Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.2173

c7.2173

8) *Kaśyapa and Kerala.* After Paraśurāma went round the world eighteen times and exterminated the Kṣatriya Kings he performed a Yāga. At that Yāga he gave the whole earth as dakṣiṇā to Kaśyapa. After that, Kaśyapa drove away Paraśurāma from the earth to the south. Taking pity on Paraśurāma, the ocean gave him the region known as "Śūrpāraka". Kaśyapa seized Śūrpāraka also from Paraśurāma and gave it to Brāhmaṇas. Paraśurāma went to the forests after it. Later on, intermixture of castes took place in this region and anarchy prevailed there. At one time, Śūrpāraka sank down into Pātāla (lower world). Kaśyapa who saw this held the earth up, brought Kṣatriyas from the north and made them rulers of the country. (M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 49). This "Śūrpāraka" is believed to be Kerala.