MAARKANDEYA presents MAHAABHAARATHAM

( the D in the beginning of this name is pronounced like 'th' in 'brother'. The SH is pronounced like 'sh' in 'she'. The N is pronounced like 'n' in 'on'. The TH is pronounced like 'th' in 'with'.)

-: Also see BHARATHA :- Dushyantha was one of the ancestors of the kouravas and paandavas. He was father of the celebrated Bharatha after whom his lineage were known as bhaarathas.

Dushyantha once went to a forest on hunting and there he happened to visit sage Kanva's hermitage. The sage was not at home and his foster daughter Shakunthala offered him hospitality.

dushyantha enquired about her and learnt that she was daughter of Vishvaamithra and Menka but was brought up by Kanva. Dushyantha expressed his wish to marry her but she agreed to marry him only if he promised that their son would succeed to the throne. The king agreed and married her through gaandharva system of marriage. After spending a few weeks there, he left for home telling her that he would be sending for her soon after going to the capital. But he did not send any one for her.

Kanva returned after a few weeks and learnt that Shakunthala married Dushyantha and that she was pregnant too. Shakunthala delivered a male baby after three years. The boy grew up to be strong and naughty. He would drag all the animals in the forest and fasten them to the trees in the hermitage. All the sages fondly called him Sarvadamana ( sarva=all,damana=tamer ).

Kanva thought that it was improper for a married woman to live in the parental abode,away from her husband for unduely long period and sent Shakunthala to Dushyantha, with the companionship of his disciples. When Shakunthala saw the king not enthusiastic about her coming, she felt inconvenient and feared his illfeelings. Still, she reminded to the king about their marriage that had happened at the forest and prayed him to receive her and the son. Dushyantha outright rejected her words denying his contact with her before, despite her elaborate efforts to convince him. When she had no other way but to leave , the divine voice from the heaven declared before everybody that she was saying truth and the king should take care of the son. Dushyantha was only happy about it and explained to his courtiers that he was to say so to avoid public scandal because the incident was unknown to the world and it might have caused a scandal on his character if he had readily accepted her, as nobody might believe that his marriage with her was a fact. As the divine voice ordained Dushyantha to 'take care' of the son, the boy was known as Bharatha (bhara= take care). Dushyantha received Shakunthala and Bharatha affectionately . ( The famous drama Abhignanashaakunthalam - Of shakunthala and her acknowledgement - by Kaalidaas deals this story with a lot of poetic fancy and twists. That is a must-be-read to any person of literary interest.)

Bharatha succeeded his father and ruled for long, performing many sacrifices with huge gifts to the conductors and participants.

It was after this Bharatha's name that his entire race was later known as 'bhaarathas'(=descendents of Bharatha). Many people confused that our country got its name after this Bharatha ( as bhaaratham). That is a mistake. Our country's name comes from a very ancient ruler, also named Bharatha, but son of Rishabha. And there was a person named Bharatha in the Raamaayanam too, Raama's half-brother. Still more, there was yet another Bharatha , the composer of 'Naatyashaashtram'(The science of dance). Not to end the list, there was a different Bharatha, a sage of ancient times.The reader should not confuse with the similar names of different people of different ages of different places.

"After praying to Naaraayana, Nara, Sarasvathi and Vyaasa, then one should read the Jayam."