THE SHUDRAS : THE STORY OF RECONCILIATION 195
a mass of ensanguined mud. Having thus cleared the earth of Kshatriyas he became penetrated by deep compassion and retired to the forest. After some thousands of years had elapsed, the hero, naturally irascible, was taunted by Paravasu, the son of Raibhaya and grandson of Vishvamitra, in a public assembly in these words : ‘Are not these virtuous men, Pratardana and the others, who are assembled at the sacrifice in the city of Yayati— are they not Kshatriyas? Thou hast failed to execute thy threat, and vainly boastest in the assembly. Thou hast withdrawn to the mountain from the fear of those valiant Kshatriyas, while the earth has again become overturn by hundreds of their race,’ Hearing these words, Rama seized the weapons. The hundreds of Kshatriyas who had before been spared had now grown powerful kings. Those, however, Parashurama, now slew with their children, and all the numerous infants then unborn as they came into the world. Some, however, were preserved by their mothers. Having twenty-one times cleared the earth of the Kshatriyas, Rama gave her as a sacrificial fee to Kasyapa at the conclusion of an Ashvamedha.”
After telling the story of the conflict the author of the Mahabharata proceeds to narrate the story of reconciliation in the following terms : [1]
“Having one and twenty times swept away all the Kshatriyas from the earth, the son of Jamadagni engaged in austerities on Mahendra, the most excellent of mountains. After he had cleared the world of Kshatriyas, their widows came to the Brahmins, praying for offspring. The religious Brahmins, free from any impulse of lust, cohabited at the proper seasons with these women, who in consequence became pregnant, and brought forth valiant Kshatriya boys and girls, to continue the Kshatriya stock. Thus was the Kshatriya race virtuously begotten by Brahmins on Kshatriya women and became multiplied and long-lived. Thence there arose four castes inferior to the Brahmins.”
The above instances of conflicts and conciliations between Brahmins and Kshatriyas do not relate to those Kshatriya kings who have figured in history as having declared war on the Brahmins. To turn to instances of their [2] stories of reconciliation with the Brahmins the first is that of Kalmashapada. He is said to be the son of Sudas. [3] The story is given in the Adiparvan of the Mahabharata. [4] That part of the story which narrates the enmity between Kalmashapada and Vasishtha has already been recounted. [5] The part of the story which deals with reconciliation runs as follows :
“After roaming about over many mountains and countries, he (Vasishtha) was
followed home by his daughter-in-law Adrisyanti, Shaktri’s [6] widow, from whose
Muir, Vol. I, pp. 451-452
I am not sure that the kings mentioned in the episodes which follow are the same as those mentioned in Chapter IX. I refer to them because they belong to the Ikshvaku family.
I am not sure which Sudas he is. From the details he seems to be Paijavana Sudas.
Muir, Vol. I, pp. 415-418.
See Chapter 9.
This is probably a mistake for Shakti.