SECTION –CXVII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva Continued)
"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 stupid wretches--the sons of Kartavirya. And O father, virtuous and
unswerving from the path of righteousness and inoffensive to all animated
beings as thou wert, how came it to be permitted 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 Kashatriya 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 Brahamanas 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 the moon, the mighty-souled Rama at the proper hour showed himself to
those members of the priestly caste and also to the virtuous king
(Yudhishthira) and his younger brothers. And, O king of kings, the lord
together with his brothers, worshipped Rama, and, O most righteous of the
rulers of men, the very highest honours were paid by him to all those members
of the twice-born class. And after worshipping Jamadagni's son and having
received words of praise from him, at his direction he spent the night on the
Mahendra hill, and then started on his journey towards the southern
regions.'"
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