Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c14.s3.53

c14.s3.53

In the first portion all the Puranas¹ agree more or less down to Matināra; but the two Mahābhārata accounts² differ, the first having many names as in the Puranas but being manifestly confused;³ and the second omitting Raudrāśva and Ṛceyu, but inserting a group of ten kings Sārvabhauma, Jayatsena, Avācīna, Ariha, Mahābhauma, Ayutanāyin, Akrodhana, Devātithi, Ariha and Ṛkṣa between Ahaṃyāti and Matināra. None of the other authorities know of this group in this position, and all the Puranas place it as a group of eight kings in the third portion between Vidūratha and Bhīmasena, except the Brahma, Harivaṃśa and Agni which omit all these kings except Ṛkṣa (who is Ṛkṣa II). The Mahābhārata has certainly misplaced this group, and for several reasons. Its own first account agrees with the Puranas in knowing nothing of this group here. The account says that two of these kings married princesses of Aṅga, one a princess of Kaliṅga, and two married princesses of Vidarbha, but those kingdoms were not founded till long after Matināra’s time, as will appear from the synchronisms in chapter XIII and Table of genealogies in chapter XII. That table and the synchronisms also show that it is impossible these ten kings could find room at this stage; and further that, if they could be inserted here, there would be an unaccountable gap in the third portion. The group must therefore be removed from here and put where the Puranas place it, in the third portion, and where it is thoroughly in position.