Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 9 · Chapter 15
श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच ऐलस्य चोर्वशीगर्भात् षडासन्नात्मजा नृप । आयु: श्रुतायु: सत्यायू रयोऽथ विजयो जय: ॥ १ ॥
sri-badarayanir uvaca ailasya corvasi-garbhat sad asann atmaja nrpa ayuh srutayuh satyayu rayo ’tha vijayo jayah
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O King Pariksit, from the womb of Urvasi, six sons were generated by Pururava. Their names were Ayu, Srutayu, Satyayu, Raya, Vijaya and Jaya.
श्रुतायोर्वसुमान् पुत्र: सत्यायोश्च श्रुतञ्जय: । रयस्य सुत एकश्च जयस्य तनयोऽमित: ॥ २ ॥ भीमस्तु विजयस्याथ काञ्चनो होत्रकस्तत: । तस्य जह्नु: सुतो गङ्गां गण्डूषीकृत्य योऽपिबत् ॥ ३ ॥
srutayor vasuman putrah satyayos ca srutanjayah rayasya suta ekas ca jayasya tanayo ’mitah bhimas tu vijayasyatha kancano hotrakas tatah tasya jahnuh suto gangam gandusi-krtya yo ’pibat
The son of Srutayu was Vasuman; the son of Satyayu, Srutanjaya; the son of Raya, Eka; the son of Jaya, Amita; and the son of Vijaya, Bhima. The son of Bhima was Kancana; the son of Kancana was Hotraka; and the son of Hotraka was Jahnu, who drank all the water of the Ganges in one sip.
जह्नोस्तु पुरुस्तस्याथ बलाकश्चात्मजोऽजक: । तत: कुश: कुशस्यापि कुशाम्बुस्तनयो वसु: । कुशनाभश्च चत्वारो गाधिरासीत् कुशाम्बुज: ॥ ४ ॥
jahnos tu purus tasyatha balakas catmajo ’jakah tatah kusah kusasyapi kusambus tanayo vasuh kusanabhas ca catvaro gadhir asit kusambujah
The son of Jahnu was Puru, the son of Puru was Balaka, the son of Balaka was Ajaka, and the son of Ajaka was Kusa. Kusa had four sons, named Kusambu, Tanaya, Vasu and Kusanabha. The son of Kusambu was Gadhi.
तस्य सत्यवतीं कन्यामृचीकोऽयाचत द्विज: । वरं विसदृशं मत्वा गाधिर्भार्गवमब्रवीत् ॥ ५ ॥ एकत: श्यामकर्णानां हयानां चन्द्रवर्चसाम् । सहस्रं दीयतां शुल्कं कन्याया: कुशिका वयम् ॥ ६ ॥
tasya satyavatim kanyam rciko ’yacata dvijah varam visadrsam matva gadhir bhargavam abravit ekatah syama-karnanam hayanam candra-varcasam sahasram diyatam sulkam kanyayah kusika vayam
King Gadhi had a daughter named Satyavati, whom a brahmana sage named Rcika requested from the King to be his wife. King Gadhi, however, regarded Rcika as an unfit husband for his daughter, and therefore he told the brahmana, “My dear sir, I belong to the dynasty of Kusa. Because we are aristocratic ksatriyas, you have to give some dowry for my daughter. Therefore, bring at least one thousand horses, each as brilliant as moonshine and each having one black ear, whether right or left.”
इत्युक्तस्तन्मतं ज्ञात्वा गत: स वरुणान्तिकम् । आनीय दत्त्वा तानश्वानुपयेमे वराननाम् ॥ ७ ॥
ity uktas tan-matam jnatva gatah sa varunantikam aniya dattva tan asvan upayeme varananam
When King Gadhi made this demand, the great sage Rcika could understand the King’s mind. Therefore he went to the demigod Varuna and brought from him the one thousand horses that Gadhi had demanded. After delivering these horses, the sage married the King’s beautiful daughter.
स ऋषि: प्रार्थित: पत्न्या श्वश्र्वा चापत्यकाम्यया । श्रपयित्वोभयैर्मन्त्रैश्चरुं स्नातुं गतो मुनि: ॥ ८ ॥
sa rsih prarthitah patnya svasrva capatya-kamyaya srapayitvobhayair mantrais carum snatum gato munih
Thereafter, Rcika Muni’s wife and mother-in-law, each desiring a son, requested the Muni to prepare an oblation. Thus Rcika Muni prepared one oblation for his wife with a brahmana mantra and another for his mother-in-law with a ksatriya mantra. Then he went out to bathe.
तावत् सत्यवती मात्रा स्वचरुं याचिता सती । श्रेष्ठं मत्वा तयायच्छन्मात्रे मातुरदत् स्वयम् ॥ ९ ॥
tavat satyavati matra sva-carum yacita sati srestham matva tayayacchan matre matur adat svayam
Meanwhile, because Satyavati’s mother thought that the oblation prepared for her daughter, Rcika’s wife, must be better, she asked her daughter for that oblation. Satyavati therefore gave her own oblation to her mother and ate her mother’s oblation herself.
तद् विदित्वा मुनि: प्राह पत्नीं कष्टमकारषी: । घोरो दण्डधर: पुत्रो भ्राता ते ब्रह्मवित्तम: ॥ १० ॥
tad viditva munih praha patnim kastam akarasih ghoro danda-dharah putro bhrata te brahma-vittamah
When the great sage Rcika returned home after bathing and understood what had happened in his absence, he said to his wife, Satyavati, You have done a great wrong. Your son will be a fierce ksatriya, able to punish everyone, and your brother will be a learned scholar in spiritual science
प्रसादित: सत्यवत्या मैवं भूरिति भार्गव: । अथ तर्हि भवेत् पौत्रो जमदग्निस्ततोऽभवत् ॥ ११ ॥
prasaditah satyavatya maivam bhur iti bhargavah atha tarhi bhavet pautro jamadagnis tato ’bhavat
Satyavati, however, pacified Rcika Muni with peaceful words and requested that her son not be like a fierce ksatriya. Rcika Muni replied, Then your grandson will be of a ksatriya spirit Thus Jamadagni was born as the son of Satyavati.
सा चाभूत् सुमहत्पुण्या कौशिकी लोकपावनी । रेणो: सुतां रेणुकां वै जमदग्निरुवाह याम् ॥ १२ ॥ तस्यां वै भार्गवऋषे: सुता वसुमदादय: । यवीयाञ्जज्ञ एतेषां राम इत्यभिविश्रुत: ॥ १३ ॥
sa cabhut sumahat-punya kausiki loka-pavani renoh sutam renukam vai jamadagnir uvaha yam tasyam vai bhargava-rseh suta vasumad-adayah yaviyan jajna etesam rama ity abhivisrutah
Satyavati later became the sacred river Kausiki to purify the entire world, and her son, Jamadagni, married Renuka, the daughter of Renu. By the semen of Jamadagni, many sons, headed by Vasuman, were born from the womb of Renuka. The youngest of them was named Rama, or Parasurama.
यमाहुर्वासुदेवांशं हैहयानां कुलान्तकम् । त्रि:सप्तकृत्वो य इमां चक्रे नि:क्षत्रियां महीम् ॥ १४ ॥
yam ahur vasudevamsam haihayanam kulantakam trih-sapta-krtvo ya imam cakre nihksatriyam mahim
Learned scholars accept this Parasurama as the celebrated incarnation of Vasudeva who annihilated the dynasty of Kartavirya. Parasurama killed all the ksatriyas on earth twenty-one times.
दृप्तं क्षत्रं भुवो भारमब्रह्मण्यमनीनशत् । रजस्तमोवृतमहन् फल्गुन्यपि कृतेꣷहसि ॥ १५ ॥
drptam ksatram bhuvo bharam abrahmanyam aninasat rajas-tamo-vrtam ahan phalguny api krte ’mhasi
When the royal dynasty, being excessively proud because of the material modes of passion and ignorance, became irreligious and ceased to care for the laws enacted by the brahmanas, Parasurama killed them. Although their offense was not very severe, he killed them to lessen the burden of the world.
श्रीराजोवाच किं तदंहो भगवतो राजन्यैरजितात्मभि: । कृतं येन कुलं नष्टं क्षत्रियाणामभीक्ष्णश: ॥ १६ ॥
sri-rajovaca kim tad amho bhagavato rajanyair ajitatmabhih krtam yena kulam nastam ksatriyanam abhiksnasah
9.15.17-19 sri-badarayanir uvaca haihayanam adhipatir arjunah ksatriyarsabhah dattam narayanamsamsam aradhya parikarmabhih bahun dasa-satam lebhe durdharsatvam aratisu avyahatendriyaujah sri- tejo-virya-yaso-balam yogesvaratvam aisvaryam guna yatranimadayah cacaravyahata-gatir lokesu pavano yatha
श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच हैहयानामधिपतिरर्जुन: क्षत्रियर्षभ: । दत्तं नारायणांशांशमाराध्य परिकर्मभि: ॥ १७ ॥ बाहून् दशशतं लेभे दुर्धर्षत्वमरातिषु । अव्याहतेन्द्रियौज:श्रीतेजोवीर्ययशोबलम् ॥ १८ ॥ योगेश्वरत्वमैश्वर्यं गुणा यत्राणिमादय: । चचाराव्याहतगतिर्लोकेषु पवनो यथा ॥ १९ ॥
sri-badarayanir uvaca haihayanam adhipatir arjunah ksatriyarsabhah dattam narayanamsamsam aradhya parikarmabhih bahun dasa-satam lebhe durdharsatvam aratisu avyahatendriyaujah sri- tejo-virya-yaso-balam yogesvaratvam aisvaryam guna yatranimadayah cacaravyahata-gatir lokesu pavano yatha
Sukadeva Gosvami said: The best of the ksatriyas, Kartaviryarjuna, the King of the Haihayas, received one thousand arms by worshiping Dattatreya, the plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana. He also became undefeatable by enemies and received unobstructed sensory power, beauty, influence, strength, fame and the mystic power by which to achieve all the perfections of yoga, such as anima and laghima. Thus having become fully opulent, he roamed all over the universe without opposition, just like the wind.
स्त्रीरत्नैरावृत: क्रीडन् रेवाम्भसि मदोत्कट: । वैजयन्तीं स्रजं बिभ्रद् रुरोध सरितं भुजै: ॥ २० ॥
stri-ratnair avrtah kridan revambhasi madotkatah vaijayantim srajam bibhrad rurodha saritam bhujaih
Once while enjoying in the water of the River Narmada, the puffed-up Kartaviryarjuna, surrounded by beautiful women and garlanded with a garland of victory, stopped the flow of the water with his arms.
विप्लावितं स्वशिबिरं प्रतिस्रोत:सरिज्जलै: । नामृष्यत् तस्य तद् वीर्यं वीरमानी दशानन: ॥ २१ ॥
viplavitam sva-sibiram pratisrotah-sarij-jalaih namrsyat tasya tad viryam viramani dasananah
Because Kartaviryarjuna made the water flow in the opposite direction, the camp of Ravana, which was set up on the bank of the Narmada near the city of Mahismati, was inundated. This was unbearable to the ten-headed Ravana, who considered himself a great hero and could not tolerate Kartaviryarjuna’s power.
गृहीतो लीलया स्त्रीणां समक्षं कृतकिल्बिष: । माहिष्मत्यां सन्निरुद्धो मुक्तो येन कपिर्यथा ॥ २२ ॥
grhito lilaya strinam samaksam krta-kilbisah mahismatyam sanniruddho mukto yena kapir yatha
When Ravana attempted to insult Kartaviryarjuna in the presence of the women and thus offended him, Kartaviryarjuna easily arrested Ravana and put him in custody in the city of Mahismati, just as one captures a monkey, and then released him neglectfully.
स एकदा तु मृगयां विचरन् विजने वने । यदृच्छयाश्रमपदं जमदग्नेरुपाविशत् ॥ २३ ॥
sa ekada tu mrgayam vicaran vijane vane yadrcchayasrama-padam jamadagner upavisat
Once while Kartaviryarjuna was wandering unengaged in a solitary forest and hunting, he approached the residence of Jamadagni.
तस्मै स नरदेवाय मुनिरर्हणमाहरत् । ससैन्यामात्यवाहाय हविष्मत्या तपोधन: ॥ २४ ॥
tasmai sa naradevaya munir arhanam aharat sasainyamatya-vahaya havismatya tapo-dhanah
The sage Jamadagni, who was engaged in great austerities in the forest, received the King very well, along with the King’s soldiers, ministers and carriers. He supplied all the necessities to worship these guests, for he possessed a kamadhenu cow that was able to supply everything.
स वै रत्नं तु तद् दृष्ट्वा आत्मैश्वर्यातिशायनम् । तन्नाद्रियताग्निहोत्र्यां साभिलाष: सहैहय: ॥ २५ ॥
sa vai ratnam tu tad drstva atmaisvaryatisayanam tan nadriyatagnihotryam sabhilasah sahaihayah
Kartaviryarjuna thought that Jamadagni was more powerful and wealthy than himself because of possessing a jewel in the form of the kamadhenu. Therefore he and his own men, the Haihayas, were not very much appreciative of Jamadagni’s reception. On the contrary, they wanted to possess that kamadhenu, which was useful for the execution of the agnihotra sacrifice.
हविर्धानीमृषेर्दर्पान्नरान् हर्तुमचोदयत् । ते च माहिष्मतीं निन्यु: सवत्सां क्रन्दतीं बलात् ॥ २६ ॥
havirdhanim rser darpan naran hartum acodayat te ca mahismatim ninyuh sa-vatsam krandatim balat
Being puffed up by material power, Kartaviryarjuna encouraged his men to steal Jamadagni’s kamadhenu. Thus the men forcibly took away the crying kamadhenu, along with her calf, to Mahismati, Kartaviryarjuna’s capital.
अथ राजनि निर्याते राम आश्रम आगत: । श्रुत्वा तत् तस्य दौरात्म्यं चुक्रोधाहिरिवाहत: ॥ २७ ॥
atha rajani niryate rama asrama agatah srutva tat tasya dauratmyam cukrodhahir ivahatah
Thereafter, Kartaviryarjuna having left with the kamadhenu, Parasurama returned to the asrama. When Parasurama, the youngest son of Jamadagni, heard about Kartaviryarjuna’s nefarious deed, he became as angry as a trampled snake.
घोरमादाय परशुं सतूणं वर्म कार्मुकम् । अन्वधावत दुर्मर्षो मृगेन्द्र इव यूथपम् ॥ २८ ॥
ghoram adaya parasum satunam varma karmukam anvadhavata durmarso mrgendra iva yuthapam
Taking up his fierce chopper, his shield, his bow and a quiver of arrows, Lord Parasurama, exceedingly angry, chased Kartaviryarjuna just as a lion chases an elephant.
तमापतन्तं भृगुवर्यमोजसा धनुर्धरं बाणपरश्वधायुधम् । ऐणेयचर्माम्बरमर्कधामभि- र्युतं जटाभिर्ददृशे पुरीं विशन् ॥ २९ ॥
tam apatantam bhrgu-varyam ojasa dhanur-dharam bana-parasvadhayudham aineya-carmambaram arka-dhamabhir yutam jatabhir dadrse purim visan
As King Kartaviryarjuna entered his capital, Mahismati Puri, he saw Lord Parasurama, the best of the Bhrgu dynasty, coming after him, holding a chopper, shield, bow and arrows. Lord Parasurama was covered with a black deerskin, and his matted locks of hair appeared like the sunshine.
अचोदयद्धस्तिरथाश्वपत्तिभि- र्गदासिबाणर्ष्टिशतघ्निशक्तिभि: । अक्षौहिणी: सप्तदशातिभीषणा- स्ता राम एको भगवानसूदयत् ॥ ३० ॥
acodayad dhasti-rathasva-pattibhir gadasi-banarsti-sataghni-saktibhih aksauhinih sapta-dasatibhisanas ta rama eko bhagavan asudayat
Upon seeing Parasurama, Kartaviryarjuna immediately feared him and sent many elephants, chariots, horses and infantry soldiers equipped with clubs, swords, arrows, rstis, sataghnis, saktis, and many similar weapons to fight against him. Kartaviryarjuna sent seventeen full aksauhinis of soldiers to check Parasurama. But Lord Parasurama alone killed all of them.
यतो यतोऽसौ प्रहरत्परश्वधो मनोऽनिलौजा: परचक्रसूदन: । ततस्ततश्छिन्नभुजोरुकन्धरा निपेतुरुर्व्यां हतसूतवाहना: ॥ ३१ ॥
yato yato ’sau praharat-parasvadho mano-’nilaujah para-cakra-sudanah tatas tatas chinna-bhujoru-kandhara nipetur urvyam hata-suta-vahanah
Lord Parasurama, being expert in killing the military strength of the enemy, worked with the speed of the mind and the wind, slicing his enemies with his chopper (parasu). Wherever he went, the enemies fell, their legs, arms and shoulders being severed, their chariot drivers killed, and their carriers, the elephants and horses all annihilated.
दृष्ट्वा स्वसैन्यं रुधिरौघकर्दमे रणाजिरे रामकुठारसायकै: । विवृक्णवर्मध्वजचापविग्रहं निपातितं हैहय आपतद् रुषा ॥ ३२ ॥
drstva sva-sainyam rudhiraugha-kardame ranajire rama-kuthara-sayakaih vivrkna-varma-dhvaja-capa-vigraham nipatitam haihaya apatad rusa
By manipulating his axe and arrows, Lord Parasurama cut to pieces the shields, flags, bows and bodies of Kartaviryarjuna’s soldiers, who fell on the battlefield, muddying the ground with their blood. Seeing these reverses, Kartaviryarjuna, infuriated, rushed to the battlefield.
अथार्जुन: पञ्चशतेषु बाहुभि- र्धनु:षु बाणान् युगपत् स सन्दधे । रामाय रामोऽस्त्रभृतां समग्रणी- स्तान्येकधन्वेषुभिराच्छिनत् समम् ॥ ३३ ॥
atharjunah panca-satesu bahubhir dhanuhsu banan yugapat sa sandadhe ramaya ramo ’stra-bhrtam samagranis tany eka-dhanvesubhir acchinat samam
Then Kartaviryarjuna, with his one thousand arms, simultaneously fixed arrows on five hundred bows to kill Lord Parasurama. But Lord Parasurama, the best of fighters, released enough arrows with only one bow to cut to pieces immediately all the arrows and bows in the hands of Kartaviryarjuna.
पुन: स्वहस्तैरचलान् मृधेऽङ्घ्रिपा- नुत्क्षिप्य वेगादभिधावतो युधि । भुजान् कुठारेण कठोरनेमिना चिच्छेद राम: प्रसभं त्वहेरिव ॥ ३४ ॥
punah sva-hastair acalan mrdhe ’nghripan utksipya vegad abhidhavato yudhi bhujan kutharena kathora-nemina ciccheda ramah prasabham tv aher iva
When his arrows were cut to pieces, Kartaviryarjuna uprooted many trees and hills with his own hands and again rushed strongly toward Lord Parasurama to kill him. But Parasurama then used his axe with great force to cut off Kartaviryarjuna’s arms, just as one might lop off the hoods of a serpent.
कृत्तबाहो: शिरस्तस्य गिरे: शृङ्गमिवाहरत् । हते पितरि तत्पुत्रा अयुतं दुद्रुवुर्भयात् ॥ ३५ ॥ अग्निहोत्रीमुपावर्त्य सवत्सां परवीरहा । समुपेत्याश्रमं पित्रे परिक्लिष्टां समर्पयत् ॥ ३६ ॥
krtta-bahoh siras tasya gireh srngam ivaharat hate pitari tat-putra ayutam dudruvur bhayat agnihotrim upavartya savatsam para-vira-ha samupetyasramam pitre pariklistam samarpayat
Thereafter, Parasurama cut off like a mountain peak the head of Kartaviryarjuna, who had already lost his arms. When Kartaviryarjuna’s ten thousand sons saw their father killed, they all fled in fear. Then Parasurama, having killed the enemy, released the kamadhenu, which had undergone great suffering, and brought it back with its calf to his residence, where he gave it to his father, Jamadagni.
स्वकर्म तत्कृतं राम: पित्रे भ्रातृभ्य एव च । वर्णयामास तच्छ्रुत्वा जमदग्निरभाषत ॥ ३७ ॥
sva-karma tat krtam ramah pitre bhratrbhya eva ca varnayam asa tac chrutva jamadagnir abhasata
Parasurama described to his father and brothers his activities in killing Kartaviryarjuna. Upon hearing of these deeds, Jamadagni spoke to his son as follows.
राम राम महाबाहो भवान् पापमकारषीत् । अवधीन्नरदेवं यत्सर्वदेवमयं वृथा ॥ ३८ ॥
rama rama mahabaho bhavan papam akarasit avadhin naradevam yat sarva-devamayam vrtha
O great hero, my dear son Parasurama, you have unnecessarily killed the king, who is supposed to be the embodiment of all the demigods. Thus you have committed a sin.
वयं हि ब्राह्मणास्तात क्षमयार्हणतां गता: । यया लोकगुरुर्देव: पारमेष्ठ्यमगात् पदम् ॥ ३९ ॥
vayam hi brahmanas tata ksamayarhanatam gatah yaya loka-gurur devah paramesthyam agat padam
My dear son, we are all brahmanas and have become worshipable for the people in general because of our quality of forgiveness. It is because of this quality that Lord Brahma, the supreme spiritual master of this universe, has achieved his post.
क्षमया रोचते लक्ष्मीर्ब्राह्मी सौरी यथा प्रभा । क्षमिणामाशु भगवांस्तुष्यते हरिरीश्वर: ॥ ४० ॥
ksamaya rocate laksmir brahmi sauri yatha prabha ksaminam asu bhagavams tusyate harir isvarah
The duty of a brahmana is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which is illuminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is pleased with those who are forgiving.
राज्ञो मूर्धाभिषिक्तस्य वधो ब्रह्मवधाद् गुरु: । तीर्थसंसेवया चांहो जह्यङ्गाच्युतचेतन: ॥ ४१ ॥
rajno murdhabhisiktasya vadho brahma-vadhad guruh tirtha-samsevaya camho jahy angacyuta-cetanah
My dear son, killing a king who is an emperor is more severely sinful than killing a brahmana. But now, if you become Krsna conscious and worship the holy places, you can atone for this great sin.
