And the treasure was seen by all
those bulls among Kshatriyas who had been there. Enraged at what they
regarded as the deceitful behaviour of the Bhrigus, the Kshatriyas
insulted the Brahmanas, though the latter asked for mercy. And those
mighty bowmen began to slaughter the Bhrigus with their sharp arrows. And
the Kshatriyas wandered over the earth, slaughtering even the embryos that
were in the wombs of the women of the Bhrigu race. And while the Bhrigu
race was thus being exterminated, the women of that tribe fled from fear
to the inaccessible mountains of Himavat. And one amongst these women, of
tapering thighs, desiring to perpetuate her husband's race, held in one of
her thighs an embryo endued with great energy. A certain Brahmana woman,
however, who came to know this fact, went from fear unto the Kshatriyas
and reported the matter unto them. And the Kshatriyas then went to destroy
that embryo. Arrived at the place, they beheld the would-be mother blazing
with inborn energy, and the child that was in her thigh came out tearing
up the thigh and dazzling the eyes of those Kshatriyas like the midday sun.
Thus deprived of their eyes, the Kshatriyas began to wander over those
inaccessible mountains. And distressed at the loss of sight, the princes
were afflicted with woe, and desirous of regaining the use of their eyes
they resolved to seek the protection of that faultless woman. Then those
Kshatriyas, afflicted with sorrow, and from loss of sight like unto a fire
that hath gone out, addressed with anxious hearts that illustrious lady,
saying, 'By thy grace.
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