Mandhatra ( sa, मान्धातृ, ), also rendered Mandhatri, is a king of the
Suryavamsha dynasty in
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
. He is the son of Yuvanashva, as cited in the
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
. He marries Bindumati, the daughter of
Yadava
The Yadava (literally, descended from Yadu) were an ancient Indian people who believed to be descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. The community was formed of various clans, being the Abhira, Andhaka, Vrishni, and Sat ...
king Shashabindu. According to the
Puranas
Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
, he has three sons, Purukutsa,
Ambarisha
In Hindu mythology, Ambarisha ( sa, अम्बरीषः, ) is an Ikshvaku king, and the son of Mandhata.Pargiter, F.E. (1972) 922 ''Ancient Indian Historical Tradition'', Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, p.92. He is believed to have conquered t ...
, and
Muchukunda
In Hindu history, Muchukunda (), the son of King Mandhata, and brother of Ambarisha, is an Ikshvaku (Suryavamsha) king.
Battle with the asuras
Once, in a battle, the devas were defeated by the asuras. Tormented by arrows, they sought help from ...
. He is well known for his benevolence and generosity.
The hymn 134 of the ''
tenth mandala'' of the
Rigveda
The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts (''śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only one Sh ...
is attributed to him.
Legend
Birth
Mandhatra's legend is cited in the Vana Parva, Drona Parva, and the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata.
King Yuvanashva of
Ayodhya
Ayodhya (; ) is a city situated on the banks of holy river Saryu in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Ayodhya, also known as Sāketa, Saketa, is an ancient city of India, the birthplace of Rama and ...
once went on a hunting expedition, and in the afternoon, he became wracked with thirst. He came across the site of a
yajna
Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...
, and drank the sacred sacrificial butter that he observed, upon which he conceived. The
Ashvin
Ashvin or Ashwin or Ashwan (; bn, আশ্বিন; hi, आश्विन; or, ଆଶ୍ୱିନ; Malay/Indonesian: ''Aswin''; Thai: ''Asawin''), also known as Aswayuja, is the seventh month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, the solar Tam ...
twins extracted the child from the king's womb. Even as the deities wondered how they would sustain the child,
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
produced some nectar from his fingers, which the child consumed. Drawing his strength from the hand of Indra, Mandhatra grew immensely powerful.
Conquests
By mere willpower, he conquered the entire earth in one day. He proceeded to vanquish the kings Marutta of Ushiraviga, Asita, the Druhyu king Angara, Nriga, Brihadratha of Anga, Suna, Jaya, Janamejaya, Sudhanvan, Gaya of Kanyakubja, Angara's son Gandhara, and several others in battle. Mandhatra conquered
Patala
In Indian religions, Patala (Sanskrit: पाताल, IAST: pātāla, lit. ''that which is below the feet''), denotes the subterranean realms of the universe – which are located under the earthly dimension. Patala is often translated as unde ...
,
Bhuloka
In esoteric cosmology, a plane is conceived as a subtle state, level, or region of reality, each plane corresponding to some type, kind, or category of being.
The concept may be found in religious and esotericism, esoteric teachings—''e.g.'' ...
, and half of
Svarga
Svarga (), also known as Indraloka and Svargaloka, is the celestial abode of the devas in Hinduism. Svarga is one of the seven higher lokas ( esoteric planes) in Hindu cosmology. Svarga is often translated as heaven, though it is regarded to b ...
, and became the ruler of the three worlds.
The Mahabharata states that Mandhatra, the King of Ayodhya, gave away colossal statues of Rohita fish, entirely made up of pure gold and spanning several kilometres to the Brahmanas as a charity. He also gave away 10,000 padmas (10
quintillion
Two naming scales for large numbers have been used in English and other European languages since the early modern era: the long and short scales. Most English variants use the short scale today, but the long scale remains dominant in many non-Eng ...
) of cows of the best breed to the
Brahmanas
The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. They are a secondary layer or classification of Sanskrit texts embedded within ea ...
during his sacrifices. Mandhatra performed a hundred
ashvamedha
The Ashvamedha ( sa, अश्वमेध, aśvamedha, translit-std=IAST) was a horse sacrifice ritual followed by the Śrauta tradition of Vedic religion. It was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their imperial sovereignty: a horse accomp ...
yajnas and a hundred
rajasuya
Rajasuya () is a Śrauta ritual of the Vedic religion. It is ceremony that marks a consecration of a king. According to the Puranas, it refers to a great sacrifice performed by a Chakravarti - universal monarch, in which the tributary princes may ...
yajnas.
Mandhatra was also known as Yauvanashvin (son of Yuvanashwa) and Trassadasyu (one who was feared by the wicked). He once fought
Ravana
Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations.
In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. He a ...
, the King of Lanka in a duel, but it ended in a stalemate.
Mandhatra married the Chandravamsha princess, Bindumati, daughter of Shashabindu, King of the
Yadavas
The Yadava (literally, descended from Yadu) were an ancient Indian people who believed to be descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. The community was formed of various clans, being the Abhira, Andhaka, Vrishni, and Satv ...
. The couple had three sons and fifty daughters. His sons Purukutsa,
Ambarisha
In Hindu mythology, Ambarisha ( sa, अम्बरीषः, ) is an Ikshvaku king, and the son of Mandhata.Pargiter, F.E. (1972) 922 ''Ancient Indian Historical Tradition'', Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, p.92. He is believed to have conquered t ...
, and
Muchukunda
In Hindu history, Muchukunda (), the son of King Mandhata, and brother of Ambarisha, is an Ikshvaku (Suryavamsha) king.
Battle with the asuras
Once, in a battle, the devas were defeated by the asuras. Tormented by arrows, they sought help from ...
were equally illustrious. Mandhatra's daughters fell in love with the handsome ascetic Saubhari and married him. Mandhatra's eldest son, Susandhi, succeeded him.
Death
As Mandhatra grew old, his hubris grew, and he desired to entirely conquer
Svarga
Svarga (), also known as Indraloka and Svargaloka, is the celestial abode of the devas in Hinduism. Svarga is one of the seven higher lokas ( esoteric planes) in Hindu cosmology. Svarga is often translated as heaven, though it is regarded to b ...
, the heavenly regions ruled by Indra. Indra was perturbed by this and told Mandhatra that he had not completely conquered the earth. Indra told Mandhatra that the
asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indian religions, Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, Buddhi ...
Lavana, the son of Madhu and Kumbhinesi, the sister of
Ravana
Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations.
In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. He a ...
, the king of
Lanka
Lanka (, ) is the name given in Hindu epics to the island fortress capital of the legendary asura king Ravana in the epics of the ''Ramayana'' and the ''Mahabharata''. The fortress was situated on a plateau between three mountain peaks known ...
were not a subject to his rule. A
Mandhatra invaded Madhupuri, the city of
Lavanasura
Lavanasura () is an asura in Hinduism. He is slain by Shatrughna, the youngest brother of Rama, in the Hindu epic Ramayana.
Legend
During Rama's reign, while peace prevailed in most places, Lavanasura continued to torment the innocent and destroy ...
. Lavana possessed a divine trident given to his father King Madhu by
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
. As long as he had the trident, nobody could vanquish Lavana in battle. Lavana wielded the trident and burnt Mandhatra and his forces, reducing them to ashes in an instant. Lavana was later slain by
Shatrughna
''Shatrughna'' ( sa, text=शत्रुघ्न, translit=śatrughna, lit=killer of enemies) is a prince of Ayodhya, King of Madhupura and Vidisha, and a brother of Prince Rama in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is also known as ''Ripudaman' ...
, a descendant of Mandhatra.
Notes
References
*
{{HinduMythology
Characters in Hindu mythology
Solar dynasty