Dharma

Lomasha shows Yudhishthira Kalinga, where the river Vaitarani flows and where Dharma himself once performed sacrifices. But this is also the place where Rudra seized the sacrificial animal and demanded it as his share — forcing the gods to negotiate with the destroyer.

Markandeya begins a systematic enumeration of the fires descended from Brihaspati and Chandramasi — their births, marriages, children, and ritual roles. From Shamyu, the first recipient of oblations at chaturmasya, to Uktha, praised by the three uktha hymns, the entire genealogy of the sacred fires is recited, establishing their names, attributes, and places in sacrificial rites.

Yudhishthira finds his four brothers lying dead beside a mysterious lake, each struck down for refusing to answer a yaksha's questions. He answers every riddle correctly, and the yaksha revives his brothers. But when the yaksha reveals his true identity, Yudhishthira learns that the test was never about the questions at all.