On the seven islands of the world, there was but one sovereign—Kārtavīrya, the mighty king. Armed with sword and excellent bow, riding in a splendid chariot, he ruled alone, with no attendant beside him. Under his reign, loss of property was unknown, sorrow and confusion vanished, for the great king protected his subjects with unwavering righteousness. This lord of men, the universal emperor, reigned for eighty-five thousand years, presiding over seven times seven cycles of rule. He became the guardian of cattle and fields, and through his yoga, he manifested as Parjanya, the bringer of rain, and as Arjuna. With his thousand arms, hardened by the bowstring, he shone brilliantly, radiating a thousand rays like the autumn sun. With a thousand elephants, the king conquered the assembly of Karkoṭaka in Māhiṣmatī and established his city there. He moved with the speed of the ocean in the rainy season, his eyes as lovely as lotuses, and played joyfully, ushering in the monsoon. By his playful stirring, the river Narmadā, adorned with garlands of golden flowers, approached in fear, her waves frowning and roaring. Once, pursuing Narmadā, the king plunged into the great ocean, and upon reaching its shore, he brought the rains to the forest. When the great ocean was agitated by his thousand arms, the mighty demons dwelling in the underworld became submerged and motionless. The great poisonous beings and fish were crushed by the powerful waves, falling and tossed by the whirlpools and foaming waters. With his thousand arms, the king churned the ocean, as if it were the milk ocean once surrounded by gods and demons. Frightened, those beings thought the nectar-ocean was being churned by Mount Mandara, and they suddenly rose up, seeing the mighty king. The great serpents became bowed and motionless, like banana groves at evening, still and windless. Mounting his chariot and stringing his bow with five hundred arrows, Kārtavīrya bewildered Rāvaṇa and his army in Laṅkā, defeated and bound him, and brought him captive to Māhiṣmatī. Then Pulastya came and appeased Arjuna; at Pulastya’s request, the king released Rāvaṇa. The twang of his thousand arms resounded like the cracking of a great cloud-tree struck by lightning at the end of an age. Yet, such immense might in battle was met by Bhārgava, who severed his thousand arms, as if cutting a grove of golden palm trees. Once, when he was thirsty, Citrabhānu begged him, and the lord of men gave Citrabhānu alms—the seven islands. He gave away ancient settlements, villages, and cities entirely. By the power of that lord of men, the illustrious one burned the mountains and forests of Kārtavīrya. Citrabhānu, together with the Haihayas, drained all the deserted hermitage and the islands belonging to Varuṇa’s son. Long ago, Varuṇa had a distinguished son, a sage named Vasiṣṭha, renowned and devoted to the waters. In anger and distress, the mighty sage cursed Arjuna, saying, “Because you did not spare this forest of mine, O Haihaya, for this difficult deed you have done, another will slay you. Arjuna, son of Kunti, will not be king. Arjuna, Rāma of great might, foremost among warriors, will cut off your thousand arms, subduing you with force. A powerful ascetic brāhmaṇa will slay you; for him, Rāma became the agent of death by the curse of that wise one.” That king had formerly chosen a boon for himself; he had a hundred sons, among whom five were great chariot-warriors. Skilled in arms, strong, valiant, righteous, and renowned—Śūra, Śūrasena, Vṛṣṭi, Vṛṣa, and Jayadhvaja were his sons. Jayadhvaja, son of the lord of Avanti, had a son named Tālavaṅgha, famed for his prowess. He too had a hundred sons, known as the Tālavaṅghas; among the great Haihayas, five clans became renowned: the Vīrahotras, countless in number, the Bhojas, Avartas, the valiant Tuṇḍikeras, and likewise the Tālavaṅghas. Vīrahotra’s son was a king named Ananta; his son was Durjaya, formidable and a terror to his foes. That king possessed inexhaustible wealth; by his power, he protected his subjects. Whoever recounts the birth of the wise Kārtavīrya here will not suffer loss of wealth, and whatever is lost shall be regained. In this very world, he becomes wealthy and his righteousness increases; just as Tvaṣṭṛ and Dātā, so too is he honored in heaven. The sages then asked, “For what reason was the world, the abode of the great souls, burned by Kārtavīrya’s might? Tell us, for we ask. We have heard that this royal sage was the protector of the people; how did he, being a protector, destroy that sacred grove?” Sūta replied: The Sun, taking the form of a brāhmaṇa, approached Kārtavīrya, desiring satisfaction, and asked for food, saying, “I am the Sun, without doubt.” The king responded, “O blessed one, tell me, O Sun, by what offering will you be satisfied? What kind of food shall I give? Tell me, and I shall provide it.