In Hindu mythology, the Lunar dynasty (also known as Somavansha, Chandravansha and as Ailas) is one of the four principal houses of the Kshatriya varna, or warrior–ruling caste. This legendary dynasty was descended from the moon (Soma or Chandra), while the other principal houses, the Solar Dynasty (Suryavanshi) claims descent from the sun (surya),[1]
Suryavansha (Suryavam(n)sham or Solar Dynasty) is a mythological dynasty of ancient India. The term Suryavanshi refers to a person belonging to Suryvansha dynasty.
The Gurjars are descended from the Suryavanshi and Chandravanshi warrior caste.[1] Copper-plate grants and the seals of Gurjars bear an emblem of the Sun.[2] The Gurjar title of honor Mihir means "Surya".[3]
Sources of the myth[edit]
The Puranas, particularly the Vishnu Purana, the Ramayana of Valmiki and the Mahabharata of Vyasa all contain accounts of this dynasty.
List of monarchs[edit]
The following is a list, in chronological order, of some of the prominent monarchs of the dynasty;[citation needed]
- Manu or Vaivasvata Manu: the king of all mankind and the first human being on Earth. (According to Hindu belief there are 14 Manvantaras; in each, Manu rules.) Vaivasvata Manu was the seventh Manu.[7] Manu is referred to as a Rajan (King) in the Shatapatha Brahmanascripture. He had nine sons, Vena, Dhrishnu, Narishyan, Nabhaga, Ikshvaku, Karusha, Saryati, Prishadhru, Nabhagarishta and one daughter, Ila, who was married to Budha of the Lunar Dynasty. He left the kingdom to the eldest male of the next generation, Ikshvaku, who was actually the son of Manu's brother Shraaddev.
- Ikshvaku: the first prominent monarch of this dynasty, giving the dynasty its another name the Ikshvaku dynasty.
- Bhagiratha: Sagara's great-grandson, after strenuous penances, at last succeeded in bringing Ganges down from Heaven. When she flowed over the remains of his ancestors, their souls were redeemed, and the ocean was refilled. Ganges bears the name "Bhagirathi", in honour of his deed.
- Aja
- Dasaratha
- Rama: He is considered the seventh Avatar of the god Vishnu. He is worshiped by every Hindu. Many Hindus include his name in either their first or last name. Rama's story before he became king of Ayodhya is recounted in the Ramayana. After he ascended the throne, he performed the Ashwamedha Yajna. Bharata, his younger brother, won the country of Gandhara and settled there.
- Lava and Kusha: They were the twin sons of Rama and his wife Sita. Lava ruled south Kosala while Kusha ruled north Kosala, includingAyodhya. Kusha married "Nagkanya" "Kumuddhati", sister of Kumuda.
- Śuddhodana, leader of the Shakya Ganarajya at Kapilavastu. His son was Siddhartha Shakya, founder of Buddhism and came to be known as Gautam Buddha.
- Prasenjit II (Pasenadi)
- Sumitra: He was the last king of Ayodhya from solar dynasty. In the fourth century BC, emperor Mahapadma Nanda of the Nanda Dynasty forced Sumitra to leave Ayodhya and ended the dynasty's rule.
References[edit]
- ^ Kamal Prashad Sharma; Surinder Mohan Sethi (1997). Costumes and ornaments of Chamba. ISBN 978-81-7387-067-5.
- ^ Lālatā Prasāda Pāṇḍeya (1971). Sun-worship in ancient India. Motilal Banarasidass. p. 245.
- ^ Chandrasekharendra Saraswati (Jagatguru Sankaracharya of Kamakoti); Śaṅkarācārya, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (2001). Śri Śaṅkara Bhagavatpādācārya's Saundaryalaharī. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 339.
- ^ Pargiter, F. E. (1922). Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. Oxford University Press. pp. 90–91.
- ^ Bhagawan, Sathya Sai Baba (2002). Ramakatha Rasavahini. Prasanthi Nilayam: Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust. ISBN 81-7208-132-4.
- ^ Valmiki, translated by Arshia Sattar (1996). The Ramayana. New Delhi: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-029866-5.
- ^ List of Manus