Son and successor of King Disampati. On the death of his father Reṇu, with the advice and co operation of his chief steward (Mahāgovinda) Jotipāla, who was also his great friend, divided his kingdom into seven parts and shared it with his friends — Sattabhu, Brahmadatta, Vessabhu, Bharata, and the two Dhaṭaraṭṭhas.

The seven divisions of the kingdom were called Kāliṅga, Assaka, Avanti, Sovīra, Videha, Aṅga, and Kāsi; their capitals were, respectively, Dantapura, Potana, Māhissati, Roruka, Mithilā, Campā and Bārāṇasī. Reṇu himself occupied the central kingdom. A ii.228-36; Reṇu probably reigned in Bārāṇasī, though the account given in the Mahāgovinda Sutta does not make it clear which was his kingdom; see Dial.ii.270 n; also Mtu.iii.197-209; and Reṇu (2).