Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 24
Ikṣvāku Dynasty: Vikukṣi’s Offense, Purañjaya’s Victory, Māndhātā’s Birth, and Saubhari’s Fall and Renunciation
धुन्धुमार इति ख्यातस्तत्सुतास्ते च जज्वलु: । धुन्धोर्मुखाग्निना सर्वे त्रय एवावशेषिता: ॥ २३ ॥ दृढाश्व: कपिलाश्वश्च भद्राश्व इति भारत । दृढाश्वपुत्रो हर्यश्वो निकुम्भस्तत्सुत: स्मृत: ॥ २४ ॥
dhundhumāra iti khyātas tat-sutās te ca jajvaluḥ dhundhor mukhāgninā sarve traya evāvaśeṣitāḥ
O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, for this reason Kuvalayāśva is celebrated as Dhundhumāra [“the killer of Dhundhu”]. All but three of his sons, however, were burned to ashes by the fire emanating from Dhundhu’s mouth. The remaining sons were Dṛḍhāśva, Kapilāśva and Bhadrāśva. From Dṛḍhāśva came a son named Haryaśva, whose son is celebrated as Nikumbha.
FAQs
Dhundhumāra is the celebrated name associated with the king in this lineage narration; in this verse Śukadeva describes how his sons were burned by the fire issuing from Dhundhu’s mouth, with only three surviving.
They were scorched by the mouth-fire of Dhundhu, and only three of the sons remained.
Even powerful families face sudden reversals; the Bhagavatam’s lineage accounts remind one to cultivate steadiness, humility, and reliance on dharma rather than pride in strength or numbers.