And, O thou of great good fortune, it behoveth thee to tell me
in full the object for which those Maharathas, equal unto the celestials
themselves, were born on earth.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'It hath been heard by us, O monarch, that what thou
askest is a mystery even to the gods. I shall, however, speak of it unto
thee, after bowing down (to the self-born). The son of Jamadagni
(Parasurama), after twenty-one times making the earth bereft of Kshatriyas
wended to that best of mountains Mahendra and there began his ascetic
penances. And at that time when the earth was bereft of Kshatriyas, the
Kshatriya ladies, desirous of offspring, used to come, O monarch, to the
Brahmanas and Brahmanas of rigid vows had connection with them during the
womanly season alone, but never, O king, lustfully and out of season. And
Kshatriya ladies by thousands conceived from such connection with
Brahmanas. Then, O monarch, were born many Kshatriyas of greater energy,
boys and girls, so that the Kshatriya race, might thrive. And thus sprang
the Kshatriya race from Kshatriya ladies by Brahmanas of ascetic penances.
And the new generation, blessed with long life, began to thrive in virtue.
And thus were the four orders having Brahmanas at their head re-
established. And every man at that time went in unto his wife during her
season and never from lust and out of season. And, O bull of the Bharata
race, in the same way, other creatures also, even those born in the race
of birds went in unto their wives during the season alone.
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