King Puru

King Puru was a Puranic king and the youngest son of king Yayati and Sharmishtha[1] and one of ancestors of the Pandavas and Kauravas. King Puru married Kausalya and Janmajeya I is his son.

Puru in the Bhagavata Purana
Puru enthroned by yayati made by Bhawani from Razmnama

In the nineteenth chapter of book nine of the Bhagavata Purana, Puru is described as having four brothers; Yadu, Turvasu, Druhyu and Anu. He exchanges his youth for old age of his father Yayati when Yayati gets cursed by Shukracharya.[2] In return Yayati makes him his descendant though he was youngest of all. His son and successor are named as his son were Práchinvat; his son was Pravíra; his son was Manasyu.

Puru in the Mahabharata

In the Mahabharata - Adi Parva, he is said to have inherited his kingdom in the Gangatic plain. He is said to have three mighty heroes as sons by his wife Paushti; Pravira, Iswara and Raudraswa. Pravira succeeded Puru and was in turn succeeded by his son Manasyu.[3]

Puru ruled from the centre as a supreme World Emperor or King of Kings. This also showed his supreme power and displays the right of people named Puru.[4][2] His dynasty becomes the Puru vamsha which was later renamed as Kuru Vamsha to which Pandavas and Kauravas belong.

Puru in the Rigveda

Another Puru is mentioned as a king in the Rigveda and as the father of Adityas, married to Aditi, living and ruling over and area of the Saraswati river.[5]

See also

Further reading

Notes
  1. Mayank Srivastava. "Story of Devayani, Yayati, Sharmishtha, Puru". newstrend,news (in Hindi). Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  2. David Frawley (1993). Gods, Sages and Kings: Vedic Secrets of Ancient Civilization. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 137–. ISBN 978-81-208-1005-1. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  3. Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (31 March 2008). The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa First Book Adi Parva. Echo Library. pp. 214–. ISBN 978-1-4068-7045-9. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  4. Yayati
  5. K. C. Singhal; Roshan Gupta (1 January 2003). The Ancient History of India, Vedic Period: A New Interpretation. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. pp. 48–. ISBN 978-81-269-0286-6. Retrieved 4 October 2012.

References
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