Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c31.10

c31.10

This conclusion is not likely to have been the result of fabrication, and the negative argument is corroborated by the direct fact that tradition speaks of the earliest Aila kings actually opposing brahmans, but never says that any of the earliest Mānvas did so. Two occasions are alleged when early Mānva kings had disagreements with brahmans, namely, very early between Nimi and ‘Vasiṣṭha’ (p. 215), and much later between Marutta and Bṛhaspati (p. 157), and both arose, not through antagonism, but through injured friendship, because those brahmans failed to sacrifice as those kings desired. Quite different was the attitude of the earliest Aila kings. They are praised in general terms sometimes in fables; thus Purūravas is extolled,³ Nahuṣa and Yayāti made large gifts of cattle,⁴ and Yayāti helped the devas against the Daityas and Dānavas;⁵ but when spoken of in connexion with brahmans they are severely censured. So it is said that Purūravas made war on vipras and robbed them of their jewels, he was deaf to advice, and intoxicated with power perished through the curse of the maharṣis.⁶ Also he coveted the golden sacrificial floor of the rishis of Naimiṣa forest and was killed by them.⁷ His son Āyu was chosen by the rishis and behaved righteously;⁸ and it may be noted that he married the daughter of Svarbhānu, who was a Dānava and asura.¹ But his son Nahuṣa, who made no such alliance and married his own sister (p. 86), became intoxicated with pride,² made the rishis pay tribute and oppressed them grievously.³ Nothing of the kind is said about Yayāti, and he married Uśanas-Śukra’s daughter Devayānī and the Dānava king Vṛṣaparvan’s daughter,⁴ yet he was cursed by Uśanas on Devayānī’s complaint.⁵