The Solar dynasty or (; ), also called the Ikshvaku dynasty, is a lineage or dynasty said to have been founded by Ikshvaku. In Hindu literature, it ruled the Kosala Kingdom, with its capital at Ayodhya, and later at Shravasti. They worshipped their clan deity, Surya (a Hindu solar deity), after whom the dynasty is named. Along with the Lunar dynasty, the Solar dynasty comprises one of the main lineages in Hinduism.
According to Jain literature, the first Tirthankara of Jainism, Rishabhanatha himself, was King Ikshvaku. Twenty-one further Tirthankaras were born in this dynasty.
According to Buddhist literature, Gautama Buddha descended from this dynasty.
The important personalities belonging to this royal house are Mandhatri, Muchukunda, Ambarisha, Bharata, Bahubali, Harishchandra, Dilīpa, Sagara,Ikshaku tribe The Mahabharata translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883 -1896), Book 3: Vana Parva: Tirtha-yatra Parva: Section CVI, p. 228 'There was born in the family of the Ikshaku, a ruler of the earth named Sagara, endued with beauty, and strength...". Raghu, Dasharatha, Rama, and Pasenadi. Both the Hindu Puranas and the Buddhist texts include Shuddodhana, Gautama Buddha, and Rahula in their accounts of the Ikshvaku dynasty but, according to the Buddhist texts, Mahasammata, an ancestor of Ikshvaku who was elected by the people as the first king of the present era, was the founder of this dynasty.
Origins
Suryavamsha, or the Solar Dynasty, is one of the two major legendary Kshatriya dynasties found in Hindu Puranic and epic literature, the other being Chandravamsha or the Lunar dynasty. According to Harivamsa, Ikshvaku is considered the primogenitor of the dynasty of, and was granted the kingdom of Aryavarta by his father Vaivasvata Manu. Manu settled down in the Aryavarta region after he survived the great flood. A. K. Mozumdar states that Manu is the one who built a city on the Sarayu (being the river that his mother Sanjana was the goddess of) and called it Ayodhya meaning the 'invincible city'. This city served as the capital of many kings from the solar dynasty and is also believed to be the birthplace of Rama.
Some Hindu texts suggest Rishi Marichi, one of the seven sages and first human creations of Brahma as the progenitor of the dynasty. Marichi's eldest son, Kashyapa, is said to have settled down in Kashmir (Kashyapa-Meru or Kashyameru). He also contributed to the verses of the Vedas. Later, Vivasvan, son of Kashyapa and Aditi, famously known as the Hindu god Surya, married Saranyu who was the daughter of Vishvakarman, the architect of devas. He had many children, but Manu was given the responsibility of building the civilization. As a result it formed a dynasty that was named Suryavamsha or the solar dynasty. Manu is also the progenitor of the Lunar Dynasty because he married his daughter Ila to Budha, the son of Chandra or the moon god. The couple gave birth to King Pururavas, who became the first king of the Chandravamsha, or the Lunar dynasty.
Historical claimants After the death of the powerful king Prasenjit and disappearance of his successor Viḍūḍabha after defeating the Shakyas, the kingdom of Kosala declined. King Sumitra, who regarded himself to be the last Suryavansha ruler, was defeated by the powerful emperor Mahapadma Nanda of Magadha in 362 BCE. However, he wasn't killed, and fled to Rohtas, located in present-day Bihar.
Bhagavata Purana Ikshvaku and his ancestor Manu are also mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana (Canto 9, Chapter 1),
Buddhism The Buddhist text, Buddhavaṃsa and Mahāvaṃsa (II, 1–24) traces the origin of the Shakyas to king Okkaka (Pali equivalent to Sanskrit Ikshvaku) and gives their genealogy from Mahasammata, an ancestor of Okkaka. This list comprises the names of a number of prominent kings of the Ikshvaku dynasty, namely, Mandhata and Sagara.Law, B.C. (1973). Tribes in Ancient India, Bhandarkar Oriental Series No.4, Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, p.246 The genealogy according to the Mahavamsa is as follows:Misra, V.S. (2007). Ancient Indian Dynasties, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, , p.286 Okkāka Okkāmukha Sivisamjaya Sihassara Jayasena Sihahanu Suddhodana Gautama Buddha Rāhula
Jainism
Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara, is identified with King Ikshvaku and the founder of the Ikshvaku dynasty. The earliest recorded reference to the Ikshvaku dynasty can be found in the Swayambhustotra, a Sanskrit epic poem composed by Acharya Samantabhadra, a Jain poet originally from Tamil Nadu. The Swayambhustotra praises the 24 Tirthankaras, including Rishabhanatha, and mentions the lineage of the Ikshvaku dynasty:
Rishabhanatha or Ikshvaku, the first of the kings of the Ikshvaku dynasty, was the seeker of liberation, won over His senses to get established in the pure Self, independent, endured afflictions, and steadfast in His resolve. He relinquished the expanse of the faithful lady earth, clothed, as it were, up to the ocean, and embraced the noble asceticism. The Ikshvaku dynasty has a significant place in Jainism, as twenty-two Tirthankaras were born in this dynasty.
Origin Rishabhanatha (son of King Nabhi), the founder of Jainism in the present Avasarpani era (descending half time cycle as per Jain cosmology and Manvantara in hindu cosmology) is said to have founded the Ikshvaku dynasty. The name for the Ikshvaku dynasty comes from the word ikhsu (sugarcane), another name of Rishabhanatha, because he taught people how to extract ikshu-rasa (sugarcane-juice). Bharata Chakravarti (first Chakravartin) and Bahubali (first Kamadeva), sons of Rishabha Arkakirti and Marichi, son of Bharata at the time of Ajitanatha Jitashatru (father of Ajitanatha) and his younger brother Sumitra (father of Sagara) Ajitanatha (the 2nd Tirthankara) and Sagara (2nd Chakravartin) Janhu (eldest son of Sagara), the one who flooded village of Nagas with waters of Ganga leading to turning of sixty thousand sons of Sagara into ashes by Jawalanprabha (emperor of Nagas) Bhagiratha (eldest grandson of Sagara) at the time of Sambhavanatha Jitari (father of Sambhavanatha) Sambhavanatha, the 3rd Tirthankara at the time of Abhinandananatha Sanvara (father of Abhinandananatha) Abhinandananatha, the 4th Tirthankara at the time of Sumatinatha Megha (father of Sumatinatha) Sumatinatha, the 5th Tirthankara at the time of Padmaprabha Sidhara (father of Padmaprabha) Padmaprabha, the 6th Tirthankara at the time of Suparshvanatha Pratishtha (father of Suparshvanatha) Suparshvanatha, the 7th Tirthankara at the time of Chandraprabha Mahasena (father of Chanraprabha) Chandraprabha, the 8th Tirthankara at the time of Pushpadanta Sugriva (father of Pushpadanta) Pushpadanta, the 9th Tirthankara at the time of Shitalanatha Dridharatha (father of Shitalnatha) Shitalanatha, the 10th Tirthankara at the time of Shreyanasanatha Vishnu (father of Shreyanasanatha) Shreyanasanatha, the 11th Tirthankara at the time of Vasupujya Vasupujya (father of Tirthankara Vasupujya) Vasupujya, the 12th Tirthankara at the time of Vimalanatha Kritavarma (father of Vimalanatha) Vimalanatha, the 13th Tirthankara at the time of Anantanatha Simhasena (father of Anantanatha) Anantanatha, the 14th Tirthankara at the time of Dharmanatha Bhanu (father of Dharmanatha) Dharmanatha, the 15th Tirthankara at the time of Shantinatha Vishvasena (father of Shantinatha) Shantinatha, the 16th Tirthankara and 5th Chakravarti Chakrayudha, son of Shantinatha Kuruchandra, son of Chakrayudha at the time of Kunthunatha Sura (father of Kunthunatha) Kunthunatha, the 17th Tirthankara and 6th Chakravarti at the time of Aranatha Sudarsana (father of Aranatha) Arahnatha, the 18th Tirthankara and 7th Chakravarti at the time of Mallinatha Kumbha (father of Mallinatha) Māllīnātha, the 19th Tirthankara at the time of Munisuvrata Dasharatha (father of Rama) Padma/Rama, the 8th Balabhadra Lakshmana, the 8th Vasudeva Madanankusha (son of Rama) Anangalavana (son of Rama) at the time of Naminatha Vijaya (father of Naminatha) Naminatha, the 21st Tirthankara at the time of Parshvanatha Asvasena (father of Parshvanatha) Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara at the time of Mahavira Siddhartha (father of Mahavira) Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara
Rulers
Suryavanshi Kings before Rama
Vaivasvata Manu or Satyavrata or Nabhi Ikshvaku KukshiRamayana, Balakanda,verse 70 or Vikukshi or Śaśāda Bāna or Shakuni Kakutstha or Puranjaya (Purañjaya) or Anaranya I Anena (Anenā) Prithu (Pṛthu) Vishtarashva (Viṣṭarāśva), Visvarandhi, or Viśvagandhi Chandra (Cāndra-yuvanāśva) Yuvanashva I (Yuvanāśva) Shravasta (Śrāvasta) Brihadashva (Bṛhadaśva) Dhundumārashva (Dhundhumārashva) or Kuvalayashva (Kuvalayāśva) Dhreedhashva (Dṛḍhāśva) or Kapilashva (Kapilāśva) or Bhadrashva (Bhadrāśva) Pramoda Haryashva I Nikumbha Baharnashva (Barhaṇāśva) Giritashva Amitashva (Amitāśva) Krishashva (Kṛśāśva) or Akrutashva Prasenajit I Yuvanashva II Mandhata Purukutsa I (or Vasuda) and Muchukunda Ambarisha Trasadasyu Sambhruta Anaranya II Preeshadashva Haryashva II Hastya Sumana Tridhanva Trayyaruni Trishanku or Satyavrata II Harishchandra Rohitashva Harita Chanchu Chakshu or Sudeva Vijaya Ruruka or Brahuka Pratapendra Bruka Sushandhi Bahuka Vrika or Bharata II Bahu or Asita Sagara Amshuman Dilipa I Bhagiratha Suhotra Shruti Kukutsa II Raghu I Nabhaga Ambarisha II Shindhudvipa Ayutayu Pratayu Rituparna Sarvakama I Sudasa Kalmashapada Asmaka (Aśmaka) Mulaka or Sarvakama II Dasharatha I Ilibil or Ananaranya III Vishvamashaha Nidhna Animitra (Anamitra) Duliduh or Mūlaka Dilipa II or Dirghabhahu or Khaṭvāṅga Raghu II Aja Dasharatha II Bharata III Lord Rama
Suryavanshi Kings after Rama
Kusha and Lava Atithi Nishadha Nala II Nabhas Paundrika Kshemadhanva Devanika Ahinagu Ruru Pariyatra Sala Dala Bala Uktha Sahasrasva Para II Chandravaloka Rudraksh Chandragiri Banuchandra Srutayu Uluka Unnabha Vajranabha Sankhana Vyusitasva Visvasaha Hiranyanabha Kausalya Para III Brahmistha Putra Pusya Arthasidhi Dhruvasandhi Sudarsana Agnivarna Sighraga Maru Parsusruta Susandhi Amarsana Mahasvana Sahasvana Visrutvana Visvabhava Visvasahva Nagnajit Brihadbala
See also Hinduism Kosala kingdom Ramayana Rama Ikshvaku Lunar dynasty List of Hindu empires and dynasties List of Jain states and dynasties
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