A Study of the Bhâgavata Purâna; or, Esoteric Hinduism

Chapter V: The Story of the Prachetas Brothers (5)

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[The true history of the origin of the three Vedas is thus given in veiled words. They originated in the strong desire of men in Treta Yuga for the possession of heavenly things. This gives us about two millions of years at the present day. The origin of the Vedas must not be confounded however with their existence in the present form. For that we must refer to the sacrifice of Haris Chandra, the adoption of Sunah sepha by Visvamitra and the division amongst the Madhu Chandas brothers.]

Rishi Richika asked for the hand of Satyavati. Gadhi did not consider him to be a fit husband for his daughter. He therefore wanted to put him off and said: -- "Give a dower of one thousand horses, with the lustre of moon all over their body and with one of their ears dark-coloured (Syama). For we are sons of Kusika."

The Rishi went to Varuna and got the horses. He gave them to the king and married Satyavati.

Satyavati and her mother both asked Richika to prepare _Charu_ for the birth of a son to each. (_Charu_ is an oblation of rice, barley, and pulse, boiled together. It is offered to Devas and Pitris). Richika prepared two charus and consecrated one with Brahmana Mantra and the other with Kshatriya Mantra. The Rishi then went to bathe himself. In the meantime, the mother thought, the daughter's Charu must be superior to hers. So she procured that from her daughter and the daughter partook of her mother's Charu. When the Rishi returned and learned what had taken place, he said to his wife: -- "What an improper thing you have done by this exchange of Charus! You shall have a fierce and terrible son, while your brother shall be the greatest in divine wisdom."

Satyavati prayed to her husband, saying "Let it not be so." The Rishi then said, "Then your grandson shall be all that."

Jamadagni was born of Satyavati. She became the river Kausiki.

Jamadagni married Renuka the daughter of Renu.

Jamadagni had several sons, Vasumat and others. The youngest was Rama (Parsurama). He is said to be an Incarnation of Vishnu. He destroyed the Haihaya Kshatriyas. He cleared the earth of Kshatriyas twenty one times.

Kartaviryarjuna was the chief of the Haihaya clan. He got yogic powers from Datta-Atreya and also one thousand heads. He was very powerful. He was hospitably received one day by Jamadagni, with the objects yielded by his Kama-Dhenu (a cow that yields all objects of desire). The king longed to have the cow and forcibly carried her away. Parasurama killed the king in battle and carried back the cow. The sons of the king out of revenge killed Rishi Jamadagni while Parasurama and his brothers were out. Incensed by this conduct of the Haihayas, Parasurama killed all the Kshatriyas on account of their iniquities.

Jamadagni on his death became the Seventh Rishi in the constellation of the Seven Rishis.

Parasurama will become one of the Seven Rishis in the next Manvantara. He bides his time, with axe in hand, on the Mahendra mountain.

Gadhi had his son Visvamitra. Though a Kshatriya, he became a Brahmana by his Tapas. He had one hundred sons. The mid son was Madhuchhandas. But they were all called Madhuchhandas. Visvamitra adopted as his son Sunahsepha, son of Ajigarta of the clan of Bhrigu after he had been offered up to the Devas and the Rishi asked his sons to accept him as their eldest brother. Sunahsepha had been purchased as the victim of Haris Chandra's sacrifice. He prayed to the Devas and to Prajapati and got liberation. In the clan of Gadhi, he was known as Devarata. In the clan of Bhrigu, he was called Sunahsepha. The elder sons of Visvamitra did not accept him. So the Rishi cursed them to become Mlechhas. Madhuchhandas with the youngest 50 did as asked by the Rishi.

The other sons of Visvamitra were Ashtaka, Harita, Jaya, Kratumat and others.

THE LUNAR DYNASTY (Continued).

*SKANDHA IX. CHAP. 17.*

Ayus was the eldest son of Pururavas. His line is now given.

Raji defeated the Asuras and made over Svarga to Indra. Indra placed Raji in charge of Svarga. Raji died and his sons did not return the kingdom of Svarga to Indra. Brihaspati made invocation against them and they were all easily killed.

SKANDHA IX. CHAPS. 18-19.

Sarmistha was the daughter of the Danava king Vrishaparvan. Devayani was the daughter of Sukra, the preceptor of the Danavas. They quarrelled whilst playing with each other and Sarmistha threw Devayani into a well. King Yayati happened to pass by the way and he rescued her. She became attached to the king and married him. Sukra became displeased with the Danavas for the ill treatment of his daughter by Sarmistha. And to please the preceptor and his daughter, Vrishaparvan had to make over his daughter and her companions to Devayani as her constant attendants. So they accompanied Devayani to the place of Yayati. Sukra warned Yayati however not to have any intercourse with Sarmistha. But the king did not heed the warning. He had two sons Yadu and Turvasu by Devayani and three sons, Druhya, Anu and Puru by Sarmistha. Devayani complained to Sukra and by the curse of the Rishi the king was attacked with the infirmities of old age. The Rishi was subsequently pleased to say that the king might exchange his infirmities with another. Yayati called his sons one by one and they all declined to comply with his request except the youngest son Puru. So he exchanged his infirmities with Puru and lived as a young man. At last he found that no amount of gratification of the senses produced satiety and being disgusted with the pleasures of life, made over to Puru his youth and took upon himself his own infirmities. He made over the south east to Druhya, the east to Yadu, the west to Turvasu and the north to Anu. He then made Puru his successor and went into the forest.

SKANDHA IX. CHAP. 20.

Bharata had three wives, all of Vidarbha. One of them bore a son to the king, but he pronounced the child to be unlike himself. The wives of the king killed their children for fear of their being called illegitimate. Bharata gave Yajna offerings to the Maruts and to Soma (Moon) that he might be blessed with a Son. The Maruts gave him Bharadvaja as his son. Brihaspati (Jupiter) produced Bharadvaja on Mamata (Egoism), the wife of his brother Utathya. The parents deserted the child and he was brought up by the Maruts. Bharadvaja being adopted by Bharata was called Vitatha.

BHARADVAJA OR VITATHA
|
MANYU
|
---+-----------------+---+----------+------------+-----------+--
| | | | |
Brihat-Kshatra Jaya Mahavirya Nara Garga
| | | |
Hastin Durita-Kshaya Sankriti Sani
(founded Hastinapur, | | |
modern Delhi) | --+--+----+-- |
| | | | |
--+---+----------+-----------+-- | Guru Rantideva |
| | | | |
Ajamirha Dvimirha Purumirha | Gargya
(See next page) | | (became
| ---+------------++----------+--- Brahmana)
| | | |
| Trayyaprni Kavi Pushkararuni
| (Brahmana) (Br) (Br)
|
Yavinara
|
Kritimat
|
Satyadhriti
|
Dridhanemi
|
Suparsva
|
Sumati
|
Sannatimat
|
Kriti (arranged
Prachasama in to 6
Sanhitas)
|
Niha
|
Ugrayudha
|
Kshemya
|
Suvira
|
Ripunjaya
|
Bahuratha

Rantideva gave to others whatever he had and had nothing left for himself. He and his dependents remained without food for forty-eight days. On the morning of the 49th. day he got some _ghee_, milk, prepared barley, and water. While he was going to partake of that with the others, a Brahmana became his guest. He duly respected his guest and gladly gave him a share of the meals. When the Brahmana went away, he divided the remnant amongst his dependents and himself, and while he was going to eat, one Sudra became his guest. He gave him a share out of his own. When the Sudra went away, another man came with a number of dogs and Rantideva duly respected him and gave him what he could. Only some water now remained, sufficient for the drink of one man only. He was going to drink that water, when a man of the Pukvasa caste (a degraded mixed caste) came and pitifully asked for some water. "I do not ask for the eight Siddhis," exclaimed Rantideva "I do not ask for Nirvana. I only want that I may pervade all beings and suffer for them all their miseries, that they may be sorrowless. By parting with this water to save the life of this distressed man, my hunger, thirst, langour, giddiness, and distress are all gone." Kind hearted Rantideva gave even the water to the thirsty Pukvasa. Even Brahma and others could not distract him from his devotion to Vishnu. His followers all became Yogins devoted to Vishnu.

(Is there some connection between Rantideva and Jesus Christ?)

Santana had in his former life the power by pass of his hands to make an old man young. He was therefore called Santanu in this life. When he became king, there was drought for 12 years. The Brahmanas ascribed this to Santanu's overlooking the claims of his eldest brother Devapi. Santanu went to his brother. But in the meantime his minister had sent certain Brahmanas to Devapi and they dissuaded him from Vedic Dharma. He thus became unfit to be a king and the Devas then rained. _But Devapi is waiting at Kalapa for his future mission. The lunar dynasty will come to an end in the present Kaliyuga and Devapi will be the progenitor of the lunar Dynasty in the next Satyayuga._

Santanu
By Ganga | By Satyavati
--+---------------------+---+----------------------+--
| | |
Bhishma Chitrangada Vichitra Virya
(killed by a _m_. Amba and
Gandharva) Ambalika
daughters of
Kasiraja

Satyavati was the daughter of Uparichara Vasu by Matsyagandha. Before her marriage with Santanu, Rishi Parasara had by her one son Krishna Dvaipayana, the renowned Vyasa, father of Suka, the propounder of the Bhagavata Purana.

As Vichitra Virya had no son, Satyavati asked Vyasa to produce sons on his wives. They were Dhritarashra, Pandu, and Vidura.

Dhritarashra
_m_. Gandhari
|
--+----------------+----------+----+--
| | |
Duryodhana 99 Others Duhsala

YUDISTHIRA HAD:

(1) By Draupadi -- Prativindhya
(2) By Pauravi -- Devaka

BHIMA HAD:

(1) By Draupadi -- Srutasena
(2) By Hidimba -- Ghatot Kacha
(3) By Kali -- Sarvagata

ARJUNA HAD

(1) By Draupadi -- Srutakirti
(2) By Ulupi -- Iravat
(3) By the princess
of Manipur -- Vabhruvahana
(4) By Subhadra -- Abhimanyu
_m_. Uttara
|
Parikshit

NAKULA HAD:

(1) By Draupadi -- Satanika
(2) By Karenumati -- Naramitra

SAHADEVA HAD:

(1) By Draupadi -- Sruta Karman
(2) By Vijaya -- Suhotra

_Kshemaka shall be the last of this approved line in the Kali Yuga._

Now as to the Magadha kings.

This line shall be extinguished one thousand years after the death of Parikshit. (The future tense is used in the text with reference to the time of Parikshit.)

*SKANDHA IX. CHAPS. 23.*

Dirghatamas Rishi produced on Bali's wife Six sons -- Anga, Banga, Kalinga, Sambhu, Pundra and Odhra. These six sons founded kingdoms in their own names in the East.

(Anga is the country about Bhagalpur. Banga is modern Bengal. Kalinga is the country between Jagannatha and the Krishna. Odhra is part of modern Orissa.)

Chitratha was also called Romapada. He had no son. Dasaratha (father of Rama) was his friend. He gave his daughter Santa to Romapada. Santa was married to Rishi Rishya Sringa. That Rishi made a Yajna for Romapada and he had a Son Chaturanga born to him.

(He adopted Karna of the Mahabharata as his son, when he had been left by Kunti.)

ADHIRATHA
|
Karna
|
Vrisha Sena

YADU
|
Kroshtu
|
Vrijinavat
|
Svahita

Svahita (Continued)
|
Visadgu
|
Chitraratha
|
Sasavindu. (Had ten thousand wives
and one laksha sons by each wife. Of these sons, six
were famous: Prithu Sravas, Prithu Kirti, Punyayasas etc.)

UGRA-SENA.
|
--+--------+---------+--------++-------+------+----------+-----
| | | | | | |
Kansa Sunama Nyagrodha Kanka Sanku Suhu Rashtrapala

--+---------+------------------+----------
| | |
Dhrishti Tushtimat 5 Sisters married to the
brothers of Vasudeva.

The five sisters of Vasudeva were:--

(1) _Pritha_, married to Pandu

(2) _Srutadeva_, married to Vriddha Sarman
Dantavakra

(3) _Sruta Kirti_, married to Dhrishtaketu
|
--+---+-------+--
| |
Santardan 4 sons

(4) _Sruta Sravas_, married to Damaghosha of Chedi
|
Sisupala

(5) _Rajadhidevi_, married to Jayasena
|
--++----------+--
| |
Vinda Anuvinda

The five sisters of Kansa were married to the 5
brothers of Vasudeva. They were:--

(1) _Kansa_, married to Devabhaga.
|
--+-------+-----+--
| |
Chittaketu Brihadbala.

(2) _Kansavati_, married to Deva Sravas.
|
--+-+-----------+--
| |
Suvira Ishumat

(3) _Kanka_, married to Kanka.
|
--+---+------+-----------+--
| | |
Vaka Satyajit Purujit.

(4) _Rashtrapali_, married to Srinjaya.
|
--+--+--------+-----------+--
| | |
Vrisha Durmarshana Others.

(5) _Surabhumi_, married to Syamaka.
|
--+----+---------+--
| |
Harikesa Hiranyaksha.

As to the other brothers of Vasudeva, Vatsaka had by
Apsaras--Misrakesi, Vrika and other sons.

Samika
_m_. Sudamani
|
--+------------------+------+-----------+--
| | |
Sumitra Arjunapala Others.

Anaka
_m_. Karnika
|
--+------------------------+----------+--
| |
Ritadhaman Jaya

Vasudeva had several wives. Their names and the names of
their sons are given below:

1. _Rohini_
|
--+--------+------+-------+----+--+-------+-------+------+--
| | | | | | | |
BALADEVA Gada Sarana Durmada Vipula Dhruva Krita Others

4. _Bhadra_
|
Kesin.

5. _Rochana_
|
--+---------------+--------+--------+--
| | |
Hasta Hemangada Others

6. _Ila_.
|
--+---------------------+-----------+--
| |
Uruvalka Others.

7. _Dhritadeva_
|
Vipristha.

8. _Santideva_
|
--+-----------+-----------+------+--
| | |
Prasama Prathita Others.

9. _Upadeva_
|
--+-----------+-----------+------+--
| | |
Rajanya Kalpa-Varha Others.

11. _Devarakshita_
|
--+------------------------+------+--
| |
Gada Others.

12. _Shahadeva_
|
--+-------------+---------+------+--
| | |
Pravara Srutimukhya Others.

With the birth of Sri Krishna, we come to the end of the Ninth Skandha of the Bhagavata Purana. But for the completion of the racial account, we give here only the 1st. Chapter of the 12th. Skandha.

*SKANDHA XII. CHAP. 1.*

We have seen Ripunjaya to be the last of the Magadha kings. He will be also called Puranjaya (The future tense, it must be remembered, is used solely with reference to the time of Parikshit). His minister Sunaka shall kill him and place his own son Pradyota on the throne.

Pradyota
|
Palaka
|
Visakha
|
Rajaka
|
Nandivardhana

These 5 kings of the line of Pradyota shall reign for 138 years.

These ten shall reign for 360 years--Mahanandi shall have a son, Nanda, by a Sudra woman. He shall be the next king. One Brahmana Chanakya shall kill Nanda and his eight sons and shall place Chandra Gupta on the throne.

These ten kings called Mauryas shall reign for 137 years. Pushpamitra, Commander of Brihadratha's forces, shall kill his master and be king himself. He shall be the founder of the Sunga dynasty.

These (10) ten kings of the Sunga dynasty shall reign for 112 years. Vasudeva, the minister of Devabhuti, shall kill his master and become himself the king.

VASUDEVA
|
Bhumitra
|
Narayana
|
Susarman

These four kings shall be called Kanvas. They shall reign for 345 years. Susarman shall be killed by his servant Balin, a Sudra of the Andhra clan, who shall himself usurp the throne. Balin shall be succeeded by his brother.

These thirty kings of the Andhra dynasty shall rule the earth for 456 years. Seven Abhiras, kings of Avabhriti, ten Gardabhins (men of Gardabha) and sixteen Kankas shall then be the rulers. They shall be followed by 8 Yavanas, 14 Turushkas and ten Surundas. These 65 kings shall reign for one thousand and ninety nine years. Eleven Moulas shall then be the kings for 300 years.

Bhuta-Nanda, Bangiri, Sisunandi and Yaso-Nandi shall then become kings. Their sons, all known as Bahlikas, shall succeed them. Then Pushpamitra shall be the king, then his son Durmitra. Seven Andhras, seven Kosalas, Vidurapatis and Nishadhas shall then become kings, at one and the same time, over the lands of these names. They shall be the descendants of the Bahlikas.

Visvasphurji, otherwise called Puranjaya, shall be the king of the Magadhas. He shall make havoc of the caste system. His chief town shall be Padmavati (Modern Patna) but his kingdom shall extend from Hardwar to Pryag.

Then there shall be Sudra and Mlechcha kings.

THOUGHTS ON THE VAIVASVATA MANVANTARA.

The study of the Vaivasvata Manvantara can be pursued, as to minor details, from more than one stand-point. But I am at present concerned with only the broad outlines of its esoteric aspect.

We are to understand, in the first place, that there are certain types of human races in this as in other Manvantaras. Each of these types has a history of its own. Each has its stages of growth, rise and decline, and some have their periods of revival in this Manvantara as well. Each racial type has to be studied separately.

The connection of the races with the Sun and the Moon requires a little consideration.

Those who are acquainted with Hindu astrology know that the life time of a man is divided into certain divisions, each division being under the influence of one planet. Each planetary period again has its sub-divisions, in each of which there is a secondary run of the planets.

According to the Bengal School, the main planetary run takes 108 years for its completion, and according to another school, it takes 120 years.

The following is the order of planetary succession according to the second school, which prevails all over India, except in Bengal: --

Sun 6 years, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Brihaspati 16, Saturn 19, Mercury 17, Ketu 7 and Venus 20. Thus if a man lives for 120 years, all the planets will in turn have influenced his life in the above order, commencing from the planet of his birth. Again there will be corresponding sub-runs of all the planets during each planetary run. The races are also governed by such planetary influences.

The Solar Dynasty means that the particular type of humanity so denoted was born under the influence of the solar planet. When all the planets have in turn exercised their influence over this Dynasty, it disappears for a time and is re-born under the influence of the Sun.

Similarly there will be a revival of the Lunar dynasty -- that which commenced under the influence of the Moon.

The law of planetary influence over the human races is not as clearly known as that over individual men. Otherwise the future history of each race would not be the sealed book to us which it is.

The humanity of the present Manvantara was first born under the influence of the Solar Planet. Our Moon is the son of the Sun-God.

The races that first appeared were called Solar races.

Other races appeared under the influence of the Moon. In these races we find first the influence of Brihaspati or Jupiter, through his wife Tara, then of Budha or Mercury, and lastly of Sukra or Venus, through his daughter Devayani.

This planetary succession may be only a Sub-run of the planets. We read, in the account of the previous Manvantaras, of the appearance of Sukra as the guide of the Daityas, and of Brihaspati as the guide of the Devas. We have also read of the appearance of Rahu in the sixth Manvantara. This shews that the main planetary round has to be found in the Kalpa itself.

Our knowledge on the whole subject is however so poor that it is unsafe to make any distinct suggestion.

Now we shall take the Solar Races, or the sons of Vaivasvat Manu, in order of their treatment in the text. _Prishadhta_ and _Kavi_ were the first spiritual races. They did not marry _i.e._ there was no sexual reproduction among them.

Next in order was the _Karusha_ race inhabiting the north.

The _Dharshtas_ were also a spiritual race (Brahmanas).

The descent towards Materiality commenced with Nriga. He is said to have been transformed into a lizard. His grandson was _Bhutajyoti_, Bhutas being different forms of matter. _Vasu_ is a God of Material wealth. _Pratika_ means the reverse or opposite (_i.e._ the reverse of spirit.) _Ogha_ means a current. The current of materialism set in with the line of Nriga.

The next line, that of Narishyanta, shews further materiality. Midhvat is that which wets (the root _mih_ means to pass water). _Viti_ is production, enjoyments. Vitihotra is the name of a sacrificial fire. _Agnivesya_ is an incarnation of Agni or the Fire-God, but he is nick-named Kanina or son of an unmarried woman and also _Jatukarna_ (the name of a Vedic Rishi). There seems to have been sexual procreation in this line. The incarnation of Agni further indicates that the present human form was complete, for Agni is the form-giving energy in Nature.

In the next line of _Dishta_ we have _Vatsapriti_ or affection for children, _Pransu_ or tall, _Pramati_ or full-grown intellect, _Khanitra_ or digger, _Chakshusha_ or the eyed, and _Khaninetra_ or the hollow-eyed. This line represents the race of the earliest diggers, very tall, with the hollow eye predominant in them as a characteristic feature; this race was very powerful and capable of direct communion with the Devas, and the gods acted as waiters in the Yajna of Marutta.

The line of Saryati refers to Anarta and a town named Kusasthali, built in the midst of the Sea. Evidently the continent on which the race flourished is now under water. Anarta is supposed to be Sourashtra (modern Surat.) But the site of Kusasthali cannot be ascertained. There were remnants of this race till the time of Krishna, for Balaram married Revati, the daughter of Kakudmin (hump-backed). The line of Nabhaga is a short one and it merged itself into that of Angiras who was the father of Brihaspati or Jupiter. Ambarisha is the prominent figure of this period.

Then we come to the line of _Ikshvaku_. This is the best known line of the Solar races. It flourished during the last Tretayuga. _Ikshvaku_ is called the eldest son of Manu. Perhaps this has reference to the appearance of the Race in the previous Manvantaras.

The eldest son of Ikshvaku is Vikukshi (_Kukshi_ is womb.) He is also called Sasada or the Rabbit-eater. The Moon is called Rabbit-marked.

_Puranjaya_ is the son of Vikukshi. He is called Indra-Vaha or Indra-Vehicled. Several of the kings of this dynasty befriended the Devas of Svar Loka.

Further down we find King _Purukutsa_ forming an alliance with the elemental serpents, and holding communion with the dwellers of Rasatala. The river Narvada is mentioned in connection with Rasatala.

_Mandhata_ is a traditional name that has been preserved upto this time in common parlance in the saying "As old as king Mandhata." The line of Mandhata was divided into three different branches. _Muchukunda_ represented a branch of Yogins. The long, unbroken sleep of Muchukunda is traditional and he is credited also with Yogic powers. Another branch that of Ambarisha, Youvanasva and Harita represented a spiritual sub-race. But we have to follow the history of the Atlanteans through Purukutsa. The connection with Rasatala, or the plane of Material ascendancy, affected the destiny of this line. In Trisanku, the aspiration ran very high. He became a Deva, but had his head turned downwards, _i.e._ turned towards materiality. With the powers of a Deva, but with the aspirations of an Asura, the ground was prepared for the downfall of this line. For a time, however, the Race flourished in all its materiality. The alliance between Devas and men became cemented by the performance of Vedic sacrifices. This was the first spiritual advance of the human race, through the temptations of Svarga life.

The time of Haris Chandra is the Vedic era, when the earliest Riks of what we know as Rigveda were composed. Visvamitra and his disciples were the Vedic Rishis of this age. The Vedas tried to curb the riotous course of materiality by prescribing a number of restrictions on the enjoyment of material desires. Elaborate rules were laid down as to how the desires might be best gratified for a prolonged period in Svargaloka, by the performance of sacrifices or Yajna. The whole of the life of the regenerate classes was regulated by rigid laws and a glowing picture was given of life in Svarga after death. The sacred injunctions were not, however, potent enough to check the Kamic tendencies of the race and the cyclic law which now required the spiritual evolution of humanity was continually disregarded by the race. This was poison (_gara_) to the system of humanity and king Sagar imbibed this poison. Hence he was called the Poisoned. He had two wives. The sons of one wife were 60 thousand in number. They offended Kapila, an Incarnation of Vishnu, and thus were all consumed. They reached the limit of material degradation, where final extinction awaited the race. The number 60,000 is suggestive.

The extinction of Sagara's sons was attended with great changes on the earth's surface. It is said they dug the earth and made the seas in their search for the sacrificial horse. Hence the sea is called Sagara. This may refer to the sinking down of Atlantis when a large portion of that great continent became a sea-bed. There was a corresponding upheaval of land and the Himalayan chain reared up its head, as we can easily infer from the first appearance of the Ganges. The first flow of Ganga indicated a many sided revolution in the appearance of the earth's surface. A new continent was formed to which India was attached as the prominent link. Spiritual sub-races grew up on the banks of the sacred river who more than atoned for the sins of their fathers. The fore-runner of the race of spirituality was Asamanjas (rising above the ordinary run). He was a Yogin not led away by the material tendencies of the age. His son was Ansumat (having the ray or light in him). Ansumat pacified Kapila.

Ganga is said to be a spiritual stream flowing from the feet of Vishnu. With the advent of this stream, the spiritual rebirth of humanity commenced in right earnest, for the remaining period of the Kalpa. Already the path had been paved by the Karmakanda of the Vedas, which put restrictions on the wanton and reckless performance of Karma or action. The pure magnetism of the holy river helped on the process of regeneration. But this was not in itself sufficient to cope with the forces of materiality. Accordingly we see _Kalmasha_ or sin appearing in the line of Bhagiratha. King Kalmashapada became a Rakshasa. A Rakshasa is an elemental of destruction. When mind becomes too much identified with the gross body and its desires, its connection with the Higher Self is liable to be cut off by the action of the Rakshasas. These forces of Tamas act in different ways to serve different purposes in the economy of the Universe. When the material downfall of man reaches its furthest limit in the Kalpa, the Rakshasas become Tamasic forces in man and he is unconscious of his higher nature. That sleep in time becomes a permanent sleep, and the lower man becomes dead to his real Self. This is the real death of man, when the ray sent forth by Ishvara comes back to Him, without any spiritual harvest, and what constituted the personality of man dissolves into the Material Universe.

The time had come when a fresh departure was necessary in the methods pursued by the Lila Avataras for the spiritual regeneration of the Universe. They had now to appear amongst men, as ordinary beings, to give direct teachings to their votaries, to infuse as much Satva as possible into humanity and to retard by all means the further extinction of the human race.

For a time the Rakshasas reigned supreme, but not over the new continent, permeated as it was by the sacred waters of the Ganges. Their stronghold was Lanka, the remnant of the Atlantean continent. Following the descent of Ganga therefore, Vishnu incarnated himself as Rama, one of the greatest of his manifestations. The Rakshasas of Lanka were killed. Vibhishana only survived, but he was allied to Rama and so became immortal in spirituality. The Rakshasa survives in us but its energy of dissolution does not militate against the evolution of man. It was Rama who first gave the idea of Ishvara to the degraded human races of the present Manvantara. They knew, for the first time, that there was one greater than all the Devas -- the Gods of the Vedas -- and that there were planes higher than even Svarga. The path of devotion was proclaimed. And it became possible for men to cross the limits of death and of Triloki by this quality. The downfall was stopped no doubt; but the ascent was only permanently secured by Lord Sri Krishna as we shall see later on.

After Rama, there is little of interest in the line of Ikshvaku. The decline commenced and the line became extinct with Sumitra, but it is said one king Maru of this line became an adept in Yoga and retired to Kalapa, where he bides his time to revive the solar dynasty towards the end of the Kaliyuga. We may take him to be the originator of another race which will be the re-incarnation of the Ikshvaku race.

We have considered the line of Ikshvaku's descendants through Purukutsa. There is another line of his descendants through Nimisha. Then we come to the Lunar Dynasty.

The Lunar races first appeared while the descendants of Ikshvaku were still flourishing, though on the eve of their decline. They had immense possibilities of spiritual evolution, and the great Aryan race seems to be connected with them. The appearance of these races is almost simultaneous with the first flow of the Ganges. For we find Jahnu, who swallowed up the Ganges in her first terrestrial course, is only sixth in the line of descent from Pururavas.

The Lunar dynasty originated in the union of Tara, the female principle of Brihaspati (Jupiter), and the Moon. The issue was Budha (Mercury), the direct progenitor of the Lunar dynasty.

The son of Budha was Pururavas. He married Urvasi, the renowned Deva nymph.

Pururavas had six sons. But we are concerned with only two of them, Ayus and Vijaya.

Vijaya gave the Adept line of the race and Ayus, the ordinary humanity.

In the line of Vijaya, we find Jahnu, purified by the assimilation of Ganga, Visvamitra, pre-eminently the Rishi of the Rig Veda and one of the seven sages who watch over the destiny of the present Manvantara, Jamadagni, another of the seven sages of our Manvantara and Parasurama one of the coming sages of the next Manvantara. We have already mentioned the part taken by Visvamitra and his sons in the composition of the Vedic Mantras.

Coming to the line of Ayus, we recognise the forefathers of the Aryan races.

In the short-lived branch through Kshatra-vriddha, we find the Vedic Rishi Gritsamada, his son Sunaka, the renowned Sounaka, Dirghatamas and Dhanvantari, the promulgator of Ayur-veda.

But the longest history of the Race is through the descendants of Yayati.

King Yayati married Devayani, the daughter of Sukra, the presiding Rishi of the planet Venus, and had by her two sons, Yadu and Turvasu. Sukra is the son of Bhrigu, the Rishi of Mahar Loka. Devayana, is the path leading beyond Triloki, after death.

But the King had also connection with a Danava girl, who brought forth three sons, Druhyu, Anu and Puru. For his Danava connection, King Yayati had in youth to undergo the infirmities of age. This evil was transmitted to Puru, the youngest son of the Danava girl.

The line of Puru was short-lived. But it is this line that gave some of the renowned Vedic Rishis, viz. Apratiratha, Kanva, Medhatithi and Praskanva. Dushmanta, the hero of Kalidasa's renowned drama also came of this line. Vishnu incarnated in part as Bharata, son of Dushmanta.

Then there was a revolution. Bharata found that his sons were not like unto himself. So the direct line of Puru came to an end. What followed is a little mysterious. Bharata adopted Bharadvaja as his son. Bharadvaja was begotten by Brihaspati (Jupiter) on the wife of his brother Utathya named Mamata (Egoism).

Bharadvaja is one of the seven presiding Rishis of the present Manvantara. His name is connected with several Mantras of the Rig Veda.

The great actors in the Kurukshetra battle were the descendants of Bharadvaja. We find much diversity of spiritual characteristics among them. The material and spiritual forces were gathered together, in all possible grades from the Pandavas downward to the sons of Dhrita-rashtra and their allies. The poetical genius of the author of the Mahabharata has called forth characters in the Drama of the Kurukshetra battle, that stand out in all the details of real life and find a permanent place in the genealogy of the Lunar dynasty. The study of the racial account of the line of Bharadvaja becomes therefore extremely difficult.

The Lunar dynasty will be revived by Devapi, a descendant of Bharadvaja, who is biding his time at Kalapa.

The early inhabitants of Bengal, Behar and Urishya were the sons of Anu, the second son of Sarmistha. The famous Kama, one of the heroes of Kurukshetra, also belonged to this line.

The eldest son of Sarmistha by Yayati was Druhyu. Prachetas of this line had one hundred sons, who inhabited the north as Mlechha races.

But the greatest interest attaches to the line of Yadu, the eldest son of Yayati by Devayani. The early descendants of this line were the Haihayas, killed by Parasurama, and the Talajanghas, killed by Sagar -- both of the Solar Dynasty. The Mahabharata has given an importance to the overthrow of these early Yadu classes as a victory of the Brahmanas over the Kshatriyas. Next to the Brahmanas in intelligence were the Kshatriyas. They eagerly accepted the teachings of Rama, who incarnated as one of them. They knew Isvara as higher than the Devas and the Brahmanas. They thought they could profitably employ their time in seeking after the knowledge of Brahman. This necessarily offended the orthodox Brahmanas, who performed the Vedic sacrifices and had no higher ambition than to resort to Devaloka. The Kshatriyas thus represented a religious evolution, of which the Upanishads were an outcome. In time, some Brahmanas even became disciples of Kshatriyas. Both Rama and Krishna incarnated themselves as Kshatriyas. We are to understand that by Kshatriyas, during this period of Puranic history, is meant seceders from Vedic Karma Kanda more or less.

The early seceders, the Haihayas and Talajanghas were put down by the Brahmana Parasurama and by the Kshatriya King Sagar, who espoused the cause of Vedic Karma Kanda and of the Brahmanas, represented by Rishi Aurva of this time.

Parasurama did not like any meddling with Vedic Karma Kanda by persons not perfected in wisdom. Even Rama had to respect the Vedic Rishis and had to protect them in the performance of Vedic sacrifices from the attacks of Asuras and Rakshasas. When Lord Krishna appeared on the scene, the Asuras still survived; the Vedic Rishis denied offerings to Him, Vedic Karma had a strong supporter in Jarasandha, there was hypocrisy in the name of religion, and there were pretensions in various forms. On the other hand great improvements had been made in the proper understanding of the realities of life and of the laws of nature. Intellect overflowed in many channels of thought, and the religious nature of man found vent in all directions from atheism to religious devotion.

Leaving this general resume, we may now enter upon a closer study of the history of religious movements in our present Manvantara, so that we may understand the great work done by Lord Sri Krishna. The races live as individuals live. However developed an individual may be, when he is re-born after death, he first becomes a child as any other child. There is much of spiritual life in the child, and sometimes pictures of heavenly life are presented to his spiritual vision, which are denied to to the grown-up man. The child begins his life when he is grown up, and then his individual characteristics soon manifest themselves. We do not read much of the man in the child. Hence the history of the early spiritual races, who were infants in the racial life, does not teach us anything. We find some of them had communion with the Devas of Svarga Loka, but that is more on account of their infant spirituality than any thing else.

When the races developed in time, they became most intellectual as well as most material at the same time. Manvantara after Manvantara was taken up in developing the physiological (Pranic) activities, the sense (Indriya) activities, and then the lower mental activities of the Jivas. The personal man was fully developed in the sixth Manvantara and the great churning only opened the door for another line of development. The possibility of spiritual activity was secured to men by Kurma.

When the races of the Sixth Manvantara therefore became reborn in the Seventh Manvantara, they were the most intellectual of all races, but they had also the power given to them of developing spiritual faculties. They could not however shake off the Asuric element all at once. They were extremely fond of material joys, and they devised all means, which human intellect could contrive, of gratifying material desires. That was right which gave material gratification; that was wrong which militated against material enjoyment.

Bhuvar Loka is the plane of animal desires. The human beasts go after death to Bhuvar Loka. They do not possess anything which could take them to Svarga Loka.

The Svarga Loka is for those who develop in themselves the faculty of discriminating between right and wrong, and who do or attempt to do what is right. Far more it is for those who love others and who do good to them. For service and love pertain to planes higher even than Svarga. But in the higher planes, service is unselfish and love is divine. The lower forms of service and love pertain to the plane of Svarga. In Svarga there is selfishness, but it is mixed with spirituality. It is only the good, the virtuous, the devoted that go to the plane of the Devas and there gratify their higher desires to their heart's content. There are divine music, divine beauty, divine objects of gratification in Svarga Loka -- allurements enough for a man of desire. And if his merits be great, he enjoys the things of Svarga Loka for an enormously long period.

But a man by bare intellectuality can not cross the threshold of Svarga. The Devas reject the intruder. However much Trisanku might aspire to have the enjoyments of Svarga, and however great his intellect might be, he was not allowed to enter the coveted plane, without the passport of spirituality. Humanity had still to learn the proper means of securing life in Svarga.

Poor and chance spiritual acquisitions give only a passing life in Svarga and that not of a superior character. So all the knowledge as to attaining Svarga life had to be revealed in time.

The Rishis made great efforts to improve humanity by securing for them a prolonged existence in Svarga, most of all Rishi Visvamitra, one of the seven sages of our Manvantara. Visvamitra failed in his attempt to send Trisanku to Svarga. He then tried with his son Haris Chandra. It is said he advised the Raja to make a human sacrifice to Varuna. But we find the victim Sunah-sepha living after the sacrifice, under the name of Deva-rata, or one given up to the gods, and some of the Riks even were revealed to him. Haris Chandra succeeded in entering Svarga. That was a great victory for Rishi Visvamitra. The Vedas were revealed to the Rishis and sacrifices came to be known.

Narada also helped the cause in another away. He related the beauty and the virtues of king Pururavas to the Devas in Svarga. Urvasi, the famous Deva nymph, hearing all that, became enamoured of the king. She had then, by the curse of some god, a human form. So she could keep company with the King. The king was enchanted by her beauty. When she left, he followed her advice and pleased the Gandharvas. The Gandharvas gave him the fire, with which the king could perform sacrifice. The fire became threefold. With one he could perform his duties to the Devas and go to Svarga Loka. With another, he could perform his duties to the Pitris. With the third fire, he could perform the duties of a house-holder. Thus sacrifices meant duties. And it is by the performance of duties that men can perform Vedic sacrifices and go to Svarga Loka.

The Vedas laid down injunctions and prohibitions. They regulated the actions of men, propelled by Kama or desire. Men must eat meat. The Vedas said this meat was prohibited, but that could be used. Men mixed with women. The Vedas laid down restrictions. Even they regulated the relations between man and wife. Then the Vedas laid down the duties which men owed to all classes of beings. In order to induce men to accept the Vedic injunctions, the Vedas held out Svarga as the reward of Vedic Karma. They even favoured the belief, that there was to be immortal life in Svarga gained by the performance of Vedic Karma. Detailed rules as to the performance of Vedic sacrifices were given. So long as men did not aspire to become Indra, or the ruler of Svarga, the Devas were pleased with the sacrifices; they helped the performer as much as they could, giving them all objects of desire, and they welcomed them to Svarga, when they passed to that plane after death. The Devas were as friendly to the performer of Vedic Karma as they were unfriendly to the immature Trisanku.

The Vedic Karma Kanda became thus fully revealed. The revelation was made in the last Treta-yuga of the present Manvantara. "At the beginning of the Treta Yuga, the three Vedas were revealed through Pururavas." IX. 14-49. "The path of Karma was promulgated in Treta Yuga, by the division of the Vedas." _Sridhara_.

The great churning was justified. The Devas asserted themselves for the good of humanity. The Rishis got the revelation and helped men to place themselves in active relationship with the Devas. Men learned to regulate themselves and to give up the wantonness of material life. And they had a strong inducement to do so in the prospect of eternal life in Svarga. The great actor in this Vedic movement was Rishi Visvamitra, (Hallowed be his name!) Others followed him in quick succession, and there was a brilliant combination of Vedic Rishis who propounded the whole of the Karma Kanda of the Vedas, as it was revealed to them by the force of Kalpic necessity.

At all times there have been two parties, one following the current of evolution, and another going against it. At all times there have been cavillers and sceptics.

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A Study of the Bhâgavata Purâna; or, Esoteric HinduismChapter V: The Story of the Prachetas Brothers (5)

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