In ancient times, among the Rathītaras, there were those born of Kṣatriya lineage who were also remembered as descendants of the sage Aṅgiras. The foremost among them were the twice-born who had adopted the Kṣatriya order. From Manu, who was afflicted by hunger, a remarkable event occurred: his son Ikṣvāku was born from his nose. Ikṣvāku’s three principal sons were Vikukṣi, Nimi, and Daṇḍa. Besides these, Ikṣvāku had fifty sons, led by Śakuni, who became protectors of the northern lands, and forty-eight sons who ruled as kings in the southern regions. One day, Ikṣvāku performed the śrāddha ceremony for his ancestors and instructed his son Vikukṣi, “Bring meat suitable for the śrāddha.” Vikukṣi, obedient to his father’s command, took up his bow and entered the forest. There, he hunted many animals. Exhausted, extremely hungry, and afflicted, Vikukṣi ate a hare by himself, and then brought the remaining meat to his father for the ritual. Ikṣvāku asked his family’s preceptor, the sage Vasiṣṭha, to purify the meat for the ceremony. But Vasiṣṭha declared, “This meat has been defiled by your wicked son, for he has eaten a hare, and thus it is impure.” Upon hearing this from his teacher, Vikukṣi was given the name ‘Śaśāda’ and was abandoned by his father. After Ikṣvāku passed away, Śaśāda ascended the throne and ruled the entire earth righteously. Śaśāda had a son named Purañjaya. Now, there is an ancient tale relating to Purañjaya. In the Tretā age, a most terrible battle broke out between the gods and the demons. The gods were defeated by the exceedingly powerful demons, and in their distress, they worshipped the blessed Viṣṇu. Nārāyaṇa, the eternal refuge of all worlds, who has neither beginning nor end, was pleased and spoke to the gods: “I know what you desire; listen now to what is to be done for that purpose. Purañjaya, the son of Śaśāda, a royal sage and foremost of kṣatriyas, will be my own portion descended into his body; I will destroy those demons. Therefore, you must make preparations with Purañjaya for the destruction of the demons.” Hearing this, the gods bowed to the blessed Viṣṇu, went to Purañjaya, and said, “O best of kṣatriyas, we seek your help in the destruction of our enemies. Since we have come to you, you must not refuse us.” Purañjaya replied, “If Indra, the lord of the three worlds, Śatakratu himself, bears me on his shoulders in battle against your enemies, then I will be your ally.” The gods, together with Indra, agreed, saying, “So be it.” Indra then assumed the form of a bull, and Purañjaya stood upon his hump, filled with great energy by the power of the blessed, imperishable teacher of all beings. In the ensuing battle between gods and demons, he slew all the demons. Because the king stood on the bull’s hump and destroyed the army of the daityas, he became known as Kakutstha. Kakutstha had a son named Anenāḥ. Pṛthu’s son was Anenasa, whose son was Viṣṭarāśva. Viṣṭarāśva’s son was Cāṃdra Yuvanāśva. The son of Cāṃdra Yuvanāśva was Śāvasta, who established the city of Śāvastī. Śāvasta’s son was Bṛhadaśva, whose son was Kuvalayāśva. Kuvalayāśva, empowered by Viṣṇu’s energy and surrounded by his twenty-one thousand sons, slew the asura named Duṃdhu, who was an enemy of the great sage Uḍaka. Thus, Kuvalayāśva earned the name Duṃdumāra. Tragically, all his sons perished, scorched by the fire of Duṃdhu’s breath, save for three: Dṛḍhāśva, Candra, and Kapilāśva. From Vṛḍhāśva came Haryaśva, who begot Nikuṃbha. Nikuṃbha’s son was Amitāśva, whose son was Kṛśāśva. Kṛśāśva’s son was Prasenajit, and Prasenajit’s son was Yuvanāśva. Yuvanāśva, being sonless and deeply dejected, dwelt among the circle of sages in their hermitage. There, the compassionate sages performed a sacrifice for the birth of a child, seeking to grant him the blessing he so earnestly desired.