List of Ikshvaku dynasty kings in Hinduism

Manu and the Saptarishi on a boat carried by Matsya, saved from Pralaya.

According to Hindu traditions, Shraddhadeva Manu (Sanskrit manuśraddhādeva) is the current Manu and the progenitor of the current manvantara. He is considered as the seventh of the fourteen Manus of the current kalpa (aeon).[1]

Shraddhadeva was the king of the Dravida Kingdom[2] before Pralaya, the great flood. Forewarned about the flood by the Matsya Avatar of Lord Vishnu, he saved humanity by building a boat that carried his family and the saptarishi to safety. He is the son of Vivasvana and is therefore also known as Vaivasvata Manu, and his dynasty as the Suryavaṃśa. He is also called Satyavrata (always truthful). Ikshvaku (Sanskrit; ikṣvāku, from Sanskrit ikṣu; Pali: Okkāka), is one of the ten sons of Shraddhadeva Manu, and is credited to be the founder of the Ikshvaku Dynasty.[3]

Suryavamsha kings

Folio from a Bhagavata Purana manuscript - The Sudarshana Chakra appearing before Emperor Ambarisha and Sage Durvasa
Harischandra loses his wealth, by Raja Ravi Varma
Sagara sitting upon his throne.

The genealogy of the Ikshvaku dynasty to Rama is mentioned in the Ramayana in two lists. The only difference between the two lists is that, Kukshi is mentioned only in the second list. In the first list, Vikukshi is mentioned as the son of Ikshavaku. The descendants of Vikukshi are known as Vikauwa.[4]

Shiva grants Bhagiratha, his consent to allow Ganga's descent on the Earth.
A bazaar art depicting Dasharatha grieving inconsolably at his obligation to banish Rama to the forest.
The Coronation of Shri Ramachandra, with Sita by his side; flanked by Bharata and Shatrughna, with Lakshmana genuflecting and Hanuman prostrating before Rama.
  1. Vaivasvata Manu or Satyavrata (Known as Nabhi in the Bhagavata Purana).[5]
  2. Ikshvaku (Known as Okkāka in Buddhist literature, as Rishabhanatha in Jain texts, and thus possibly an Avatar of Vishnu)
  3. Kukshi[6] or Vikukshi[a] or Śaśāda
  4. Bān,Bana or Shakuni (Son of Kukshi)
  5. Kakutstha or Puranjaya(Purañjaya) or Anaranya I
  6. Anena(Anenā)[b]
  7. Prithu(Pṛthu)
  8. Vishtarashva(Viṣṭarāśva),Visvarandhi, or Viśvagandhi
  9. Chandra(Cāndra-yuvanāśva)(According to Bhāgavata Purāṇa)
  10. Yuvanashva I(Yuvanāśva)
  11. Shravasta(Śrāvasta)(According to Bhāgavata Purāṇa)
  12. Brihadashva(Bṛhadaśva)(According to Bhāgavata Purāṇa)
  13. Dhundumār(Dhundhumāra) or Kuvalayashva(Kuvalayāśva)
  14. Dhreedhashva(Dṛḍhāśva) or Kapilashva(Kapilāśva) or Bhadrashva(Bhadrāśva)
  15. Pramoda,son of Dṛḍhāśva
  16. Haryashva I(Haryaśva)(Married Mādhavī, daughter of Chakravarti Yayati) or Pramodak
  17. Nikumbha,son ofHaryaśva
  18. Baharnashva(Barhaṇāśva) father of Senajit
  19. Giritashva[citation needed]
  20. Amitashva(Amitāśva), son of Nikumbha and father of Kṛśāśva.*
  21. Krishashva(Kṛśāśva) or Akrutashva(According to Agni Puran, Matsya Puran)
  22. Pra Senajit I
  23. Yuvanashva II
  24. Mandhata (Chakravarti-Samrat)
  25. Purukutsa I (or Vasud) and Muchukunda
  26. Ambarisha (Chakravarti-Samrat, and younger brother of Purukutsa I)
  27. Trasadasyu (Son of Purukutsa)
  28. Sambhruta
  29. Anaranya II
  30. Preeshadashva
  31. Haryashva II
  32. Hastya
  33. Sumana
  34. Tridhanva
  35. Trayyaruni
  36. Trishanku or Satyavrata II
  37. Harishchandra
  38. Rohitashva
  39. Harita
  40. Chanchu (Contemporary of Chandravanshi King Dushyanta)
  41. Chakshu or Sudeva (Contemporary of Chandravanshi Emperor Bharata)
  42. Vijaya
  43. Ruruka or Brahuka
  44. Pratapendra
  45. Bruk
  46. Sushandhi
  47. Bahuk
  48. Vrika or Bharata II
  49. Bahu or Asit
  50. Sagara (Chakravarti-Samrat)
  51. Anshuman (The son of Sagara's exiled son, Asamanja)
  52. Dileepa I
  53. Bhagiratha (Chakravarti-Samrat)
  54. Suhotra
  55. Shruti
  56. Kukutsa II
  57. Raghu I
  58. Nabhaga
  59. Ambarisha II
  60. Shindhudhwip
  61. Ayutayu
  62. Pratayu
  63. Rituparna
  64. Sarvakama I
  65. Sudaas
  66. Kalmashapada
  67. Asmaka(Aśmaka)
  68. Mulaka or Sarvakama/ II
  69. Dasharatha I
  70. Ilibil or Ananaranya III
  71. Vishvamashaha or Nighna (Contemporary to Kuru King Hasthi, who founded Hastinapur)
  72. Nidhna
  73. Animitra(Anamitra)
  74. Duliduh or Mūlaka
  75. Dileepa II or Deerghabhahu or Khaṭvāṅga
  76. Raghu II
  77. Aja
  78. Dasaratha II (Born as Nemi)
  79. Bharata III (Younger brother of Rama, and ruler of Kosala on his behalf)
  80. Ramachandra (Avatar of Vishnu and Chakravarti-Samrat)

The other sons of Dasharatha; Lakshmana and Shatrughna were said to be the kings of Karupada and Malla, and Madhupuri and Vidisha respectively.

Suryavamsha kings after Rama

1910 depiction of Lava and Kusha, the twin sons of Emperor Rama and Sita, capturing the sacrificial horse of his Ashvamedha Yagna.
Emperor Parikshit of the Kurus, getting bitten by the Nāga King Takshaka, who is said to be a member of the Ikshvaku clan.

After the Samadhi of Lord Ramachandra and his brothers; their sons had inherited their lands. From Rama, his sons; Kusha had inherited South Kosala and Lava had inherited North Kosala, while Bharata's children, Taksha and Pushkara had inherited Takshashila and Pushkalavati respectively. Lakshmana's children, Angada and Chandraketu had inherited Karupada and Malla respectively, and Shatrughna's children, Subahu and Shatrughati had inherited Madhupuri and Vidisha respectively.

The Puranas provide a genealogical list from Kusha to Brihadbala, who was killed by Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata war. This list is corroborated by the Raghuvamsha till Agnivarna. [7]

  1. Kusha (contemporary of Chandravanshi King Kunti) and Lava
  2. Atithi (contemporary of Chandravanshi King Turvasu II, and son of Kusha)
  3. Nishadha (founded Nishadha Kingdom)
  4. Nala II
  5. Nabhas
  6. Paundrika
  7. Ksemadhanva
  8. Devanika
  9. Ahinagu
  10. Ruru
  11. Pariyatra
  12. Sala
  13. Dala
  14. Bala
  15. Uktha
  16. Sahasrasva
  17. Para II
  18. Chandravaloka
  19. Rudraksh
  20. Chandragiri
  21. Banuchandra
  22. Srutayu
  23. Uluka
  24. Unnabha
  25. Vajranabha
  26. Sankhana
  27. Vyusitasva
  28. Visvasaha
  29. Hiranyanabha Kausalya
  30. Para III (Atnara)
  31. Brahmistha
  32. Putra
  33. Pusya
  34. Arthasidhi
  35. Dhruvasandhi
  36. Sudarsana
  37. Agnivarna
  38. Sighraga
  39. Maru
  40. Parsusruta
  41. Susandhi
  42. Amarsana
  43. Mahasvana
  44. Sahasvana
  45. Visrutvana
  46. Visvabhava
  47. Visvasahva
  48. Nagnajit (Father of Satya, the wife of Shri Krishna)
  49. Takshaka
  50. Brihadbala

Suryavamsha kings after Mahabharata

The Puranas also provide the list of the kings from Brihadbala to the last ruler Sumitra. But these lists mention Shakya as an individual, and incorporate the names of Shakya, Shuddodhana, Siddhartha (Gautama Buddha) and Rahula between Sanjaya and Prasenajit. The names of the kings are:[8]

Successors of Brihadbala

  1. Brihatkshaya (or Bruhadrunam)
  2. Urukriya (or Gurukshep)
  3. Vatsavyuha
  4. Prativyoma
  5. Bhaanu
  6. Divakara (or Divak)
  7. Veer Sahadeva
  8. Brihadashva-2
  9. Bhanuratha (or Bhanumaan)
  10. Pratitashva
  11. Supratika
  12. Marudeva
  13. Sunakshatra
  14. Pushkara (or Kinnara)
  15. Antariksha
  16. Suvarna (or Sutapaa)
  17. Sumitra (or Amitrajit)
  18. Bruhadaraaj (Okkaka)
  19. Rudraksh

Descendants through the Shakya Lineage

Pictorial representation of King Pasenadi of Kosala (Prasenajit) paying a visit to Siddhartha Gautama, from "Hutchinson's Story of the Nations".
  1. Kritanjaya (Sivisamjaya)
  2. Ranajjaya (Sihassara)
  3. Jayasena (Mahakoshala or Sanjaya)
  4. Sihahanu (Shakya)
  5. Śuddhodana (ruler of Shakya Republic of Kapilavastu)
  6. Siddhartha Shakya (or Gautama Buddha, son of Śuddhodana)
  7. Rāhula (only son of Gautam Buddha)

Later Ikshvakus, of the Original line and Rulers of Kosala

  1. Sanjaya Mahākosala
  2. Prasenajit (born when Siddhartha age 27)
  3. Viḍūḍabha
  4. Kshudraka (or Kuntala)
  5. Ranaka (or Kulaka)
  6. Suratha
  7. Sumitra

King Sumitra was Last ruler of the Suryavamsha Dynasty of Kosala, as he was defeated by the powerful Mahapadma Nanda of Magadha in 362 BCE. However, he wasn't killed, and fled to Rohtas, located in present-day Bihar, where his son Kurma had established his reign.[9]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Vikukshi is the son of Kukshi in the Balakanda.
  2. ^ also depicted as son of Vikukshi

References

  1. ^ V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar (1935). The Matsya Purana: A Study. University of Madras. p. 5.
  2. ^ Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, Jon Morgan (ed.). Noah as Antihero: Darren Aronofsky's Cinematic Deluge. Taylor & Francis, 2017. p. 45.
  3. ^ The Hare Krsnas - The Manus - Manus of the Present Universe
  4. ^ Vyas, R. T., ed. (1992). Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Text as Constituted in its Critical Edition. Vadodara: Oriental Institute, Vadodara. pp. 91–92, 255–56.
  5. ^ Doniger, Wendy, ed. (1993), Purana Perennis: Reciprocity and Transformation in Hindu and Jaina Texts, State University of New York Press, ISBN 0-7914-1381-0
  6. ^ Ramayana,Balakanda,verse 70
  7. ^ J.P Mittal (2006). Surya Dynasty:Name of Kings. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. ISBN 81-269-0616-2.
  8. ^ Misra, V.S. (2007). Ancient Indian Dynasties, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-413-8, pp.283-8, 384
  9. ^ Debroy, Bibek (25 October 2017). The Valmiki Ramayana, Volume 3. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 9789387326286.
Sources