A famous Chandravanshi king.

Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma- Atri – Chandra – Budha – Pururavas – Ayus – Nahusha – Yayati – Anudruhyu – Sabhanara – Kalanara – Srijjaya – Ushinara.

Ushinara was the father of Shibi and Vena.

Once the ashtavasus reached Vasishta’s hermitage with their wives. The wife of Dyova liked Vasishta’s cow Nandini, and she wanted to gift it to Ushinara’s daughter, who was her dear friend. To please her, her husband carried it away along with its calf. Later, after failing to find the calf nearby, Vasishta used his divine vision to locate it. Having found out what had happened, he cursed that the vasus would be born as humans. That is how the ashtavasus were born to Ganga and Shantanu, as per Devibhagavata Dwitiyaskanda.

Once Indra and Agni decided to test the emperor Ushinara’s generosity. Indra took the form of an eagle, and Agni, a dove. The dove fell into the lap of Ushinara, as he was conducting a yajna. The eagle followed him, and began a debate with Ushinara.

“You call yourself generous, and you take away my food?”

‘The dove has sought refuge in me. It is my duty to save it. If it is food you require, I will provide it.”, Ushinara replied.

But though he promised his entire kingdom to the eagle, it wouldn’t agree. Finally, it said it would accept on condition that an equal amount of flesh (to the dove’s weight) was given from Ushinara’s body. Ushinara immediately cut some flesh and placed it on the scales. But it couldn’t match the dove’s weight. Ushinara kept on adding flesh, but the result was the same. Finally he himself stood on the scales. As per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 131,  on seeing this, Indra and Agni reverted to their original form, blessed the emperor and took him along with them, to the heavens. A similar tale is told of Shibi too.

Ushinara gave Galava 200 horses to marry Madhavi.

A king called Shunaka gifted Ushinara a sword as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 166 verse 79.

Ushinara became as prestigious as Indra after conducting a yajna on the banks of the Vitasta as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 130 verses 20-21.

Ushinara attained swargaloka by giving away cows as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 76 verse 25.