themselves as worthy of adoption. Men are seen to counsel thus on matters
awaiting decision. But thou, O Krishna, art above such motives. Thou hast
conquered both desire and anger. It behoveth thee to tell me what is most
beneficial to the world.'


SECTION XIV

(Rajasuyarambha Parva)

"Krishna said,--'O great king, thou art a worthy possessor of all the
qualities essential for the performance of the Rajasuya sacrifice. Thou
knowest everything, O Bharata. I shall, however, still tell thee
something. Those persons in the world that now go by the name of
Kshatriyas are inferior (in everything) to those Kshatriyas that Rama, the
son of Jamadagnya, exterminated. O lord of the earth, O bull of the
Bharata race, thou knowest what form of rule these Kshatriyas, guided by
the instructions traditionally handed down from generation to generation,
have established amongst their own order, and how far they are competent
to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice. The numerous royal lines and other
ordinary Kshatriyas all represent themselves to be the descendants of Aila
and Ikshwaku. The descendants of Aila, O king, as, indeed, the kings of
Ikshwaku's race, are, know O bull of the Bharata race, each divided into a
hundred separate dynasties. The descendants of Yayati and the Bhojas are
great, both in extent (number) and accomplishments. O king, these last are
to-day scattered all over the earth. And all the Kshatriyas worship the
prosperity of those monarchs. At present, however, O monarch, king
Jarasandha, overcoming that prosperity enjoyed by their whole order, and
overpowering them by his energy hath set himself over the heads of all
these kings. And Jarasandha, enjoying the sovereignty over the middle