This Chapter corresponds to Ch.2.3.67 in Bd. P. The references are to Verses of the chapter in Bd. P.
As stated at the end of the last chapter, this chapter describes the race of Ayu who ruled at Käshi. Dhanvantari, the famous physician-king, the founder of the systematic science of Ayurveda was born in Āyu’s lineage. Hence the title specifically refers to him in preference to his forebears.
Sūta said:
1-2. O Brahmaņas, five noble-souled sons of great strength were born of Prabhà as the sons of Svarbhānu. Nahuşha was the first among them. The next one is remembered as Putradharma.3 Dharmavruddha’s (Kşhatravruddha’s?) son was Sutahotra (Sunahotra?) of great fame.
3. Kşhatravruddha in Bd. P. A line is missing here. Bd. P. supplies the names of the remaining three sons, viz. Rambha, Raji and Anenas (Bd.P. Op. cit. v. 2).
3. Sutahotra’s successors were three extremely righteous ones, viz. Kasha, Shala and lord Grutsamada.
4-5. Shunaka was the son of Gruhtsamada and his son was Shaunaka. In his race Brāhmaṇas, Vaiśhyas and Shūdras were born as a result of their diverse Karmans. O Brāhmaṇa, Shala’s son was Ārushtishena and Charanta was his son.
6. The Shaunakas and the Arşhtişhenas were Brāhmaṇas endowed with qualities characteristic of Kshatriyas. Kāśha’s sons were Kāśhaya, Rästa and Dirghatapas.
7. Dharma was the son of Dirghatapas. The scholarly Dhanvantari was his son. He was of great brilliance due to his penance. He was born to that intelligent king, when he had become old.
Then the sages asked Sūta in the following words.
The Sages asked:
8. How was Dhanvantari, a god, born among human beings?
We wish to know this. Please explain this matter which is pleasing to us.
Sūta said:
9. O Brāhmaṇas, may the origin of Dhanvantari be heard. He was born formerly when the ocean was being churned for the sake of nectar.
10. He was born prior to everyone.1 He was enveloped in a halo of glory all round. On seeing him with perfectly shaped limbs, (gods) stood surprised and said, “You are Aja (the unborn)”. Hence he is remembered as Aja.
1. kalašhāt pūrvam ‘before the emergence of the pot of nectar’ a better reading in Bd.P. v. 11.
11. Aja spoke to Vişhnu: “O lord, most excellent of gods, I am your son. Please assign me my share in Yajña).”
12-14. Thus addressed, the lord looked at him and said: “The share in Yajña has already been allotted by Suras who are worthy of Yajñas. The Homa in accordance with the Vedic mantras has already been laid down by the great sages. It is never possible to arrange for another Homa similar to it. O god, you are a later born son: (of mine). O lord, your name alone is a mantra2 You will become famous in your next birth.
2. tava mantro na vai prabho ‘no mantra is assignable to you’ (Bd.P. v. 15).
15. Even while in the womb, you will have the Siddhi (spiritual powers) of Anima (minuteness) etc. O lord, with that very physical body, you will attain Deva-hood. Brāhmaṇas will perform Yajñas for you by means of Charus, mantras, ghee and scents as offerings.
16. You will propound the Ayurveda system of medicine. This is bound to happen surely. It has been already ordained by the lotus-born deity (Brahma).
17. In the second Dvåpara Yuga, you will undoubtedly be born.” Then after granting him the boon, Vişhņu vanished from there.
18. At the advent of the second Dvāpara Yuga, the king of Kashi Dirghatapas belonging to the family of Sunahotra, performed a penance with desire for a son.
19. The king propitiated Deva Aja (i.e. Dhanvantari) for the sake of a son. The delighted Dhanvantari offered the king the choice of a boon. The King requested:
20. “O lord, if you are satisfied, be pleased to be born as my righteous son.” After agreeing to it saying “So be it”, he vanished there itself.
21. God Dhanvantari was born in his house. The great king, king of Kāśhi became the destroyer of all ailments.
22. Sage Bharadvāja created the science of Ayurveda along with its therapeutics.1 The king divided it into eight parts and taught them to his disciples.
1. Though our text does not mention it, Bd.P. 2.3.67.23-24 informs us that Dhanvantari learnt Ayurveda (the science of medicine) along with its therapeutics from Bharadvāja. Dhanvantari divided it into eight sections and taught them to different disciples.
23. Dhanvantari’s son was famous by the name Ketumān. Ketuman’s son was the powerful king Bhimaratha. He was famous by the name Divodäsa2 and he was the king of Vārāṇasī.
2. He is regarded as the contemporary of Dasharatha of the Ikşhváku dynasty of Ayodhya. It was during his reign that god Shiva occupied it by first making it desolate through crafty machination of one of his chief Ganas (aptly called demon) Kshemaka. To get a flourishing capital city vacated for one’s honey-moon in the manner described later (vv. 36-53) is not creditable to a great god i.e. Shiva.
24. In the meanwhile, the city of Varanasi had become desolate and a Rakshasa named Kshemaka occupied it.
25. Formerly that city had been cursed by the noble-souled Nikumbha, ‘the city (of Vårāṇasī) will be desolate for a thousand years’. He had repeated the curse many times.
26. As soon as the city was cursed, Divodása the king, founded a beautiful city on the banks of Gomati, near the extremities of his realm.
The Sages said:
27. Why did Nikumbha curse Vārāṇasī in the days of yore? Nikumbha was a righteous soul. Why did he curse the holy centre of Siddhas?
Sūta said:
28. After gaining the city, King Divodăsa, the saintly king of great splendour lived in that flourishing city.
29. In the meantime, Maheśhvara who had married (Uma) stayed near the Devas* and desired to do what was pleasing to the goddess.
*A. reads Shvashuräntike ‘near (at the residence of) his father-in-law’.
30. His attendants and the saints assuming various forms continued to delight the great goddess by means of their diverse forms mentioned before.
31. Mahadeva used to be delighted with them, but Menä was not at all pleased. Everyday she began to abhor the lord and goddess.
32. (She said to Umā) “Your husband Maheśhvara is carrying on ill-mannered activities in (my) presence. O sinless girl, he is by all means very indigent. Without wearying himself out, he sports and dallies”.
33. On being thus taunted by her mother, she did not brook it as was but natural to women. After smiling (at the words of her mother) the goddess, the granter of boons, went near Hara (Shiva).
34. With a dejected face the goddess spoke to Mahadeva: “O my lord, I will not stay here. Take me to your abode”.
35. Thus requested, the great god, Maheśhvara of great splendour, surveyed all the worlds. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, he liked Vårāṇasi, the holy centre of the Siddhas on the earth, as his residence.
36. On knowing that that city was occupied by Divodása. he called Kşhemaka, the chief of Gaņas who was by his side and spoke to him:
37. “O lord of the Gaņas, Go to Väräņasi and make it desolate. You must employ soft and subtle means. That king is extremely valorous”.
38-39. Nikumbha then went to the city of Värānasi and revealed himself to a barber named Mankaņa in his dream and said, “O sinless one, I shall bring welfare unto you. Assign a place for me. Make an image of my form and place it at the outskirt of the city.”
40. O Brahmanas, the barber did everything in accordance with what he was told in dream. After getting the permission of the king, he did everything duly at the gate of the city.
41-42. Everyday splendid worship was offered with scents, incense, garlands etc. Food was offered. The whole thing was wonderful. Thus the lord of Gaņas was worshipped there everyday.
43. He used to grant thousands of boons to the people of the city, such as sons, gold, longevity and similar desires.
44. The senior queen-consort of the king was well-known by the name Suyaśhā. That chaste lady was urged by the king and she came to that deity) with a desire to have a son.
45. She performed (his) worship on a grand scale and requested him for sons. She frequented (the shrine) again and again for the boon of getting) a son.
46. There was a reason behind Nikumbha’s not granting sons. If the king were to be infuriated something could be done.
47-50. After the lapse of a long period, the king became furious. (He thought) ‘This spirit at the main gate delightedly bestows hundreds of boons on the town-people but does not do anything (for me). In my city he is worshipped by my people. He has been worshipped by my queen there for that specific reason. Though he eats much, he does not grant me a son. He is ungrateful. Hence he does not deserve further worship at all by me. So, I shall destroy the abode of the chief of Gaņas. He was evil-minded (indeed).’
51. Having determined thus that wicked, sinful and evil- minded king destroyed that sacred place of the chief of Gaņas.
52-53. On seeing the shrine shattered, the lord (of Ganas) approached the king (and said), “O king, since, without any offence on my part, my shrine has been destroyed by you, the city will be void and desolate all of a sudden”. Then, due to that curse Värāṇasī became desolate.
54. Nikumbha brought Mahadeva to that desolate cursed city. Mahadeva rebuilt that desolate city by means of (the powers of his great soul.
55. The city was befitting the Vibhūti (prosperity and glory) of the goddess and the lord. The goddess sported there, even as lord Maheśhvara too sported there.
56. But the goddess did not derive (permanent) pleasure due to her surprise at the (peculiar) house. For the sake of playing with the goddess, lord Ishäna spoke these words.
57-58. “I shall not abandon my abode. My abode is Avimukla1 (unabandoned)”. He laughed and spoke again to her: “My abode is Avimukta. O Goddess, I shall not go away (from here). You may go. I shall sport here”. Hence indeed it is Avimukta since it was said so by the lord himself.
1. This explains why Vārānasi is called ‘Avimukta’.
59. This is the story of how the city of Vārāṇasi was cursed and then glorified as ‘Avinukta’. In it lives the lord revered by all Devas in the three Yugas. The pious-souled Maheśhvara is accompanied by the goddess also.
60. He vanished during the Kali age. That city of the great soul is reoccupied by the people when the lord vanishes.
61-63. Thus Vārāṇasī was cursed and was re-inhabited. King Divodása killed king Bhadrashrenya’s one hundred sons who were noted for their mastery in archery and occupied (his capital). The kingdom of Bhadraśhrenya was usurped by that powerful king. But the son of Bhadraśhrenya named Durdama was let off by Divodása, out of mercy, thinking that he was only a boy.
64-65. Heroic Pratardana was born of Divodāsa and Druşhadvati. The son of Bhadraśhrenya) desirous of wreaking revenge recaptured it (kingdom). Pratardana had two sons, Vatsa and Garga, who became well-known.
66. Vatsa’s son was Alarka and his son was Sannati. These two old verses are sung about the saintly king Alarka,
67-69. “Alarka ruled as excellent king of Käshi for sixty-six thousand years. He was endowed with handsome features and he maintained his youth (all along). He attained his great longevity by the grace of Lopamudra.” At the end of the period of curse, he killed the Rakshasa Kşhemaka and rebuilt the beautiful city of Vårānasi.
70. Sannati’s successor was the righteous king named Sunitha. Sunitha’s successor was the pious Suketu.
71. It is heard that Suketu’s son was Dharmaketu. Heroic Satyaketu was the successor of Dharmaketu.
72. Satyaketu’s son was the king named Vibhu. Suvibhu was the son of Vibhu and Sukumara was his son.
73. Sukumara’s son was Dhrushtaketu. He was very virtuous. Dhrushtaketu’s successor was the king Venuhotra.
74. Venuhotra’s son was Gárgya. He was very famous. Vätsya was the son of the intelligent Vatsa.
75. The sons of these two were very virtuous Brāhmaṇas and Kshatriyas. They were strong, valorous and famous for their leonine exploits.
76. Thus these kings of Kaśhī have been enumerated. Now listen and understand the (descendants) of Raji. Raji had a hundred sons. Two of them were very powerful and well-known on the earth as the group of kings “Rājeya”. Those Kshatriyas caused terror to Indra too.
77. When a terrible war broke out between Devas and Asuras1, both of them spoke to Pitāmaha (god Brahmā).
1. This is the twelfth (and the last) war between Devas and Asuras as far as Purāņic records are concerned.
78. “O lord of all the worlds, O great lord, who will be victorious in the battle between us. Please tell us. We all wish to hear.”
Brahma said:
79. There is no doubt in this that they on whose behalf Lord Raji takes up arms in the battle and fights, will conquer the three worlds.
80. Where there is Raji, there will be Lakşhmi (fortune, Where there is Lakşhmi, there is fortitude. Dharma abides where is fortitude and where there is Dharma, there is victory.”
81. On hearing about the victorious (-ness of) Raji, Devas Danavas approached the excellent king. They eulogised him as they wished for success.
82. With a delighted heart, all Devas and Dänavas requested the king: “Please take up your excellent bow for enabling us to be victorious.”
Raji replied:
83. I will defeat you all in the battle, as well as Devas led by Shakra, I shall become the righteous-souled Indra and then shall I fight in the battle.
Dānavas said:
84. Our Indra is Prahlada. We shall be victorious on his behalf. O king, please stand by this agreement urged by our Lord.
85. Even as he was about to say, “So be it” he was urged by Devas also. He was invited by Devas saying, “After conquering you will become Indra.”
86-88. He killed all the Dänavas in front of Indra (who was armed with thunderbolt). He was endowed with self-control and the greatest prosperity. Lord Raji killed all Dānavas and redeemed the lost glory of Devas. Accompanied by Devas, Shatakratu (Indra) spoke to Raji, “I am Raji’s son”, and continued as follows, “O king, there is no doubt in this that you are Indra of all Devas. O destroyer of enemies, O, Indra, I shall become renowned as your son”.
89. On hearing the words of Shakra, he was deceived by him by means of his Maya. The delighted king said, “So be it”.
90. When that king who was on par with Devas attain heaven, Raji’s sons took away all the legacies from Indra.
91. Those hundred sons forcibly occupied most of the region of Svarga (heaven), the abode of the consort of Shachi
92. When a long period elapsed, the powerful Indra whose kingdom was seized and whose share in sacrifices was confiscated spoke to Bruhaspati:
93. “O Brāhmana sage, please allot Purodāśha (sacrificial oblation) unto me at least of the size of the fruit of Badari (the jujube tree) whereby I can sustain myself with my splendour developed further.
94. O Brāhmana, be pleased with me. My kingdom has been seized by the sons of Raji. My food has been taken away. I have been rendered devoid of prowess, emaciated, confounded by the sons of Raji.”
Bruhaspati said:
95. O Shakra, if only I had been urged by you earlier in this matter, this would not have happened. O sinless one, there is nothing that should not be done for the sake of pleasing you.
96. O Devendra, O highly splendored one, I shall endeavour for your welfare so that you will regain your share in the Yajña as well as your kingdom ere long,
97. O Shakra, I shall go (now). Let not your mind be dejected.
Thereafter, he performed such great rites as increased Indra’s splendour.
98. The highly intelligent (Bruhaspati) created ‘delusion in the intellects of those (sons of Raji). They became devoid of Dharma and mad with passion.
99. They became haters of Brāhmaṇas. Hence they became deprived of their virility and exploit. So (Indra) regained the glory of Suras and his former excellent position (of Indra-hood).
100. He killed all the sons of Raji who were overwhelmed with lust and anger. He who listens to this story of Raji or the holy rehabilitation of Shatakratu will never meet with evil.