Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c17.3

c17.3

Thus, in the first place, the genealogies show there were at least two kings named Divodāsa, one a king of Kāśi, and the other a king of N. Pañcāla, but the *Vedic Index* combines them in its article ‘Divodāsa’. Similarly, there were two Sudāsas, one a king of Ayodhyā whose son was Kalmāṣapāda, and the other a king of N. Pañcāla, the Sudās of the Rigveda; but they have been confused in the stories about the murder of the rishi Śakti (chapter XVIII). Secondly, as regards families. The attempt to elucidate the Bharatas or Bhāratas in the *Vedic Index* is attended with perplexity, but the whole of the difficulties disappear when we learn from the genealogies that Bharata, the great Paurava king, had a numerous progeny, and that his descendants divided into many branches, some of which were kṣatriyas and others became brahmans (chapter XXIII). Thirdly, as regards different individuals of rishi families, who are often mentioned merely by their simple gotra name, as Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha, Viśvāmitra, &c. The Vedic literature often does not distinguish them, but the genealogies show that when a Vasiṣṭha is mentioned in connexion with Hariścandra, Sagara, Kalmāṣapāda, and Daśaratha of Ayodhyā, a different person is meant in each case.