Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c6.42

c6.42

On the other hand, the kings who are lauded in the Rigveda are hardly known to kṣatriya fame. Some, such as Vadhryaśva, Divodāsa, Sṛñjaya, Sudās, Sahadeva and Somaka are mentioned as kings in the North Pañcāla genealogy,¹⁰ but nothing particular is recorded in the epics and Purāṇas about any of them except Somaka, and the story told of him is not creditable.¹ Others again such as Abhyāvartin Cāyamāna, Śrutarvan Ārkṣa, Plāyogi Āsaṅga and Svanaya Bhāvya, are absolutely unknown to the genealogies, the epics and the Purāṇas. The explanation of this difference is that the hymns celebrate, not the really great kings, but those who specially favoured and enriched poetical rishis. The praise is no measure of the king’s greatness or fame, but rather the rishi’s grateful laudation of the king’s dignity and generosity. A king, though undistinguished, who secured the services of a poetical rishi and rewarded him liberally, might naturally obtain such praise.²