Yudhishthira Asks Markandeya About Kuvalashva
Yudhishthira has just heard that King Kuvalashva of the Ikshvaku lineage was renamed Dhundhumara. He turns to Markandeya and asks: what was the reason? Markandeya agrees to tell the full story.
Vaishampayana said: "O bull among the Bharata lineage! Dharmaraja Yudhishthira again asked Markandeya — the sage without sin, old in his austerities and with a long life.
'O one learned in dharma! You know about the gods, the danavas and the rakshasas, the various lineages of kings and the eternal lineages of the rishis. There is nothing in this world that is unknown to you. You know the celestial stories of men, serpents and rakshasas.
The famous Kuvalashva was born in the unvanquished lineage of the Ikshvakus. I wish to hear the details about why his name was changed to Dhundhumara. O best among the Bhargava lineage! I wish to learn about this. What was the reason why the wise Kuvalashva's name was changed?'"
Markandeya agreed to tell the story. Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 489