Once, in the ancient line of kings, there was born a remarkable ruler blessed with a thousand arms. He became sovereign over the seven islands of the earth, and for ten thousand years, he dedicated himself to intense austerities. With steadfast devotion, he worshipped Dattātreya, the divine sage born of Kārtavīrya’s lineage. Pleased with his devotion, Dattātreya, the supreme being, appeared before him and granted him four boons. The king, wise and resolute, first requested a thousand arms. He also asked for the removal of fear, even when contemplating actions that strayed from righteousness. He wished for the power to conquer the earth through battle, to gain strength through righteousness, and, in the midst of war, to possess the ability to vanquish even those greater than himself. By the grace of these boons, the king conquered the earth with its seven islands and myriad cities, all encircled by the seven oceans, fulfilling his duty as a kṣatriya. To this noble soul, a thousand arms were manifest, and his sacrifices were renowned for their generosity. Every sacrificial post and altar was fashioned from gold, and the gods themselves descended in their radiant chariots to witness these splendid rites. Gandharvas and Apsarases were ever in his presence, and at his grand sacrifices, the celestial sage Nārada sang hymns in praise. Through his sacrifices, gifts, austerities, valor, and learning, he traversed the seven continents with the swiftness of the wind. This king’s reign extended for eighty-five thousand years, and he became the undisputed emperor of the earth, protector of cattle and fields, and through his union with the nourishing rains, he was likened to Arjuna and the rain-god Parjanya. His thousand arms, hardened by the bowstring, radiated brilliance like the autumn sun’s thousand rays. In the city of Māhiṣmatī, he stood as a force as mighty as the ocean in the monsoon. Delighting in his own strength, he played amidst the surging currents, the waves adorned with foam, all subdued by his power. The sacred river Narmadā, her waves frowning, approached him with caution, for he alone among the descendants of Manu plunged into the great ocean’s depths. With his thousand arms, he churned the waters, pleasing his beloved, and the ocean itself was agitated by his might. In the netherworld, the great demons became motionless, terrified by the stirring of his powerful thighs, fearing the emergence of nectar. Even the great serpents bowed their heads in awe, and this mighty archer hurled his arrows at Rāvaṇa, lord of Laṅkā. With his bow, he confounded Rāvaṇa, overwhelming him and his forces with just five arrows. Having conquered and bound Rāvaṇa, he brought him to Māhiṣmatī and imprisoned him there. It was then that I approached the king, appeasing him, and thus he released my grandson, forging a bond of friendship. The sound of his thousand-armed bowstring thundered, echoing like the crackling fire at the end of an age, until fate intervened when Bhārgava severed it. In battle, his thousand arms fell like groves of golden palms, for it was the sage Vasiṣṭha, enraged, who cursed him: “Because you burned my forest, O Haihaya, your infamous deed will be punished. Another, a powerful ascetic brāhmaṇa, Bhārgava, will cut off your thousand arms and slay you.” Thus, by the curse of the wise, Rāma became his slayer. This king had a hundred sons, five of whom were great chariot-warriors: Śūrasena, Śūra, Dhṛṣṭa, Kṛṣṇa, and Jayaddhvaja, the chief among them and lord of Rasā. Jayaddhvaja’s son was Tālajaṅgha, a warrior of immense might, whose own sons, counted in the hundreds, became known as the Tālajaṅghas. Among these arose five great lineages of the noble Haihayas: the Vītihotras, Bhojas, Avantis, and the valiant Tuṇḍikeras, all renowned as the Tālajaṅghas. From Vītihotra’s line came Ananta, famed for his strength, and his son was Durjaya, subduer of foes. With integrity, this great king ruled his people by righteousness—Kārtavīryārjuna, the thousand-armed monarch. With his bow, he conquered the earth up to the ocean’s edge. Whoever recites his name at dawn shall not suffer loss of wealth, and what is lost will be restored; whoever recounts the birth of wise Kārtavīrya is honored in heaven as one who has performed sacrifices and bestowed gifts. Pulastya then spoke, “O king, hear now of the noble lineage of Kroṣṭu, from whom was born Viṣṇu, foremost among the Vṛṣṇis. Kroṣṭu’s son was the illustrious Vṛjinīvān, whose son was Svāti, followed by Kuśaṃku. Kuśaṃku’s son was Citraratha, who became known as Śaśabindu, a universal emperor. Of him it is sung that he had a hundred sons, and each of them fathered a hundred sons. These princes were wise, beautiful, and resplendent with wealth and glory. Among the hundred chiefs, the Pṛthus were mighty—Pṛthuśravā, Pṛthuyaśas, Pṛthutejas, Pṛthūdbhava, and Pṛthukīrti—kings descended from Pṛthumat, the Śaśabindus.