Khanitra

The Markandeya Purana affirms that Khanitra is the brother of Khaninetra. The two brothers were the descendants of Nedishtha.

It is said that the priests of the royal family conspired against Khanitra, and were put to death by his ministers. According to a legend, Khaninetra was preparing the Yajna. Then suddenly the people present at the oblation site were shocked to see the dead bodies of Vishwavedi and the four priests. When Khanitra got this news, he too was shocked. Khanitra went to Vasishtha and asked him the reason about the deaths of his brother`s minister and the four priests. Vasishtha exposed the plot hatched by Vishwavedi to kill Khanitra.

Khanitra hearing this was brokenhearted. Dejected he said that it is disgraceful that he is the cause of the death of the Brahmins. If he was not born as a human being then the priests would not have died. He considered himself to be the real offender.

The repentant Khanitra decided to abandon his kingdom and go to the forest. He decided to perform reparation so that, he could get liberated from the grave sins of causing death to the Brahmins. He went to the forest accompanied by his three queens after appointing his son Kshup as the king. For more than three hundred and fifty years Khanitra meditated and after that, he died because of his bad health. All the three queens died too and went to heaven along with him.

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