Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c6.31

c6.31

Śaśabindu and Arjuna Kārtavīrya among Yādavas; Duṣyanta, Bharata, Ajamīḍha, Kuru and Santanu among Pauravas; Jahnu and Gādhi of Kānyakubja; Divodāsa and Pratardana of Kāśi; Vasu Caidya of Cedi and Magadha; Marutta Āvikṣita and Tṛṇabindu of the Vaiśāla kingdom; and Uśīnara and Śivi of the Panjab Ānavas.¹ All were great monarchs, some of them great conquerors, and many (it is said) great sacrificers. The Rigvedic canon was not closed till after their times, because it contains a hymn by Devāpi, brother (or cousin) of king Śantanu; yet none of those kings are mentioned in the hymns except Bharata,² Śantanu,³ apparently Ajamīḍha⁴ and Māndhātṛ,⁵ and possibly Rāma,⁶ while x, 134 is attributed to Māndhātṛ, and in x, 179, verse 1 is assigned to Śivi and verse 2 to Pratardana.