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, thus Kuvalayāśva is praised as Dhundhumāra, “the slayer of Dhundhu.” Yet the fire from Dhundhu’s mouth burned all his sons to ashes except three—Dṛḍhāśva, Kapilāśva, and Bhadrāśva. From Dṛḍhāśva came Haryaśva, and Haryaśva’s son is known 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.