From the ancient line of Vikukṣi emerged Kakutstha, whose son was Suyodhana. Suyodhana was succeeded by Pṛthu, and in turn, Viśvagaśva became the son of Pṛthu. Āyuṣ was born to Viśvagaśva, and his son was Suthodhana. Suthodhana’s son was again named Pṛthu, and Viśvagaśva followed as his son. From Śrāvanta came Vṛhadaśva, and from him, Kubalāśva. Kubalāśva’s son was the illustrious king Dhundhumāra, who was once known as Dhundhu. Dhundhumāra had three sons: Dṛḍhāśva, Daṇḍa, and Kapila. Dṛḍhāśva’s lineage continued with Haryaśva and Pramodaka. Haryaśva’s son was Nikumbha, and from Nikumbha came Saṃhatāśva. Saṃhatāśva had sons named Akṛśāśva and others. Yuvanāśva was born to Raṇāśva, and from Yuvanāśva came Māndhātṛ. Māndhātṛ had two sons: Purukutsa and Mucukunda. Purukutsa’s son was Trasadasyu, born of the river Narmadā. Trasadasyu was succeeded by Sudhanvā, and Sudhanvā’s son was Tridhanvā. From Tridhanvā came Taruṇa, whose son was Satyavrata. Satyavrata’s son was Satyaratha, and Satyaratha’s son was Hariścandra. Hariścandra’s son was Rohitāśva, followed by Vṛka, then Vāhu, and then Sagara, whose beloved wife was Prabhā. Prabhā became the mother of sixty thousand sons. Tuṣṭā and Aurvā’s daughter Bhānumatī bore Asamañjasa, the only king. The many sons, while digging the earth, were burned by Viṣṇu. Asamañjasa’s son was Aṃśumān, and from Aṃśumān came Dilīpa. Dilīpa’s son was Bhagīratha, who brought the sacred Gaṅgā down to earth. Bhagīratha was succeeded by Nābhāga, and Nābhāga’s son was Ambarīṣa. Ambarīṣa’s son was Sindhudvīpa, whose son was Śrutāyu. Śrutāyu’s lineage continued with Ṛtaparṇa, then Kalmāṣapāda. Kalmāṣapāda, also called Kalmāṣāṅghri, was succeeded by Anaraṇya, master of all deeds. Anaraṇya’s son was Nighna, followed by Anamitra, and then Raghu. Raghu’s son was Dilīpa, and Dilīpa’s son was King Aja. Aja’s son was Dīrghavāhu, then Kāla, then Ajāpāla. Thus was born Daśaratha, who had four sons, all of the essence of Nārāyaṇa. Rāma was his eldest. Rāma, the destroyer of Rāvaṇa and the greatest of the Raghu lineage in Ayodhyā, had his story composed by Vālmīki after hearing it from Nārada. Rāma’s sons, Kuśa and Lava, born of Sītā, increased the family line. From Kuśa came Atithi, whose son was Niṣadha. Niṣadha’s son was Nala, and Nala’s son was Nabha. Nabha was succeeded by Puṇḍarīka, and from Puṇḍarīka came Sudhanvan. Sudhanvan’s son was Devānīka, whose son was Ahīnāśva. Ahīnāśva’s son was Sahasrāśva, and then Candrāvaloka was born. Candrāvaloka’s son was Tārāpīra, from whom came Candraparvata. From Candragiri came Bhānuratha, whose son was Śrutāyu. At this point, Agni spoke: “I will now declare the Soma dynasty, which, when recited, destroys sin. Brahmā, born from Viṣṇu’s navel, had a son Atri, and from Atri came Soma.” Soma performed the great Rājasūya sacrifice and gave the three worlds to the priests. When the concluding bath was done, those who wished to see Soma in his radiant form gathered. The queens of men, their bodies inflamed with desire, served him. Even Lakṣmī left Nārāyaṇa, Sinīvālī left Kardama, Puṣṭi left the unchanging Dhātā, giving up her radiance, Prabhā left Prabhākara, and Kuhū herself left Haviṣmant. Kīrti left her husband Jayanta, Vasu left Mārīca Kaśyapa, and Dhṛti, abandoning her husband Nandī, devoted herself to Soma. Soma, as if they were his own, desired those women. When they had committed this offense, their group of husbands could not punish Soma by curses or weapons, for by his austerity Soma had attained lordship over the seven worlds. Yet, Soma’s mind, bewildered and ruined by lack of restraint, led him to abduct Tārā, the illustrious wife of Bṛhaspati, son of Aṅgiras. Soma forcefully took Tārā, disregarding Bṛhaspati, and a great war arose, renowned as the Tārā conflict—a mighty battle between gods and demons, threatening the worlds with destruction. Brahmā intervened, and Uśanas returned Tārā to Bṛhaspati. Seeing that Tārā was pregnant, the teacher commanded her to abandon the child. The abandoned fetus, blazing forth, declared, “I am born of Soma.” Thus Budha was the son of Soma, and his son was Purūravas. Urvaśī, having left heaven, chose Purūravas as her husband. The king lived with Urvaśī as his companion for ten years and five, then five, six, seven, eight, ten, and eight years, O great sage. In the beginning there was one Agni, by whom the threefold ritual was established. Purūravas, devoted to yoga, attained the world of the Gandharvas. To Urvaśī were born kings: Āyu, Dṛḍhāyu, Aśvāyu, Dhanāyu, Dhṛtimān, Vasu, Divijāta, and Śatāyu—each possessed of long life and strength. Āyu’s son was Nahuṣa, and Vṛddhaśarman and Raji likewise. Darbha, Vipāpmā, and Pañcāganya followed; Raji had a hundred sons. Raji, favored by Viṣṇu, at the gods’ request slew the Daityas in the battle between gods and demons. Having granted his kingdom to Indra as a son, Raji departed to heaven. Then Raji’s sons, with evil intent, seized Indra’s kingdom. By rites for appeasing planetary afflictions, the preceptor gave it back to Indra, having deluded Raji’s sons, who then abandoned their own duties.