itted by Fate that thou shouldst die in
this way? What an awful sin must have been committed by them, who have
killed thee with hundreds of sharpened shafts, although thou wert an
aged man, and engaged in penances at the time and absolutely averse to
fighting with them. With what face will those shameless persons speak of
this deed of theirs to their friends and servants, _viz_., that they
have slain an unassisted and unresisting virtuous man?"--O protector of
men, thus he, great in penance, bewailed much in a piteous manner, and
then performed the obsequies of his departed sire. And Rama, the
conqueror of hostile cities, cremated his father on the funeral pyre,
and vowed, O scion of Bharata's race, the slaughter of the entire
military caste, and of exceeding strength in the field of battle, and
possessed of valour suited to a heroic soul, and comparable to the god
of death himself, he took up his weapon in wrathful mood, and
singlehanded put Kartavirya's sons to death. And, O chieftain of the
military caste, Rama, the leader of all capable of beating their foes,
thrice smote down all the Kshatriya followers of Kartavirya's sons. And
seven times did that powerful lord exterminate the military tribes of
the earth. In the tract of land, called Samantapanchaka five lakes of
blood were made by him. There the mightiest scion of Bhrigu's race
offered libations to his forefathers--the Bhrigus, and Richika appeared
to him in a visible form, and spake to him words of counsel. Then the
son of Jamadagni of dreaded name, performed a mighty sacrifice and
gratified the lord of the celestials, and bestowed the earth to the
ministering priests. And, O protector of human beings, he raised an
altar made of gold, ten _Vyamas_ in breadth and nine in height, and made
a gift of the same to the magnanimous Kasyapa. Then at Kasyapa's bidding
the Brahmanas divided the altar into a number of shares, and thus they
became reputed as the _Khandavayamas_ (share takers). And the
exterminator of the military race possessed of immense strength,
bestowed the earth upon the high-souled Kasyapa, and then became engaged
in penance of an exceedingly severe form. He now dwells in this
Mahendra, monarch of hills. Thus did hostilities arise between him and
the members of the military caste,--all of 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 th