About
Ruruka (Bharuka) — Son of Vijaya, King of Ayodhya, Solar Dynasty
Ruruka · Ruruk · Bharuka · Bhāruka · Kuruka · Vijaya-putra · Vrika-pita · Ikshvaku-vamsha-nripa
Ruruka — also written Bharuka (the form used by the user and by the Booksfact source), Ruruk, and Kuruka in different manuscript traditions — is the son of Vijaya and the father of Vrika; a king of the Ikshvaku Solar Dynasty of Ayodhya. He is confirmed in the Garuda Purana (Chapter 138), the Bhagavata Purana, the Vishnu Purana, and the Bhavishya Purana. The Bhavishya Purana describes all the kings from Harita through Ruruka as devotees of Vishnu with very large armies, in whose kingdoms prosperity and dharma flourished at the level of the Satya Yuga — the tradition's highest characterisation of a reign's quality. The Garuda Purana uses the name Ruruk; the Vishnu Purana uses Ruruka; the Booksfact source uses Bharuk; the Wikipedia Solar Dynasty article records him as Ruruka or Brahuka — all variant spellings of the same figure. No primary source records any personal episode.
✦ The Name
The Sanskrit name Ruruka is a diminutive or extended form of ruru — the name of a specific type of spotted deer or antelope sacred in the Vedic tradition and associated with the moon. Bharuka — the alternate name — derives from bhr (to bear, to carry, to support) and means the bearer, the supporter. The two names may reflect different manuscript traditions preserving either the personal name or an epithet of the same king.
✦ Lineage
- Father: Vijaya
- Son: Vrika
- Position in Solar Dynasty: Chanchu → Sudeva → Vijaya → Ruruka/Bharuka → Vrika → Bahu/Bahuda → Sagara
✦ References
- Garuda Purana (Chapter 138); Bhagavata Purana (Canto 9, Chapter 7); Vishnu Purana (Book 4, Chapter 3); Bhavishya Purana (Pratisarga Parva)
- Wikipedia — Solar Dynasty; Booksfact.com — Lord Rama Lineage; Wisdomlib — Garuda Purana Chapter 138