Ikshvaku


In ancient India, Ikshvaku, one of the ten sons of Shraddhadeva Manu, was the first king of the Ikshvaku dynasty, known as the "Suryavansha", and the kingdom of Kosala in ancient India. According to the Vishnu Purana, he had a hundred sons, among whom the eldest was Vikukshi. Ikshvaku's another son, named Nimi, founded the Kingdom of the Videhas.
Lord Rama belonged to the Suryavansha or Ikshvaku dynasty.

Origin

King Ikshvaku was the son of Satyavrata also called Shraddhadeva Manu, the king of Dravida kingdom. According to the Vedas, Ikshvaku was the protector of the five territories of Panchajanah who were non-sacrificing pre-Aryan and non-Aryan people. The Atharvaveda and Brahmanas associate the Ikshvakus with the non-Aryan people, that is they are different from the Vedic Aryans who composed hymns like the Rig Veda. F. E. Pargiter has equated the Ikshvakus with the Dravidian peoples.

In Bhagavatha Purana

Ikshvaku and his ancestor Manu are mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana,

Citations