Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 47: King Sumati Approaches Viśvāmitra
Text 1.47.18
इक्ष्वाकोस्तु प्रसादेन सर्वे वैशालिका नृपाः।
दीर्घायुषो महात्मानो वीर्यवन्तः सुधार्मिकाः॥
ikṣvākos tu prasādena sarve vaiśālikā nṛpāḥ
dīrghāyuṣo mahātmāno vīryavantaḥ sudhārmikāḥ
ikṣvākoḥ tu = Ikṣvāku’s; prasādena = by mercy; sarve = all; vaiśālikāḥ nṛpāḥ = kings residing in Viśālā; dīrgha-āyuṣaḥ = have had long lives; mahā-ātmānaḥ = they were greatly intelligent; vīryavantaḥ = powerful; sudhārmikāḥ = and very devoted to dharma.
By Ikṣvāku’s mercy, all kings residing in Viśālā have had long lives. They were greatly intelligent, powerful and very devoted to dharma.
1 Ikṣvāku’s descendants lived long by his blessings. Therefore, there were a lesser number of descendants in his lineage compared to other lineages.
One might wonder how come Ikṣvāku’s dynasty consisted of so few persons. This verse responds to that.1 Ikṣvāku’s mercy was the result of Viśāla’s prayers to him.