________________ Tradition of the Vaisali Region 205 Sauvira; Sukega "Magadhi, daughter of Ketuvirya, (i. e., of Ketuvirya of the Eastern Anava dynasty of Anga, Vanga, etc., of which kingdom Magadba with Girivraja was then an integral part); Kekayi' (elder) daughter of the Madra or Kekaya king, Sindhu-virya; another (younger) daughter of the Kekaya king, named Sairandhri; Vapusmati, daughter of the (Anava) king of Sindhu; and Susobhada, daughter of the Cedi King (who was a Yadava at this time, the Pauravas supplanting the Yadavas in the time of Vasu later on). This stress on Aila connexions is significant, as showing how gradually a power that arose amongst the Iksvakus merged into a mainly Aila' dominion. In the next two generations, a *Trtsava' or 'Paurava' element and then a Kausika' one are introduced, thus strengthening the 'Aila' character of Karandbama's line and expending empire. Subsequently, however, this dominion passes into the hands of Angirasa brahmanas--as we shall see later on,-and, in the Vaisali region another local Iksvaku family is established, with the support of Paulastya and Angirasa brabmanis, which lasted till the time of Rama-Dasarthi, when its small territory was absorbed into the growing Kosalan empire. That was "at the end of the Treta age", whilst Karandhama flourished "at the beginning of the Treta age", according to the Epic-Puranic traditionMarutta is said to have had eighteen sons. He seems to have lived to the age of eighty-five years and in old age he retired to "vana-prastha', after anointing 'Narisyanta' or 'Nrsyanta' as his successor. In the Markandeya Purana, which gives Vaisalian history in great detail, comparatively little is said of Narisyanta, excepting (a) details of of his rich sacrificial gifts, which made the brahmanas so rich that in the latter part of his reign he had great difficulty in finding priests who would willingly officiate in his numerous sacrifices, and (b) details of his devoted wife's tragic end in an asrama retreat, when their son, the great King 'Dama' ('Damana') was ruling. The reason seems to be that Narisyanta' was concerned more with expansion in the west, and the south, the south-east than with Vaisali ilself and its Angirasa priesthood (as we shall see presently). We are told in the Puranas (Va. 99, 3-4; Ba. III, 74, 3-4; Mat. 48, 2-3; Br. 13, 144-6; Hv. 32, 1832-4; Vis. IV, 16, 2;) that Marutta-Karandhama of Turvasa lineage adopted Dusyanta', son of Tftsu (or Tamsu) and the Paurava heir, as he had no sons to succeed,--that is fit to succeed, -for the Markandeya Purana says he had eighteen sons. This is very similar to the succession history after Dusyanta's son, Bharata, who too had nine sons, but ultimately adopred a Bharadvaja (Angirasa) brahmana as his successor (the account is given in all the Puranas). Now this Dugyanta was the son of a remarkable lady, called Ilina who was a
