Bharata (emperor)
Encyclopedia
Bharata was a legendary emperor of India
, and is referred to in Hindu
and Jain
mythology. He was son of King Dushyanta
and Shakuntala
and thus a descendant of the Lunar Dynasty
of the Kshatriya
caste. Bharata conquered all of greater Greater India
, uniting it into a single entity which was named after him as . According to the epic Mahābhārata
, Bharata's empire covered most of the Indian subcontinent
.
"Bhārata" today is the official name of the Republic of India.
: भरतः, Bharataḥ) means "the cherished".
In the Adi Parva
of Mahabharata
, Dushyanta
was advised by the words:
In his childhood, Bharata was known by the name "Sarvadamana" (Sanskrit
: सर्वदमनः, Sarvadamanaḥ), meaning "the subduer of all". The dwellers at Kanva's asylum called him by this name because, even in the age of six, he was able to seize and restrain strong animals.
(Adi Parva), Bharata was the son of King Dushyanta
and Shakuntala
and thus a descendant of the Lunar Dynasty
of the Kshatriya
caste. He was originally named Sarvadamana (subduer of all); the Mahābhārata traces the events in his life by which he came to be known as Bharata ("the cherished").
's poetic play The Recognition of Shakuntala.
The Apsara
Menaka
had come down to Earth from Svarga at the behest of the King of the Devass, Indra
, to distract the great sage Vishvamitra from his deep penance. She succeeded and bore a child by him. Vishwamitra, angered by the loss of the virtue gained through his many hard years of strict ascetism, distanced himself from the child and mother to return to his work. Realizing that she could not leave the child with him, and having to return to the Heavenly realms, Menaka left the newborn Shakuntala on the banks of the Malini River on the peaks of the Himalayas
. Shakuntala was found by the Rishi
Kanva surrounded and protected by birds (Shakunton in Sanskrit
), and so she was named Shakuntala. The pious Malini river on whose banks Menaka
left the girl child is located in the Shivalik hill range of the Himalaya and she flows about 10 km west of a town Kotdwara in Uttarakhand. This is corroborated by the famous poet Kalidas in his book Abhighyan Shakuntalam.
Shakuntala was brought up by rishi
Kanva in his ashram
. King Dushyanta
encountered Shakuntala while travelling through the forest with his army. Pursuing a male deer
wounded by his arrow into the ashram, he saw Shakuntala nursing the deer, her pet, and fell in love with her. He profusely begged her forgiveness for harming the deer and spent some time at the ashram. They fell in love and Dushyanta
married Shakuntala there in the ashram. Dushyanta left ashram after some time due to unrest in the capital city. At the time of leaving, he gave her a ring as a memory of their time spent together and promised her to come back later.
Time being, Shakuntala gave birth to a child. Kanwa named him as Saravadamana. Surrounded only by wild animals, Sarvadamana grew to be a strong child and made a sport of opening the mouths of tigers and lions and counting their teeth! Time went by and the King Dushyanta never came back.
Shakuntala reached Dushyanta's palace with her son. During the journey, she lost the ring while crossing a river. Arriving at Dushyanta
's court, Shakuntala was hurt and surprised when her husband did not recognize her, nor recollected anything about her. Since she lost the ring, she didn't have any proof as well. Dushyanta
's failure to recognise Shakuntala is in fact a ploy to have his subjects accept her as his true wife, since he had feared rumors might otherwise have arisen as to the propriety of the marriage. A few days later, a fisherman found that ring inside a fish and presented it before the king. After a long course of arguments made by Shakuntala, the king accepted her as his wife. Because Dushyanta supported his child after hearing the speech of celestial messenger, that Sakuntala's son came to be called Bharata (the supported).
This is however a dramatised version by Kalidasa
. This varies dramatically from the version in the Mahabharata
where Dushyanta abandons Shakuntala.
In his youth Bharata became the king. Young Bharata conquered and ruled the entire continent of India, from sea to Himalaya. His empire was named Bharatavarsha, the land of Bharata. He ruled virtuously and earned great fame. He was known by the titles of "Chakravarti" (emperor) and "Sarvabhauma" (Sanskrit
: सार्वभौमः). He performed many sacrifices and Kanva was the chief priest at those sacrifices.
Bharata married Sunanda the daughter of Sarvasena, the king of Kasi, and begat upon her the son named Bhumanyu. Bharata's wife Sunandadevi was chaste and devoted.
Bharatavarsha refers to the whole of modern India and many other countries which did not exist then. Emperor Bharat was one of the few emperors to rule all of former India or Bharata, which was much bigger than modern India.
The Vishnu Purana
m accounts the extent of Bharatavarsham,
Bharatakantham is the region which is contained in Bharatavarsha, comprising modern South Asia
.
s were born.
He conquered all of the earth and the worlds above. He reached the top of "Meru" or "Sumeru" mountain (the center of the world and tallest mountain) and placed a flag. But upon reaching the top he saw numerous such flags of world conquerors before him. This made him feel very insignificant and he took Jain diksha
and attained Nirvana
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and is referred to in Hindu
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
and Jain
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
mythology. He was son of King Dushyanta
Dushyanta
Dushyant or Dushyanta was a great king in classical Indian literature and mythology. He is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of the Emperor Bharatha. He appears in the Mahabarata and in Kalidasa's play The Recognition of Sakuntala .-Historical king:According to the Mahābhārata, Dushyanta is...
and Shakuntala
Shakuntala
In Hindu mythology Shakuntala is the wife of Dushyanta and the mother of Emperor Bharata. Her story is told in the Mahabharata and dramatized by Kalidasa in his play Abhijñānaśākuntalam .-Etymology:Rishi Kanva found her in forest as a baby surrounded by Shakunta birds...
and thus a descendant of the Lunar Dynasty
Lunar Dynasty
In Hindu mythology, the Lunar Dynasty is one of the three principal houses of the Kshatriya varna, or warrior–ruling caste...
of the Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
caste. Bharata conquered all of greater Greater India
Greater India
Greater India is a term that refers to the historical spread of the culture of India beyond the Indian subcontinent...
, uniting it into a single entity which was named after him as . According to the epic Mahābhārata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, Bharata's empire covered most of the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
.
"Bhārata" today is the official name of the Republic of India.
Etymology
The name Bharata (SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: भरतः, Bharataḥ) means "the cherished".
In the Adi Parva
Adi Parva
Mahabharta Book 1 Adi Parva is a book about how the Mahabharata came to be narrated by Sauti to the assembled rishis at Naimisharanya. The recital of the Mahabharata at the Sarpasatra of Janamejaya by Vaishampayana at . The history of the Bharata race is told in detail and the parvan also traces...
of Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, Dushyanta
Dushyanta
Dushyant or Dushyanta was a great king in classical Indian literature and mythology. He is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of the Emperor Bharatha. He appears in the Mahabarata and in Kalidasa's play The Recognition of Sakuntala .-Historical king:According to the Mahābhārata, Dushyanta is...
was advised by the words:
अभूतिर एषा कस तयज्याज जीवञ जीवन्तम आत्मजम
शाकुन्तळं महात्मानं दौःषन्तिं भर पौरव
भर्तव्योऽयं तवया यस्माद अस्माकं वचनाद अपि
तस्माद भवत्व अयं नाम्ना भरतो नाम ते सुतः
abhūtir eṣā kas tyajyāj jīvañ jīvantam ātmajam
śākuntalaṃ mahātmānaṃ dauḥṣantiṃ bhara paurava
bhartavyo 'yaṃ tvayā yasmād asmākaṃ vacanād api
tasmād bhavatv ayaṃ nāmnā bharato nāma te sutaḥ
Therefore, O thou of Puru's race, cherish thy high-souled son born of Sakuntala
and because this child is to be cherished by thee even at our word,
therefore shall this thy son be known by the name of Bharata (the cherished).
In his childhood, Bharata was known by the name "Sarvadamana" (Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: सर्वदमनः, Sarvadamanaḥ), meaning "the subduer of all". The dwellers at Kanva's asylum called him by this name because, even in the age of six, he was able to seize and restrain strong animals.
Mahabharata
According to the MahābhārataMahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
(Adi Parva), Bharata was the son of King Dushyanta
Dushyanta
Dushyant or Dushyanta was a great king in classical Indian literature and mythology. He is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of the Emperor Bharatha. He appears in the Mahabarata and in Kalidasa's play The Recognition of Sakuntala .-Historical king:According to the Mahābhārata, Dushyanta is...
and Shakuntala
Shakuntala
In Hindu mythology Shakuntala is the wife of Dushyanta and the mother of Emperor Bharata. Her story is told in the Mahabharata and dramatized by Kalidasa in his play Abhijñānaśākuntalam .-Etymology:Rishi Kanva found her in forest as a baby surrounded by Shakunta birds...
and thus a descendant of the Lunar Dynasty
Lunar Dynasty
In Hindu mythology, the Lunar Dynasty is one of the three principal houses of the Kshatriya varna, or warrior–ruling caste...
of the Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
caste. He was originally named Sarvadamana (subduer of all); the Mahābhārata traces the events in his life by which he came to be known as Bharata ("the cherished").
Abhijnana Shakuntalam
Bharata's exploits as a child prince are dramatised in KalidasaKalidasa
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
's poetic play The Recognition of Shakuntala.
Story of Bharata
Apsara
An Apsara , also known as Vidhya Dhari or Tep Apsar in Khmer, Accharā or A Bố Sa La Tư , Bidadari , Biradali , Widodari and Apson , is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in...
Menaka
Menaka
In Hindu mythology, Menaka is considered one of the most beautiful of the heavenly Apsaras.She was sent by Indra, the king of the Devas, to break the severe penance undertaken by Vishwamitra. She successfully incited Vishwamitra's lust and passion when he saw her swimming naked in a lake near a...
had come down to Earth from Svarga at the behest of the King of the Devass, Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, to distract the great sage Vishvamitra from his deep penance. She succeeded and bore a child by him. Vishwamitra, angered by the loss of the virtue gained through his many hard years of strict ascetism, distanced himself from the child and mother to return to his work. Realizing that she could not leave the child with him, and having to return to the Heavenly realms, Menaka left the newborn Shakuntala on the banks of the Malini River on the peaks of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. Shakuntala was found by the Rishi
Rishi
Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...
Kanva surrounded and protected by birds (Shakunton in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
), and so she was named Shakuntala. The pious Malini river on whose banks Menaka
Menaka
In Hindu mythology, Menaka is considered one of the most beautiful of the heavenly Apsaras.She was sent by Indra, the king of the Devas, to break the severe penance undertaken by Vishwamitra. She successfully incited Vishwamitra's lust and passion when he saw her swimming naked in a lake near a...
left the girl child is located in the Shivalik hill range of the Himalaya and she flows about 10 km west of a town Kotdwara in Uttarakhand. This is corroborated by the famous poet Kalidas in his book Abhighyan Shakuntalam.
Shakuntala was brought up by rishi
Rishi
Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...
Kanva in his ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
. King Dushyanta
Dushyanta
Dushyant or Dushyanta was a great king in classical Indian literature and mythology. He is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of the Emperor Bharatha. He appears in the Mahabarata and in Kalidasa's play The Recognition of Sakuntala .-Historical king:According to the Mahābhārata, Dushyanta is...
encountered Shakuntala while travelling through the forest with his army. Pursuing a male deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
wounded by his arrow into the ashram, he saw Shakuntala nursing the deer, her pet, and fell in love with her. He profusely begged her forgiveness for harming the deer and spent some time at the ashram. They fell in love and Dushyanta
Dushyanta
Dushyant or Dushyanta was a great king in classical Indian literature and mythology. He is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of the Emperor Bharatha. He appears in the Mahabarata and in Kalidasa's play The Recognition of Sakuntala .-Historical king:According to the Mahābhārata, Dushyanta is...
married Shakuntala there in the ashram. Dushyanta left ashram after some time due to unrest in the capital city. At the time of leaving, he gave her a ring as a memory of their time spent together and promised her to come back later.
Time being, Shakuntala gave birth to a child. Kanwa named him as Saravadamana. Surrounded only by wild animals, Sarvadamana grew to be a strong child and made a sport of opening the mouths of tigers and lions and counting their teeth! Time went by and the King Dushyanta never came back.
Shakuntala reached Dushyanta's palace with her son. During the journey, she lost the ring while crossing a river. Arriving at Dushyanta
Dushyanta
Dushyant or Dushyanta was a great king in classical Indian literature and mythology. He is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of the Emperor Bharatha. He appears in the Mahabarata and in Kalidasa's play The Recognition of Sakuntala .-Historical king:According to the Mahābhārata, Dushyanta is...
's court, Shakuntala was hurt and surprised when her husband did not recognize her, nor recollected anything about her. Since she lost the ring, she didn't have any proof as well. Dushyanta
Dushyanta
Dushyant or Dushyanta was a great king in classical Indian literature and mythology. He is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of the Emperor Bharatha. He appears in the Mahabarata and in Kalidasa's play The Recognition of Sakuntala .-Historical king:According to the Mahābhārata, Dushyanta is...
's failure to recognise Shakuntala is in fact a ploy to have his subjects accept her as his true wife, since he had feared rumors might otherwise have arisen as to the propriety of the marriage. A few days later, a fisherman found that ring inside a fish and presented it before the king. After a long course of arguments made by Shakuntala, the king accepted her as his wife. Because Dushyanta supported his child after hearing the speech of celestial messenger, that Sakuntala's son came to be called Bharata (the supported).
This is however a dramatised version by Kalidasa
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
. This varies dramatically from the version in the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
where Dushyanta abandons Shakuntala.
In his youth Bharata became the king. Young Bharata conquered and ruled the entire continent of India, from sea to Himalaya. His empire was named Bharatavarsha, the land of Bharata. He ruled virtuously and earned great fame. He was known by the titles of "Chakravarti" (emperor) and "Sarvabhauma" (Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: सार्वभौमः). He performed many sacrifices and Kanva was the chief priest at those sacrifices.
Bharata married Sunanda the daughter of Sarvasena, the king of Kasi, and begat upon her the son named Bhumanyu. Bharata's wife Sunandadevi was chaste and devoted.
Bharatavarsha
The Vishnu Purana
Vishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana is a religious Hindu text and one of the eighteen Mahapuranas. It is considered one of the most important Puranas and has been given the name Puranaratna...
m accounts the extent of Bharatavarsham,
उत्तरं यत्समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश्चैव दक्षिणम् ।
वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संततिः ।।
uttaraṃ yatsamudrasya himādreścaiva dakṣiṇam
varṣaṃ tadbhārataṃ nāma bhāratī yatra santatiḥ
"The country that lies north of the oceanSamudraSamudra is a Sanskrit term for "ocean", literally the "gathering together of waters" Samudra is a Sanskrit term for "ocean", literally the "gathering together of waters" Samudra is a Sanskrit term for "ocean", literally the "gathering together of waters" (- meaning "together" and -udra meaning...
and south of the snowy mountains is called Bhāratam; there dwell the descendants of Bharata."
Bharatakantham is the region which is contained in Bharatavarsha, comprising modern South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
The Bharata race
Bharata gave his name to the race of which he was the founder. And it is from him that the fame of that dynasty has spread so wide. In the Bharata race there have been born many godlike monarchs gifted with great power and devoted to truth and honesty. It is in Bharata's dynasty that, later, righteous men like the PandavaPandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
s were born.
- Bharata begat upon his three wives nine sons in all. But none of them were like their father and so Bharata was not at all pleased with them. Their mothers, therefore, became angry and slew them all. The procreation of children by Bharata, therefore, became vain. The monarch then performed a great sacrifice called "mourisoma" and through the grace of Bharadwaja obtained a son named Bhumanyu. Then Bharata, the great descendant of PuruPuruThe Purus were a tribe, or a confederation of tribes, mentioned many times in the Rigveda, formed around 3180 BCE. RV 7.96.2 locates them at the banks of the Sarasvati River. There were several factions of Purus, one being the Bharatas...
, regarding himself as really possessing a son, installed that son as his heir-apparent.
- Bhumanyu married Vijaya, the daughter of Dasarha. He begat upon her a son Suhotra.
- Suhotra married Suvarna, the daughter of IkshvakuIkshvakuIkshvaku pāli: Okkāka) was the first king of the Ikshvaku dynasty and founder of the Solar Dynasty of Kshatriyas in Vedic civilization in ancient India.-In Hinduism:He is remembered in Hindu scriptures as a righteous and glorious king...
. To her was born a son named Hasti who founded the city called HastinapuraHastinapuraHastinapur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:Hastinapur was the capital of the kingdom of the Kauravas, belonging to the Kuru dynasty of kings. The throne of this city was the prize over which the Kurukshetra War of the epic...
.
- Hasti married Yasodhara, the princess of Trigarta, and of her was born a son named Vikunthana
- Vikunthana married Sudeva, the princess of Dasarha, and by her was born a son named Ajamidha. Ajamidha had four wives named Raikeyi, Gandhari, Visala and Riksha.
- In his wife Riksha, Ajamidha begat Samvarana.
- Samvarana married Tapati, the daughter of Vivaswat and begat a son named Kuru. Kuru was exceedingly virtuous, and therefore, he was installed on the throne by his people. It is after his name that the field called Kuru-jangala has become so famous in the world. Devoted to asceticism, he made that field (KurukshetraKurukshetraKurukshetra is a land of historical and religious importance. Historically the land belonged to Punjab now a district in Haryana state of India. It is a holy place and is also known as Dharmakshetra . According to the Puranas, Kurukshetra is named after King Kuru, the ancestor of Kauravas and...
) sacred by practising asceticism there.
- Kuru married Subhangi, the princess of Dasarha. He begat on her a son named Viduratha
- Viduratha took to wife Supriya. He begat upon her a son named Anaswan.
- Anaswan married Amrita, the daughter of the Madhavas. And of her was born a son named Parikshit.
- Parikshit married Suvasa, the daughter of the Vahudas, and begat upon her a son named Bhimasena.
- Bhimasena married Kumari, the princess of Kekaya and begat upon her Pratisravas.
- Pratisravas's son was Pratipa.
- Pratipa married Sunanda, the daughter of ShibiShibi (king)King Shibi Chakravarti is a famous king in Hindu mythology and Buddhist Jataka Tales. Sibi was the son of Usinara a famous king of Chandravamsa...
, and begat upon her three sons, viz., Devapi, Santanu and Valhika. Devapi, while still a boy, adopted the ascetic course of life and entered the woods as a hermit. Santanu became king.
- Santanu married Ganga, who bore him a son Devavrata who was afterwards called BhishmaBhishmaBhishma or Bheeshma or Devavrata or 'Bhishma Pitamah' was the eighth son of Kuru King Shantanu who was blessed with wish-long life and had sworn to serve the ruling Kuru king. He was one of the most prominent characters of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He was the grand uncle of both the...
. Bhishma, moved by the desire of doing good to his father, got him married to SatyavatiSatyavatiSatyavati was the queen of the Kuru king Shantanu of Hastinapur and the great-grandmother of the Pandava and Kaurava princes . She is also the mother of the seer Vyasa, author of the epic...
. In her maidenhood SatyavatiSatyavatiSatyavati was the queen of the Kuru king Shantanu of Hastinapur and the great-grandmother of the Pandava and Kaurava princes . She is also the mother of the seer Vyasa, author of the epic...
had a son by Parasara, named Dwaipayana. Upon her Santanu begat two other sons named Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. And before they attained to majority, Chitrangada had been slain by the Gandharvas. Vichitravirya became king.
- Vichitravirya married the two daughters of the king of Kasi, named Ambika and Ambalika. But Vichitravirya died childless. Then Satyavati began to think as to how the dynasty of Bharata might be perpetuated. Then she recollected the Rishi Dwaipayana. Dwaipayana begat three children, viz., DhritarashtraDhritarashtraIn the Mahābhārata, Dhritarashtra was King of Hastinapur at the time of the Kurukshetra War, the epic's climactic event. He was born the son of Vichitravirya's first wife Ambika, and was fathered by Vyasa. He was blind from birth, and became father to a hundred children by his wife Gandhari...
in Ambika, PanduPanduIn the Mahābhārata epic, King Pandu is the son of Ambalika and Rishi Ved Vyasa. He is more popularly known as the father of the Pandavas and ruled Hastinapur.-Birth:...
in Ambalika, and ViduraViduraVidura was an important figure in the Mahabharata, a major Hindu epic. He was half-brother to the kings Dhritarashtra and Pandu of Hastinapura, born the son of the sage Vyasa and a lady-in-waiting to the queens Ambika and Ambalika of the city...
in a servant woman.
- King Dhritarashtra had a hundred sons and one daughter by his wife, GandhariGandhari (character)Gāndhārī is a character in the Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata. In the epic, she was an incarnation of Mati, as the daughter of Subala, the king of Gandhara, or the modern Kandahar, a region spanning northwestern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan, from which her name is derived...
in consequence of the boon granted by Dwaipayana. And amongst those hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, four became celebrated. They are DuryodhanaDuryodhanaIn the Hindu epic the Mahābhārata, Duryodhana is the eldest son of the blind king Dhritarashtra by Queen Gandhari, the eldest of the one hundred Kaurava brothers, Emperor of the world at that time which means Emperor of India or Bharatvarsha as it was known at that time, cousin and the chief...
, Dussasana, Vikarna, and ChitrasenaChitrasenaChitrasena was a pioneering dancer from Sri Lanka, internationally known for his work in establishing a modern Sri Lankan tradition of dance and popularizing traditional Sri Lankan dance forms worldwide.-Early life:Amaratunga Arachige Maurice Dias alias Chitrasena was born on January 26, 1921 at...
. Pandu had two wives, viz., Kunti, also called Pritha, and MadriMadriIn the Mahābhārata epic, Madri was a princess of the Madra kingdom and the second wife of Pandu.On his way to Hastinapur, King Pandu encountered the army of Shalya, King of Madra. Very soon, Pandu and Shalya became friends and Shalya gave his only sister, Madri to Pandu, as a gift of their...
. But due to a curse Pandu was unable to mate with them. So he solicited Kunti to have offspring raised for him. By DharmaDharmaDharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
she had Yudhishthira; by MarutaMarutaMaruta may refer to:* A special project code-name of a Japanese military unit during the Second World War. They performed biological and chemical experiments on alive prisoners. 'Maruta' means "wood log" indicating that they treated those prisoners as non-living experimental subjects. It is also...
, BhimaBhimaIn the Mahābhārata, Bhima is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and the second of the Pandava brothers...
; and by IndraIndra' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, ArjunaArjunaArjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
. Madri had twins NakulaNakulaNakula, also spelt "Nakul" was one of the five Pandava brothers according to the epic Mahābhārata. Nakula and Sahadeva were fraternal twins born to Madri, who had invoked the Ashvins using a mantra for a son, the mantra shared by Kunti...
and SahadevaSahadevaSahadeva was one of the five Pandava brothers according to the epic Mahābhārata. He was one of the twin sons of Madri, who invoked Ashvins using a mantra shared by Kunti for a son. His twin brother was named Nakula...
by the twin Ashwini Devas.
- One day Pandu, beholding Madri decked with ornaments, had his desire kindled. As soon as he touched her, he died. Madri ascended the funeral pyre with Pandu. After some time those five Pandavas (sons of Pandu) were taken by the ascetics of the woods to HastinapuraHastinapuraHastinapur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:Hastinapur was the capital of the kingdom of the Kauravas, belonging to the Kuru dynasty of kings. The throne of this city was the prize over which the Kurukshetra War of the epic...
and there introduced to BhishmaBhishmaBhishma or Bheeshma or Devavrata or 'Bhishma Pitamah' was the eighth son of Kuru King Shantanu who was blessed with wish-long life and had sworn to serve the ruling Kuru king. He was one of the most prominent characters of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He was the grand uncle of both the...
and ViduraViduraVidura was an important figure in the Mahabharata, a major Hindu epic. He was half-brother to the kings Dhritarashtra and Pandu of Hastinapura, born the son of the sage Vyasa and a lady-in-waiting to the queens Ambika and Ambalika of the city...
. The Pandavas were then taken by Bhishma. As they were brought up there, Duryodhana became exceedingly jealous of them. He tried various means to drive them away. But all Duryodhana's efforts proved futile. Then Dhritarashtra sent them, by an act of deception to Varanavata, and they went there willingly. There an endeavour was made to burn them to death; but it proved abortive owing to the warning counsels of Vidura. After that the Pandavas slew HidimbaHidimbaIn the Mahābhārata, Hidimba was a rakshasa, the brother of Hidimbi and a forest dweller. He and his sister, Hidimbi were tempted at the sight of the Pandavas and wished to eat them. For this purpose Hidimbi changed herself into a beautiful woman and brought him near Hidimba...
, and then they went to a town called Ekachakra. There also they slew a Rakshasa of the name of BakaBakaBaka may refer to:in fictional characters* Bākā, a character from Juken Sentai Gekiranger* Baka Rangers, a group of Negima! Magister Negi Magi characters...
and then went to PanchalaPanchalaPanchala is an ancient region of northern India, which corresponds to the geographical area around the Ganges River and Yamuna River, the upper Gangetic plain in particular. This would encompass the modern-day states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. During the ancient times, it was home to a...
. There obtaining DraupadiDraupadiIn the epic Mahābhārata, Draupadi, also known as ' is the "emerged" daughter of King Drupada of Panchāla and the wife of the five Pandavas. When Yudhisthira becomes the king of Hastinapura at the end of the war, Draupadi becomes the queen of Indraprastha...
for a wife they returned to Hastinapura. And there they dwelt for some time in peace and begat children. And Yudhishthira begat Prativindhya; Bhima, Sutasoma; Arjuna, Srutakriti; Nakula, Satanika; and Sahadeva, Srutakarman. Besides these, Yudhishthira, having obtained for his wife Devika, the daughter of Govasana of the Saivya tribe, in a self-choice ceremony, begat upon her a son named Yaudheya. And Bhima also obtaining for a wife Balandhara, the daughter of the king of Kasi, offered his own prowess as dower and begat upon her a son named Sarvaga. And Arjuna also, repairing to Dwaravati, brought away by force SubhadraSubhadraImage:Jagannath, Baladev and Subadra in Radhadesh.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=|Subhadra, flanked by her brothers Balarama and Jagannatha . Deities of the Radhadesh temple in Belgium...
, the sister of KrishnaKrishnaKrishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, and returned in happiness to Hastinapura. And he begat upon her a son named AbhimanyuAbhimanyuAbhimanyu is a tragic hero in the Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata. He is the son of Arjuna and Subhadra, who is the half-sister of Lord Krishna...
endued with all accomplishments. And Nakula obtaining for his wife Karenumati, the princess of Chedi, begat upon her a son named Niramitra. And Sahadeva also married Vijaya, the daughter of Dyutimat, the king of Madra, obtaining her in a self-choice ceremony and begat upon her a son named Suhotra. And Bhimasena had some time before begat upon Hidimbi a son named Ghatotkacha. Among the eleven sons of Pandavas, AbhimanyuAbhimanyuAbhimanyu is a tragic hero in the Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata. He is the son of Arjuna and Subhadra, who is the half-sister of Lord Krishna...
was the perpetuator of the family.
- Abhimanyu married Uttara, the daughter of Virata. Their child was born before time. KrishnaKrishnaKrishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
revived this child of six months and named him Parikshit.
- Parikshit married Madravati, and had a son JanamejayaJanamejayaJanamejaya was a Kuru king. He was the son of Parikshit and Madravati. He was the grandson of Abhimanyu and the great-grandson of Arjuna, the valiant warrior hero of the Mahābhārata. He was ascended to the Kuru throne following the death of his father. His significance comes as the listener of the...
- Janamejaya had two sons on his wife Vapushtama, named Satanika and Sankukarna.
- Satanika married the princess of Videha and had a son named Aswamedhadatta
Bharata in Jainism
There are many references of "Bharat Chakravarti" in the sacred Jain texts.He conquered all of the earth and the worlds above. He reached the top of "Meru" or "Sumeru" mountain (the center of the world and tallest mountain) and placed a flag. But upon reaching the top he saw numerous such flags of world conquerors before him. This made him feel very insignificant and he took Jain diksha
Diksha
Diksa also spelled deeksha or deeksa in common usage, translated as a "preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony", is giving of a mantra or an initiation by the guru in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism...
and attained Nirvana
Nirvana
Nirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
.