Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.2563

c4.2563

In course of time they all died and were born again as wild men in Dāśapura. But because of their offerings to the manes they had retained memory of their previous births. So they fasted in holy baths and discarded their lives before the people. They were born again as deer in the mount of Kālāñjara. Because of the power of knowledge and the penance and fast they discarded the body of deer in Prapatana and got rebirth as Cakravāka (ruddy goose) in the lake called Mānasasaras. In this birth their names were Sumanas, Kusuma, Vasu, Citradarśī, Sudarśī, Jñāta and Jñānapāraga, names suitable to their character. Those seven loving brothers were saints by virtue of their harmony with the Supreme spirit. But owing to mental disturbance three of them lost their attainments. Seeing the pleasures that King Aṇuha of Pāñcāla was enjoying by his wealth, vehicles, big army and beautiful women one of the Cakravākas, Pitṛvartti, the devoted Brāhmaṇa, who being loyal to his father had performed sacrifice and given offerings to the manes, desired to become a king. The other two brothers seeing the wealth, glory and power of the two ministers, wished to become ministers. Thus Pitṛvartti was born as the son of Aṇuha with the name Brahmadatta and the other two were born as Puṇḍarīka and Subālaka, sons of the two ministers. Brahmadatta was anointed as King of Pāñcāla in the great city of Kāmpilya. The King loved his father. He was mighty and powerful. He was regular in performing sacrifices and giving offerings to the manes. He had the attainment of harmony with the supreme spirit. He understood the thought and speech of birds and animals. He married Sannati, the daughter of Sudeva (Devala); she was in her former birth the cow of Garga.