Adhyaya 18

Verse 1

इति श्रीकूर्मपुराणे षट्साहस्त्र्यां संहितायां पूर्वविभागे सप्तदशो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच एतानुत्पाद्य पुत्रांस्तु प्रजासंतानकारणात् / कश्यपो गोत्रकामस्तु चचार सुमहत् तपः

Thus, in the holy Śrī Kūrma Purāṇa, in the compendium of six thousand ślokas, in the Pūrva-bhāga, the seventeenth chapter comes to its close. Sūta said: Having brought forth these sons as the cause for the continuance of creation through progeny, Kaśyapa—desiring a gotra, a sacred lineage—undertook exceedingly great austerity (tapas).

Verse 2

तस्य वै तपतो ऽत्यर्थं प्रादुर्भूतौ सुताविमौ / वत्सरश्चासितश्चैव तावुभौ ब्रह्मवादिनौ

As he practiced austerity with utmost intensity, two sons manifested to him—Vatsara and Asita; and both were proclaimers of Brahman, devoted to the highest sacred knowledge.

Verse 3

वत्सरान्नैध्रुवो जज्ञे रैभ्यश्च सुमहायशाः / रैभ्यस्य जज्ञिरे रैभ्याः पुत्रा द्युतिमतां वराः

From Vatsara was born Naidhruva, and also Raibhya of great renown. From Raibhya were born the Raibhyas—sons foremost among the radiant and illustrious.

Verse 4

च्यवनस्य सुता पत्नी नैध्रुवस्य महात्मनः / सुमेधा जनयामास पुत्रान् वै कुण्डपायिनः

Sumedhā—daughter of Cyavana and wife of the great-souled Naidhruva—indeed gave birth to sons known as the Kuṇḍapāyinas.

Verse 5

असितस्यैकपर्णायां ब्रह्मिष्ठः समपद्यत / नाम्ना वै देवलः पुत्रो योगाचार्यो महातपाः

From Asita, through (the line connected with) Ekaparṇā, there arose one foremost among the knowers of Brahman—his son named Devala—an accomplished teacher of Yoga and a great ascetic.

Verse 6

शाण्डिल्यानां परः श्रीमान् सर्वतत्त्वार्थवित् सुधीः / प्रसादात् पार्वतीशस्य योगमुत्तममाप्तवान्

Among the Śāṇḍilyas, the illustrious one—supremely wise, knower of the meaning of all tattvas—by the gracious favor of the Lord of Pārvatī (Śiva), attained the highest Yoga.

Verse 7

शाण्डिल्या नैध्रु वारैभ्यास्त्रयः पक्षास्तु काश्यपाः / नरप्रकृतयो विप्राः पुलस्त्यस्य वदामि वः

The Śāṇḍilyas, the Naidhrus, and the Vāraibhyas—these three branches belong to the Kāśyapa lineage. These brāhmaṇas are of human disposition; now I shall tell you of Pulastya’s lineages.

Verse 8

तृणबिन्दोः सुता विप्रा नाम्ना त्विलविला स्मृता / पुलस्त्याय स राजर्षिस्तां कन्यां प्रत्यपादयत्

O brāhmaṇas, Tṛṇabindu’s daughter—remembered by the name Ilavilā—was given in marriage by that royal sage to Pulastya.

Verse 9

ऋषिस्त्वैलविलिस्तस्यां विश्रवाः समपद्यत / तस्य पत्न्यश्चतस्त्रस्तु पौलस्त्यकुलवर्धिकाः

From her (Ilavilā) was born the sage Viśravas. He had four wives, who became the increasers of the lineage of Pulastya.

Verse 10

पुष्पोत्कटा च राका च कैकसी देववर्णिनी / रूपलावण्यसंपन्नास्तासां वै शृणुत प्रजाः

Puṣpotkaṭā, Rākā, and Kaikasī—radiant with a godlike complexion—were endowed with beauty and grace. Hear now, O people, about them.

Verse 11

ज्येष्ठं वैश्रवणं तस्य सुषुवे देवरूपिणी / कैकसी जनयत् पुत्रं रावणं राक्षसाधिपम्

From him, Kaikasī, radiant with a divine form, first bore Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera); and thereafter she bore a son—Rāvaṇa, lord of the Rākṣasas.

Verse 12

कुम्भकर्णं शूर्पणखां तथैव च विभीषणम् / पुष्पोत्कटा व्यजनयत् पुत्रान् विश्रवसः शुभान्

Puṣpotkaṭā bore to Viśravas his auspicious children—Kumbhakarṇa, Śūrpaṇakhā, and likewise Vibhīṣaṇa.

Verse 13

महोदरं प्रहस्तं च महापार्श्वं खरं तथा / कुम्भीनसीं तथा कन्यां राकायां शृणुत प्रजाः

Hear, O beings: there are Mahodara and Prahasta, and also Mahāpārśva and Khara; likewise Kumbhīnasī, Kanyā, and Rākā—these names are to be remembered.

Verse 14

त्रिशिरा दूषणश्चैव विद्युज्जिह्वो महाबलः / इत्येते क्रूरकर्माणः पौलस्त्या राक्षसा दश / सर्वे तपोबलोत्कृष्टा रुद्रभक्ताः सुभीषणाः

Triśirā, Dūṣaṇa, and Vidyujjihva of great strength—thus these ten Paulastya rākṣasas, cruel in deed, were all exalted by the power of their austerities, devoted to Rudra, and exceedingly terrifying.

Verse 15

पुलहस्य मृगाः पुत्राः सर्वे व्यालाश्च दंष्ट्रिणः / भूताः पिशाचाः सर्पाश्च शूकरा हस्तिनस्तथा

Pulaha’s offspring became deer and other beasts; all fierce, fanged predators as well—along with bhūtas, piśācas, serpents, boars, and elephants too.

Verse 16

अनपत्यः क्रतुस्तस्मिन् स्मृतो वैवस्वते ऽन्तरे / मरीचेः कश्यपः पुत्रः स्वयमेव प्रजापतिः

In that Vaivasvata Manvantara, Kratu is remembered as without offspring; and Kaśyapa—son of Marīci—was himself a Prajāpati, a progenitor-lord.

Verse 17

भृगोरप्यभवच्छुक्रो दैत्याचार्यो महातपाः / स्वाध्याययोगनिरतो हरभक्तो महाद्युतिः

From Bhṛgu was also born Śukra—the preceptor of the Daityas—a great ascetic of mighty austerities, devoted to sacred self-study and yogic discipline, a fervent devotee of Hara (Śiva), and radiant with great spiritual splendor.

Verse 18

अत्रेः पत्न्यो ऽभवन् बह्व्यः सोदर्यास्ताः पतिव्रताः / कृशाश्वस्य तु विप्रेन्द्रा घृताच्यामिति मे श्रुतम्

Atri had many wives—sisters to one another—each devoted as a pativratā to her husband. Yet, O best of Brahmins, I have heard that in the case of Kṛśāśva, Ghṛtācī was his consort.

Verse 19

स तासु जनयामास स्वस्त्यात्रेयान् महौजसः / वेदवेदाङ्गनिरतांस्तपसा हतकिल्बिषान्

From those wives he begot the Svastyātreya sons, mighty in spiritual power—devoted to the Vedas and the Vedāṅgas, and purified of sin through austerity.

Verse 20

नारदस्तु वसिष्ठाय ददौ देवीमरुन्धतीम् / ऊर्ध्वरेतास्तत्र मुनिः शापाद् दक्षस्य नारदः

Nārada gave the goddess Arundhatī to Vasiṣṭha as his wife. Thereafter that sage became ūrdhvareta—one whose vital energy moved upward, living in continence—because of Dakṣa’s curse upon Nārada.

Verse 21

हर्यश्वेषु तु नष्टेषु मायया नारदस्य तु / शशाप नारदं दक्षः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः

When the Haryaśvas vanished through Nārada’s māyā, Dakṣa—his eyes reddened with wrath—uttered a curse upon Nārada.

Verse 22

यस्मान्मम सुताः सर्वे भवतो मायया द्विज / क्षयं नीतास्त्वशेषेण निरपत्यो भविष्यति

Since, O twice-born, all my sons have been led wholly to destruction by your māyā, you shall become without offspring.

Verse 23

अरुन्धत्यां वसिष्ठस्तु शक्तिमुत्पादयत् सुतम् / शक्तेः पराशरः श्रीमान् सर्वज्ञस्तपतां वरः

From Arundhatī, Vasiṣṭha begot a son named Śakti. From Śakti was born the illustrious Parāśara—omniscient and foremost among ascetics.

Verse 24

आराध्य देवदेवेशमीशानं त्रिपुरान्तकम् / लेभे त्वप्रतिमं पुत्रं कृष्णाद्वैपायनं प्रभुम्

Having worshipped Īśāna—the Lord of the gods, the destroyer of Tripura—she obtained an incomparable son: the glorious Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa), the revered master.

Verse 25

द्वैपायनाच्छ्रको जज्ञे भगवानेव शङ्करः / अंशांशेनावतीर्योर्व्यां स्वं प्राप परमं पदम्

From Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) was born Śraka—none other than Bhagavān Śaṅkara himself. Descending into the world by a portion of a portion of his divine power, he later attained his own supreme state.

Verse 26

शुकस्याप्यभवन् पुत्राः पञ्चात्यन्ततपस्विनः / भूरिश्रवाः प्रभुः शंभुः कृष्णो गौरश्च पञ्चमः / कन्या कीर्तिमती चैव योगमाता धृतव्रता

Śuka too had five sons, all supremely great ascetics—Bhūriśravas, Prabhu, Śambhu, Kṛṣṇa, and as the fifth, Gaura. He also had a daughter, Kīrtimatī, the steadfast-vowed Mother of Yoga.

Verse 27

एते ऽत्र वंश्याः कथिता ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मवादिनाम् / अत ऊर्ध्वं निबोधध्वं कश्यपाद्राजसंततिम्

Thus, the lineages of the Brahmavādin brāhmaṇas have been recounted here. Now listen further, as I relate the royal succession descending from Kaśyapa.