1909-.?.S\ 2030.2
i, .'^, 3095 752; .9.5, 3704 827.:l
Jf;w#, .?77, 1-9, 15, 25-7, 31 40. Bh?gav. ix, 20, 1-21, 21 ; .V, 3-4,
9-29. Brahma, 13, 2-5, 50-02, 80-1, 102-23. Garnda, i, 140, 1-8, 24-5,
30-8. Ma/tya, 40, 1-44 ; ,W, 1-23, 34-50. V?yn, ii, 57, 115-55, 100-2,
200-13, 223-39. Visit?, iv, 10, 20. llarir. 31, 1053-9 ; 32, 1714-32,
1754-e, 1795-1802, 1813-28.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 22/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 21
Vid?ratha and Rksa II, ?as the Pur?nas place it. The
majority of the authorities therefore establish the lineagedown to Rksa II, and after that all are in substantial
agreement.
The North Panc?la line, which reigned in Ahicchatra,1
was an offshoot from Ajamidha of the Lunar dynasty. It
is given by many Pur?nas,2 and all are in substantial
agreement, except that the Brahma and Hariv. mistakenly
derive Srfyaya directly from B?hy?sva (= Bhrmyasva).
Much of this genealogy from Bhrmyasva to Soinaka is
supported by the Rig-Veda* From Sr?jayacame the
family of the Sr?jayas, and from Soinaka that of the
Somakas,4 which play such alarge part in the Br?hmana
literature.
The South Paftc?laline,
whichreigned
inK?mpilya/'
was another offshoot from the same Ajamidha. It is
given by several Pur?nas,6 and all are in substantial
agreement.
Another line, which reigned somewhere in Madhyadesa
(though I have not been able to rind the name of its
capital)was descended from the same Ajamidha's brother
Dvimidha, and may be called Dvimidha's line. It is given
11 Tarin. 20, Uli 12.
2Agni, 277, 15, 18 25. Bh?gar. ix, 21, 21, 30-4 ; 23, 1-3. Brahma,
13, 81, 93-101. Garnda, i, 140, 17-24. V?yn, ii, .?7, 180 200. I7.v/m, iv,
7.9. 7/ariV. *?, 1755, 1770-95. Malaya (in part), .-70, 1-10.n
Mudgala, son of Bhrmyasva, x, 7(7,2. Vadhryasva, x, C9; vi, /;/, 1.
Divod?sa, vi, 61, 1 ; iv, 20, 3 ; vi, ^7, 22, and many other passages.
Sr??jaya, who is called son of Pevavata, iv, 7/7, 4 ; vi, 27, 7. Cyavana, x,
60, 5-0. Sudas (Sud?sa), vii, 18, 22-5, and other passages. Sahadevuand his son Somaka, iv, 15, 7-10. In vii, 7.9,25, 1)i vcxla.su is called father
of Sudas, but"
father"
clearly means*'
ancestor ", because Sudas*
patronymic was Paijavana (ibid.). This, therefore, harmonizes with the
genealogy, and his father Pijavana as aking of no note has drop|>eH
out. It is said Sahadeva's originalname was Suplan, Satajt. Br?h. II,
iv, 4, 3-4.4
Both families accompanied Drupada at the great battle.5
Harm. 20, 1002, 1005 ; V?yn, ii, 37, 171 ; Visim, iv, V.K0
Bhdgar. ix, 21,22 0
; Garnda, i, 140, 10-13; Mat.*ya, 40, 47-59:V?yn, ii, 37, 105 77 ; Visita, iv, 7.9 ; llarir. 20, 1052-72.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 23/57
22 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
by some Pur?nas,1 and all are in close agreement, except
that the Bh?gavata, Ga?ida, and Vimm omit the four
kings between Drdhanemi and Sup?r?va, and the
Bh?gavata derives Ugr?yudha from Nipa of the South
Panc?la line. There is admittedlya gap between S?rva
bhauma and Mahat-Paurava.
Another dynastywas founded by Vasu, who was fifth
in descent from Kuru. He conquered the kingdom of
Cedi, which had been founded by the descendants of
Yidarbha of the Y?dava race, and took the nameCaidya
uparicara. He extended his conquests as far asMagadha,
and on his death his eldest son, Brhadratha, took that
kingdom and established adynasty there.2 This line may
therefore be called the Magadha line. It is given in some
of thePur?nas,3
and all are in substantialagreement.The line to which G?dhi and Vi?vamitra belonged reigned
in K?nyakubja.4 It is given in much the same form by
the various authorities, but is derived from two different
progenitors. All agree substantially from Jahnu down
wards, but above him four Pur?nas?
state the descent thus?
Pururavas, Am?vasu (or Vijaya), Bhuna, Kaneana, Suhotra
Jahnu: while the AgniQ gives it thus?Vitatha (of the
Lunar race), Brhat, Ajamidha, Jahnu. The MBh. gives
two lists,7 of which the first leaves the question of the
1Bh?gav. ix, 21, 21, 27-30; Ga?ida, i, 140, 8, 14-1?; Matsya, 41)%
70-9; Vfn/u, ii, 37, 1C0-2, 179 88 : Vistw, iv, 7.9; 7/aro'r. .'#>, 1075-85.-
MBh. i, tit?, 2334-05, and noxt noto. Uparieara probably meant
"he who overran'*, "conqueror", and afterwards was turned into4*
walking in the air". Cf. the later term vparika in inscriptions.
See p. 11.:l
Aim, 277, 20-30; Bh?gav. ix, 22, 4-0; Ga?ida, i, 140, 25 0 ;
Matfiya. 50, 20-34 ; luyu, ii, 37, 200-22 ; IVjrww, iv, 19 ; 77anV. ,/??,
1700-1813.4MBh. iii, i75, 10144 ; v, US, 4005. The B?m?y. calls its capital
M ah od aya (i, 32, 3, 6), which =K?nyakubja (see Gorr. ed., i, Sa, 35).
8Bh?gav. ix, 15, 1-16 ; Ganida, i, 7J?>, 2-7 ; F<r?yu, ?i, ?W, 48-09 ;
Vifnu, iv, 7.?
;??7, 16-18.7
One in xii, 49, 1717, etc. ; and the other in xiii, 4, 201, etc., with
i, 94, 3710-23.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 24/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 23
progenitor untouched (as also the R?m?y.1), and the second
nameshim
asAjamidha, thus agreeing with the Agni.
The Brahma2 and Harivariisa* each give both versions,
thus supporting and neutralizing both. The majority of
the authorities derive the dynasty from Pur?ravas' son
Am?vasu, and theyare
right, because it will be seen from
the discussion of Vi?v?mitras contemporaries (p. 32) that
it is impossible to relegate this dynasty to a time
subsequent to Ajamidha. There is a conclusive argument
to show that the derivation from Bharata s successor
Vitatha is untenable, although the error is ancient.4
Vi?v?mitra was a descendant (bysome eight steps) from
Jahnu, and must, if Jahnu was descended from Bharata's
line, have been many (some sixteen) generations below
Bharata; but it is well known that Bharata's mother,
Sakuntala, wasdaughter of Vi?vamitra.6 Visv?mitra
cannot have been both an ancestor and a descendant of
Bharata. As the story of Sak?ntala is one of the best
alleged incidents in ancient Indian literature, Visv?mitra
was certainly prior to Bharata, and the genealogical
versions which make his ancestor Jahnu a descendant
of Bharata must be wrong. The error arose from con
founding Am?vasu's descendant Suhotra with Vitatha's
third successor Suhotra, and perhaps also Jahnus in
both lines.0
1i, 32, 1 -34, H.
-10, 11-60 ; 13, 80-02.
a27, 1413-63; J?, 1754-00.
4Visv?mitra is called
"best of the Bharatas" in Aitar. Brdh. vii, 3, 17.
8He was not the first Viiiv?mitra, but a near descendant, see p. 43.
This strengthens the antithesis.?
The Brahma (10, 63) and Ifariv. {27, 1468-9; 38, 1773) call Visvamitia
Panrava, which is a mistake (helj>edno doubt by the general confusion)
for Paurftrava, as the Vdyu shows in ii, %0, 98, where Panroravanya should
1msPaur?rantuya. Kuru had a son Jahnu (see authorities cited above for
the 1'aurava line). The passage in the Aitar. Brdh. may have originatedthe error. The author lived after the great battle, and many centuries
later than Bharata. The comjxiscrs of the Brahmanas were not learned
in ancient ksatriya genealogies,as indeed follows from the statement
thatVy?sa's disciples divided the literature
andspecialized each
inhis
own
department. S?yana rej>eats the error in his comment on Rig- V. ?ii, 53, 24.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 25/57
24 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
The Ka?i line reigned at Benares. All the authorities
are in general agreement from Suhotra (or Sunahotra)
dowmvards, though they vary in fullness ; but they differ
regarding his ancestry. Three Pur?na? make him son of
Nahusa's son Ksatravrddha,1 and one makes him brother
of Nahusa ;2 but the Agni3 makes him son of Vitatha of
the Lunar race. The Brahimi* and Harivaiiisa* each
give both versions, thus supporting and neutralizing both.
Suhotra of the Lunar race, however, was not son of
Vitatha, but of Brhatksatra. The majority areright,
because, as will be seen from the discussion about Divod?sa
and Pratardana of this line (p. 38), it is impossible to
relegate the line to aperiod later than Suhotra of the
Lunar race. The error arose from confounding Nahusas
descendants Ksatravrddha and Suhotra with Suhotra and
Brhatksatra of the Lunar race.
The descendants of Yayati'sson Anu (it is said) branched
out in the north-west into the Paujab tribes of the Kekayas,
Sivis, etc., and in the east into the Anga dynasty.0 All
the authorities agree down to Jayadratha, king of Aiiga,
and from him there were two lines of descent, one the
royal linc,and the other a younger branch, to which Karna
belonged, who became king.7 It is not material which is
taken, and I have chosen the latter asbeing clearer and
fuller.
1Bh?gar. ix, 77, 1-10 ; Garnda, i, 139, 7-14 ; Visita, iv, 8.
2V?yn, ii, 30, 1-76.
a 277, 9-14 ; but it is confused.4
77, 1-2,27-60; 13, 62-70.5
39, 1517-98; 32, 1730-54.ft
Agni, 276, 5-16 ; Bh?gav. ix, 23, 1-14 ; Garnda, i, 7J0, 05-74 ;
Mat*ya, 48, 10-10S ; V?yn, ii, 57, 12-114 ; Visnu, iv, 7<<?. The Brahma
(13, 4-5, 14-49) and llarir. (31, 1058-9, 1668-1710) derive the line from
Kaudni?va's sonKakseyu of the Lunar race, but these two books are so
closelj" alike that they constitute onlyone authority. I have followed
the majority.
7 The former in the Agni and Brahma, the latter in the Bh?gar.,
Garnda, and Visit?, and both in the Matsya, V?yn, and Hariv.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 26/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 25
Another line is derived from Manu's son Dista (or
Nedistha), in which Vis?la and the later kings, if not the
earlier also, constituted the dynasty of Vis?l? or Vais?li.1
It may be called Distas line. All the authorities are in
substantial agreement.2
Having offered these general remarks it remains to set
out the genealogical lists, explain the synchronisms, and
show their results in the Table of lists. In the following
Table the most important lines of descent arc shown, and
all start from Manu, because that is how the authorities
begin them. The three Bh?rgava rishis, ltcika, Jamadagni,
and Rama, are also included in order to bring out the
synchronisms at their periodmore
clearly. The lines of
descent have been placed according to geographical position
as nearly as is feasible, that is, dynasties that reigned inthe west are
placedon the left, those of Madhyadesa in the
middle, and those that reigned in the east on the right.
The names of all kings whose positionsare fixed by the
synchronismsare
printed in italics. Names added in
brackets are those of kings who are not mentioned in the
genealogies, but whose existence is disclosed in the
discussion of the synchronisms. Some lists it will be
seen are far less full than others, though they may start
from asynchronism and reach a
synchronism, that is,
the omissions are more numerous. It is not, however,
known where the omissions occur, consequently the
names in those lists have been simply spaced out, and
where there are no
synchronisms
the
position
of a name
is not to be taken as more than the best conjecture
possible.
1Mut ut ta, the greatest king, who preceded V?sala, is called the
?yogava king. Satajt. Br?h. XIII, v, 4> 0.2
Bh?gar. ix, 7, 12; 2, 22-3?; Garnda, i, l.iS, 2-13; V?yn, ii. 23. 3
24, 22 ; Visnu, iv, 7 ; M?rkaitd. (at great length to Rfijyavardhana),
113-36 and 100-10 \ Litiga (the beginning), i, tftf, 53; MBh. (fir>t
part partially), xiv, 4, 05-91 ; R?m?y. (from V?sala to the end), i, 4?,
11-18.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 27/57
26 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
80
10II121314
151617IS19
20212223242526272S203031323334353637383940414243444.1
46
47
4?
49
50
I.
Y?DAVAS.
Manu
lia
Purflravas
?yusNaluisa
Vay?ti*
Y ad?
IL
Haihayas.
Krostu
Vrjin?vat
Sv?hi
Rusadgu
Citraratha
?Sa.sarindu*
PrthuyasasPit hu karman
Prthujaya
PfthiikirttiPrthud?ua
Prthusravas
Prthusattaina
Antara
Suyaj?aUsanas
SineyuMarutta
Kambalabarhis
Rukmakavaca
Par?vrt
Jydimujha
Vidarhha
Kratha
Kunti
Dhrsti
Nirvrti
Yidfiratha
Da-sdrha
Y yomanJ?m?ta
YikrtiBhlmamtha
Sahasrajit
Satajit
Haihaya
Dharma
Dharmanetra
Kunti
Saha?ji
Mahismat
Bhadrasrenya
Durdama
Kanaka
Krtav?ryaAr juna*
Jayadhvaja
T?taja?ghaV?tihotra
Vrsa
Mad ImVrsni
III.
Pauravas.
Manu
lia
Pur?ravas
IV.
K?NVAKUBJA.
?yusNahusa
Yay?ti*
P?ru
Janamcjaya I
Pracinvat
Prav?ra
Manasyu
AbhayadaSudhanvan
Bahugava
Sariryati
Ahaiiiy?tiRaudr?sva
Rceyu
M at ?mira
Tamsu
Ailina
DusyantaBharatn
*
Vitatha
BhfunanyuBrhatksatra
Suhotra
Hast in
Ain?vasu
Bhinia
K?ncana
prabha
Suhotra
Jahnn
Sumantu
AjakaBal?kt'iHva
Ku?a
Ku&LsvaKtiAika
G?dhi
Vi?xximitra
Astaka
Par?vusu
Bu?koava
?RAHMANS.
Rcika
Jamadagni
Rama
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 28/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 27
VI.
K?8I LINK.
Manu
liaPur?ravas
?yiiHNah usa
Ksatravrdha
Su(na)hotra
K?na
Kanipa
Dirghatapas
Dhanva
Dhan van tari
Ketumat
Bh?maratha
Dirod?na 1(Ast?ratha)
(Haryasva)
(Sudeva)
Divoddsa II
PralardanaVat*a
Alarka
Sannati
Sun?tha
Ksema
VIL
Solar line.
Manu
Iksv?ku
Sosada
Kaknt.it ha
Anenas
Prthu
Y?Hvaga?vaArdra
Y u vanas va 1
Sr? vasta
Brhadasva
Kuval?sva
Drdh?sva
PramodaHaryasva I
NikumbhaSaihhat?sva
K n?as va
PnismajitYutmn?.sra II
M?ndh?tr*
Pumkutsa
TrasadasyuSambh?ta
A nai any a
Prsadasva
Haryasva IIVasumanas
Tridhanvan
Trayy?runaTriAahku
llarUcandra
Bohita
Harita
Ca?en
VijayaRuruka
Vrka
B?hu
Sagara*A saman ja?Ar?iHumat
Dil?pa I
Bhagiratha*
Sruta
N?bh?gaAmbarisa
*
Sindhudv?pa
Aynt?yus
VIII.
VlDKIIA LINK.
Ni m ?
Mithi-Janaka
Ud?vasu
Nandivardhanaj
Suketu
Devar?ta
Brhaduktha
Mah?virya
Sudln ti
Dhrstaketu
Haryasva
Maru
Pratindhaka
Krtiratha
Devnmidha
Vibudha
IX.
DiSTa's LINE.
Manu
Dista
N?bh?ga
Bhalandana
Vatsapri
Pr?riisu
Praj?ni
Khanitra
Ksupa
Vimsa
Vivimsa
Khan?netra
Karandhama
A v?ksit
Marutta.*
Nari&yantaDama
R?jyavardhana|Sudhrti
Nara
Kevala
Band hu mat
Vegavat
Budha
Trnarindu
X.
Anu'S LINE.
Manu
na
Pur?ravas
AyusNah usa
Yay?ti*
Anu
Sahh?nara
K?l?nala
Srnjiiya
Pura?jaya
Janamejaya
Mah?sala
M aha mai las
Usinant
TitiksuSiri*
0
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
1516
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
20
27
2829
Kekaya !30Rusadratha
Hema
Su tapas
Bali
A hga
Dadhiv?hana
I
31
!323334353037383940
41424344454647484950
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 29/57
28 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
I.
Y ADA VAS.
Navaratha
Dasaratha
SakuniKaramhha
Devar?ta
Devaksatra
Madbu
Kuru vasa
Ann
Purudvat
Ptiruhotra
Aiiisu
! atvatS?tvtita
A udhaka
Kukura
Vrsni
Dlirti
KajK)taronian
Y iloma n
TittiriTaittiri
Nala
Abhijit
Punarvasu
?buka
VgrantnaKath*a
Krsua
II.
Dvim?diias.
III.
Pauravas.
Vikunthana ?
Dvimldha
Yav?nara
Dhrtimat
Satyadhrti
Drdhanemi
Sudhauvan
S?rvabhauma
MahatPauraval
Hukmaratha
Supar?va
S urna ti
Sannati
Kr ta
Ugr?yudha
Kseniya
Suy?ra
Nrna?javaBahuratha
Ajamidha
IV.
N. Panc?la.
Bkm 1
Saihvarana
Kuru
Par?ksit IJa uamejaya II
Suratha
Vid?ratha
S?rvabhauma
Jayatsena?r?dhiMah?sattva
Ayut?yusAkrodhana
Dev?tithiUksa II
Bh?masena
Dilipaf'rafipa
{Rstisena)i?autauu
[Hhisma]
Vicitrav?ryaDhrfar?stra
Pandara?
Abhimavyn
NilaS?uti
Susfinti
Puruj?tiA rka
Bhrmya?va
Mudgala
Brahmi?tha
VadhryasvaDivod?sa
Mitrayu
(l)evav?ta)
Sriijaya
CyavanaSomadatta
(Pijavana)Suddsa
Sahadeva
Soinaka
Jan tu
V.
S. Pancala.
K?jmi \Klla)
Prsafa
Drujxida
DhrstadynmnaDhrstaketn
Brhadi?u
Brhadvosu
Brhaddhanus
Brhatkarmati
Jay ad rath a
Vi?vajit
Senajit
Rucir?ava
Prthusena
Para I
N?pa
Samara
Para II
Prthu
Sukrti
Vibhr?ja
Anuha
Rrahmadatta
V invaksetia
Udaksena
Bhall?ta
Janamejaya
THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE
Par?ksit II]
Janamejaj'a III
etc. I
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 30/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 29
VI.
K?SI LINE.
Keturaat
Suketii
Dharmaketu
Satyaketu
Vibhu
Suvibhu
Sukuimlra
I)b is take tuVeiiuhotra
Bharga
Mauadiia line
Knrn
Sudhanvaii
Suhotra
Cyavana
KrtaVaati Caidya
Brhaclratha
K usfigraKsabha
Puspavat
Satyahita
Orjtt.Jahnu
Samhhava
Jar?sandha
Sahadeva
VIL
Solar line.
Btuparna
Sarvak?ina
Sud?sa
Kalm?safmdaAsmaka
M?laka
Sataratha
Vrddhasarinan
Visvasaha I
DilipairDirghab?hu
Raghu
AjaDasarafha
Rama
*
Kma
AtithiNisadha
Nala
Nabhas
Pundarika
Ksemadhauvan
Dev?nika
Ahhiagu
IVnip?traDala
SalaUktha
Vajran?bhaSaiikhana
Vyusit?svaVisvasaha II
Il iraityan?hha
PusyaDhruvasandhi
Sudarsaua
Agnivarna
S?ghraMuni
PrasiiHi utaSiisiiiidhi
Amarsa
M alias va t
Visrutavat
Brliadhala
VIII.
Vl?EIIA LINE.
Mah?dhrti
Krtinita
M a haron?a n
Svariiaromaii
Hrasvaroman
S?radhvaja
Bh?numatSatadyumna?Sui
Urjavaha
Sanadv?jaKuni
Afijaua
KulajitAristanemi
Srut?yus
Su|MirHvaSan jayaK semai i
AnenasSamaratha
Satyaratha
S?tyarathi
Upaguru
Upagupta
Sv?gataSvanara
Suvareas
Subh?sa
Susruta
Jiiya
Vijayalita
Sunaya
VltahavyaDhrti
liuhul?sva
Krti
IX.
Dista's line.
V?sala
Hemacandra
Sucandra
Dh fin? ras va
Smjay
a
Sahadeva
Krs?s va
Somadatta
JanamejayaPramati
X.
Anu's link.
Anap?na 51
52
Di vitatha
Citraratlia
Lomap?da.
Catura?iga
f'rthul?ksa
Campa
Ha ry a ?iga
Bhadraratha
Brhatkaruian
Brhadratha
Brhadbh?nu
Brhanmanns
Jayadratha
Vijaya
Dhrti
Dhrtavrata
SatyakarinanAdhiratha
Kama
53
54
5S
59
00
01
02
03
04
0500
07
OH
00
70
71
72
73
7!
75
70
i t
78
79
80
81
?2
83
84
85
80
8788
80
90
91
92
93
94
115
90
PANDAVAS
Som?dhi
Srutasravas
etc.
AND KAURAVAS.
Brhalksana
Uiuksepaetc.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 31/57
30 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
The accounts say there werekings from time to time
who establisheda
supremacyover
the kingdoms aroundthem, and so were called samr?j
or cakravartin. There is
noimprobability in that, and their conquests may have
resulted in the subversion of aneighbouring dynasty,
or
merely in its reduction to a kind of vassalage ; hence when
we consider the times of those kingswe majr find some
confusion in the lists of neighbouring dynasties. More
over, it is highly probable, and is indeed implied, that
those great monarchs had long reigns. The names of such
very famous monarchs aregiven,1 namely, in the Solar
race, M?ndh?tr Yauvan?avi, Sagara, Bhag?ratha, Ambarisa
N?bh?gi, Dilipa II Khatv??ga, and R?ma Da?arathi ; in
the Lunar dynasty, Bharata Dausyanti ; in the Y?dava line,
Sa?avindu Caitraratha and
Arjuna K?rtavirya; in Aim's
line, Sivi Au?inara ; in Distas line, Marutta ?v?ksita ; as
well as Yay?ti N?husa, and others also who belonged to
side-dynasties which developedno long genealogy and
which are unnecessary for the present purpose.2 Of these
monarchs, M?ndh?tr, Bhag?ratha, Arjuna, Bharata, and
Marutta werespecially called samr?j? The names of all
the cakravartins who occur in the Table are marked withan asterisk.
Dealingnow with the synchronisms in accordance with
the principles explained above, we may find not a few
which are deserving of consideration. The followingare
1MBh. vii, 55-70 ; xii, S, 238 : 29. The genealogies corroborate.2
Namely, Rantideva S??ikrti and Suhotra ?tithina of the Paurava
rare : Gaya ?m?rtarayasa ; and Paurava Vira Brhadratha, kingof
Aiiga ; and also Prthu Vainya, who belongedto the most ancient age.
There were many Suhotras, but none that I can identify as ?tithina ;
perhaps he is Suhotra, descendant of Vitatha of the Lunar dynasty.
Brhadratha ma}' be No. 78 in Anus line in the table, but the epithet
Paurava is perplexing.''MBh. ii, 14, 649-50. The remarks in Aitar. Br?h. viii, .7, 3, profess
to explain contemporary conditions and relate to a time later than the
great battle between the lYuidavas and Kauravas.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 32/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 31
all the important instances that I have been able to
discover, and they are taken in chronological order as faras
possible.
The earliest synchronism is that Yay?ti's eldest brother,
Yati, married Go, daughter of Kakutstha, who canonly
be Kakutstha of the Solar dynasty.1 Yay?ti therefore
was onegeneration below Kakutstha.
There are clear connexions between the Solar, Lunar,
and Y?dava lines about the time of M?ndh?tr. (?aur?,
daughter of Matin?ra of the Lunar dynasty, married
either Prasenajit of the Solar dynasty2or his son
Yuvan?sva II,3 and was thus grandmother or mother of
M?ndh?tr. The latter connexion is the better supported,for she is called janani, or mother, of M?ndh?tr.4 The
difference is not material for the
present purpose;what is
material is that Matin?ra was acontemporary of Prasenajit.
M?ndh?tr married Vmdumati Caitrarathi, daughter of
Ha?avhidu,5 who canonly be the famous tSa?avindu, son
of Citraratha of the Y?davas.0 And this is corroborated
by the further statement that she was the eldest sister
of many brothers,7 because Sa?avindu had agreat number
of sons, who were called the Sasavindu or Sa?avindava
kings.8 oa?avindu, therefore, and Yuvan?sva II were
contemporaries.
Sivi, son of Usinant of Anus line, appears to have
originated the Sivis, and is said to have had four sons
who originated the Vrsadarbhas, Suviras, Kekayas (or
1 Brahma. 12, 3; V?yn, ii, 31, 14 ; llarir. 30, 1001.-
liruhmn, 7, 90 2 ; 7/?r>?. 7,?, 700 11.:t
K?ya, ?, 26, 05.4
Matsya, 4'.), 8; T?y//., i?, .77, 120; f tarin. :i2, 1710.5
Bh?gav. ix, tf, 38 ; Brahma, 7, 92 3 ; Kay?*, ii, 26, 70 ; Fmwm, ?v, 2 ;
Ilariv. 12, 712 13. Also Garnda, i, 7.?#, 22, where Vindiimahya is
a mistake for Vittdmtiat?.15
J//JA. xii, 20, 998; 4<7/u, #7?, 13-14 ; and other passages cited for
the Y?dava genealogy.7
Brahma, 7, 93 4 ; Vdyu, ii, 26, 71 ; 7/ariV?. 7,?, 713.8See passages cited for the Y?dava genealog}'.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 33/57
32 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
Kaikeyas), and Madras in the Panjab.1 Tri?anku of the
Solar race married a Kaikeya princess,2 hence the Kaikeya
kingswere established before his time, and therefore Sivi
cannot be placed less than two or three generations before
Trisai?ku.3 Jy?magha the Y?dava, who was later, married
aSaivya princess.4
The next synchronism is that Jahnu of the K?nyakubjaline married K?ver?, daughter6
orgreat-granddaughter6 of
Yuvan?sva. This Yuvan??va would be Yuvan??va II of
the Solar line, because the bare mention of such a name
must imply that it wassufficiently well known, and the
first Yuvan??va was not famous. It is moreprobable she
was his daughter, because (it is said) she was cursed by
him ; yet perhapsas a safe medium we may take it she
was hisgranddaughter.
Jahnuwould thus be placed
alongside Purukutsa. Jahnu was a famous king (after
whom the Ganges is said to have been named J?hnav?),
and he could not have attained eminence till after the
death of Yuvan?ava's son M?ndh?tr, who was a cakravartin,
that is, he must be placeda
generation later than M?ndh?tr,
so that his wife wasprobably Yuvan?avas granddaughter.
We may next take Vi?vamitra and his contemporaries,
and here we must consider (having regard to the caution
mentioned above, p. 14) only the earliest person of that
name, for he had many descendants with the gotra name
Vi?vamitra. The earliest and greatest Viav?mitra was the
son of G?dhi, or G?thin, king of K?nyakubja,7 and his
1See passages cited for Ann's line.
- Brahma, 8, 24 ; Litiga, i, 66, 10 ; V?yn, ii, 26, 110 ; Visnu, iv, 3 ;
Hariv. 7.7, 754.:tM Bit. iii, 7.^^, 13249 is an obvious brahman anachronism.
1Agni, ?74, 17; Bh?gav. ix, 23, 35 ; Brahma, 15, 10 ; Litiga, i, 68,
37 :Padma, v, 7J, 15 ; h?yi?, ii, 3J, 32 ; rifmm, iv, 12 ; llarir. 37, 1984.5
Brahma, 10. 19-21 ; 7?, 87. /Jin-ir. 27, 1421-2 ; 32, 1701."
Pi?//?, ii, 20, 55.7
See authorities cited for this dynasty, p. 22. Brhaddcmf?, viii, 70 ;
Sarr?tinkramaii? on Big-V. iii, hymns 7, etc. I have to thank Professor
Macdoncll for corrections and suggestions regarding the references to
(he Riff-Veda.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 34/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 33
ksatriyaname was Visvaratha.1 He was
closely connected
with the Solardynasty.
His father G?dhi's mother is
called Paurukuts? or Paurukutsi,2 and was therefore
adaughter
or descendant of Purukutsa, who canonly be
the famous king of Ayodhy?. Her patronymic would
ordinarilymean she was daughter of Purukutsa, but not
necessarily so, for (according to the first caution mentioned
above, p. 14) it may also mean she was a descendant of
even three or four generations. It is necessary to discuss
theserelationships at some
length, and the discussion will
illustrate theprinciples and cautions which have been
laid down.
If Paurukuts? was Purukutsa's daughter, Vi?vamitra
would be three generations below him, and if she was his
great
-
great
-
granddaughter
Vi?vamitra would be six
generations below him. One step more, however, must be
added, because Vi?vamitra ranks properly two steps below
G?dhi, for G?dhi had adaughter Satyavat?, and Vi?vamitra
was born at the same time as her sonJarnadagni (see
j). 35). On the above alternatives, then, Vi?vamitra would
he four or seven generations below Purukutsa. What
precise relationship, then, is meant by
"
Paurukuts?" must
dependon the other circumstances. Now Vi?vamitra is
closely connected in the stories with Purukutsa's ninth
successor, Satyavrata Tri?anku, and his heirs. The stories
may be summarized thus : '*Tri?anku was banished by his
father Trayy?runa, and the court-priest Vasistha (that is,
the then Vasistha) approved and enforced the order with
relentless severity. There was thus deep hatred between
Tri?anku and Vasistha. A terrible twelve-year droughtoccurred then, during which Vi?vamitra was away
1Brahma, 10, 55-7 ; V?yn, W, 20, 90 ; llarir. 27, 1459 ; 32, 1700.
-V?yn, ii, 20, 63 ; llariv. 27, 1430. The Brahma makes Paur? (or
Paurakuts?, as one MS. reads) wife of G?dhi.:)
Most of the authorities are cited in Muir's Sanskrit Texts, i, 82, etc.
Sec Rig-V. v, 2, 7, and Sadgurusisya's Vf.d?rthoxltpik? on i, 24? It isneedless to cite other passages.
jkas. 1910. 3
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 35/57
34 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
performing austerities.1 Tri?anku supported Vi?vamitra's
wife and children through it and earned his gratitude.Vi?vamitra therefore espoused Tri?a?ku's cause, opposed
Vasistha, and reinstated Tri?anku. Tri?ankus son
Hari?candra2 wasobliged to offer his own son Rohita as
a victim in a sacrifice, and after long procrastination saved
him by hiding Ajigartasson
Sunal.i?epha3as the victim
instead. Sunah?epha, though bound at the sacrifice, had
his life spared, and was adopted by Vi?vamitra as his
chief son with the name Devar?ta.
These stories areonly possible if Paurukuts? was not
Purukutsa's daughter, but was a descendant, and it follows
that she must have been his descendant of some four
generations, unless the eight Solar kings who intervened
between Purukutsa and Tri?anku were not descendants
in regular order, but were some of them brothers. Now
one or two of those kings may have been brothers, but it
is not probablethat the number of generations among
them was less than six, because Jahnu was, as shown,
contemporary with Purukutsa, and Vi?vamitra, who was
contemporary with Tri?anku, was Jahnu's eighth successor.4
1As to Visv?mitra's brahmanhood, see p. 4 ante.
2The Aitar. Brdh. says Hariscandra was son of Vedhas (vii, 8, 13 ; and
so also Sadgurusisj'aon Rig- V. i, 24). It is not necessary to discuss the
difference, because the synchronism stands good, but it may bo |x>iuted
out that the genealogies rest on the pnr?iia-rai'nAa-rids, and the author of
the Br?h. was more versed in philosophical speculation than in ksatriya
genealogical lore.:l
Sarv?nukraman? on Rig-V. i, hymns 24-30; Aitar. Br?h. vii, 3, 15 ;
Bh?gar. ix, 7, 8-23. But the V?yn (ii, 29, 89), Brahma (10, 54), and
llarir. (27, 1457) make him son or brother of Jamadagui. Thodifference
is not material here. Ajigarta's father Suyavasa (Aitar. Br?h., loe. cit.)
may have been a brother of Rcika or Jamadagui.4
The lists agreo in the number of steps down to Kusa, and then vari
as regards the next, whom theyname as Kusa?va, Ku?amba, and Kusika.
Gfidhi was certainlyson of Kusika, and the only doubtful point iswhether
a king named Kus?sva, or Kusfunba, preceded him. That there was such
an extra generationseems clear, because Isiratha, who is not named in
the genealogies,is mentioned as G?dhi's grandfather by Sadgurusisya
(introduction to Rig-V. iii), and by the Sarv?nukraman? (ibid.). Hence
the general result is that Vi?v?mitra waseighth in descent from Jahnu.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 36/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 35
It is not probablea number of brothers succeeded in both
lines at the same time, so as to reduce the actual generationsto three
only,as would be necessary if Paurukuts? was
Purukutsa's owndaughter; and it is quite possible,
on
the other hand, that nine generations in the Solar line
might correspond to eight in the K?nyakubja line. For
all substantial results these minor differences arehardly
material, and it follows that Paurukuts? does not mean
"daughter
" of Purukutsa, and must mean his "descendant"
in about the fourth degree.1
Further, G?dhi's daughter Satyavati was married to the
rishi lleika Bh?rgava, and had a sonJamadagni, who
was born at the same time as Vi?vamitra.2 Jamadagni
had several sons, of whom the youngestwas R?ma.:?
It thus appearsthat
G?dhi's fatherwas
fouror
fivegenerations posterior to Purukutsa, that Vi?vamitra,
Tri?anku, Hari?candra, Jamadagni, and Ajigartawen?
contemporaries, and that Rohita, Suiiahaepha, and Rama
J?madagnyawere
contemporaries.
There are moresynchronisms with Jamadagni and his
son Rama. The stories about them and the allusions, if
treated as containing some truth, may be summarized thus:l
Krtavirya, king of the Haihayas, had the Bh?rgavasas
his priests, and endowed them with great wealth.5 His1
See a similar ease, where DdAdrhl wasapplied to several generations ;
\i. 42, u. 4.2MBh. iii, 115, 10144-33 ; v, 110, 3973 ; 118, 4005-7 ; xii, 4?, 1721-45.
Bh?gav. ix, 15, 4-13. Brahma, 10, 28-53. Ga?ida, i, 139, 0. l"dyu, ii.
29, 03-80. Im/iii, iv, 7."
MBh. iii, 7/6', 11074, 11080, and passages cited for the K?nyakubjaline. Jamadagni married Keimk?, daughter of King Rcnu of Iksvaku's
race {M Jih. iii, 110, 11072 ; v, 110, 3072; and the above passages), and
Prasenajit gave her to him (MBh. iii, ///;, 111)72), hut noking llenu is
mentioned in the genealogies, nor any Prasenajit at this period, so that.
they belonged probably to a junior branch of the Solar race.4
MBh. iii, 110, 11089 -11.7, 10204 (sic, thenumbering is erroneous) :
xii, 4U. Bh?gav. ix, 15, 14 30 ; 10, 8-27 ; 23, 24. Brahma, 13, 159-09.
Mattya, 43, 15 43; 44, 12-14. Padma, v, 12, 117-43. V?ya, ii, 32, 10-48.
Visnu, iv, //. J/ariv. 34, 1850-91.8MBh. i, 178, 0802-3.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 37/57
30 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
son Arjuna reigned at Mfihismati (the modern Mandh?ta
on the River Narmad?), and extended his conquests everywhere. During his time the Haihaya princes tried to
recover the wealth from the Bhargavas, and being
unsuccessful killed many of them, and the Bhargavaswere scattered.1 In one of his expeditions Arjuna burnt
up A pa va Vasistha s hermitage and incurred?pa
vas
curse. The hostility against the Bhargavas brought him
into conflict with Kama, because he or his sons robbed
Jamadagui, who was aBh?rgava. Kama killed Arjuna,
and the hitter's sons then murdered Jamadagui. Kama
swore vengeance against the ksatriyas, and is said to have
destroyed all Arjunassons (except five) and thousands of
Haihayas. After an interval he renewed his hostilities
against all ksatriyas, and is said to have almost exterminatedthem. It thus appears that Arjuna was a
contemporary
of Jamadagui,2 so that he began to reign about the same
lime as Hariscandra, and, as the stories imply that his
reignwas a
long one, it probably overlapped the reigns of
Kohita and Harita also.
This story carries us further. iVrjuna's grandsonwas
Tfilajangha, and he is said to have had a numerous progeny,
which constituted tive tribes of Tfdajanghas among the
Haihayas. He would have been a younger contemporary
of Kama J?madagnya, and the T?laja?ighas would have
grown powerful towards the end of Kama's life, or soon
afterwards, in what is the modern Mahratta country. The
stories say R?ma exterminated the
ksatriyas twenty-onetimes. This statement is too fabulous to merit any
particle of credence, and is besides incompatible with the
remarkable rise of the Talajangha power in the period
that immediately followed, for (as already mentioned, p. 10)
1MBh. i, ?IS, 0804- 179, 0827.-
It is said Ahaihy?ti of the Lunar race married Krtavirya's daughter
(MBh. i. .'/.7,370S), but if the same Krtavirya is meant this statement is
incompatible with all the other indications.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 38/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 37
the Haihayas and ??lajaiighasoverran the whole of North
India, and hordes from the countries to the north-west
also invaded India during that period. Their overthrow
of the kingdoms in North India and the destruction that
must have befallen the ksatriyas in the continual wars
may furnish anexplanation of the extermination attributed
to R?ma.
Rama is
always spoken
of as a
great
warrior
highlyskilled in weapons, and his successful contest with
Arjuna and his sonsimplies that the Bh?rgavas took to
arms.1 He certainly did not exterminate the Hailniyas
and T?lajanghas, but, on the contrary, they were rising
into great power at the close of his life. Some remarks
may be ottered in explanation of this. R?ma had no
real cause of enmity against ksatriyas generally, but the
T?lajangha- Hai hayas, being warlike ksatriyas bent on
conquest, would have naturally attacked every kingdom,
that is, all ksatriyas. The fact that the destruction
which they wrought is ascribed to R?ma suggests that
they and the Bh?rgavas had composed their quarrel
after Arjuna's death and wereacting together ; and
there are some incidents which support this suggestion.
If that were so, the destruction would naturally in brah
manical mouths be attributed to R?ma. The history of
the Mahratta power offers astriking parallel. Brahmans
and soldierywere combined. They did not make a
permanent conquest of the countries they invaded, but
made annual raids, and everyyear lighting
was renewed.
1 In later centuries brahuiaiis among the descendants of l>lnimaii\u and
Ajamidha of the Lunar race took to amis, ksatrojtt-td dvijdtayah, namely,
(?argas, Saiikrtis, K?vyas, Maudgalyas, M ai troyas, arid apparent h
K?nvas ; and during that period there were two military parties among
brahmans, the Aiigirasos and Bhargavas. Agni, 277, 21 ;Matsya, 4'1, 3S,
41; 50, 5, 14; V?yn, ii, 37, HiO, 177, 193 4, 201-2; Visnu, iv, 10 ;
Hariv. 32, 1781, 1790.2
e.g. Bhrgu, that is, a Bhrgu or Bh?rgava rishi, saved the Hai haya
king Vitaliavya from Pratardana's vengeance by a delilierate falsehood.
MBh. xiii, 30, 1983 97 (see p. 4).
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 39/57
:*8 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
Such devastating raids continued for half a century (and
the T?laja?igha-Haihaya dominion lasted fully that time,see p. 10) might well be described as
twenty-one extermina
tions of the ksatriyas. The parallel goes even further,
for, just as the Persians under Nadir Shah invaded India
once, and the Afghans under Ahmad Shah made four
incursions during the prevalence of the Mahratta power,
so it is said Pahlavas, Paradas, K?mbojas, Sakas, q,nd
other hordes from the north-west poured into India during
the disorganization caused by the Haihaya conquests.
This leads to certain synchronisms between the kings
of K??i (Benares) and the Haihaya kings. There was
along contest between them, which began with
Bhadrasrenya and ended with Vitahavyaon the Haihaya
side.1 In the accountsone
king of Ka?i, named Divod?sa,is made contemporary with the former's sons, and he
or his son Pratardana2 with the latter. Now this is
impossibleif the same king Divod?sa is meant, and
for several reasons. Six generationsare
given from
Bhadrasrenya to T?lajangha, and King Vitahavya (or
rather the Vitahavya king3) appears to have belonged
to the T?lajaiighas, and therefore to have been three or
four steps later. The contest lasted a very long time.4
Such a contest and the successive Haihaya kings, six
at least,5 cannot with any probability be compressed into
the reign of asingle king Divod?sa. The Pur?na accounts
say it began with Divod?sa and ended with Pratardana,
1MBh. xiii, 30, 194(1-96. Brahma, 11, 40-54 ; 13, 66-75. llariv. 20,
1541-8, 1582-91 ; 32, 1736-49. V?yn, ii, 30, 23-8, 61-9. Also Padma.
v, 12, 114.'
Pratardana, son of Divod?sa, of K??i. KansU. Up. iii, 1.
:lThe name is generic rather than personal, MBh. loe. cit. V?tahavya
of the MBh. probably= V?tihotra of the Pur?nas.
4A thousand years. This; like most statements of time, is absurd 1}'
exaggerated, but all the references implya
long-continued struggle.5
These generationscannot be condensed on the supposition that many
of these kingswere brothers, as the whole of the circumstances indicate
the opposite.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 40/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY ?J9
and the MBh. account describes the contest (and that not
the beginning of it, for it deals only with the Vitahavya
period of the Haihayas)as
occupying the reigns of four
kings of Ka?i, of whom the last two were Divod?sa and
Pratardana. Divod?sa was son of Bhimaratha according
to the Pur?nas, and son of Sudeva according to the MBh.1
He was called Hatrujit according to two of the Pur?nas,-'
and this name could not have been applied to the Divod?sa
of the MBh., as will appear from the narrative following.All these data are
impossibleon the supposition that
there was onlyone Divod?sa, and are quite intelligible
if we take it there were two Divod?sas, one son of
Bhimaratha and the other son of Sudeva.3 Hence there
would seem to have been two Divod?sas in the K?si line,
separated bysome six or seven
kings.That there were
intermediate kings is shown by the stray mention of
aking Ast?ratha, son of Bhimaratha,4 during the contest,
and the express insertion by the MBh. of two kings,
Haryasva and Sude va.r> Confusion was easy because of
the long dispossession of the K?si kings. Collating the
various accounts the story may be stated thus: Bhadrasrenya
conquered V?r?nas? (Benares), and Divod?sa I (son of
Bhimaratha, probably Hatrujit) recovered it from his
sons. Then followed along period, during which the
vity V?r?nasi was abandoned and wras (it is said) occupied
by R?ksasas. During that time Bhadra?renya'ssuccessor
Durdama reconquered the Ka?i territory, and it seems to
have remained under the Haihayas. The six or seven
K?si successors fought unsuccessfully with the Haihayas,1
See passages cited in p. 38, n. 1.*
Bh?gar. ix, 17, 6 ; Brahma, 13, 66-7 ; Markant/. 20, 21. Since
Pratardana is called Rtadhvaja and Kuvalay?sva, Visnn, iv, 8 (whichcalls him Satrujit also; and so also Garnda, i, 130, 10), and Mdrkand.,
loc. cit. ; but the point is not clear, and the confusion is natural if the
explanation offered is sound. The Mdrkand. account is largely fable.;l
There is nothing at all improbable in this (see p. 15).*
Brahma, 13,11; llarir. 32, 1744.5MBh. loc. cit.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 41/57
40 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
and Divod?sa II (son of Sudeva) built a newcapital in
the extreme east of theterritory
at thejunction
of the
Ganges and Goinati. His successor Pratardana (Utadhvaja,
Kuvalay?sva) defeated the Vitahavya king and finally
recovered the kingdom ; he also conquered the R?ksasas
and regained the capital Vfu?nas?.
Divodasa I would therefore be just posterior to
Bhadrasrenya, and some further particulars will enable
us to fix the position of Pratardana in connexion withthe kings of Vidarbha and with Sagara.
Sa gara had two wives. Their names are given by
the authorities, though not quite in agreement; still, all
which give the parentage agree that one of them was
Vaidarbhi, or adaughter of Vidarbha,1 who must be
Vidarbha, son of Jy?magha of the Y?dava race. He was
therefore just prior to Sagara. In support of this it
may be noted further that Vidarbha's descendants reigned
in Vidarbha and Cedi,2 and that Bh?ma, king of Vidarbha,
and Virab?hus son Sub?hu, king of Cedi, were con
temporaries of Sagara's tenth successor, lltuparna,in
the story of Nala.3 That Bhima is no doubt Vidarbha's
tenth successor Bhimaratha in the genealogy, and shouldbe equated with lituparnas father. Hence also Vidarbha's
sixth successor Dasarha would be placed just after
Bhagiratha.
Alarka, king of K?si, appears to have been Pratardana's
grandson,4 and is said to have enjoyed very long life
through Lopfunudias favour/* She was daughter of
1MBh. iii, 100, 8833, 8843 7 ; Brahma, $, (?3 72 ; Pad ma, v, .S\ 144-7 ;
l\iyi/, ii, ?W, 154-8; Visyu, iv, ^; llariv. 15. 797.*
Jr/w, :-'?^, 17-20; Bh?gav. ix, ^, 14; Ga?ida, i, 7J.9, 29-32;
/. >'?*.</?. . o\?, 38-43; Malaya, 44, 35 41 ; Padma, v, /,?, 19-24; lay",
ii, ,?,?\ 30-41.3
jr/i?. iii, 6\?, 2570 ; 67, 2034-5 ; 6.9, 2705-8 ;Wf 2700 ; 73, 2852.4
The authorities are not all clear about the exact relationship.*
Brahma. 11, 53; 13. 74.Vdyu,
ii, 30, 08. //arir. 5P, 1590;
32, 1794.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 42/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 41
a Vidarbha king and married Agastya.1 The kings nann
isgiven
as Niini.2 No Nimi is mentioned in the Vidarbha
genealogy, but the names after Vidarbha are not quite
clear, and he would seem to have been one of Vidarbha's
near successors, because after Das?rha the princesseswere
called D?sYirh?. Lop?mudr? may presumably be equated
with Kunti, king of Vidarbha/* and Alarka with Dhrsti.
Pratardana therefore would synchronize with Sagara, and
he and Sagara, as already mentioned, broke the power of
the T?lajangha-Hai hayas, and Sagara completed their
overthrow.
Something may be done towards fixing the position of
the eakravartin Marutta, son of Aviksit of Distas line.
and his descendant Trnavindu. It is said that Aviksit or
his father Karandhama lived at the beginning of the Treta
Age,4 and that Trnavindu lived "at the third mouth of tin*
Treta age "/ that is, apparently at the beginning of the
third quarter of that age. It is not clear at what stage in
the genealogies that age is supposed to have; begun. It is
said that R?ma J?madagnya lived in the Treta age, and
that R?ma D?sarathi lived in the interval l>etwccri the
Treta and Dv?para ages.0 The further statement thatVi?vamitra lived in that same interval7 is inconsistent
with these two, and perhapswe should read "in the
interval between the Krta and Treta ages". Such an
arrangement of the ages makes a fair division of tin*
genealogies, and without meriting any trust whatever it
1
MBh. iii, 06, 86G1-07, 8576; ?v, 21, 654-5; v, 116, ?071. Rig-Vi, /7/>.
2MBh. xiii, //?7, 0255. Confused with Nimi, first king of Videha.
ibid., .'-J^, 8000, who is genealogically ages apart ; and Vide.ha is an eas\
mistake for Vidarhha.:t
The synchronism of this A gasty u with kings Srutarvan, Bradhna-n i,
and Paurukutsa Trasadasyu (MBh. iii, OS, 8595 008) appears to he
a brahmanical addition.*
MBh. xiv, 4, 80; V?yn, ii, 24, 7.8
Tret?-yuga-mukho trt?ye, V?yn, ii, 24, 15.
" J//JA. xii, .rj/, 12?148-?. 7 MBh. xii, /,$/, 5331.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 43/57
42 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
may serve as apossible working hypothesis. Marutta
then might be placed conjecturally in about the same age
as R?ma J?madagnya,1 and Trnavindu soon after Ambarisa
of the Solar line.
In the Lunar race Matinara's position has been fixed
(p. 31). We may next consider the position of Dusyanta2
and his son Bharata.
Dusyanta
married Visvfunitra's
daughterSakuntal?, as
is well known. If that Vi?viimitra be the first and great
Yi?vfunitra, Dusyanta must be placed alongside Hariscandra
or Rohita, and his son Bharata immediately afterwards ;but
there are arguments against that. There is no indication
that Bharata's successors were overthrown by the Haihayas,
asthey must have been in that case. Bharata had three
wives, Vaidarbhis,* and Vidarbha's position, as shown, waslater. Bharata's second successor, Bhfunanyu, married
adaughter (or descendant) of Da??rba,4 who was much
later. These three considerations settle the question, and
indeed the first statement is not necessarily in conflict
with them, because such names as Visv?mitra do not
always refer to the original rishis, but also denoted
their descendants, and producedsome confusion in the
personalities (see p. 15). The reasonable inferences there
fore are that Bhfunanyu married Da?arhas daughter,1
In Marutta's time lived two rishis, ?rhaspati and his younger brother
Sariivarta, who were rivals. The former declined to be Marutta's priest,so Marutta engaged Sariivarta. MBh. xii, 29, 910-13 ; xiv, 5, 95-.V, 218 ;
corroborated by vii, 55, 2170-1. Bh?gav. ix, 2, 27. V?yu, ii, 24, 9-11.
Aitar. Brdh. viii, 4, 21. ?ailgurunisya, on Rig-V. vi, 52, makes thesetwo risliis younger brothers of Ucathya (see p. 44) ; there may have been
some relation between these two rishis and the other two, Ucathya and
Hi Imsjmt i. who seem to have been later.-
Or Duhsanti, as he is sometimes called, e.g. Satap. Brdh. XIII,
v, 4, 11.:!
MBh. \, 94, 3710-11 ; Agni, 277, 34 ; Bh?gav. ix, 20, 34 ; V?yu, ?i,
37. 133. The Brahma- (13, 58), Vipm (iv, 7.9), and llariv. (32, 1727>
support. The single wife in MBh. i, 95, 3785, wasprobably wife of
Yit-atha,who is omitted there.
4MBh. i, 95. 3780. His fourth successor, Vikunthana, also married
a later D?s?rh? princes?, ibid., 3789.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 44/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 4.**
that Bharata must be placed three or four generations
after Vidarbha, and that Sakuntal?s father was a near
descendant of the great Visv?mitra.1 Bh?manyu must
then be placedsoon after Daa?rha and contemporary with
N?bh?ga of the Solar line, Bharata with Dilipa I, and
Dusyanta with Aih?innat.
This conclusion leaves an immense gap between Matinura
and Dusyanta, in which only two or three names occur,
but there are considerations which corroborate it, surprising
though it be at first sight.
The lists show little agreementas to the relation between
those two kings, and some of them leave it indefinite. It
is obvious that the genealogistswere
puzzled, and each
authority has taken its own method of bridgingover the
gap. A long period of confusion is what all the informationindicates, if it be noted that Pfiru had his kingdom
in the middle of Madhyadesa, and that that region has
been the battle-ground of contendingraces at all times.
Matinara's kingdom would have been conquered by the
cakravartin ?a?avindu from the south-west, and have then
undergonea
long eclipse under a scries of cakravartins,
M?ndh?tr of Ayodhy?, Sivi son of Usinara in the north
west, Arjuna K?rtavirya of M?hismati, Marutta son of
Aviksit of Distas line, the Haihaya dominion (with the
inroads of the hordes from the north-west), and, lastly,
Sagara of Ayodhy?. Dusyanta,as a
youth in Sagara's time,
might well have deemed his right to the Paurava kingdom
hopeless;
consequently
we
may
well believe another
statement that Marutta, son of Karandhama, in the lineageof Yay?ti's son Turvasu,2 had no son and adopted Dusyantathe Paurava, and that afterwards Dusyanta, desiring his
ownkingdom, reverted to his own race.3 He would have
1Even so she was still of ksatriya origin.
2Not given in the Table, because it is too brief, and is said to have
merged into the Paurava lino by this adoption.
3 Agni, 270, 2; Bhdgav. ix, 23, 17-18; Brahma, 13, 143-6; Matnya,
4S, 2-3 ; Vdyn, ii, 37, 2-4 ; Visnv, iv, 10 ; 1/ariv. 32, 1831-4.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 45/57
44 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CUllOXOLOGV
had that opportunityon
Sagara's death, and so would be
contemporary with Ariisumat, for the authorities say that
Asamafijas did not succeed his father Sagara. To recover
his kingdom he had the help of his adoptive father s realm.
Dusyanta thus became in a very real sense what he is
called, namely, the varh&i-kara of the Pauravas,1 and
united the sovereignty of two kingdoms.
The story of Bharata opens out other connexions. There
wore two rishis of Angiras' race, Ucatlrya and his younger
brother Brhaspati. Ucathya's wife was Maniata, and their
son wasDirghatamas, who was born blind. Bharadv?ja
wasBrhaspati's son, begotten by him (it is said) of
the same Maniata.2 Dirghatamas, after he had grown
up, was set adrift in the Ganges/andwas carried down to
Bali's3
kingdom
in the east. There he was rescued and
begot of the queen, at Bali's desire, Aiiga and four other
sons.4 That there was such a blind rishi Dirghatamas,
who was son of Ucathya and Maniata, and was rescued
from perishing in the rivers, is clear from the Rig-Veda?
Bharadv?ja's personality is not quiteso clear, because on
the one hand Bharadv?ja, the eldest son of Brhaspati, is
made contemporary with Divod?sa II of K?ai,G and on the
other hand he is brought into connexion with Bharata at
1MBh. i, C8, '2801.
-He is called Dry?mnsy?yatia, Bh?gar. ix, 20, 38-0; Matsya, 40, 33 ;
V?yn. ii, 37, 153.:!
lie must bo distinguished from Bali, son of Virocann, the Daitya.:The story is told in various ways, and Ucatliya's
name is given as
Utathya. U?ija, Anija, and Asija.
'
M Bh. \. 104, 4170-221 ; ii, 20, 802;
xii, 3?3, 13177-84. Bh?gar. ix, 20, 30-0 ; 23, 4-5. Matsya, 48, 24-84 ;
40. 17 20. V?yn, ii, 37, 37-02, 137-411. Visit?% iv, 10. llarir. 31,
HiSO-03. Sadgurusisyaon Rig-V. vi, 52, and i. 110. Brhaddevaf?, iv,
11-15, 21-5. Cf. p. 42. 11. 1. Dirghatamas is said to have gained his
sight in later life {MBh. xii ;Matsya ; V?yn, ii, 37, loc. cit.). If a natural
explanation may be suggested, it is that he was not totallj' blind, but
purblind, orextremely short-sighted, when young, and that his sight
improved in old age, as often happens in such cases.5
i, 147, 3 ; 158, 3-6 ; iv, 4, 13 ; and perhaps, i, 152, 6.45MBh. xiii, 30, ]0(12-3; see also Sarr?nnkraman?, introduction to
Rig-V. vi, for his patronymic.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 46/57
ANCIENT INDIAN <?ENEALOUIESAND CHRONOLOGY 45
the close of Bharata s life. Thus some accounts say that
Bharata lost all his sons, and Bharadv?ja was then broughtto him and became his son as
King Vitathal
; and other
accounts say Bharadv?ja sacrificed for Bharata, and then
a son Vitatha was born from Bharadv?ja.2 The latter
version is preferable, because (I) some of the former
authorities corroborate it, and discredit their own story
by adding that Bharata died when Vitatha was born:i
:
and (2) Dirghatamas inaugurated Bharata with the
iMihabhUeka* so that Bharadv?ja could not have been
a child at the end of Bharata's life.5 It is credible that
Dirghatamas and Bharadv?jawere brothers or cousins,J:
and if weaccept the above equation of -Bharadv?ja and
Divod?sa II, the inference would be that both those rishis
wereyounger contemporaries
of Divod?saII,
thatDirgha
tamas, who lived to a great age;,7 inaugurated Bharata,
1Agu?, 277, 7-8; Bh?gav. ix, ??, 34-9; MaUyn, p, 14-15, 27-32;
V?yu, ii, .77, 147-53; Visnu, iv, i.O. Sadgurusisyaon Rig-V. vi, */,
says Suhotra, etc., were Bharadv?ja's sous, but according to the
?genealogies they were his great-great-grandsons.-
Brahma, 13, 58 (Ml ; liariv. 32, 1720-31; MBh. i, 94, 3710-13,
which calls the souBhumanyu.
:lMatsya, j9, 34 ; V?yu, ii. 37, 154. The accounts and other state
ments leave no doubt that brahman paternitywas introduced at this
|>eriod. In fact, it is stated that Bharadv?ja's descendants comprised
both brahman* and ksatriyas, Matsya, 49, 33. Similar cases occurred :
thus a Vasistha begot King Asmaka of Kalm?saiM?da's queen in the
Solar dynasty. MBh. i, l.i.i, 4730-7 ; 177, (?787-01 ; Bh?gav. ix, .'/,
18, 38-9; K?rma, i, 21, 12 13; Lihga, i, 00, 27 8; V?yu, ii.
20, 17?.4
Aitar. Brdh. viii, 4, 23 ; and was his priest, Bh?gav. ix, 20, 25.
s The confusion of Bharadv?ja and Vitatha no doubt arose because
liliaiadvfija was called Vitluthin, Brhaddiv. v, 102 3.fl
The accounts aresupported to some extent by the Rig- V. because
Vaidathina (that is, Bluirailva jus sou or moreprobably descendant),
lijisvan (Rig-V. iv, 10, 13; and compare vi, 50, 15 und 51, 12 with the
Sarvduukramani, which attributes these hymns to Kji.svaii) is even
called Ausija (x, 99, \\), which was the metronymic of Kaksivat, son
of Dirghatamas (i, 13, 1 ; Sananukrumaul on i, 110). Kaks?vat i?.
mentioned in the ?wissages cited from MBh. i, Mat*ya, and V?yu in
p. 44, ii. 4.7Rig- V. i, 15S, ii.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 47/57
4(? ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
and that that Bharadv?ja,1or his son, begot Vitatha at the
end of Bharata's life.
The position of Ajamidha of the Lunar race, from whom
sprang both the North and South Panc?la djniasties, is
important. I have not found any data to fix it directly,
but something is possible indirectly. If, using the more
complete Solar line as ameasuring scale, we reckon the
generationson from Bharata, Ajamidha should fall at or soon
after Rtuparna's time ; and if we continue the reckoningdown the North Panc?la line, Srftjaya should fall about
the time of Dasaratha and R?ma, and here we do reach
synchronisms which confirm the reckoning. There are
synchronisms between several lines at this stage.
With Dasaratha werecontemporary S?radhvaja Janaka
of Videha (the father of Sit?), Lomap?da of A?ga,2 and
Pramati, king of Vaisali.3
There is astory connecting Rama and his brother
iSatrughna with the Y?dava dynasty,4 and it is sostrange
at first sightas hardljr to merit attention, but other
allusions support incidents in it, and it explains certain
important territorial facts. Madhu, called king of the
D?navas in it, was clearly a descendant of Yay?tis sonYadu,r> and is obviously the Madhu in the Y?dava list.
According to the story, Madhu's kingdom, that )is, the
Y?dava territory, stretched from Gujarat to the forest
Madhuvana on the Yamuna ; his fourth descendant was
Sattvata, and Sattvata's son Bhima was reigning at the
same time as Rama ; Oatrughnakilled the local prince
La vana, felled the forest, and built Mathur? (the modern
Muttra) on its site ; after Rama's death Bhima recovered
1 **Bharndv?ja" was the longest-lived rishi, Aitar. Aran. I, ii, 2, 8.
2 MBh. iii, 110, 10008-0; R?m?y. i, 11, 13-20; Bh?gav. ix, 23, 7-10.n
R?m?y. i, ^7, 17, which calls him Sumati ; compared with the other
authorities for Dista's line, p. 25.4Hariv. 94, 5142 -95, 5257; and 55, 3060-3104. The Rdnuiy. tells
asimilar story (Uttara-k. 64, 68-70,108),
butamplifies
and brahmanizes it.
5llarir. 04, 5164 (see p. 19, n. 6).
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 48/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 47
the city and dwelt there, and his son Andhaka reigned
there when Rama's son Kusa wasreigning
in Kosala.
Now some of the Pur?nas also assert that Satrughna killed
the M?dhava Lavana, took Madhu vana, and established
Mathur? there, and they add that his sons Sub?hu and
Surasena guarded the city.1 Further, the story explains,
first, how the country, of which Mathur? was the
capital,was called Sfirascna, for both Sfnasenas nume
and also the name of the city Mathur? remained, though
the Y?davas recovered the .sovereigntysoon afterwards :
and, secondly, how it was that Kaihsa, a Y?dava and
descendant of Andhaka, reigned there in the P?ndavas'
time?a collocation of facts of which there is no other
explanation. The story appears, therefore, to contain
historical truth.
That king Bhima is not named in the genealogies, but
as son of Sattvata (Satvat) appears as S?tvata in them.
They and the storyconcur in making Andhaka grandson
of Satvat, and fairly agree in placing him six oreight
steps below Madhu. We may therefore equate the Y?dava
Satvat with Dasaratha, S?tvata with Rama, and Andhaka
with Kusa ; and Madhu then would be placed about equalwith Sataratha in the Solar line.
Further, another son of S?tvata, named Bhajant?na,
married one or two daughters of Srfijaya,2 who cannot well
be any other than the king of North Panc?la. Srfijayawas thus a
contemporary of S?tvata, and therefore of
Rama, and this confirms his positionas calculated above,
and consequently Ajamidha must be placed with, or just
after, lltuparna. In agreement with this is the statement
that King ttatadyumna (probably king No. 00 of Vidcha)
1Bh?gav. ix, //, 13 14 ; V?yu, ii, 20, 184-5; Visuu, iv, 4. The
Ganufa (i, 13S, 38) names the sons.-
Brahma, 15, 32 ; Linga, i, 09, 3 ; Malaya, 44, 49-50 ; Padma, v, /./,
33 ; V?yu, ii, 34, 3 ; 7/briV. 33, 2201 ; perhaps K?rma, i, &0, 37. The
Kaya (ibid. 4)adds that
BhajamFina'sson married two
daughters (granddaughters) of Sr?jaya, who were his cousins.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 49/57
48 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
gave wealth to Mudgalaor (more probably) Maudgalya,1
thatis,
one of theMaudgalya
brahmansdescended from
Mudgala the Panc?la.2Sr?jaya's position
serves to fix
those of Divod?sa and Sud?sa (Sudas), who are so often
mentioned in the Rig-Veda?
Srfijaya placesus in the middle of the
"Pafic?las ".
Tliis namebegan,
as all the authorities say, with the
jocular boast of aking, whose name is given variously
as
Klmrniva, Bharmy?sva, B?hy?sva, etc., but was really
nhrinyasva. He had five sons, Mudgala, etc., and said,'My five (panca)
sons are sufficient (olam) for protecting
five kingdoms."4 The accounts imply that the words
?tunca + alam caught the fancy, and the new name
Panc?la gradually debased and superseded the name Krivi,
which was the old name of the
people
or
country.6
These
Pafic?las flourished till Somaka and his son Jantu, then
(the accounts sajr) there were great reverses and the
dynasty fell into insignificance (that is, there is a gap) till
Prsata's time,0 and that wras caused by the rise again of the
Lunar dynasty under Kuru, as will be explained.
The positions of Rksa 1, Saiiivarana, and Kuru may be
1 M?h. xii. 234, 800(1 ? xiii, 137, &2ft?.-
See passages cited for the genealogy, p. 21, n. 2.3
See p. 21, n. 3.4
Agni, 277. 19-20 ; Bh?gav. ix, 21, 31-4 ; 22, 3 ; Brahma, 13, 94-0 ;
Matsya, 50, 2 4 ; V?yu, ?i, 37, 190-3 ; Visnu, iv, 19 ; I/ariv. 32, 1778-80 ;
Sudgurusisyaon Rig-V. x, 102. Very mnny derivations or explanations
of minies in the literature are fanciful, but this explanation is such as may
I*? genuine, for the name Pa?c?la certainly superseded Krivi.5
Big-V. ii, 22, 2; ?atap. Brdh. XIII, v, 4, 7. It is implied in the
latter passage that both names were current for a time, Panc?la beinglbe ksatriya name and Krivi the vulgar one. In the Epics and Pur?nas,
tberefore, Panc?la is always used, and 1 have not met with Krivi there.
On the identity of Krivi and Pa?c?la, seeOldenberg, Buddha, 1st
l?erman ed., 409; Zimmer, Alt indische? Leben, 102 seq.,;
In the last part of this gap may be placed Dustaritii Pauiiis?yana,
king of the Sriijavas, because he was contemporary with Balhika Pr?tipiya,
the Kauravya king (Satap. Brdh. XII, ix, 3, 1-13), that is, the Kaurava
Vfihl?ka, son of Pratipa and brother of S?ntanu, who is often mentioned
in the MBh. (e.g. v, 14S, 5053-5; vii, 157, G931-4). See JRAS., 1908,
p. 320.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 50/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 49
fixed approximately. Sariivarana was driven out of his
kingdom bythe
Pafic?las,and took
refugein a fastness
near the River Sindhu many years ; at length Vasistha
(that is, one of the Vasistha family)came to him and
became his priest, and encouraged by his aid Samvarana
recovered his kingdom.1 As the Pafic?las began with
Mudgala, the dispossessionwas
posterior to Mudgala, and
it seems, further, that event could not have taken place
before Divod?sa's time, because Indrota Atithigva (Divo
d?sa's sonpresumably)
wasapparently
onfriendly terms
with Rksa's son.2 Thus Rksa would be contemporary
with Divod?sa.
The dispossession would seem to have been effected bj*
Sudosa (Sudas). A hymn in the Rig-Veda shows he had
wars and extended his
territory.3
His
great
battle with
the ten kings4was
probably connected in some way with
the dispossession. It wrasfought
near the Parusni (the
modern Ravi),5 and he could not have got there from North
Panc?la without passingover the Lunar kingdom, and as
the Bharatas (that is, the Lunar dynasty0)wen;
against
him, he had presumably conquered it. His conquests
evidently stirred up the tribes to the west against him,
namely, the Y?dva (the Y?dava king of Mathur?, see p. 47),
the Sivas (Sivis) who were ?navas (see pp. 24,31), Druhyus
(G?ndh?ras, who were descended from Druhyu7), Matsyas
(to the west of Mathur?), Tur varia (souk; tribal king
1MBh. i, 94, 3727-37.
aRig-V. viii, OS [57], 15 17.
:???I?7-K. vii, SO, 2.
4Rig-V. vii, 18 ; 7?, 3, 0, 8.?
Rig-V. vii, 7?, 8 9. If wemight identify Srutarvan ?rksa with
Samvaraiia ?rksa, Rig-V. viii, 74 might have been comfmsed on the
Parusn? during the exile. That river was among the Madras orKaikeyas,
who were descended from Anu (see pp. 31-2), hence Agni there might well
be called ?nava (ibid. 4).0MBh. i. 95, 3785 ; or Blulratas, MBh. i, 94, 3709 ; Brahma, 13, 57 ;
Matsya, ^.9, 11. Sumvurana is called Bharata, MBh. i, 94, 3731.7
Agni, 276, 4 ;Bh?gav' ix, S3, 14-15 ; Brahma, 13, 146-51 ; Ga?ida,
i, 139,64 ;
Matsya, 48,6-7 ;
V?yu, ii,37, 7-9 ;
Vismi, iv,17 ; //?rii\
32, 1837-40.
JRAS. 1910. 4
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 51/57
50 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
descended from Turvasa, that is, Turvasu ; probablyon his
north-west), and other small clans. Further,
"
old Kavasa
"
was drowned at the battle.1 Now a rishi named Tura
inaugurated Janamejaya P?riksita (that is, Saihvarana's
great-grandson) with the mahdbhiseka, and his father wTas
Kavasa, who might well have been contemporary with
Samvarana.2 There need be no hesitation in identifyingthese two Ka vasas, for "old Kavasa" was on the side
opposed to Sud?s, that is, on Saihvarana's side, and
Kavasa s soninaugurated
Saiii varar?asgreat-grandson.
The dispossession would appear to have lasted through
Sahadeva's reign*
into Somaka's, for Soniaka performed
sacrifices on the Yamun?,4 and he could not have done that
unless his territory extended there. Saihvarana would
seem to haverecovered
hiskingdom
inthe early part
of Somaka's reign, for several reasons. First, this Panc?la
dynasty suffered serious reversesduring Somaka's and his
son Jantu's time (see p. 48). Secondly, all the hymns in
Sudas' praiseare
by Vasistha, that is, one of the Vasistha
family.5 There is only one cin praise of Somaka when he
was a young prince, and this fact deserves to be compared
with the statement (p. 49) that Vasistha went to
Saihvarana and helped him to regain his kingdom. It
would seem that some strong reason must have moved
Vasistha to forsake Soniaka and espouse Saihvarana's
cause. His behaviour suggests vengeance, and may be
ascribed to the statement that his sons were killed by
Sudas' descendants.7 Thirdly, this last inference helps to
1Rig-V. vii. 1S, 12.
-Aitar. Brdh. ii, 3, 19: vii, 5, 34 ; viii, 4,21.
:lHis race and kingdom were prosperous (Nafap. Brdh. II, iv, 4> 4-5).
4MRh. iii, 7J.7, 10421 2.
''He also inaugurated Sud?s (/bVrrr. /?n?A. viii, ?, 21).
,JA*/i/-T. iv, 15 :where Somaka is mentioned jus knmdrah. S?luidevyah
(verses 7 10), "the youth, the son of Sahadeva."7
Brhaddevatd, vi, 28 (which obviously refers to this Vasistha). The
word is Sand?saih, which means the sons or grandsons of Sud?s, and
thus undoubtedly includes Somaka. See other passages cited in Muir's
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 52/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 51
explain the story that Soniaka sacrificed his Krst son
.Iantu in order to obtain more sons,1 for the rtvij who
performed such a barbarous magical rite could not have
been Vasistha, nor had hisapproval.2
For all these reasons Saihvarana may be placed alongsideSudosa or Sahadeva, and Kuru beside Soniaka or Jantu.
Kuru had a numerous progeny. He gave his name
to Kuruksetra and pushed his rule beyond Pray?ga
(Allahabad),3 which implies he overcame Panc?la. His
waxing meant the waning of the Pafic?las.
These conclusions leave a considerable gap between
Ajamidha and Rksa, and between Rksa and Saihvarana.
That there was along combined gap is implied by some of
the authorities, for theyeven go so far as to say that
Ajamidhawas reborn as Soniaka and
begot Rksa,4 thusvirtually placing Rksa after Soniaka, and
implying that
the rise of the Kauravas and the decline; of the North
Pafic?las were connected. The gap from Ajamidha to
Saihvarana marks the eclipse of the Lunar dynasty duringthe dominance of North Panc?la, just as the gap from
Jantu to Prsata marks the reverse/'
Vasu Caidyoparicara founded new Cedi and Magadha
dynasties (see p. 22). He was fifth in descent from Kuru
according to the genealogies, and was later therefore than
Janamejaya II P?riksita. He may be placed three or four
Sanskrit Texts, i, 114, etc., where, however, this Sud?sa is classed with
a different and earlier king Sud?sa, No. 53 of the Solar line in the Table.
See also n. 2 below.
1MBh. iii, 127, 10486- 1SS, 10495 ; Mat?ya, 50, 10 ; V?yu, ii, 37, 204.2
It may have been this rtvij who culled this Vasistha a Y?tudh?na
(Rig-V. vii, 10/f, 15), and so moved him to compose that hymn.?
Agni, 277, 26 ; Bfohjav. ix, 22, 4 ; Brahma, 13, 106-7 ;Malaya, 5o,20-2 ; V?yu, ii, 37, 209-12 ; Visnn, iv, 19 ; //art*-. 5.?, 1800-1.
4Matsya, 50, 15-19; V?yu, ii, .77, 203-9; 7/ariw. 32, 1792, 1795-9.
See Brahma, 13, 99 100.5
The Kurus and both branches of the Pa?c?las were of the same stock
(see p. 21). They are not particularly linked together in the MBh. or
Pur?nas, and the double compound found in the Br?hmanas, etc., refersto a later period?after the great battle.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 53/57
52 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
steps lower. This agrees with the story that Yay?tis
chariot which had belonged to Pfiru and his descendants
passed from that Janamejaya to Vasu.1
Ayutan?yin of the Lunar dynasty married adaughter
of Prthu?ravas.2 He seems(though misplaced in the MBh.)
to be the same asAyut?yus, and Prthu?ravas may perhaps
be Prthu of the South Paftcala line.
In the
concluding portion
of the Lunar and Panc?la
dynasties and Dvimidha's line are a number of syn
chronisms. Krta of Dvimidha's line was adisciple and
therefore a younger contemporary of Hiranyan?bha, king
of Kosala.n Brahmadatta of South Panc?la and Pratipa of
the Lunar dynastywere
contemporaries.4 Ugr?yudha,
whose name follows Krta's, killed Janamejaya Durbuddhi
and all the Nipa princes of South Panc?la,6 and alsoPrsata's father or
grandfather, Nipaor Nila, of North
Panc?la0; and Bhisma killed him after Santanu's death.7
Hence Ugr?yudhawas a younger contemporary of
Janamejaya and Santanu, and an earlier contemporary of
Bhisma. These synchronisms bring out some interesting
points. Ugr?yudha is called son of Krta, but it is plain
there is a gap of four or five steps between them.
Again, Pratipa's position contemporary with Brahmadatta,
and Santanu's position contemporary with Brahmadatta's
third successor, show there must be a small gap of one or
two steps between Pratipa and Santanu. No such gap is
1
Brahma, 12, 6-16; Vdyu. ii, 31, 18-27; Ilariv. 30, 1605-16. Thedescent of Santanu's queen, Satyavati, from Vasu is a mere fable, chrono
logically impossible.-
MBh. \, 95, 3774.1
Bh?gav. ix, 12, 3 4; 21, 28-9; Matsya, 49, 75-6; V?yu, ii, 20,
205-6 ; 37. 185-6 ; Ft>?m, iv, 4 and 7.9 ; /farm 20, 1080-1.
4 //rmV. 26>, 1047-8.5
Matsya, 49, 59 ; Kaym, ii, ,77, 177 ; Visnu, iv, 19 ; Ilarir. 20, 1071-2.,5Matsya, ?9, 77-8 ; Payi/, ii, 37, 186-7 ; Pwmi, iv, 7.9 ; Ilariv. SO,
1083, 1086.
7MBh. xii, 27, 808 /fori?. #>, 1073, 1085-1110. Santanu is generally
failed S?ntanu in the MBh. and Puranas.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 54/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 58
hinted at anywhere in the MBh. or Paraiiax, yet it is
proved by the Rig-Veda, for all accounts agree that
Dev?piwas Santanu's eldest brother,1 and Dev?pi calls
himself Arstisena.2 Clearly, therefore, Rstisena must Vie
inserted.
The other contemporaries at the end are too well known
to need notice. Theyare discussed in my paper on
"The
Nations of India at the Battle between the Panda vas and
K aura vas ".:*
I have now dealt with all the material synchronismsthat I have been able to discover, and it will be seen that
they do not all come from one kind of authority,or even
from onepossible source, but have been collected out of all
kinds of books, from the Rig-Veda to the Rvughuvariiio.
and from various accounts and stories. Many of thenarratives noticed have so little in common that the pointsof agreement which they show in these details are
unquestionably undesigned coincidences. As a corrolxna
tion of these results it may be pointed out that the
positions of the cakravartins (see p. 30) in the Table turn
out to be such that they do not clash with one another.
Other allusions occur but have not been noticed (so as not
to encumber this article), because they are not clear enoughto be of any value, or
merely corroborate these conclusions,
or are stray and unsupported,or
belong to brahmanical
stories, which (as already explained, p. 13) cannot be
accepted without corroboration, even if theyare not
deemed pious fabrications.4 It may seem that the groundsfor the synchronisms are not conclusive. I may admit
1Nirnkla, ii, 10 ; Brhadd. vii, 156.
2Rig-V. x, 9S, 5, 6, 8.
sJRAS. 1908, p. 309.
4e.g. the account of the transmission of knowledge about soimi
(hinking from oneking to another in Aitar. Brdh. vii, 5, 34, is chrono
logically erroneous.Similarly the story of the descent of the sword in
MBh. xii, 100, 6192-6201 is hopelessly confused. The brahmans who
composed the theological and didactic literature knew little about
ancient ksatriya history, and no wonder, when all knowledge rested on
memory alone.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 55/57
54 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
this, and add that conclusive proof for such ancient times
is generally impossible; indeed, certain inconsistent passageshave been referred to in the notes. All that is possible is
to collate the data regardinga
synchronism, and draw the
conclusions which satisfy them, or the greater number of
them. Each set of data must be dealt with by itself in
the tirst. instance, yet, as the genealogiesare not isolated
but have many points of connexion, the conclusion
regarding one synchronism must be tested and should
harmonize with those regarding others. The data may
be viewed in ways different from that in which they
have been nowpresented, and different inferences drawn ;
and, in fact, many such inferences were formed and
rejected, because further consideration showed that they
didnot
agreewith other conditions which were related
to them. The synchronisms must be considered both
singly and collectively, and if according to the conclusions
nowput forward all the genealogies tit in together and
corroborate one another, the resulting harmony supplies
cogent cumulative evidence in favour of the scheme pre
sented, both a? regards particulars and also generally.
Nearly all the genealogical lists terminate with the
great battle between the P?ndavas and Kauravas. Some
mention a few generationsmore in certain cases, or
give
lists of the kings who should reign in certain dynasties
after that event. But in all o-enealogical matters the
great battle constitutes a notable terminas ad quern, as
if aperiod of considerable prosperity, knowledge, and
refinement was succeeded by one of disorganization and
darkness. Whatever the cause may have been, that
event was an undoubted epoch, and may be taken as an
era, so that in dealing with these genealogies chrono
logicallywe may reckon backwards ante bellum.
The question suggests itself, what may be the chrono
logical import of these genealogies ? In formingan
estimate of time the average which may be taken for
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 56/57
ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY 55
the duration of reigns in India depends partlyon the
length of the dynasty. It may be twenty years (or even
more) in short dynasties, but toadopt
a lower average
would be prudent when the list of kings is very long,
because their length neutralizes special conditions that
may affect shortperiods.1 Hence fifteen years per reign
would be a safer estimate. It must be noted that any
such average ?applied to these lists means a smaller
average in reality, because we must allow for the fact
that the lists, and even the long Solar list, are not
exhaustive (see p. 7), and that the number of kings
should be increased somewhat to compensate for omissions.
If it besupposed there is only
one omission to every
sevenkings named in the lists (which is surely
a mod?r?t?
supposition),an 1 the
averagebe
adjusted accordingly,an
average of fifteen years becomes one of about thirteen
years. This appears to be a reasonable ratio, because
fifty-five early kings of Ceylon reigned altogether GO I
years, that is, with an average of eleven years2 ; but
that average is unduly lowered by the fact that the
number of insignificant kings is almost one in every
three. If that average be adopted for the present
purpose it would be proper to increase the number of
kings in the sameproportion. Taking then the lists
asthey stand, fifteen years per reign
seems a reasonable
and even moderate estimate. The only list which spansthe entire period is the Solar list, and that contains
ninety-three names from Iksv?ku to the great battle.
The entire duration then would lie not less than 1400
years. M?ndh?tr would be placed about eleven centuries
before that battle ; Sagara, Bharata, and Bhagiratha in
the eighth century ; Rama Dasarathi in the middle of
the fifth century ; and the Panc?la kings, Divod?sa to
1I have to thank Dr. Fleet and Dr. Hoernle for advice on thi.?
matter.2Dr. Fleet's list, Nos. 7 54, .IRAS., 1909, p. 350.
7/30/2019 Ancient Indian Genealogies and Chronology
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ancient-indian-genealogies-and-chronology 57/57
50 ANCIENT INDIAN GENEALOGIES AND CHRONOLOGY
Somaka, during the fifth and fourth centuries before that
battle.
Duncker in his History of Antiquity (vol. iv, pp. 74-7)
gives four calculations for thebeginning of the Kali age,
that is, approximately for the date of the great battle, viz.,
1300, 1175, 1200, and 1418 u.c.They
areprobably
excessive, because his calculation amounts to the rate of
twenty-fiveyears per
reign.
If his calculations be
revised, allowing fifteen years per reign, and the average
date be taken, it becomes about 1100 B.c. It is no partof this paper to fix that date, but if we assume that
the battle occurred about 1000 B.c., ?yus, Nahusa, and
Yaya ti, who are alluded to in the Rig-Veda, would be
placed not later than some twenty-three centuries B.c.
The Aryan immigration would be earlier still. Thecivilization of Babylonia and Egypt goes back to
.1000 B.c., or earlier. Is it likely that India, which
was in no way inferior to those countries ingeographical
and climatic conditions, was a land of no account till
several thousands of years later ?