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
ಓ ಭಾರತ, ಮಹಾರಾಜ ಪರೀಕ್ಷಿತನೇ! ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಕುವಲಯಾಶ್ವನು ‘ಧುಂಧುಮಾರ’ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧನಾದನು. ಧುಂಧುವಿನ ಬಾಯಿಂದ ಹೊರಬಂದ ಅಗ್ನಿಯಿಂದ ಅವನ ಪುತ್ರರಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂವರನ್ನು ಹೊರತುಪಡಿಸಿ ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಭಸ್ಮರಾದರು. ಉಳಿದ ಮೂವರು—ದೃಢಾಶ್ವ, ಕಪಿಲಾಶ್ವ, ಭದ್ರಾಶ್ವ. ದೃಢಾಶ್ವನ ಪುತ್ರ ಹర్యಶ್ವ; ಹర్యಶ್ವನ ಪುತ್ರ ನಿಕುಂಭನು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧನು.
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.