Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 9 · Chapter 16
श्रीशुक उवाच पित्रोपशिक्षितो रामस्तथेति कुरुनन्दन । संवत्सरं तीर्थयात्रां चरित्वाश्रममाव्रजत् ॥ १ ॥
sri-suka uvaca pitropasiksito ramas tatheti kuru-nandana samvatsaram tirtha-yatram caritvasramam avrajat
Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear Maharaja Pariksit, son of the Kuru dynasty, when Lord Parasurama was given this order by his father, he immediately agreed, saying, Let it be so For one complete year he traveled to holy places. Then he returned to his father’s residence.
कदाचिद् रेणुका याता गङ्गायां पद्ममालिनम् । गन्धर्वराजं क्रीडन्तमप्सरोभिरपश्यत ॥ २ ॥
kadacid renuka yata gangayam padma-malinam gandharva-rajam kridantam apsarobhir apasyata
Once when Renuka, the wife of Jamadagni, went to the bank of the Ganges to get water, she saw the King of the Gandharvas, decorated with a garland of lotuses and sporting in the Ganges with celestial women (Apsaras).
विलोकयन्ती क्रीडन्तमुदकार्थं नदीं गता । होमवेलां न सस्मार किञ्चिच्चित्ररथस्पृहा ॥ ३ ॥
vilokayanti kridantam udakartham nadim gata homa-velam na sasmara kincic citraratha-sprha
She had gone to bring water from the Ganges, but when she saw Citraratha, the King of the Gandharvas, sporting with the celestial girls, she was somewhat inclined toward him and failed to remember that the time for the fire sacrifice was passing.
कालात्ययं तं विलोक्य मुने: शापविशङ्किता । आगत्य कलशं तस्थौ पुरोधाय कृताञ्जलि: ॥ ४ ॥
kalatyayam tam vilokya muneh sapa-visankita agatya kalasam tasthau purodhaya krtanjalih
Later, understanding that the time for offering the sacrifice had passed, Renuka feared a curse from her husband. Therefore when she returned she simply put the waterpot before him and stood there with folded hands.
व्यभिचारं मुनिर्ज्ञात्वा पत्न्या: प्रकुपितोऽब्रवीत् । घ्नतैनां पुत्रका: पापामित्युक्तास्ते न चक्रिरे ॥ ५ ॥
vyabhicaram munir jnatva patnyah prakupito ’bravit ghnatainam putrakah papam ity uktas te na cakrire
The great sage Jamadagni understood the adultery in the mind of his wife. Therefore he was very angry and told his sons, My dear sons, kill this sinful woman But the sons did not carry out his order.
राम: सञ्चोदित: पित्रा भ्रातृन् मात्रा सहावधीत् । प्रभावज्ञो मुने: सम्यक् समाधेस्तपसश्च स: ॥ ६ ॥
ramah sancoditah pitra bhratrn matra sahavadhit prabhava-jno muneh samyak samadhes tapasas ca sah
Jamadagni then ordered his youngest son, Parasurama, to kill his brothers, who had disobeyed this order, and his mother, who had mentally committed adultery. Lord Parasurama, knowing the power of his father, who was practiced in meditation and austerity, killed his mother and brothers immediately.
वरेणच्छन्दयामास प्रीत: सत्यवतीसुत: । वव्रे हतानां रामोऽपि जीवितं चास्मृतिं वधे ॥ ७ ॥
varena cchandayam asa pritah satyavati-sutah vavre hatanam ramo ’pi jivitam casmrtim vadhe
Jamadagni, the son of Satyavati, was very much pleased with Parasurama and asked him to take any benediction he liked. Lord Parasurama replied, Let my mother and brothers live again and not remember having been killed by me.
उत्तस्थुस्ते कुशलिनो निद्रापाय इवाञ्जसा । पितुर्विद्वांस्तपोवीर्यं रामश्चक्रे सुहृद्वधम् ॥ ८ ॥
uttasthus te kusalino nidrapaya ivanjasa pitur vidvams tapo-viryam ramas cakre suhrd-vadham
Thereafter, by the benediction of Jamadagni, Lord Parasurama’s mother and brothers immediately came alive and were very happy, as if awakened from sound sleep. Lord Parasurama had killed his relatives in accordance with his father’s order because he was fully aware of his father’s power, austerity and learning.
येऽर्जुनस्य सुता राजन् स्मरन्त: स्वपितुर्वधम् । रामवीर्यपराभूता लेभिरे शर्म न क्वचित् ॥ ९ ॥
ye ’rjunasya suta rajan smarantah sva-pitur vadham rama-virya-parabhuta lebhire sarma na kvacit
My dear King Pariksit, the sons of Kartaviryarjuna, who were defeated by the superior strength of Parasurama, never achieved happiness, for they always remembered the killing of their father.
एकदाश्रमतो रामे सभ्रातरि वनं गते । वैरं सिषाधयिषवो लब्धच्छिद्रा उपागमन् ॥ १० ॥
ekadasramato rame sabhratari vanam gate vairam sisadhayisavo labdha-cchidra upagaman
Once when Parasurama left the asrama for the forest with Vasuman and his other brothers, the sons of Kartaviryarjuna took the opportunity to approach Jamadagni’s residence to seek vengeance for their grudge.
दृष्ट्वाग्न्यागार आसीनमावेशितधियं मुनिम् । भगवत्युत्तमश्लोके जघ्नुस्ते पापनिश्चया: ॥ ११ ॥
drstvagny-agara asinam avesita-dhiyam munim bhagavaty uttamasloke jaghnus te papa-niscayah
The sons of Kartaviryarjuna were determined to commit sinful deeds. Therefore when they saw Jamadagni sitting by the side of the fire to perform yajna and meditating upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is praised by the best of selected prayers, they took the opportunity to kill him.
याच्यमाना: कृपणया राममात्रातिदारुणा: । प्रसह्य शिर उत्कृत्य निन्युस्ते क्षत्रबन्धव: ॥ १२ ॥
yacyamanah krpanaya rama-matratidarunah prasahya sira utkrtya ninyus te ksatra-bandhavah
With pitiable prayers, Renuka, the mother of Parasurama and wife of Jamadagni, begged for the life of her husband. But the sons of Kartaviryarjuna, being devoid of the qualities of ksatriyas, were so cruel that despite her prayers they forcibly cut off his head and took it away.
रेणुका दु:खशोकार्ता निघ्नन्त्यात्मानमात्मना । राम रामेति तातेति विचुक्रोशोच्चकै: सती ॥ १३ ॥
renuka duhkha-sokarta nighnanty atmanam atmana rama rameti tateti vicukrosoccakaih sati
Lamenting in grief for the death of her husband, the most chaste Renuka struck her own body with her hands and cried very loudly, “O Rama, my dear son Rama!”
तदुपश्रुत्य दूरस्था हा रामेत्यार्तवत्स्वनम् । त्वरयाश्रममासाद्य ददृशु: पितरं हतम् ॥ १४ ॥
tad upasrutya durastha ha ramety artavat svanam tvarayasramam asadya dadrsuh pitaram hatam
Although the sons of Jamadagni, including Lord Parasurama, were a long distance from home, as soon as they heard Renuka loudly calling O Rama, O my son they hastily returned to the asrama, where they saw their father already killed.
ते दु:खरोषामर्षार्तिशोकवेगविमोहिता: । हा तात साधो धर्मिष्ठ त्यक्त्वास्मान्स्वर्गतो भवान् ॥ १५ ॥
te duhkha-rosamarsarti- soka-vega-vimohitah ha tata sadho dharmistha tyaktvasman svar-gato bhavan
Virtually bewildered by grief, anger, indignation, affliction and lamentation, the sons of Jamadagni cried, “O father, most religious, saintly person, you have left us and gone to the heavenly planets!”
विलप्यैवं पितुर्देहं निधाय भ्रातृषु स्वयम् । प्रगृह्य परशुं राम: क्षत्रान्ताय मनो दधे ॥ १६ ॥
vilapyaivam pitur deham nidhaya bhratrsu svayam pragrhya parasum ramah ksatrantaya mano dadhe
Thus lamenting, Lord Parasurama entrusted his father’s dead body to his brothers and personally took up his axe, having decided to put an end to all the ksatriyas on the surface of the world.
गत्वा माहिष्मतीं रामो ब्रह्मघ्नविहतश्रियम् । तेषां स शीर्षभी राजन् मध्ये चक्रे महागिरिम् ॥ १७ ॥
gatva mahismatim ramo brahma-ghna-vihata-sriyam tesam sa sirsabhi rajan madhye cakre maha-girim
O King, Lord Parasurama then went to Mahismati, which was already doomed by the sinful killing of a brahmana. In the midst of that city he made a mountain of heads, severed from the bodies of the sons of Kartaviryarjuna.
तद्रक्तेन नदीं घोरामब्रह्मण्यभयावहाम् । हेतुं कृत्वा पितृवधं क्षत्रेऽमङ्गलकारिणि ॥ १८ ॥ त्रि:सप्तकृत्व: पृथिवीं कृत्वा नि:क्षत्रियां प्रभु: । समन्तपञ्चके चक्रे शोणितोदान् ह्रदान् नव ॥ १९ ॥
tad-raktena nadim ghoram abrahmanya-bhayavaham hetum krtva pitr-vadham ksatre ’mangala-karini trih-sapta-krtvah prthivim krtva nihksatriyam prabhuh samanta-pancake cakre sonitodan hradan nava
With the blood of the bodies of these sons, Lord Parasurama created a ghastly river, which brought great fear to the kings who had no respect for brahminical culture. Because the ksatriyas, the men of power in government, were performing sinful activities, Lord Parasurama, on the plea of retaliating for the murder of his father, rid all the ksatriyas from the face of the earth twenty-one times. Indeed, in the place known as Samanta-pancaka he created nine lakes filled with their blood.
पितु: कायेन सन्धाय शिर आदाय बर्हिषि । सर्वदेवमयं देवमात्मानमयजन्मखै: ॥ २० ॥
pituh kayena sandhaya sira adaya barhisi sarva-deva-mayam devam atmanam ayajan makhaih
Thereafter, Parasurama joined his father’s head to the dead body and placed the whole body and head upon kusa grass. By offering sacrifices, he began to worship Lord Vasudeva, who is the all-pervading Supersoul of all the demigods and of every living entity.
ददौ प्राचीं दिशं होत्रे ब्रह्मणे दक्षिणां दिशम् । अध्वर्यवे प्रतीचीं वै उद्गात्रे उत्तरां दिशम् ॥ २१ ॥ अन्येभ्योऽवान्तरदिश: कश्यपाय च मध्यत: । आर्यावर्तमुपद्रष्ट्रे सदस्येभ्यस्तत: परम् ॥ २२ ॥
dadau pracim disam hotre brahmane daksinam disam adhvaryave praticim vai udgatre uttaram disam anyebhyo ’vantara-disah kasyapaya ca madhyatah aryavartam upadrastre sadasyebhyas tatah param
After completing the sacrifice, Lord Parasurama gave the eastern direction to the hota as a gift, the south to the brahma, the west to the adhvaryu, the north to the udgata, and the four corners — northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest — to the other priests. He gave the middle to Kasyapa and the place known as Aryavarta to the upadrasta. Whatever remained he distributed among the sadasyas, the associate priests.
ततश्चावभृथस्नानविधूताशेषकिल्बिष: । सरस्वत्यां महानद्यां रेजे व्यब्भ्र इवांशुमान् ॥ २३ ॥
tatas cavabhrtha-snana- vidhutasesa-kilbisah sarasvatyam maha-nadyam reje vyabbhra ivamsuman
Thereafter, having completed the ritualistic sacrificial ceremonies, Lord Parasurama took the bath known as the avabhrtha-snana. Standing on the bank of the great river Sarasvati, cleared of all sins, Lord Parasurama appeared like the sun in a clear, cloudless sky.
स्वदेहं जमदग्निस्तु लब्ध्वा संज्ञानलक्षणम् । ऋषीणां मण्डले सोऽभूत् सप्तमो रामपूजित: ॥ २४ ॥
sva-deham jamadagnis tu labdhva samjnana-laksanam rsinam mandale so ’bhut saptamo rama-pujitah
Thus Jamadagni, being worshiped by Lord Parasurama, was brought back to life with full remembrance, and he became one of the seven sages in the group of seven stars.
जामदग्न्योऽपि भगवान् राम: कमललोचन: । आगामिन्यन्तरे राजन् वर्तयिष्यति वै बृहत् ॥ २५ ॥
jamadagnyo ’pi bhagavan ramah kamala-locanah agaminy antare rajan vartayisyati vai brhat
My dear King Pariksit, in the next manvantara the lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead Lord Parasurama, the son of Jamadagni, will be a great propounder of Vedic knowledge. In other words, he will be one of the seven sages.
आस्तेऽद्यापि महेन्द्राद्रौ न्यस्तदण्ड: प्रशान्तधी: । उपगीयमानचरित: सिद्धगन्धर्वचारणै: ॥ २६ ॥
aste ’dyapi mahendradrau nyasta-dandah prasanta-dhih upagiyamana-caritah siddha-gandharva-caranaih
Lord Parasurama still lives as an intelligent brahmana in the mountainous country known as Mahendra. Completely satisfied, having given up all the weapons of a ksatriya, he is always worshiped, adored and offered prayers for his exalted character and activities by such celestial beings as the Siddhas, Caranas and Gandharvas.
एवं भृगुषु विश्वात्मा भगवान् हरिरीश्वर: । अवतीर्य परं भारं भुवोऽहन् बहुशो नृपान् ॥ २७ ॥
evam bhrgusu visvatma bhagavan harir isvarah avatirya param bharam bhuvo ’han bahuso nrpan
In this way the supreme soul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord and the supreme controller, descended as an incarnation in the Bhrgu dynasty and released the universe from the burden of undesirable kings by killing them many times.
गाधेरभून्महातेजा: समिद्ध इव पावक: । तपसा क्षात्रमुत्सृज्य यो लेभे ब्रह्मवर्चसम् ॥ २८ ॥
gadher abhun maha-tejah samiddha iva pavakah tapasa ksatram utsrjya yo lebhe brahma-varcasam
Visvamitra, the son of Maharaja Gadhi, was as powerful as the flames of fire. From the position of a ksatriya, he achieved the position of a powerful brahmana by undergoing penances and austerities.
विश्वामित्रस्य चैवासन् पुत्रा एकशतं नृप । मध्यमस्तु मधुच्छन्दा मधुच्छन्दस एव ते ॥ २९ ॥
visvamitrasya caivasan putra eka-satam nrpa madhyamas tu madhucchanda madhucchandasa eva te
O King Pariksit, Visvamitra had 101 sons, of whom the middle one was known as Madhucchanda. In relation to him, all the other sons were celebrated as the Madhucchandas.
पुत्रं कृत्वा शुन:शेफं देवरातं च भार्गवम् । आजीगर्तं सुतानाह ज्येष्ठ एष प्रकल्प्यताम् ॥ ३० ॥
putram krtva sunahsepham devaratam ca bhargavam ajigartam sutan aha jyestha esa prakalpyatam
Visvamitra accepted the son of Ajigarta known as Sunahsepha, who was born in the Bhrgu dynasty and was also known as Devarata, as one of his own sons. Visvamitra ordered his other sons to accept Sunahsepha as their eldest brother.
यो वै हरिश्चन्द्रमखे विक्रीत: पुरुष: पशु: । स्तुत्वा देवान् प्रजेशादीन् मुमुचे पाशबन्धनात् ॥ ३१ ॥
yo vai hariscandra-makhe vikritah purusah pasuh stutva devan prajesadin mumuce pasa-bandhanat
Sunahsepha’s father sold Sunahsepha to be sacrificed as a man-animal in the yajna of King Hariscandra. When Sunahsepha was brought into the sacrificial arena, he prayed to the demigods for release and was released by their mercy.
यो रातो देवयजने देवैर्गाधिषु तापस: । देवरात इति ख्यात: शुन:शेफस्तु भार्गव: ॥ ३२ ॥
yo rato deva-yajane devair gadhisu tapasah deva-rata iti khyatah sunahsephas tu bhargavah
Although Sunahsepha was born in the Bhargava dynasty, he was greatly advanced in spiritual life, and therefore the demigods involved in the sacrifice protected him. Consequently he was also celebrated as the descendant of Gadhi named Devarata.
ये मधुच्छन्दसो ज्येष्ठा: कुशलं मेनिरे न तत् । अशपत् तान्मुनि: क्रुद्धो म्लेच्छा भवत दुर्जना: ॥ ३३ ॥
ye madhucchandaso jyesthah kusalam menire na tat asapat tan munih kruddho mleccha bhavata durjanah
When requested by their father to accept Sunahsepha as the eldest son, the elder fifty of the Madhucchandas, the sons of Visvamitra, did not agree. Therefore Visvamitra, being angry, cursed them May all of you bad sons become mlecchas he said, being opposed to the principles of Vedic culture
स होवाच मधुच्छन्दा: सार्धं पञ्चाशता तत: । यन्नो भवान् सञ्जानीते तस्मिंस्तिष्ठामहे वयम् ॥ ३४ ॥
sa hovaca madhucchandah sardham pancasata tatah yan no bhavan sanjanite tasmims tisthamahe vayam
When the elder Madhucchandas were cursed, the younger fifty, along with Madhucchanda himself, approached their father and agreed to accept his proposal.
ज्येष्ठं मन्त्रदृशं चक्रुस्त्वामन्वञ्चो वयं स्म हि । विश्वामित्र: सुतानाह वीरवन्तो भविष्यथ । ये मानं मेऽनुगृह्णन्तो वीरवन्तमकर्त माम् ॥ ३५ ॥
jyestham mantra-drsam cakrus tvam anvanco vayam sma hi visvamitrah sutan aha viravanto bhavisyatha ye manam me ’nugrhnanto viravantam akarta mam
Thus the younger Madhucchandas accepted Sunahsepha as their eldest brother and told him, We shall follow your orders Visvamitra then said to his obedient sons, Because you have accepted Sunahsepha as your eldest brother, I am very satisfied. By accepting my order, you have made me a father of worthy sons, and therefore I bless all of you to become the fathers of sons also
एष व: कुशिका वीरो देवरातस्तमन्वित । अन्ये चाष्टकहारीतजयक्रतुमदादय: ॥ ३६ ॥
esa vah kusika viro devaratas tam anvita anye castaka-harita- jaya-kratumad-adayah
Visvamitra said, O Kusikas (descendants of Kausika), this Devarata is my son and is one of you. Please obey his orders O King Pariksit, Visvamitra had many other sons, such as Astaka, Harita, Jaya and Kratuman.
एवं कौशिकगोत्रं तु विश्वामित्रै: पृथग्विधम् । प्रवरान्तरमापन्नं तद्धि चैवं प्रकल्पितम् ॥ ३७ ॥
evam kausika-gotram tu visvamitraih prthag-vidham pravarantaram apannam tad dhi caivam prakalpitam
Visvamitra cursed some of his sons and blessed the others, and he also adopted a son. Thus there were varieties in the Kausika dynasty, but among all the sons, Devarata was considered the eldest.
