slew all the Haihayas and Talajanghas, conquered all the world and put down the religious practices of Shaka, Palhava and Pārada Kshatryas (33–34). ²³ The promise refers to that of his no longer being a disciple of Vashishtha. ²⁴ This passage requires a little elucidation. He had already been visited by two transgressions, namely the incurring of his father’s displeasure and the killing of his preceptor’s cow. Now he commits another transgression, namely the eating of forbidden meat—these three transgressions are compared to three javelins. ²⁵ The son of Trishankhu. CHAPTER XIV. AN ACCOUNT OF SAGARA. Janamejaya said:—Why was the powerful king Sagara born with poison? And why did he, worked up with anger, put down the religious practices of Shakas and other highly powerful Kshatriya clans as laid down by their respective orders. And why was he not injured by poison? Describe all this at length, O great ascetic (1-2). Vaishampāyana said:—O king, when Vāhu grew addicted to vice, Haihaya, with Tālajānghas and Shakas spoliated his territories (3). Yavanas, Pāradas, Kāmbhojas, Palhavas and Shakas—these five classes (of Mlechhas) displayed their prowess for Haihaya (4). Deprived of his kingdom, the king Vāhu retired into a forest life. Followed by his wife he gave up his life there in great misery (5). His wife of the Yadu race was (at that time) enciente and she followed her husband whose other wife had administered poison unto her before (her departure) (6). When she, making a funeral pyre for her husband in that forest, got upon it Aurva, born in the family of Bhrigu, out of compassion, prevented her (7). In his hermitage she gave birth to the highly powerful and mighty-armed king Sagara together with poison (8). Having performed all the rites consequent upon the birth of that high-souled (king) Aurva taught him the Vedas and then gave him at last the fiery weapon which even the immortals cannot withstand. Gifted with great strength he, by dint of the prowess of that weapon, in no time destroyed the Haihayas like unto enraged Rudra slaying the beasts. That foremost of the illustrious (kings) spread his own fame in the world (9-11). Thereupon he made up his mind for extirpating the race of the Shakas, Kāmbhojas and Palhavas (12). When about to be slain by the high-souled hero, they, seeking refuge with the intelligent Vasishtha, bowed unto him (13). Seeing them arrived in proper time the highly effulgent Vasishtha promised them security and prevented Sagara (14). Considering his own promise and the words of his preceptor Sagara violated their religious practices and made them change their dress (15). Having made the Shakas shave half of their heads he dismissed them. He made the Yavanas and Kāmbhojas shave their entire head (16). Pāradas used to have their hairs dishevelled and Palhavas kept beards. They were prohibited from studying the Vedas, and