Chapter 68 - The Sea Recedes

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-3. Then those hunters carefully carried the blood taken out from the Haihayas to the place where the pit was dug for offering libations to the Pitṛs.

Bhārgava too after killing him (i.e. Sahasrārjuna) collected the entire blood and sent it to the place where the pit connected with his father was present.

Bhārgava did not spare any Kṣatriya whether a child, young man or an old man. In particular he did not leave off even a child in womb.

4. He killed the kings himself and others also on their sides. He caused the death of the soldiers as well in the height of his anger.

5. He eagerly collected the blood and made his attendants collect too. Then he used to send it through them to that place.

6. Thus the scion of the family of Bhṛgu made the entire earth devoid of Kṣatriyas. Thereafter he went to the holy spot of Hāṭakeśvara.

7. He took his bath in blood. He took up a large quantity of gingelly seeds and offered the libation pouring it anticlockwise.

8. In the presence of all Brāhmaṇas and other ascetics, he did thus and fulfilled his vow. Thus he became free from grief.

9. In the world thus deprived of Kṣatriyas he performed a horse-sacrifice and gifted away the entire earth to Brāhmaṇas along with monetary gifts.

10. After receiving all those excellent gifts the Brāhmaṇas to the most excellent scion of the family of Bhṛgu: “You cannot stay in our land because it has been laid down in the Smṛtis that there can be only one king.”

11-12. Highly delighted he said, “So be it.” Then he went to the end of the land and told the Ocean after stringing his very big bow and fitting an Āgneya missile (missile the deity of which is Fire-god) to it. He knitted his brows in great fury:

Rāma said:

13. The earth consisting of mountains and forests was rendered devoid of Kṣatriyas. Thereafter in the great horse-sacrifice, it was gifted to Brāhmaṇas.

14. After gifting the earth to the Brāhmaṇas I will not take it back from them. Hence you recede and give me some space of land.

15. In case, O Lord of rivers, you do not act according to my direction now, I will dry you up by means of the fire-missile and convert you into a piece of land (i.e. completely devoid of water).

Sūta said:

16. On hearing his words, the Ocean became frightened. He receded as far as he desired that he should.^[1]

17. The scion of the family of Bhṛgu made his residence there performing penances (though) he continued to remember the murder of his father.

18. Then Bhārgava made all the Pulindas, Śabaras and Medas inhabit the mountains at the frontier of the earth.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The strip of land to the west of the Western Ghats from Gujarat to the southern end of Kerala is regarded as the land won from the sea: A mythological explanation of a geological phenomenon.