In ancient times, among the noble kṣatriya clans, there were three thousand mighty warriors, each accompanied by their followers. Among them was Nabhāga, the powerful heir of Nabhaga. Nabhāga’s lineage continued with his son Ambarīṣa, whose own son was Virūpa. Virūpa’s son was Pṛṣadaśva, and his son, Rathītara, carried the family forward. Though born as kṣatriyas, these descendants were also remembered as belonging to the sage Aṅgiras’ line; the Rathītaras, foremost among them, were brāhmaṇas with kṣatriya heritage. From Kṣuvata, the eldest son of Manu, Ikṣvāku was born—a king renowned for his generosity and blessed with a hundred sons. Among Ikṣvāku’s sons, Vikukṣi was the eldest, followed by Nemi and Daṇḍa. Fifty more sons, led by Śakuni, completed his family. Forty-eight kings guarded the southern region, while twenty of the foremost protectors watched over the southern lands. Ikṣvāku entrusted Vikukṣi with the sacred duty of performing the Ashtaka ceremony for their ancestors. Ikṣvāku instructed his son, “Bring meat for the shraddha, slay animals, O mighty one. Today the shraddha must be performed for the Ashtaka, without doubt.” Obeying his father’s command, Vikukṣi went hunting, slaying thousands of animals. Weary from his exertions, he ate a hare in the forest before returning with the meat and his army. Upon arrival, he asked the sage Vasishtha to consecrate the meat for the ritual. Vasishtha, following the king’s instructions, began to prepare the meat according to sacred rites. But upon discovering it had been defiled, Vasishtha grew angry and addressed the king: “O king, the meat has been defiled by your son, a Shudra, through eating hare; your meat, O illustrious one, is unfit for offering. The hare was eaten earlier in the forest by the wicked one; thus this meat is impure for the ancestors, O best of kings.” Ikṣvāku, angered by his son’s disregard, rebuked Vikukṣi: “I appointed you for ancestral rites, and you went hunting; you ate hare in the forest, heartless, before the ceremony. Therefore, I renounce you; go, follow your own path.” At Vasishtha’s word, Ikṣvāku abandoned Vikukṣi. After Ikṣvāku’s departure, Shashi, possessing supreme righteousness, became ruler of Ayodhya and governed the kingdom under Vasishtha’s guidance, ushering in a prosperous reign. In time, Shashi departed, attaining a lesser state. The lesson from this tale is clear: one should not eat meat during ritual offerings. For it is said, “Whoever eats meat here, I shall eat his meat there; thus the wise declare the nature of meat.” Shashi’s heir was Kakutstha, mighty in valor, born when Indra took the form of a bull. In the earlier battle at Adibaka, he was called Kakutstha, and his descendant Prithuroma inherited this name. Prithu’s son was Vrishadasva; from him came Andhra, renowned for his strength. Andhra’s lineage continued with Yavana, Ashva, and Shravastha. King Shravasthaka, Shravastha’s son, founded the city of Shravasti. Shravastha’s heir was Brihadasva, famed for his renown. Brihadasva’s son was Kubala, according to tradition, who earned the title Dhundhumara after slaying Dhundhu. The sages, eager for wisdom, asked, “O greatly wise one, we wish to hear in detail about the slaying of Dhundhu, and for what reason Kubalāśva came to be called the destroyer of Dhundhu.” Sūta replied: Brihadasva had twenty-one thousand sons, all skilled in every branch of knowledge, powerful, and difficult to overcome. All were righteous, performers of sacrifices, and generous with gifts. Yet among them, Kubalāśva stood out as the most valiant, heroic, and supremely righteous. Brihadasva installed Kubalāśva as ruler, relinquishing his royal fortune, and entered the forest. As Brihadasva, the great and righteous king, departed, the Brahmarṣi Uttanka stopped him. Uttanka said, “You must perform an act of protection for me; only then should you depart. O king, I am unable to practice austerities without anxiety. Near my hermitage, in the level desert lands, there is a sea filled with sand. There, hidden beneath the sand, is a great being of immense size and strength, invulnerable even to the gods. He is Dhundhu, the fierce and terrible son of Manu, who, undertaking dreadful austerities, seeks to destroy the worlds. “At the end of each year, he exhales, and the earth there, along with its forests, trembles. By the force of his breath, a great cloud of dust rises, covering the path of the sun, and for seven days the earth quakes. With sparks, flames, and smoke, it is exceedingly terrifying; because of this, O king, I am unable to remain in my hermitage. O mighty-armed one, restrain him for the welfare of the worlds; your great energy, like that of Viṣṇu, will overcome his power. Today, when that demon is slain, the worlds will be at peace; for you, O king, are capable of killing him. “Viṣṇu once granted me a boon, O sinless one, that Dhundhu, of great might, cannot be destroyed by lesser power. Not even in a hundred years could he be burned up here; his strength is so great that even the gods find it hard to withstand.” Thus, the tale unfolds, revealing the noble lineages and the mighty deeds that shaped the ancient world, culminating in the challenge of Dhundhu, whose defeat would bring peace to the realms.