The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c8.39

v1.c8.39

The family pedigree of Rama Raya may be found, with very few discrepancies, in almost all the grants of the Sovereigns belonging to his family ⁵. This vamsavali invariably contains two sections: one mythical, the other historical. By the former they claim to belong to the Lunar race, through Buddha, Pururavas and several other Puranic heroes; and this is the reason why Venkata II in the Vilapaka grant professes to be Atreyagotraja, a descendant from Atri, the Moon's father. Nevertheless not all the names given in this section are mythic; there are also some historical persons named among the Aravidu family just to exalt its nobility, as it was also done by the kings of the preceding dynasties. Such are Nanda, the representative of the old Dynasty of Pataliputra overthrown by the Maurya Chandragupta; and Chalikya, through whom the Aravidu Emperors boast connection with the Chalukyas; and lastly Bijjalendra, who represents the Kalachuris.