Divodāsa Vādhryāśva, was an Indo-Aryan, king of the Bharatas during the main or middle Rigvedic period (celebrated for his liberality and protected by Indra and the Ashvins in the Rigveda, RV 1.112.14; 1.116.18), the son of Vadhryaśva RV 6.61.5. Further, the Mandala 9 of Rigveda mentions Divodasa thus: "[Indra] Smote swiftly forts, and Sambara, then Yadu and that Turvasha, for pious Divodasa's sake." RV 9.61.2.
| Divodāsa Atithigva | |
|---|---|
| Rājā | |
| Rājā of the Bharatas | |
| Reign | 17th century BCE |
| Predecessor | Vadhryaśva |
| Successor | Sudās? Pratardana |
| Spouse | Mādhavī |
| Issue | Sudās? Pratardana |
| Dynasty | Bharata |
| Father | Vadhryaśva |
Another telling of the same conflict with Sambara from Mandala 4 names him with the epithet of Atithigva, as shown: "I [Indra], in my exhilaration, broke apart all at once the nine and ninety fortresses of Śambara, and the hundredth, his dwelling place, to complete it, when I helped Divodāsa Atithigva." RV 4.26.3.
He is the father [1][2][3] of the famous king Sudas (RV 7.18.25) (of the Battle of the Ten Kings). Pijavana is the other name of Divodasa according to Rigveda.[2] His son, Pratardana, is mentioned in the Kaushitaki Upanishad.
He was invited in the Ashwamedha sacrifice performed by King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. He was the younger brother of Queen Sumitra and was a Brother-in-law of Dasharatha. He was also the son of King Bhimaratha and was a great grandson of Lord Dhanvantari.
He was an ancient Hindu king of Kāśī (modern Varanasi) mentioned in the Rigveda, the Mahabharata, and the Bhagavata Purana. Renowned for piety, hospitality, and valor, he is remembered as both a historical and semi-mythological ruler whose reign shaped early Vedic and Purāṇic traditions of North India.
According to the most widely accepted Puranic genealogy, Divodasa was a descendant of Dhanvantari and the lineage generally appears as:
Dhanvantari → Ketuman → Bhimaratha → Divodasa
So, Divodasa is usually described as the great-grandson of Lord Dhanvantari.
As per vedas, when Divodasa became king, he established an ideal kingdom governed strictly by dharma, discipline, and human responsibility. Lord Brahma granted him a unique condition: divine beings, including Lord Shiva, would not interfere directly in earthly governance during his reign. Because of this arrangement, Shiva temporarily left Kashi and resided at Mandarachal or other sacred places while Divodasa ruled independently, However, Shiva’s deep attachment to Kashi remained unchanged. Over time, lord Shiva sent various gods, sages, and celestial beings to Kashi, but they became enchanted by the city and stayed there instead of persuading Divodasa to relinquish his rule.
Finally, Lord Vishnu himself came to Kashi, often described in disguise as a learned Brahmin or spiritual teacher. Through wisdom, philosophy, and discourse on the temporary nature of worldly power, Vishnu gradually inspired Divodasa toward vairagya (detachment) and higher spiritual realization. Realizing the transient nature of kingship, Divodasa willingly renounced worldly attachment and devoted himself to spirituality. After this, Lord Shiva returned permanently to Kashi, sanctifying it eternally as his divine abode, centered around Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
Temples-
After Divodasa renounced his kingdom and attained spiritual elevation, his son Pratardana established a Shiva Linga known as Divodaseshwar (Divodaseश्वर / Divodaseswar) in his honor. It is situated in the old city area of Kashi, near the famous Vishalakshi Temple and close to Mir Ghat/Dashashwamedh area.
One Black stoned statue facing south is situated in a personal property of a Brahman family in Chowk area, varanasi. It's said that the Idol was found beneath the premises of that property when it was getting constructed and the Brahman couldn't figure out who it was hence decided to have it drifted in Ganga next morning, however same night lord came in his dream and introduced himself as KashiRaja Divodas and asked to remain his idol where it was found, hence he built this temple in his house and his successors are still serving the deity there. This temple said to be quite awakened and spiritual as the idol emerged on its own and it is a local belief that if someone worships here with all his faith, deity cures his illness. Address- CK 14/43, Nandan Sahu Lane
Post-Vedic Genealogy
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ↑ Raj Kumar (18 August 2003). Know The Vedas At A Glance. New Delhi: Pustak Mahal. p. 98. ISBN 978-81-223-0848-8. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- 1 2 K. C. Singhal; Roshan Gupta (2003). The Ancient History of India, Vedic Period: A New Interpretation. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 58. ISBN 978-81-269-0286-6. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ↑ M. C. Joshi (1986). Princes and polity in ancient India. Jodhpur: Kusumanjali Prakashan. p. 53. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ↑ Veṭṭaṃmāṇi (1975). Purāṇic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Purāṇic literature (1st ed. in English ed.). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 0-8426-0822-2. OCLC 2198347.
External links
edit- Divodasa - Disciple of Bhardwaja Archived 11 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine
- The Dynasties of The sons of King Pururava
- Invitation of Ashwamedha Yagna by King Dasharatha
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