Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c9.s7.48

c9.s7.48

In the *Rāmāyaṇa* and in the *Purāṇas* the royal family of Kosala is represented as being descended from a king named Ikshvāku. Branches of this family are represented as ruling at Kusinārā,³ at Mithilā⁴ and at Vīśālā or Vaiśālī.⁵ A prince named Ikshvāku is mentioned in a passage of the *Ṛig-Veda*.⁶ In the *Atharva-Veda*⁷ either this king, or one of his descendants, is referred to as an ancient hero. The *Purāṇas* give lists of kings of the Aikshvāka dynasty from Ikshvāku himself to Prasenajit, the contemporary of Bimbisāra. The names of many of these kings are probably found in the Vedic literature. For example :—