“Vaisampayana said, ’Asked by thee, I shall tell thee all about the heroic-kings in Puru’s line, all equal unto Indra in prowess, possessing great affluence and commanding the respect of all for their accomplishments.

“Puru had by his wife Paushti three sons, Pravira, Iswara, and Raudraswa, all of whom were mighty car-warriors.  Amongst them, Pravira was the perpetuator of the dynasty.  Pravira had by his wife Suraseni a son named Manasyu.  And the latter of eyes like lotus-petals had his sway over the whole Earth bounded by the four seas.  And Manasyu had for his wife Sauviri.  And he begat upon her three sons called Sakta, Sahana, and Vagmi.  And they were heroes in battle and mighty car-warriors.  The intelligent and virtuous Kaudraswa begat upon the Apsara Misrakesi ten sons who were all great bowmen.  And they all grew up into heroes, performing numerous sacrifices in honour of the gods.  And they all had sons, were learned in all branches of knowledge and ever devoted to virtue.  They are Richeyu, and Kaksreyu and Vrikeyu of great prowess; Sthandileyu, and Vaneyu, and Jaleyu of great fame; Tejeyu of great strength and intelligence; and Satyeyu of the prowess of Indra; Dharmeyu, and Sannateyu the tenth of the prowess of the celestials.  Amongst them all, Richeyu became the sole monarch of the whole earth and was known by the name of Anadhrishti.  And in prowess he was like unto Vasava amongst the celestials.  And Anadhristi had a son of the name of Matinara who became a famous and virtuous king and performed the Rajasuya and the horse-sacrifice.  And Matinara had four sons of immeasurable prowess, viz., Tansu, Mahan, Atiratha, and Druhyu of immeasurable glory. (Amongst them, Tansu of great prowess became the perpetrator of Puru’s line).  And he subjugated the whole earth and acquired great fame and splendour.  And Tansu begat a son of great prowess named Ilina.  And he became the foremost of all conquerors and brought the whole world under his subjection.  And Ilina begat upon his wife Rathantara five sons with Dushmanta at their head, all equal in might unto the five elements.  They were Dushmanta, Sura, Bhima, Pravasu, and Vasu.  And, O Janamejaya, the eldest of them, Dushmanta, became king.  And Dushmanta had by his wife Sakuntala an intelligent son named Bharata who became king.  And Bharata gave his name to the race of which he was the founder.  And it is from him that the fame of that dynasty hath spread so wide.  And Bharata begat upon his three wives nine sons in all.  But none of them were like their father and so Bharata was not at all pleased with them.  Their mothers, therefore, became angry and slew them all.  The procreation of children by Bharata, therefore, became vain.  The monarch then performed a great sacrifice and through the grace of Bharadwaja obtained a son named Bhumanyu.  And then Bharata, the great descendant of Puru, regarding himself as really possessing a son, installed, O foremost one of Bharata’s