Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c26.12

c26.12

The next Viśvāmitra was the father of Śakuntalā, Duṣyanta's queen and Bharata's mother (ante). Nothing particular is said about him and he is generally confused with the first Viśvāmitra,¹ though there was a considerable interval between them (pp. 144, 146). His position is therefore fixed. A Viśvāmitra is next mentioned in the story of Kalmāṣapāda Saudāsa, king of Ayodhyā, but he appears to have been mistakenly introduced into it through confusing this Saudāsa with Sudāsa (p. 208). A later Viśvāmitra is introduced in the Rāmāyaṇa, as obtaining Rāma's help to destroy the demon Tārakā, and as narrating various wonderful legends to Rāma.² There were of course Viśvāmitras at that time, but his appearance there is doubtful and seems intended to glorify Rāma.³ Moreover, he is there wrongly identified with the first Viśvāmitra,⁴ and the brahmanic fable of the contest between that Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha is narrated as concerning him.⁵