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Wikipedia / Solar dynasty

The Solar dynasty or (; ), also called the Ikshvaku dynasty, is a lineage or dynasty said to have been founded by Ikshvaku. In Hindu literature, it ruled the Kosala Kingdom, with its capital at Ayodhya, and later at Shravasti. They worshipped their clan deity, Surya (a Hindu solar deity), after whom the dynasty is named. Along with the Lunar dynasty, the Solar dynasty comprises one of the main lineages in Hinduism.

According to Jain literature, the first Tirthankara of Jainism, Rishabhanatha himself, was King Ikshvaku. Twenty-one further Tirthankaras were born in this dynasty.

According to Buddhist literature, Gautama Buddha descended from this dynasty.

The important personalities belonging to this royal house are Mandhatri, Muchukunda, Ambarisha, Bharata, Bahubali, Harishchandra, Dilīpa, Sagara, Raghu, Dasharatha, Rama, and Pasenadi. Both the Hindu Puranas and the Buddhist texts include Shuddodhana, Gautama Buddha, and Rahula in their accounts of the Ikshvaku dynasty but, according to the Buddhist texts, Mahasammata, an ancestor of Ikshvaku who was elected by the people as the first king of the present era, was the founder of this dynasty.

Origins

Suryavamsha, or the Solar Dynasty, is one of the two major legendary Kshatriya dynasties found in Hindu Puranic and epic literature, the other being Chandravamsha or the Lunar dynasty. According to Harivamsa, Ikshvaku is considered the primogenitor of the dynasty of, and was granted the kingdom of Aryavarta by his father Vaivasvata Manu. Manu settled down in the Aryavarta region after he survived the great flood. A. K. Mozumdar states that Manu is the one who built a city on the Sarayu (being the river that his mother Sanjana was the goddess of) and called it Ayodhya meaning the 'invincible city'. This city served as the capital of many kings from the solar dynasty and is also believed to be the birthplace of Rama.

Some Hindu texts suggest Rishi Marichi, one of the seven sages and first human creations of Brahma as the progenitor of the dynasty. Marichi's eldest son, Kashyapa, is said to have settled down in Kashmir (Kashyapa-Meru or Kashyameru). He also contributed to the verses of the Vedas. Later, Vivasvan, son of Kashyapa and Aditi, famously known as the Hindu god Surya, married Saranyu who was the daughter of Vishvakarman, the architect of devas. He had many children, but Manu was given the responsibility of building the civilization. As a result it formed a dynasty that was named Suryavamsha or the solar dynasty. Manu is also the progenitor of the Lunar Dynasty because he married his daughter Ila to Budha, the son of Chandra or the moon god. The couple gave birth to King Pururavas, who became the first king of the Chandravamsha, or the Lunar dynasty.

Historical claimants

After the death of the powerful king Prasenjit and disappearance of his successor Viḍūḍabha after defeating the Shakyas, the kingdom of Kosala declined. King Sumitra, who regarded himself to be the last Suryavansha ruler, was defeated by the powerful emperor Mahapadma Nanda of Magadha in 362 BCE. However, he wasn't killed, and fled to Rohtas, located in present-day Bihar.

Bhagavata Purana

Ikshvaku and his ancestor Manu are also mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana (Canto 9, Chapter 1),

Buddhism

The Buddhist text, Buddhavaṃsa and Mahāvaṃsa (II, 1–24) traces the origin of the Shakyas to king Okkaka (Pali equivalent to Sanskrit Ikshvaku) and gives their genealogy from Mahasammata, an ancestor of Okkaka. This list comprises the names of a number of prominent kings of the Ikshvaku dynasty, namely, Mandhata and Sagara. The genealogy according to the Mahavamsa is as follows:

  1. Okkāka

  2. Okkāmukha

  3. Sivisamjaya

  4. Sihassara

  5. Jayasena

  6. Sihahanu

  7. Suddhodana

  8. Gautama Buddha

  9. Rāhula

Jainism

Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara, is identified with King Ikshvaku and the founder of the Ikshvaku dynasty. The earliest recorded reference to the Ikshvaku dynasty can be found in the Swayambhustotra, a Sanskrit epic poem composed by Acharya Samantabhadra, a Jain poet originally from Tamil Nadu. The Swayambhustotra praises the 24 Tirthankaras, including Rishabhanatha, and mentions the lineage of the Ikshvaku dynasty:

Rishabhanatha or Ikshvaku, the first of the kings of the Ikshvaku dynasty, was the seeker of liberation, won over His senses to get established in the pure Self, independent, endured afflictions, and steadfast in His resolve. He relinquished the expanse of the faithful lady earth, clothed, as it were, up to the ocean, and embraced the noble asceticism. The Ikshvaku dynasty has a significant place in Jainism, as twenty-two Tirthankaras were born in this dynasty.

Origin

at the time of Ajitanatha

  • Jitashatru (father of Ajitanatha) and his younger brother Sumitra (father of Sagara)

  • Ajitanatha (the 2nd Tirthankara) and Sagara (2nd Chakravartin)

  • Janhu (eldest son of Sagara), the one who flooded village of Nagas with waters of Ganga leading to turning of sixty thousand sons of Sagara into ashes by Jawalanprabha (emperor of Nagas)

  • Bhagiratha (eldest grandson of Sagara)

at the time of Sambhavanatha

at the time of Abhinandananatha

at the time of Sumatinatha

at the time of Padmaprabha

at the time of Suparshvanatha

at the time of Chandraprabha

at the time of Pushpadanta

at the time of Shitalanatha

at the time of Shreyanasanatha

at the time of Vasupujya

at the time of Vimalanatha

at the time of Anantanatha

at the time of Dharmanatha

at the time of Shantinatha

  • Vishvasena (father of Shantinatha)

  • Shantinatha, the 16th Tirthankara and 5th Chakravarti

  • Chakrayudha, son of Shantinatha

  • Kuruchandra, son of Chakrayudha

at the time of Kunthunatha

at the time of Aranatha

at the time of Mallinatha

at the time of Munisuvrata

at the time of Naminatha

at the time of Parshvanatha

at the time of Mahavira

Rulers

Suryavanshi Kings before RamaRama

  1. Vaivasvata Manu or Satyavrata or Nabhi

  2. Ikshvaku

  3. Kukshi or Vikukshi or Śaśāda

  4. Bāna or Shakuni

  5. Kakutstha or Puranjaya (Purañjaya) or Anaranya I

  6. Anena (Anenā)

  7. Prithu (Pṛthu)

  8. Vishtarashva (Viṣṭarāśva), Visvarandhi, or Viśvagandhi

  9. Chandra (Cāndra-yuvanāśva)

  10. Yuvanashva I (Yuvanāśva)

  11. Shravasta (Śrāvasta)

  12. Brihadashva (Bṛhadaśva)

  13. Dhundumārashva (Dhundhumārashva) or Kuvalayashva (Kuvalayāśva)

  14. Dhreedhashva (Dṛḍhāśva) or Kapilashva (Kapilāśva) or Bhadrashva (Bhadrāśva)

  15. Pramoda

  16. Haryashva I

  17. Nikumbha

  18. Baharnashva (Barhaṇāśva)

  19. Giritashva

  20. Amitashva (Amitāśva)

  21. Krishashva (Kṛśāśva) or Akrutashva

  22. Prasenajit I

  23. Yuvanashva II

  24. Mandhata

  25. Purukutsa I (or Vasuda) and Muchukunda

  26. Ambarisha

  27. Trasadasyu

  28. Sambhruta

  29. Anaranya II

  30. Preeshadashva

  31. Haryashva II

  32. Hastya

  33. Sumana

  34. Tridhanva

  35. Trayyaruni

  36. Trishanku or Satyavrata II

  37. Harishchandra

  38. Rohitashva

  39. Harita

  40. Chanchu

  41. Chakshu or Sudeva

  42. Vijaya

  43. Ruruka or Brahuka

  44. Pratapendra

  45. Bruka

  46. Sushandhi

  47. Bahuka

  48. Vrika or Bharata II

  49. Bahu or Asita

  50. Sagara

  51. Amshuman

  52. Dilipa I

  53. Bhagiratha

  54. Suhotra

  55. Shruti

  56. Kukutsa II

  57. Raghu I

  58. Nabhaga

  59. Ambarisha II

  60. Shindhudvipa

  61. Ayutayu

  62. Pratayu

  63. Rituparna

  64. Sarvakama I

  65. Sudasa

  66. Kalmashapada

  67. Asmaka (Aśmaka)

  68. Mulaka or Sarvakama II

  69. Dasharatha I

  70. Ilibil or Ananaranya III

  71. Vishvamashaha

  72. Nidhna

  73. Animitra (Anamitra)

  74. Duliduh or Mūlaka

  75. Dilipa II or Dirghabhahu or Khaṭvāṅga

  76. Raghu II

  77. Aja

  78. Dasharatha II

  79. Bharata III

  80. Lord Rama

Suryavanshi Kings after RamaRama

  1. Kusha and Lava

  2. Atithi

  3. Nishadha

  4. Nala II

  5. Nabhas

  6. Paundrika

  7. Kshemadhanva

  8. Devanika

  9. Ahinagu

  10. Ruru

  11. Pariyatra

  12. Sala

  13. Dala

  14. Bala

  15. Uktha

  16. Sahasrasva

  17. Para II

  18. Chandravaloka

  19. Rudraksh

  20. Chandragiri

  21. Banuchandra

  22. Srutayu

  23. Uluka

  24. Unnabha

  25. Vajranabha

  26. Sankhana

  27. Vyusitasva

  28. Visvasaha

  29. Hiranyanabha Kausalya

  30. Para III

  31. Brahmistha

  32. Putra

  33. Pusya

  34. Arthasidhi

  35. Dhruvasandhi

  36. Sudarsana

  37. Agnivarna

  38. Sighraga

  39. Maru

  40. Parsusruta

  41. Susandhi

  42. Amarsana

  43. Mahasvana

  44. Sahasvana

  45. Visrutvana

  46. Visvabhava

  47. Visvasahva

  48. Nagnajit

  49. Brihadbala

See also

Notes

References

Sources