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MYTHOLOGICAL NOTES
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Bhrgupati : An epithet of Paraśurāma; he is called Bhrgupati as he is the most distinguished of the sons' of Bhrgu (Jamadagni) - Bhrgunām Patih. Paraśurāma 'Rāma with the axe'. He was the sixth avatāra (incarnation) of Vişnu. He was a Brāhmaṇa. This Paraśurāma, the sixth avatara of Vişnu appeared in the world before Rāma (the son of Daśaratha), the seventh avatara, but they were both living at the same time. The elder avatāra showed some jealousy of the younger. Paraśurāma is said to have cleared the earth of the Ksatriyas twenty one times and to have given the earth to the Brāhmanas. Vidhi-mahana-lūna-prarohitāni daśavadanasya śirāmsi : Rāvana was a celebrated demon, King of Lankā, and the chief of the Rākşasas. He had ten heads (and hence his Daśagrīva, Daśāmukha, Daśānana, etc.,) and twenty arms. He is represented to have practised the most austere penances for ten thousand years in order to propitiate the god Brahman (Vidhi) and to have offered one head at the end of each one thousand years. Thus he offered nine of his heads and was going to offer the tenth when the God was pleased and granted him immunity from death by either god or man. Kāliya : Name of a tremendously large serpent who dwelt at the bottom of Yamunā. He had five heads. Kęsna while yet a child jumped into Kāliya's deep pool. He placed his foot on the middle head of Kāliya and compelled him and his followers to implore mercy. He spared them but bade Kāliya and his followers to free the earth from their presence and to remove to the ocean.
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