________________ 208 Homage to Vaisali ancestor, being his daughter' pot literally, but in the sense of being directly descended from him). He had to abide for nine years with his mother at her birth-place before being born' (that is before being regarded as 'awfully born unto, taken into, and accepted by his father's family). He was trained in the military sciences in the 'Danava' asrama of Vrsaparva in the Himalayan region, not far from Kailasa---known to Mahabharata) and in the 'Daitya' asrama of Dundubhi, called Tapovana (where his ancestor Yayati retired of old; Vis. Pur.). He learned the Vedas and Angas from Saktri-Vasistba's asrama (probably at Vadarika), and religious devotion from Rajarsi Arstisena'si asrama (near Mount Gandbamadada in the Himalayan region). Thus Dama' received a mainly *Himalayan' training, associated with Dapava's and 'Daitya's, with whose chief ruling and priestly families the Ailas or Pauravas before Dusyanta had many matrimonial and other relations. Dusyanta himself is some times referred to in tradition as a Danava'; the appellations 'Danava', Daitya', and 'Asura' are given in tradition to a number of Paurava, Anava, and Yadava kings (all Ailas with Danava blood). Probably such *Daitya' and 'Danava' training and tradition account for the ferocity which, according to the Markandeya narrative, characterised Damana (Bharata), and which is further borne out by general Puranic traditions, regarding his slaughter of his own sons (as we shall see later on). It is clear from the above account, based on the Markandeya Purana, that it is Bharata-Dausyanti, the son of Sakuntala (daughter of a Kausika in Visvamitra's line), who is spoken of, along with his parents. So it seems "Sakuntala' was his mother's nick-name or asrama' name (given by her foster-father, as is well-known),--while her 'regal name' as empress of Dusyanta (or Nlsyanta) was Indrasena. To proceed with the Markandeya account : The Dasarna King Caru-karman's daughter, Sumana, chose Dama' at a 'svayamvara'. The Mababbarata also says that Bharata-Damana's wife was the Dasarna princess Sumana: this confirms the conclusion stated above. Of the assembled princes at that 'svayamvara', the Madra king's powerful son, Mahanada, and the Vidarbha king Samkrandana's son, the intelligent warrior-prince Vapusmat of Kundina--the Vidarbha capital-in 1. Not the Arstisena of later times known Mababharata king-lists. 2. Thus Puru himself, an ancestor of Dusyanta, was daughter's son of Vrsa-parvan-Dapava, in whose 'asrama' (endowed college) Dusyanta was educated.
