May 27 - Sargas 74 and 75 of Balakanda.
Used as we are to Bollywood movies that throw in a group dance at the slightest provocation, we would expect here much song and dance celebration. That was not to be for Valmiki's narrative.
The wedding concludes. After bestowing abundant blessings on the newly married couples and their families, sage Vishwamitra leaves for his ashrama back in the Himalayas. Indeed a most wonderful and colourful sage to illuminate the Ramayana story so far.
King Janaka bestows abundant riches, cows, elephants, horses, finest ornaments and clothes to all the brides. They also get hundreds of servants and attendants to go with them - male and female.
In an extremely cordial atmosphere, King Dasharatha with the newly married couples, sages, administrators and others start back on the journey to Ayodhya with the army leading in the front.
**f
Some distance later, they all witnessed a scarifying sight of animals and birds shrieking and birds circling above unusually. A terrible dust storm started and engulfed the entire army. Everyone was scared. Dasharatha was distressed by these omens and asked sage Vasishtha what was forthcoming. The sage replied that a calamitous situation was surely portended but the birds circled in such a manner that it indicated also that the danger shall pass.
Everyone was confused and terrified except the king, the sages and the princes. The army was like a fire buried in ashes.
***
ददर्श भीयसंकाशं जटामण्डलधारिणम् ।
भार्गवं जामदग्न्यं तं राजराजविमर्दनम् ॥
Then they all saw a terrifying figure with matted locks, holding a kamandalu. It was Bhargava, Jamadagni's son Parashurama, well known for having eliminated kshatriyas in the form of kings from the face of this earth.
Parashurama was an incarnation of Vishnu, which Valmiki does not state here. His father Jamadagni was a most accomplished sage who had completely eschewed all violence. Knowing this, king Kartiveeryarjuna came and decapitated him. His son Parashurama flew into an untameable rage, took up weapons and destroyed Kshatriyas by going round the earth 21 times. He did what God's plan was - to rein in the the then kings with their unbridled violent and arrogant ways.
After that Kshatriya holocaust, at Indra's request, Parashurama had given up arms, handed over the earth that he had won to sage Kashyapa, and repaired to Mahendraparvata for his meditations.
And so, the sages in Dasharatha's entourage wondered, how come he was here looking for some terrible action?
The sages decided to placate him. They took the usual materials for receiving guests and worshipped him. He also calmly received the reception.
***
Then he addressed Sri Rama:
राम दाशरथे वीर वीर्यं ते श्रूयतेऽद्भुतम् ।
धनुषो भेदनं चैव निखिलेन मया श्रुतम् ॥
तदद्भुतमचिन्त्यं च भेदनं धनुषस्त्वया ।
तच्छ्रुत्वाहमनुप्राप्तो धनुर्गृह्यापरं शुभम् ॥
तदिदं घोरसंकाशं जामदग्न्यं महद्धनुः ।
पूरयस्व शरेणैव स्वबलं दर्शयस्व मे ॥
तदिदं बलं दृष्ट्वा धनुषोऽस्य प्रपूरणे ।
द्वन्द्वयुद्धं प्रदास्यामि वीर्यश्लाघ्यमहं तव ॥
"Oh Rama! Son of Dasharatha! I have heard from all about your great valour and how you broke the divine bow. That act of yours was indeed unthinkable and unbelievable. Having heard that I have come here with another bow.
This terrible bow belongs to my father sage Jamadagni. Take it and string it and set this arrow to it.
After seeing how powerful you are in using this bow, I shall offer to fight you one to one, something most praised by great warriors. "
***
Dasharatha was deeply aggrieved. He thought Rama would be killed by Parashurama. He bowed down in utter distress and wretchedness and said, "Respected sage, we have known that you have cooled down from your hatred of Kshatriyas and become established in Brahman. How indeed do you now offer battle to my tender sons? You should indeed offer them protection. You belong to the Bhargava line, Renowned for their spiritual quest and penance. You had also eschewed weapons as a promise to Indra. But you have come from your reclusion in Mahendraparvata bent on destroying my line!?! If dearest Rama is killed by you none of us will survive that tragedy. "
Parashurama ignored Dasharatha completely. He continued to Sri Rama:
" This was one of two bows made by Vishwakarma. The first was used by Shiva in Tripura Samhara. The second was given to Vishnu. Once out of the idle curiosity of gods to know who indeed was more powerful, Shiva or Vishnu, they requested Brahma to bring about a duel between Shiva and Vishnu. He sure did so because they waged the most terrible fight between themselves. Finally Vishnu won. This infuriated Shiva. Afterwards the gods managed to pacify Shiva. That's when he gave away that divine bow of his to the king Devarata, ancestor of Janaka. That is the bow you broke.
***
ऋचीके भार्गवे प्रादाद्विष्णुः संन्यासमुत्तमम्।
तदिदं वैष्णवं राम पितृपैतामहं महत् ।
क्षत्रधर्मं पुरस्कृत्य गृह्णीष्व धनुरुत्तमम् ॥
योजयस्व धनुःश्रेष्ठे शरं परपुरञ्जयम् ।
यदि शक्नोषि काकुत्स्थ द्वन्द्वं दास्यामि ते ततः ॥
"Oh Rama, Vishnu bestowed that divine bow of his on my ancestor sage Bhargava Richika. That has passed down to me as my father Jamadagni was not interested in weapons.
Accept my challenge and pick up this divine bow. If you can set Vishnu's arrow, the same one he used to kill Puranjaya, to this divine bow, I shall gladly offer you a one to one fight knowing your capability ".
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
