A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.243

c5.243

4. A prince of the Puru branch of the Lunar race. Bharata was son of Dushyanta and Sakuntalā. Ninth in descent from him came Kuru, and fourteenth from Kuru came Sāntanu. This king had a son named Vichitra-vīrya, who died childless, leaving two widows. Krishna Dwaipāyana was natural brother to Vichitra-vīrya. Under the law he raised up seed to his brother from the widows, whose sons were Dhrita-rāshṭra and Pāṇḍu, between whose descendants, the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas, the great war of the Mahā-bhārata was fought. Through their descent from Bharata, these princes, but more especially the Pāṇḍavas, were called Bhāratas.