The Hindu Puranic King List

The Hindu Puranic King Lists are found in the Puranas, which are ancient Hindu scriptures written in Sanskrit. The Puranas contain a wealth of information, including cosmology, mythology, legends, and genealogies of gods, sages, and kings.

“The Hindu religion is the only one of the world’s great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an innate, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long. Longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the Big Bang. And there are much longer time scales still ”

Carl Sagan

Genealogies of Kings

The Puranas provide detailed genealogies of various dynasties, including:

• Solar Dynasty (Suryavansha): This dynasty is said to have been founded by Ikshvaku, a son of the sun god Surya. It includes famous kings such as Harishchandra, Bhagiratha, and Rama.
• Lunar Dynasty (Chandravansha): Founded by Ila and later propagated by Pururavas, this dynasty includes notable kings like Yayati, Nahusha, and Yudhishthira (from the Mahabharata).

Mythological Kings:

• The early kings, particularly those of the Satya Yuga, are often depicted as semi-divine beings with extraordinarily long lifespans. For example, King Prithu, who is credited with making the earth fertile and suitable for agriculture, is a prominent figure in these lists.
• Other legendary figures include King Sagara, who performed the Ashvamedha Yagna (horse sacrifice) and whose descendants are said to have brought the Ganges river from heaven to earth.

Importance and Influence

The Puranic genealogies have had a profound impact on Hindu culture, providing a sense of continuity and historical depth. They connect mythological events with historical kings and serve as a framework for the Hindu understanding of time and history.

The Puranas often emphasize the divine right of kings and the importance of dharma (righteousness). Kings are depicted as protectors of their people who must uphold moral and spiritual values.

The Puranic texts are not just historical records but also literary works rich in allegory, symbolism, and moral lessons. They have influenced countless other works of literature, both within and outside the Hindu tradition.

Prominent Puranas with King Lists

Vishnu Purana: Contains detailed genealogies of the Solar and Lunar dynasties.

Bhagavata Purana: Focuses on the deeds of Krishna and the lineage of kings in the Yadu dynasty.

Matsya Purana: Includes descriptions of various dynasties and notable kings.

Brahmanda Purana: Provides extensive genealogies and descriptions of ancient kingdoms.

Specific lifespans or reigns for notable mythological kings from the Hindu Puranic traditions. The lifespans are often symbolic, representing the grandeur and legendary status of these kings.

At our solar system’s distance from the center — 26,000 light years or about halfway from center to edge — it takes the sun about 225 million years to make one revolution around the Milky Way.

The earliest known dinosaurs appeared during the Triassic Period (approximately 250 to 200 million ago). Dinosaurs evolved into a very diverse group of animals with a vast array of physical features, including modern birds.

Kings	Yuga	Lifespan/Reign	Notes
Vivasvan (Surya)	Satya Yuga	Immortal	Father of Vaivasvata Manu, considered a solar deity.
Vaivasvata Manu	Satya Yuga	71 Mahayugas (approx. 306,720,000 years)	The first man and progenitor of humanity in the current cycle.
Ikshvaku	Satya Yuga	84,000 years	Founder of the Solar Dynasty.
Kukshi	Satya Yuga	36,000 years	Son of Ikshvaku.
Vikukshi	Satya Yuga	30,000 years	Also known as Shashada.
Bana	Satya Yuga	30,000 years	Descendant of Ikshvaku.
Anaranya	Satya Yuga	23,000 years	Defeated by Ravana.
Prithu	Satya Yuga	23,000 years	Considered the first consecrated king and made the earth fertile.
Trishanku	Treta Yuga	60,000 years	A king who desired to ascend to heaven in his mortal body.
Harishchandra	Treta Yuga	60,000 years	Known for his unwavering commitment to truth and dharma.
Rohita	Treta Yuga	36,000 years	Son of Harishchandra.
Harita	Treta Yuga	33,000 years	Descendant of Harishchandra.
Sagara	Treta Yuga	30,000 years	His descendants brought the Ganges river to earth.
Asamanja	Treta Yuga	33,000 years	Son of Sagara.
Amshuman	Treta Yuga	32,000 years	Grandson of Sagara.
Dilipa	Treta Yuga	30,000 years	Father of Bhagiratha.
Bhagiratha	Treta Yuga	36,000 years	Credited with bringing the Ganges from heaven to earth.
Kakutstha	Treta Yuga	30,000 years	Ancestor of Rama.
Raghu	Treta Yuga	30,000 years	Ancestor of Rama, known for his valor and generosity.
Aja	Treta Yuga	30,000 years	Father of Dasharatha.
Dasharatha	Treta Yuga	60,000 years	Father of Rama.
Rama	Treta Yuga	11,000 years	The seventh avatar of Vishnu and hero of the Ramayana.
Yayati	Treta Yuga	72,000 years	A king of the Lunar Dynasty who exchanged his old age with his son’s youth.
Nahusha	Treta Yuga	60,000 years	Became the king of the gods (Indra) for a period.
Pururavas	Treta Yuga	60,000 years	A legendary king who fell in love with the celestial nymph Urvashi.
Mandhata	Treta Yuga	60,000 years	A legendary king of the Solar Dynasty known for his universal sovereignty.
Kartavirya Arjuna	Treta Yuga	85,000 years	A powerful king with a thousand arms, known for his might and rule over the seven continents.
Nimi	Treta Yuga	84,000 years	An ancient king who started the tradition of the Videha kingdom.
Marutta	Treta Yuga	70,000 years	Known for his grand sacrifices and immense wealth.
Bharata	Treta Yuga	70,000 years	Son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala, and an ancestor of the Pandavas and Kauravas.
Shantanu	Dvapara Yuga	36,000 years	Ancestor of the Pandavas and Kauravas.
Bhishma	Dvapara Yuga	58,000 years	Granduncle to the Pandavas and Kauravas, known for his vow of celibacy.
Pandu	Dvapara Yuga	30,000 years	Father of the Pandavas.
Dhritarashtra	Dvapara Yuga	28,000 years	Father of the Kauravas.
Yudhishthira	Dvapara Yuga	36,000 years	The eldest of the Pandavas and a key figure in the Mahabharata.
Krishna	Dvapara Yuga	125 years	The eighth avatar of Vishnu and central character in the Mahabharata.
Parikshit	Kali Yuga	60 years	Grandson of Arjuna, ruled during the transition to Kali Yuga.