Word

Pururavas

Sanskrit

पुरूरवस्

IAST

purūravas

In General

Pururavas is an early king found mentioned in Veda, Brahmana, Purana and Itihasa. The predecessors of Pururavas did long tapa and earned the earth wealth and progeney. Pururavas was the first fully human king of the race and thus the first celebrated king of Candravamsa (lunar race).

Genealogy. Descended from Visnu in the following order : Brahma - Atri - Candra – Budha - Pururavas

Veda

Pururavas and Urvasi were found mentioned in R.V. (10.95) and Sathapatha Brahmana.

Purana

Pururavas performed a hundred Asvamedhayagas and lived in glory. Great demons like Kesi became his servants. Urvasi attracted by his beauty became his wife. While he was living like that Dharma, Artha and Kama went in disguise to his palace to test him. He received them all well but paid more attention to Dharma. Artha and Kama got angry and cursed him. Artha cursed him saying that he would be ruined by his greed and Kama cursed him saying he would go mad by being separated from Urvasi. Hearing that Dharma blessed him thus : "You will live long leading a virtuous life. Your race will increase and remain in glory till the end of the moon and the stars. The insanity caused by your passion for Urvasi would end by the end of sixty years. That celestial maiden would remain then with you for one Manvantara."

Once Indra treated Pururavas in svarga for his virtue and valour. While all the celestrial nymph dance in the party, Urvasi attacted to Pururavas made wrong steps. Narada at the function got angry and cursed Urvasi. Urvasi married Pururavas after this incidence but was separated for some duration by the curse of Narada.

Urvasi got eight sons of Pururavas: Ayus, Drdhayus, Vasyayus, Danayus, Vrttiman, Vasu, Divijata and Subahu. Of these, Ayus became the propagator of the dynasty. Nahusa follwed Ayus as the king.

Once Pururavas stole the wealth of some Brahmins. The Brahmins took Sage Sanatkumara along with them and made representations to the king. Pururavas did not give back their wealth even then. The Brahmins then cursed him and as a result the prosperity of the King waned. Then Pururavas brought down from svarga three Agnis and performed a yaga and thus regained his lost splendor and prosperity.

Reference

M.B.