Bharata (भरतः)

Son of Dusyanta born of Sakuntala.

Lineage

Descending in order from Visnu - Brahma-

Atri-Candra-Budha-Pururavas-Ayus-Nahusa - Yayati -

Puru-Janamejaya - Pracinva - Pravira-Namasyu - Vitabhaya-

Surtdu-Bahuvidha- Samyati - Rahovadi - RaudraSva-

Matinara-Santurodha-Dusyanta-Bharata.

2)Birth. Dusyanta was once hunting in the forests when

he hit a fawn with his arrow. The fawn (led to the

ASrama of Kanva Muni and the king followed it. On

reaching the ASrama grounds he saw Sakuntala waterins;

the plants helped by her companions Anasuya and

Priyamvada. Dusyanta and Sakuntala fell in love with

each other at first sight. Kanva was absent from the

Asrama and the/ married according to the Gandharva

rites and Sakuntala became pregnant soon. The king

gave her his signet ring as a sign of faith and left for

his palace. When Dusyanta left her Sakuntala fell into

a deep reverie and she never knew about the arrival of

the arrogant sage, Durvasas to the asVama. Durvasas

mistook her as disrespectful and cursed her saying that

she would be forgotten by the man of whom she was

thinking then. Sakuntala never knew about the curse

also.

1 18 BHARATA II

Kanva Muni when he returned to the Airama andknew

everything, sent Sakuntala to the palace of Dusyanta.

But King Dusyanta never recognised her and when

Sakuntala was returning deeply grieved Menaka her

mother, took her and left her in theasramaof KaSyapa.

There Sakuntala delivered a son. The boy grew brave

and fearless and he could subdue even the wildest of

animals around there. KaSyapa, therefore, named him

Sarvadamana.

Once when Dusyanta was returning home after visiting

Indra he saw Sakuntala, recognised her, and took her

and the boy to his palace. This was the boy who later

on became known as Bharata. (Chapter 73, Adi Parva,

M.B.).

3) Marriage and reign. Bharata was a partial incarnation

of Mahavisnu. Even while he was young he became

a ruler and conquering the world destroyed the wicked.

Bharata had three wives. All the sons born to them

were bad and so the mothers killed them all. Aggrieved

over the loss of his sons he worshipped the devas to

get a son for him. At that time the great preceptor

Brhaspati forcibly married Mamata the wife of his

brother. Mamata was pregnant then and when she

conceived from Brhaspati also she bore two children.

On delivery she threw the child of Brhaspati in the

forests and went away with the other son.

The Devas took care of the discarded child and named

him Bharadvaja and gave the child to Bharata. Bharata

gave the boy the name Vitatha (Dlrghatamas) . Bharata

ruled over his land for twentyseven thousand years and

the land was, therefore, called Bharata. (Sloka 96,

Chapter 2, Adi Parva, M.B.) .

After ruling the land ideally he left for the forests

entrusting the land to his son, Vitatha. (Navama

Skandha, Bhagavata) .

Vitatha also was called Bharata and he had five sons:

Suhotra, Suhota, Gaya, Garbha and Suketu. (Chapter

278, AgniPurana).

BHARATA II. Son of Dasaratha.

1) Genealogy. Descending in order from Visnu-