Chapter 7: The Descendants of King Mândhâtâ

(1)  S'rî S'uka said: 'The most prominent son of Mândhâtâ named Ambarîsha [after the Ambarîsha of Nâbhâga, see 9.4: 13], was accepted by his grandfather Yuvanâs'va as his son and he had a son called Yauvanâs'va who on his turn had a son named Hârîta. These [three descendants, Ambarisha, Yauvanâs'va and Hârîta,] became the most prominent members of  the Mândhâtâ dynasty. (2) Purukutsa [another son of Mândhâtâ] was taken to the lower regions by his wife Narmadâ upon the order of the king of the serpents [Vâsuki]. She had been given to him in marriage by her serpent brothers. (3) He, empowered by Lord Vishnu, killed the Gandharvas there who deserved it to be punished [because of their enmity]. From the serpents he [therefore] received the benediction that they who remember this incident are protected against snakes.

(4) The son of Purukutsa named Trasaddasyu [named after the other one 9.6: 32-34] was the father of Anaranya. His son carried the name Haryas'va [after 9.6: 23-24]. From him there was Prâruna and Prâruna's son was Tribandhana. (5-6) From Tribandhana there was a son named Satyavrata [after the Manu, see 8.24: 10], who, being cursed by his father [for kidnapping a brahmin daughter at her marriage], had acquired the status of an outcaste [candâla] and thus was called Tris'anku ['afraid of the heavens']. By the prowess of Kaus'ika [sage Vis'vâmitra] he went to heaven [still present in his body] where he, having fallen down because of the demigods, [half way during his fall] by the sage's supreme power acquired a fixed position. In that position he today still can be seen hanging down with his head from the sky [in the form of a constellation]. (7) Tris'anku's son was Haris'candra because of whom there existed a great quarrel between Vis'vâmitra and Vasishthha in which the two for many years were [like two] birds [*]. (8) He was very morose  because he had no successor. On the advise of Nârada he took shelter of Varuna whom he asked: 'Oh lord, may there be a son from my loins?'

(9) Oh Mahârâja, then he said: 'And if he turns out to be a hero, I will sacrifice him to you, if you desire'. Varuna accepted that offer and a son was born who was named Rohita ['to the blood'].

(10) Varuna thus said to him: 'A son has been born. Will you offer him as a sacrifice to me?' Haris'candra then replied: 'An animal is sacrificed when ten days have passed [since its birth]. Then it is considered fit for being sacrificed.'

(11) Ten days later he returned and said: 'Be now of sacrifice then!' Haris'candra said: 'When the teeth of an animal have appeared, it will be fit for being sacrificed.'

(12) When the teeth had grown Varuna said: 'Sacrifice now!', whereupon Haris'candra replied: 'When he looses his [milk] teeth, then he will be fit.'

(13) 'The teeth of the animal have fallen out.' Varuna said, 'be of sacrifice now!' The reply was: 'Only when the teeth of the 'sacrificial animal' have grown back it is pure!'

(14) After they had grown back Varuna said: 'You offer now!' Haris'candra then said: 'When he can defend himself as a warrior with a shield oh King, then this 'sacrificial animal' will be pure.'

(15) With his mind thus controlled by the affection for his son, he cheated the god with words about the time [that it would take] and made him wait. (16) Rohita aware of what his father intended to do, trying to save his life, took his bow and arrows and left for the forest. (17) When he heard that his father because of Varuna was plagued with dropsy and had grown a large belly, Rohita wanted to return to the capital, but Indra denied him to go there. (18) Indra ordered him to travel around the world to visit holy places and sites of pilgrimage. Thereupon he lived in the forest for one year. (19)  Again and again for a second, a third, a fourth and a fifth year Indra in the form of an old brahmin appeared before him and told him the same. (20) The sixth year that Rohita wandered in the forest, he went to the capital where he bought Ajîgarta's second son S'unahs'epha to serve as the 'animal of sacrifice'. He offered him to his father while bringing his obeisances. (21) After the [worldly life of the] man in the yajña [**] was sacrificed to Varuna and the other demigods, Haris'candra was freed from the dropsy and became famous as one of the great persons of history. (22) Vis'vâmitra was during the sacrifice offering the oblations [the Hotâ], the self-realized Jamadagni led the recitations of the [Yajur Veda] mantras [as the Adhvaryu], Vasishthha was the leading brahmin [the brahmâ] and Ayâsya recited the [Sâma Veda] hymns [as the udgâtâ]. (23) Indra was very pleased and gave him a golden chariot. I will give an account of the glories of S'unahs'epha when I describe the sons of Vis'vâmitra.

(24) It pleased Vis'vâmitra very much to see truthfulness, solidity and forbearance in the ruler [Haris'candra] and his wife and therefore he gave them the imperishable knowledge. (25-26) [The ruler] subdued his ignorance through a specific process of meditation in which he gave up his material ambition. He merged his mind with the earth, the earth with the water, the water with the fire, the fire with the air and the air with the sky. Next he merged the sky with the cause of manifestation and this false ego [this ahankâra] he merged with the totality of matter. Finally he merged that completeness [of the mahat-tattva] with the spiritual knowledge in all its branches. Thus completely freed from being bound materially he, through loving self-realization and liberating transcendental bliss, remained with the Imperceptible and Inconceivable One.'