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The Descendants of PrithuVijitashwa, Havirdhana, Prachinabarhi and the Prachetas.The descendants of Prithu were all very pious kings. They performed many sacrifices. Righteousness flourished during their reign.
Vijitashwa Divides His KingdomVijitashwa succeeded king Prithu. However he voluntarily divided the kingdom among his brothers. Haryaksha was given the eastern part, the south went to Dhumrakesh, the western side went to Vrika and the northern part was given to Dravin. Now Vijitashwa had two wives. Shikhandini bore him three children named Pavaka, Pavamana and Shuchi. These three were deities of fire but had been cursed by the sage Vashishta to take one mortal birth. His other wife, Nabhasvati, bore him a son named Havirdhana. Vijitashwa was not interested in the duties of governance such as collecting taxes and meting out justice and spent his time conducting various sacrifices. The Marriage of PrachinabarhiHavirdhana married Havirdhani and had six sons named Barhishat, Gaya, Shukla, Krishna, Satya and Jitavrata. Prithu’s lineage then continued through Barhishat, who was an expert in theology and in yoga. He assumed the name Prachinabarhi. Brahma instructed Prachinabarhi to marry Shatadruti, who was the daughter of the Ocean. Shatadruti was extremely beautiful. It is said that as she and Prachinabarhi were circumambulating the fire during their wedding rituals, Agni himself got attracted towards her. All the respected guests, including the sages, the Gandharvas and the Siddhas, were captivated by her charms. She gave birth to ten sons, collectively known as the Prachetas. The Prachetas Meet ShivaThe Prachetas were extremely religious in nature and set off to perform severe austerities and meditation. They came across a huge reservoir of water that was so calm that it seemed like the tranquil mind of a great soul. The flora and fauna in and around the lake was so compelling that the Prachetas stopped there to soak in the beauty. Soon they heard the beating of drums and Shiva emerged from the water before them. The Prachetas immediately fell at his feet. They considered themselves very fortunate because even the most accomplished of sages are denied a meeting with Shiva. Shiva said that he was very pleased with their religiosity and the purpose of his appearance was to teach them a mantra that would help them to achieve oneness with the Supreme God. After learning the special prayer from Shiva, the Prachetas immersed themselves in the sacred reservoir and began to meditate underwater. Narada Instructs PrachinabarhiMean while King Prachinabarhi ruled wisely and well and regularly performed the Vedic rituals. The Sage Narada came to the king’s court and offered him some advice. He told Prachinabarhi that religious rituals are not an end in themselves. They are merely the means to a higher goal. The ultimate goal in life is to attain union with the Supreme God and getting attached to rituals is an impediment in the fulfillment of that goal. Prachinabarhi then left instructions for his sons with his ministers and went to the ashram of Kapila at Ganga Sagara to carry out Narada’s instructions. There he was liberated from his mortal body and achieved oneness with the Supreme God. Please check my course on Hindu Mythology Please check my articles on Mythology from India
The copyright of the article The Descendants of Prithu in Hinduism is owned by Harsh Nevatia. Permission to republish The Descendants of Prithu in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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