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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 9: Chapter 20: Verses 19-33
The posterity of Puru and the stories of Dusvanta and Bharata
Sakuntala (the jewel among young women) sought the presence of her (royal) husband (Emperor Dusyanta), taking alongwith her that boy of formidable prowess, born with a minute ray (of the divine essence) of Sri Hari. When the king (Dusyanta) did not accept (as his own) Sakuntala (his wife) and her son, who were (both) irreproachable, an ethereal voice in the heavens spoke (as follows), all living beings listening:- "Mother is but a leathern bag (to hold and develop the seed). The son belongs to his father (alone); nay, he is the same as his father* (of whom he was born). (Therefore,) O Dusyantal havet your son
[1] (and) do not spurn Sakuntala (your wedded wife). A son who procreates (and thus propagates his line) leads (his father) out of the abode of Yama, 0 ruler among men! Sakuntala truly says that you are the procreator of this child."
(as many as) fifty-five horse-sacrifices on the banks of the (holy) Ganga in order of sequence (from the source to the mouth) and seventy-eight sacrifices (lit., he tied seventy-eight holy horses) along the Yamuna in the same order, choosing Dirghatama (the son of Mamata) as his priest and freely gifting (ample) wealth. The sacrificial fire of Bharata, the son of Dusyanta, was set up on an exceedingly excellent (most sacred) site where a thousand Brahmanas divided among themselves cows (gifted by Bharata)-each getting as his share a Badva (thirteen thousand and eighty four*). Having (thus) performed one hundred and thirty-three horse-sacrifices (lit., having tied to the sacrificial post 133 horses) to the (great) wonder of (other) kings, Bharata (the son of Dusyanta) not only overcame the Lord's Maya (the deluding potency) but (also) attained to Lord Sri Hari (the adored of the gods). n the sacrificial function called 'Masnara' Bharata gave away (to the Brahmanas) fourteen •Iakhs of dark elephants of excellent breed with white tusks-all adorned with gold. Neither did kings that have gone by nor will future kings emulate the great example of Bharata any more than one can touch heaven with one's hands. In the course of his conquest of the (four)
Andhras, Kankas, Khasas, Sakas and quarters he crushed all the Kiratas, Hunas, Yavanas,
Mlecchas as well as kings who despised the Brahmanas and the Vedas. He (Further) recovered wives of gods that had been carried away to Rasatala (the sixth subterranean region from above) by the demons, who having conquered the gods in the past had occupied (various) parts of Rasatala. (During his reign) heaven as well as the earth yielded to his subjects all the objects of their desire. (In this way) he held sway
had in all the his f fame (Oven) for thrice nine millenniums. Realizing his sovereignty,
to the guardians of the spheres, imperial fortune, his authority, which was unobstructed
(everywhere), nay, (his) life (itself) to be unreal, the aforesaid emperor withdrew himself from the world.
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