Clad in armor, sword in hand, bearing bow and arrows, and riding his chariot, Kārtavīrya Arjuna moved across the seven continents, his presence visible to all, empowered by his yogic might. Under his righteous rule, his subjects enjoyed prosperity—there was no loss of wealth, no sorrow, nor confusion, for the great king protected them with unwavering power and virtue. Arjuna rose as the emperor, the universal sovereign, possessor of all jewels. Yet, he was also a herdsman and a field-guard, fulfilling every role with dignity. Through his yogic powers, he became like Parjanya, the rain-giver, and like Arjuna himself, his thousand arms hardened by the bowstring. He shone with a thousand rays, radiant as the autumn sun; among the people of Mahishmati, his greatness was likened to a serpent among men. He conquered the sons of Karkotaka and settled them in his city. With extraordinary power, he checked the force of the ocean during the rainy season. As if in sport, he turned back a river swollen by his mighty arms, reversing its current, and plundered it for villages along its banks. The Narmada, with thousands of surging waves, trembled as he hurled the great ocean with his thousand arms. The great serpents of the netherworld, terrified and motionless, hid themselves as Arjuna churned the ocean, scattering enormous waves, moving fish, and mighty whales. The king set the waters in motion, masses of foam struck by the wind, agitated by whirlpools, all stirred by his thousand arms. Like Mandara Mountain cast into the Ocean of Milk by gods and demons, the creatures were shaken and fearful, suspecting the birth of nectar. Suddenly, upon seeing the mighty, supreme king, the great serpents sprang up, bowing their unmoving heads in terror. In the evening, like plantain trunks shaken by the wind, Arjuna strung his bow and swiftly shot five arrows. He bewildered Ravana, lord of Lanka, and his army, overpowering and subduing him by force, binding Ravana in Mahishmati. When Pulastya, hearing that his descendant Ravana had been bound by Arjuna, came to see him, Arjuna released Ravana at Pulastya’s request. Ravana, whose thousand arms once resounded with the twang of the bowstring, was thus freed. At the end of an age, Bhargava’s might—like clouds bursting or thunder cracking—severed Arjuna’s strength in battle. Once, Citrabhanu, parched with thirst, begged Arjuna, the king of a thousand arms, for alms. The hero generously granted him seven islands, the ancient cities of Agni, villages, hamlets, and all his territories. Citrabhanu burned all those lands, desiring to consume them, but it was only by the power of that great-souled lord of men. He burned the mountains and forests of Kartavirya, and the beautiful, deserted hermitage of Varuna’s own son. Fearing greatly, Citrabhanu burned that Haihaya; Varuna had once obtained him as a son, the most radiant. At that very place, the sage Vasiṣṭha, also called Āpava, angered by Arjuna’s deeds, pronounced a curse upon him: “O Haihaya, because you did not spare this forest of mine, you have performed a terrible deed; another will slay you. A mighty-armed Rāma, son of Jamadagni, renowned for his power, will cut off your thousand arms and destroy you with force. A Brahmin ascetic, that Bhārgava, will slay you; whose wealth was never lost, who conquered his foes.” Thus, by the majesty of that king, who protected his people with righteousness, his death came to him by the curse of the great sage. In his lifetime, Arjuna chose a boon for himself: he had a hundred sons, of whom five remained—Śūrasena, Śūra, Vṛṣaṇa, Madhupadhvaja, and Jayadhvaja. These sons were skilled in weapons, strong, courageous, righteous, and renowned. Jayadhvaja, a great king of the Avanti region and son of Kārtavīrya, was powerful and mighty. His own son was Tāla-jaṅgha, of great strength, whose hundred sons became famous as the Tāla-jaṅghas. Among their lineage were the Haihayas of great soul: Vītihotras, Sujātas, Bhojas, and Avantis are remembered, as are the Tauṇḍikeras and Tāla-jaṅghas. The Bharatas and Sujātas, though many, are not all named. Vṛṣa and others were virtuous Yādavas; Vṛṣa was the bearer of the lineage, and his son was Madhu. Madhu had a hundred sons, and Vṛṣaṇa established the lineage. From Vṛṣaṇa came all the Vṛṣṇis, and from Madhu, those known as Mādhavas. The Yādavas are called by the name of Yadu, and the Haihayas likewise; Arjuna would not lose his wealth, and what was lost he would recover. Whoever narrates the birth of Kārtavīrya daily, knows the five lineages of Yayāti’s sons: these heroes sustain the worlds, both stationary and moving. The king who knows righteousness and wealth, having heard of these five origins, becomes master over his five sons and lord as well. Such a king attains five rare worldly boons: long life, fame, sons, prosperity, and glory.