of armour and weapons, the vast plain looked like the drinking garden of the Destroyer himself used and abandoned recently.  The mighty car-warriors quickly proceeded, viewing the field of battle haunted by crowds of spirits and thronged with Rakshasas.  While proceeding, the mighty-armed Kesava, that delighter of all the Yadavas, spoke unto Yudhishthira about the prowess of Jamadagni’s son, ’Yonder, at a distance, O Partha, are seen the five lakes of Rama!  There Rama offered oblations of Kshatriya blood unto the manes of his ancestors.  It was hither that the puissant Rama, having freed the earth of Kshatriya for thrice seven times, gave up his task.”

“Yudhishthira said,—­’I have great doubts in what thou sayest about Rama’s having thrice seven times exterminated the Kshatriyas in days of old.  When the very Kshatriya seed was burnt by Rama, O bull among the Yadus, how was the Kshatriya order revived, O thou of immeasurable prowess?  How, O bull of the Yadus, was the Kshatriya order exterminated by the illustrious and high-souled Rama, and how did it again grow?  In frightful car-encounters millions of Kshatriyas were slain.  The earth, O foremost of eloquent men, was strewn with the corpses of Kshatriyas.  For what reason was the Kshatriya order thus exterminated in days of yore by Rama, the high-souled descendant of Bhrigu, O tiger among the Yadus?  O thou of Vrishni’s race, remove this doubt of mine, O bird-bannered hero!  O Krishna, O younger brother of Baladeva, the highest knowledge is from thee.’”

Vaisampayana said,—­“The puissant elder brother of Gada then narrated unto Yudhishthira of incomparable prowess everything that happened, in full detail, as to how the earth had become filled with Kshatriyas.”

SECTION L

“Vasudeva said, ’Listen, O son of Kunti, to the story of Rama’s energy and powers and birth as heard by me from great Rishis discoursing upon the subject.  Listen to the story of how millions of Kshatriyas were slain by Jamadagni’s son and how those that sprung again in the diverse royal. races in Bharata were again slaughtered.  Jadu had a son named Rajas.  Rajas had a son named Valakaswa.  King Valakaswa had a son named Kusika of righteous behaviour.  Resembling the thousand-eyed Indra on earth, Kusika underwent the austerest of penances from desire of attaining the chief of the three worlds for a son.  Beholding him engaged in the austerest of penances and competent to beget a son, the thousand-eyed Purandara himself inspired the king (with his force).  The great lord of the three worlds, the chastiser of Paka, O king, then became Kusika’s son known by the name of Gadhi.  Gadhi had a daughter, O monarch, of the name of Satyavati.  The puissant Gadhi gave her (for wife) unto Richika, a descendant of Bhrigu.  Her lord of Bhrigu’s race, O delighter of the Kurus, became highly gratified with her for the purity of her behaviour.  He cooked the sacrificial food consisting of milk and