Ikshwaku
Encyclopedia
Ikshwakus were a mythical dynasty of rulers of ancient India
, which branched out from the Solar Dynasty. They ruled from the Kosala Kingdom
with Ayodhya as their capital. The two Indian epics, viz. Ramayana
and Mahabharata
have numerous mentions of this dynasty. The most famous among all the Ikshwaku kings was Raghava Rama, the son of Dasaratha. He is the central hero of the epic Ramayana
. In Mahabharata
, they were mentioned as one of the most prominent races (MBh 1:1). During the Rajasuya
ceremony of Pandava
king Yudhisthira
, Ikshwakus along with Ailas
were mentioned as the prominent Kshatriya
races of the time. King Suvala is mentioned as an Ikshwaku king and a friend of Sindhu
king Jayadratha
(MBh 3:263). At 13:2 the founder of the race, viz. Ikshwaku, the Suryavanshi was mentioned as the son of the ancient patriarch Manu
. Many kings like Aja and Trishanku were mentioned as Ikshwaku kings.
The following passage is from Mahabharat 14:4 describing the lineage of Ikshwakus
In the Krita
age, Manu
was the lord (of the Earth) wielding the scepter. His son was known by the name of Prasandhi. Prasandhi had a son named Kshupa and Kshupa’s son was that lord (of men), King Ikshwaku. He had many sons endowed with preeminent piety and all of them were made monarchs by King Ikshwaku. The eldest of them, Vinsa by name became the model of bowmen. Vinsa’s son was the auspicious Vivinsa. Vivinsa had five daughters and ten sons; all of them were powerful archers, reverential to the Brahmana
s and truthful as well as gentle. The eldest brother, Khaninetra, oppressed all his brothers. Even after having conquered the entire kingdom, Khaninetra could not retain his supremacy; nor were the people pleased with him. And dethroning him, they invested his son Suvarcha with the rights of sovereignty. He vanquished all the kings living along the borders of his dominions and from this circumstance he hath been celebrated as Karandhama. His son, (the first) Karandhama who was born at the beginning of the Treta age, equaled Indra
himself and was endowed with grace and was invincible even at the hands of the immortals. At that time, all the kings were under his control; and alike by virtue of his wealth and his prowess, he became their emperor. In short, the righteous king Avikshit by name, became like Indra
himself in heroism. He performed hundreds of Aswamedha sacrifices, and the potent and learned Angira himself served as his priest. His son surpassed his sire in the possession of good qualities. Named Marutta, that lord of kings was righteous and of great renown, and possessed the might of ten thousand elephants. That virtuous monarch, coming to Mount Meru on the northern side of Himalayas
, caused thousands of shining golden vessels to be forged and there on a huge golden hill he performed the rites.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, which branched out from the Solar Dynasty. They ruled from the Kosala Kingdom
Kosala Kingdom
Kosala Proper or Uttara Kosala is the kingdom of the celebrated personality of Treta Yuga, Raghava Rama. Ayodhya was its capital, presently in Faizabad district, Uttar Pradesh. Rama's sons Lava and Kusha inherited parts of this kingdom. Lava ruled from the city called Sravasti and Kusa from the...
with Ayodhya as their capital. The two Indian epics, viz. Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
have numerous mentions of this dynasty. The most famous among all the Ikshwaku kings was Raghava Rama, the son of Dasaratha. He is the central hero of the epic Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. In Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, they were mentioned as one of the most prominent races (MBh 1:1). During the Rajasuya
Rajasuya
Rajasuya was a sacrifice, described in detail in the Mahabharata, performed by the ancient kings of India who considered themselves powerful enough to be an emperor...
ceremony of Pandava
Pandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
king Yudhisthira
Yudhisthira
In the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhisthira , the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, was king of Indraprastha and later of Hastinapura. He was the leader of the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra War...
, Ikshwakus along with Ailas
Ailas
The Ailas were a dynasty of kings of ancient India. Pururavas, the son of Ila was the founder of this dynasty. The Mahabharata mentioned about the Ailas as, "The numerous royal lines and other ordinary Kshatriyas all represent themselves to be the descendants of Aila and Ikshwaku...
were mentioned as the prominent Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
races of the time. King Suvala is mentioned as an Ikshwaku king and a friend of Sindhu
Sindhu Kingdom
Sindhu&sandhu was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. It stretched along the banks of river Sindhu in the Ancient Greater India, which is now Pakistan. It is believed that Sindhu kingdom was founded by Vrsadarbh, one of sons of Sivi...
king Jayadratha
Jayadratha
In the epic Mahābhārata, Jayadratha was the king of Sindhu Kingdom . He was married to Dushala, the only sister of the 100 Kaurava brothers. He was the son of the sinful king Vridhakshtra.- Abduction of Draupadi:...
(MBh 3:263). At 13:2 the founder of the race, viz. Ikshwaku, the Suryavanshi was mentioned as the son of the ancient patriarch Manu
Manu (Hinduism)
In various Hindu traditions, Manu is a title accorded to the progenitor of mankind, and also the very first brahman king to rule this earth, who saved mankind from the universal flood. He was absolutely honest which was why he was initially known as "Satyavrata"...
. Many kings like Aja and Trishanku were mentioned as Ikshwaku kings.
The following passage is from Mahabharat 14:4 describing the lineage of Ikshwakus
In the Krita
Krita
Krita is the digital painting and illustration software included based on the KDE Platform and Calligra Suite libraries. Designed as a digital painting and illustration suite, Krita is free software and distributed under GNU General Public License...
age, Manu
Manu (Hinduism)
In various Hindu traditions, Manu is a title accorded to the progenitor of mankind, and also the very first brahman king to rule this earth, who saved mankind from the universal flood. He was absolutely honest which was why he was initially known as "Satyavrata"...
was the lord (of the Earth) wielding the scepter. His son was known by the name of Prasandhi. Prasandhi had a son named Kshupa and Kshupa’s son was that lord (of men), King Ikshwaku. He had many sons endowed with preeminent piety and all of them were made monarchs by King Ikshwaku. The eldest of them, Vinsa by name became the model of bowmen. Vinsa’s son was the auspicious Vivinsa. Vivinsa had five daughters and ten sons; all of them were powerful archers, reverential to the Brahmana
Brahmana
The Brāhmaṇas are part of the Hindu śruti literature. They are commentaries on the four Vedas, detailing the proper performance of rituals....
s and truthful as well as gentle. The eldest brother, Khaninetra, oppressed all his brothers. Even after having conquered the entire kingdom, Khaninetra could not retain his supremacy; nor were the people pleased with him. And dethroning him, they invested his son Suvarcha with the rights of sovereignty. He vanquished all the kings living along the borders of his dominions and from this circumstance he hath been celebrated as Karandhama. His son, (the first) Karandhama who was born at the beginning of the Treta age, equaled Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
himself and was endowed with grace and was invincible even at the hands of the immortals. At that time, all the kings were under his control; and alike by virtue of his wealth and his prowess, he became their emperor. In short, the righteous king Avikshit by name, became like Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
himself in heroism. He performed hundreds of Aswamedha sacrifices, and the potent and learned Angira himself served as his priest. His son surpassed his sire in the possession of good qualities. Named Marutta, that lord of kings was righteous and of great renown, and possessed the might of ten thousand elephants. That virtuous monarch, coming to Mount Meru on the northern side of Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, caused thousands of shining golden vessels to be forged and there on a huge golden hill he performed the rites.