King Puru

King Puru was a Puranic king and the youngest son of king Yayati and Sharmishtha and one of ancestors of the Pandavas and Kauravas.[1]

Puru in the Bhagavata Purana

In the nineteenth chapter of book nine of the Bhagavata Purana, Puru is described as having four brothers; Yadu, Turvasu, Druhyu and Anu. He exchanges his youth for old age of his father Yayati when Yayati gets cursed by Shukracharya.[2] In return Yayati makes him his descendant though he was youngest of all. His son and successor is named as his son was Práchinvat; his son was Pravíra; his son was Manasyu.

Puru in the Mahabharata

In the Mahabharata - Adi Parva, he is said to have inherited his kingdom in the Gangatic plain. He is said to have three mighty heroes as sons by his wife Paushti; Pravira, and Raudraswa. Pravira succeeded Puru and was in turn succeeded by his son Manasyu.[3]

Puru ruled from the centre as a supreme World Emperor or King of Kings. This also showed his supreme power and displays the right of people named Puru.[1][2] His dynasty becomes the Puru vamsha which was later renamed as Kuru Vamsha to which Pandavas and Kauravas belong.

Puru in the Rigveda

Another Puru is mentioned as a king in the Rigveda and as the father of Adityas, married to Aditi, living and ruling over and area of the Saraswati river.[4]

Puru in Korean Mythology

A King Puru is also mentioned in Korean mythology as the son of a heavenly king called Haemosu who ruled the Buyeo kingdom. The Korean King Puru went on to succeed his divine father and ruled in peace and prosperity. There is a story that when he grew old in age without any children, he was led to a large stone by a horse. When the horse began to cry in front of the stone, the king had it moved and found a frog bathed in a golden light. The frog quickly turned into a handsome boy, which Puru interpreted as a sign from heaven and made him crown prince.[5]

See also

Further reading

Notes

  1. 1 2 Yayati
  2. 1 2 David Frawley (1993). Gods, Sages and Kings: Vedic Secrets of Ancient Civilization. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. pp. 137–. ISBN 978-81-208-1005-1. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  3. ↑ Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (31 March 2008). The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa First Book Adi Parva. Echo Library. pp. 214–. ISBN 978-1-4068-7045-9. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  4. ↑ K. C. Singhal; Roshan Gupta (1 January 2003). The Ancient History of India, Vedic Period: A New Interpretation. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. pp. 48–. ISBN 978-81-269-0286-6. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  5. ↑ Hwang Pae-Gang (1 January 2006). Korean Myths and Folk Legends. Jain Publishing Company. pp. 14–. ISBN 978-0-89581-856-0. Retrieved 4 October 2012.

References

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