Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c23.38

c23.38

The fourth noted Vasiṣṭha was priest to Mitrasaha Kalmāṣapāda Saudāsa, king of Ayodhyā; the fifth was priest to Dilīpa II Khaṭvāṅga; the sixth was priest to Daśaratha and his son Rāma; and the seventh was priest to Paijavana Sudās (Sudāsa), king of N. Pañcāla (p. 116). The fifth is sometimes introduced as having instructed Dilīpa,⁵ and they are the dramatis personae in the first three cantos of the Raghuvamśa,⁶ where (i, 59) the epithet Atharvanidhi is given him. This may be taken as a name for him, and he may therefore be known as Atharvanidhi II, to distinguish him from the third Vasiṣṭha. The sixth holds a prominent position in the Rāmāyaṇa, but no special personal epithet seems to be applied to him.