Chapter 117

“Rama said, ‘The blame is mine, O father, that like a stag in the wood,thou hast been shot dead with arrows, by those mean and stupidwretches–the sons of Kartavirya. And O father, virtuous and unswervingfrom the path of righteousness and inoffensive to all animated beings asthou wert, how came it to be permitted by Fate that thou shouldst die inthis way? What an awful sin must have been committed by them, who havekilled thee with hundreds of sharpened shafts, although thou wert an agedman, and engaged in penances at the time and absolutely averse tofighting with them. With what face will those shameless persons speak ofthis deed of theirs to their friends and servants, viz., that they haveslain an unassisted and unresisting virtuous man?–O protector of men,thus he, great in penance, bewailed much in a piteous manner, and thenperformed the obsequies of his departed sire. And Rama, the conqueror ofhostile cities, cremated his father on the funeral pyre, and vowed, Oscion of Bharata’s race, the slaughter of the entire military caste, andof exceeding strength in the field of battle, and possessed of valoursuited to a heroic soul, and comparable to the god of death himself, hetook up his weapon in wrathful mood, and singlehanded put Kartavirya’ssons to death. And, O chieftain of the military caste, Rama, the leaderof all capable of beating their foes, thrice smote down all theKashatriya followers of Kartavirya’s sons. And seven times did thatpowerful lord exterminate the military tribes of the earth. In the tractof land, called Samantapanchaka five lakes of blood were made by him.There the mightiest scion of Bhrigu’s race offered libations to hisforefathers–the Bhrigus, and Richika appeared to him in a visible form,and spake to him words of counsel. Then the son of Jamadagni of dreadedname, performed a mighty sacrifice and gratified the lord of thecelestials, and bestowed the earth to the ministering priests. And, Oprotector of human beings, he raised an altar made of gold, ten Vyamas inbreadth and nine in height, and made a gift of the same to themagnanimous Kasyapa. Then at Kasyapa’s bidding the Brahamanas divided thealtar into a number of shares, and thus they became reputed as theKhandavayamas (share takers). And the exterminator of the military racepossessed of immense strength, bestowed the earth upon the high-souledKasyapa, and then became engaged in penance of an exceedingly severeform. He now dwells in this Mahendra, monarch of hills. Thus didhostilities arise between him and the members of the military caste,–allof them who dwell on this earth; and Rama, endowed with immense strength,in this way subdued the entire world.’

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then on the fourteenth day of the moon, themighty-souled Rama at the proper hour showed himself to those members ofthe priestly caste and also to the virtuous king (Yudhishthira) and hisyounger brothers. And, O king of kings, the lord together with hisbrothers, worshipped Rama, and, O most righteous of the rulers of men,the very highest honours were paid by him to all those members of thetwice-born class. And after worshipping Jamadagni’s son and havingreceived words of praise from him, at his direction he spent the night onthe Mahendra hill, and then started on his journey towards the southernregions.'”