Introduction
We have come across a few kings of the solar lineage in the Ikshwaku dynasty. The next four are also of the same dynasty.
We have covered Bhageeratha in one of the stories in Samskruthi some time ago. Sagara was also mentioned in the same story.
Dileepa is also very famous. Poet Kalidasa earned his name through the work called “the dynasty of Raghu (raghu vamSam)”. The poet narrated the story of a few kings of the Ikshwaku dynasty starting with Dileepa, through Sreerama to Agnivarna. All were kings of great repute, except for the last one or two. The disintegration of the dynasty was caused by the last, Agnivarna, through his neglect of duties and indulgence in pleasure. One famous stanza from this particular poem has been posted to Samskruthi (www.kunjunny.blogspot.com)
Sreerama is, of course, very famous because of Valmiki’s celebrated poem called “in the foot steps of Sreerama (ramayaNam)”.
7. Sagara
We know that the great king of the Ikshwaku dynasty is no more. When he traveled his sixty thousand sons followed him like the stars accompanying the moon. The entire world was once brought under his rule. He, then, performed one thousand horse sacrificial rituals (aSwamedha) and gave away gifts, even houses, of gold.
Out of anger he made a deep hole to be dug by the sea (so deep that reached the world below – paataaLa - in search of his lost horse that was let loose to establish his supremacy. (This has been mentioned earlier in the story of Bhageeratha in Samskruthi ).
Yet,
“He died, Srinjaya, who was four fold
As meritorious as you are
Even more blessed than your son
Do not feel sad for your son”
8. Bhageeratha
The son of Sagara performed such a ritual (Yajna) in which Indra got so intoxicated after drinking Soma that he challenged one thousand demons to battle and defeated them all. Bhageeratha gifted thousands of maiden seated in chariots to deserving Brahmins. Each of those chariots was drawn by four horses and was accompanied by thousands of gold decorated elephants, cattle and goats.
The celestial river Ganges (ganga) came and sat on his lap (as though) and came to be known, since then, as Bhaageerathi (as daughter of Bhageeratha).
Yet,
“He died, Srinjaya, who was four fold
As meritorious as you are
Even more blessed than your son
Do not feel sad for your son”
9. Dileepa
Dileepa performed so many rituals in which every object was made of gold. He offered them all as gift to Brahmins at the end. Thousands of heavenly musicians and dancers (Gandharva) took part in his rituals, played on their Veena and danced.
Three sounds always echoed in the
Yet,
“He died, Srinjaya, who was four fold
As meritorious as you are
Even more blessed than your son
Do not feel sad for your son”
10. Sreerama
He is the hero of the famous Ramayana epic and belonged to the same Ikshvaku dynasty to which Marutta belonged. He ruled from the capital city, Ayodhya.
It is said that when Rama ruled the land there was none who was a destitute nor were there any widows. No type of calamity occurred in the land. It always rained in time. Food and other essentials were always plentiful.
Yet,
“He died, Srinjaya, who was four fold
As meritorious as you are
Even more blessed than your son
Do not feel sad for your son”
