Kshatriyas wandered over the earth, slaughtering even the embryos that were in the wombs of the women of the Bhrigu race.  And while the Bhrigu race was thus being exterminated, the women of that tribe fled from fear to the inaccessible mountains of Himavat.  And one amongst these women, of tapering thighs, desiring to perpetuate her husband’s race, held in one of her thighs an embryo endued with great energy.  A certain Brahmana woman, however, who came to know this fact, went from fear unto the Kshatriyas and reported the matter unto them.  And the Kshatriyas then went to destroy that embryo.  Arrived at the place, they beheld the would-be mother blazing with inborn energy, and the child that was in her thigh came out tearing up the thigh and dazzling the eyes of those Kshatriyas like the midday sun.  Thus deprived of their eyes, the Kshatriyas began to wander over those inaccessible mountains.  And distressed at the loss of sight, the princes were afflicted with woe, and desirous of regaining the use of their eyes they resolved to seek the protection of that faultless woman.  Then those Kshatriyas, afflicted with sorrow, and from loss of sight like unto a fire that hath gone out, addressed with anxious hearts that illustrious lady, saying, ’By thy grace.  O lady, we wish to be restored to sight.  We shall then return to our homes all together and abstain for ever from our sinful practice.  O handsome one, it behoveth thee with thy child to show us mercy.  It behoveth thee to favour these kings by granting them their eye-sight.’”

SECTION CLXXXI

(Chaitraratha Parva continued)

“Vasishtha continued, ’The Brahmana lady, thus addressed by them, said, ’Ye children, I have not robbed you of your eye-sight, nor am I angry with you.  This child, however, of the Bhrigu race hath certainly been angry with you.  There is little doubt, ye children, that ye have been robbed of your sight by that illustrious child whose wrath hath been kindled at the remembrance of the slaughter of his race.  Ye children, while ye were destroying even the embryos of the Bhrigu race, this child was held by me in my thigh for a hundred years!  And in order that the prosperity of Bhrigu’s race might be restored, the entire Vedas with their branches came unto this one even while he was in the womb.  It is plain that this scion of the Bhrigu race, enraged at the slaughter of his fathers, desireth to slay you!  It is by his celestial energy that your eyes have been scorched.  Therefore, ye children, pray ye unto this my excellent child born of my thigh.  Propitiated by your homage he may restore your eye-sight.’