Bengali Ramayana - Part 3

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The night of the Yagna, feeling very thirsty the

King himself drank the water. He died. After his

death, teh queen gave birth to a son, whom she named

Mandhata. <br>Mandhata's son was Muchukundu;Muchukundu's

son was Nripavar; Nripavar's son was Ishkvaku.

Ishkavaku's son was Shatavarta;<br>Shatavarta's son was

Aryavarta; Aryavarta's son was Bharata after whom the coutry

was named.<br>Bharata's son was Bhudhar; Bhudhar's

son was Khanda; Khanda's son was Danda. Danda was an

evil king. The people of Ayodhya<br>complained before

Khanda. Khanda banished his son to the forests. Danda

started living in the forests. The forests where he

stayed was<br>later called Dandaranya. Rishi Shukra used

to stay in that forest. Danda started going to the

sage's house to learn the scriptures. Once when the sage

was not home, Danda entered his house and saw the

sage's daughter Ajja. He wanted to marry her. When Ajja

refused, saying he should wait for her father to return,

Danda acted like a barbarian.<br>When the sage

returned, Ajja told him all that happened. The sage cursed

Danda saying you will die childless, you will be the

last child of your dynasty. Thus speaking, the sage

burnt up Danda by the looks of his eyes.<br>After

Khanda's death, the sage Vashishta stared looking after

the throne of Ayodhya. Vashishta started praying - I

am a Rishi, I should not be caught in this. When

will I be freed of all his. A voice in heaven spoke -

Ajja will give birth to a son. Ajja was brought over

to Ayodhyta where she gave birth to a son Navakumar.

When the boy was old enough, Vashishta crowned him

King of Ayodhya.