*SKANDHA IV. CHAP, 24.*
The eldest son of Prithu was Vijitasva. He was so called for having
restored the sacrificial horse stolen by Indra. Indra taught him the art
of becoming invisible. Hence he was also called Antardhana. He had four
brothers -- Havyaksha, Dhumrakesha, Vrika and Dravinas. To them he gave
the east, the south, the west and the north respectively. By his wife
Sikhandini, Vijitasva had three sons -- Pavaka, Pavamana, and Suchi.
These fire-gods descended by the curse of Vasishtha but the descent was
only temporary. Antardhana had by his other wife Nabhasvati one son,
Havirdhana. Havirdhana had six sons -- Barhishad, Gaya, Sukla, Krishna,
Satya and Jitavrata. Of these, Barhishad was a great votary of Kriya,
(action) and he constantly performed Yajnas. Even while he was
performing one Yajna, the place for another was preparing close by.
Hence he was called Prachina-Barhis. King Prachina-Barhis married
Satadruti, the daughter of the Ocean-god. And he had by her ten sons,
all of whom were called Prachetas. The King ordered his sons to enlarge
the creation. They went out to make Tapas for one thousand years. Narada
came to the King and told him that the way to Mukti was not through
Kriya Kanda. By. performing sacrifices he was only acquiring new karma.
The only way to attain liberation was to know oneself. The Rishi
illustrated his teachings by the famous allegory of Puranjana. The King
heard the story and its explanation from Narada. He did not wait for the
return of his sons. But he called his ministers together and delivered
to them his mandate that his sons were to succeed him on the throne. He
went to the Asrama of Kapila for Tapas and attained liberation.