Sālva and Paraśurāma

This is the account of the last battle of Sālva, king of the Saiṃhikeyas, in the Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa. The Saiṃhikeyas are the children of Siṃhikā. Sālva held the three worlds, but Bhagavān Vishṇu had been born as Paraśurāma, son of Jamadagni, and Śiva had sent him against the daityas. The account covers Śukra’s counsel, the terrible omens, Sālva’s dream-omens, Rāhu’s telling of the churning of the milk-ocean and the appearance of Lakshmī, the Mohinī avatāra and how Rāhu became a graha (planet), the war of the devas and dānavas, Sālva’s speech on dharma, the great battle, and how Śiva took Paraśurāma to Kailāsa and gave him the whole astra-vidyā (knowledge of divine weapons).

The omens and the council of war

Terrible omens at Sālva’s city

When Paraśurāma’s march drew near, dreadful omens showed throughout the Saiṃhikeya kingdom. Balls of fire fell from the sun. Blood rained from the clouds. Weapons smoked without any fire. Horses wept without stopping. Darkness covered the sun and the moon at times other than Pūrṇimā and Amāvāsyā. Trees flowered and bore fruit out of season. Rivers ran backwards. The bodily light of the dānava kings grew dim. Rāhu and Ketu were troubling Sālva’s birth nakshatra (lunar star). Seeing these signs, Sālva called for Śukrācārya. (Chapter 37)

Śukra’s counsel

In the assembly Śukrācārya spoke to the daityas. “O Sālva, hear the truth. Siṃhikā did tapas (austerity) and received from Brahmā the vara (boon) that her children would not die. Made bold by this, you used the vidyā (knowledge) I taught you to conquer the devas and drive them out of svarga (heaven). They took shelter with Śaṅkara, and Śiva in turn guided Vishṇu’s work. Vishṇu is now born as Paraśurāma, son of Jamadagni, a fierce warrior. He is coming against you, sent by Śaṅkara.

“Know this. Śambara, Namuci, Śaṃbu, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Keśin, Hiraṇyāksha, Madhu and Kaiṭabha, Dhūma, Hayagrīva, Sunda and Upasunda, Meghanāda (Rāvaṇa), Daśagrīva, Kārtikeya, Kālanemī, Kālanātha, Mahāgrīva, Kāraka, Kālakeya and Sulocana were all famous daityas, and all had boons and courage. Hari slew every one of them, some in the form of a deva, some in the form of an animal, and some in the form of a man. What makes you think you can win? Make peace with Indra now. Let the three worlds be his again. Go back to pātāla and live in comfort.”

The elder daityas rose in anger. “We have never run from a battle. The kingdom of the devas is ours. Shall we give it up to a mere man? We will conquer Śaṅkara himself, and not Paraśurāma alone.”

Hearing this, Sālva also chose to fight. “I know Hari’s greatness, O Śukra. But death at the hands of so great a warrior is the nobler end. I have done yajñas and tapas, and I have ruled the earth with justice. Now let Paraśurāma’s hand end my story. Those who die in battle at the hands of the Bhārgava will reach the highest gati (goal).”

Śukra knew that the daityas were already doomed, and he left for another region. (Chapter 38)

The dream-omens

Then the minister Gavishṭha told Sālva what he had seen in dreams. “I saw you, O king, wearing red garlands and red ointment, riding a crocodile and then a pig. The dānava generals were smeared with oil and riding donkeys. The mountains were falling. Some wore black clothes, and some were dragged southward, naked. Rājalakshmī was seen embracing Indra.”

Sālva answered, “The moment I heard that Vishṇu himself was my enemy, I gave up the kingdom in my heart. I have done my dharma. Death is sure for all, and death in battle against Bhagavān Vishṇu is moksha (liberation). Let Paraśurāma come. I welcome it.”

From these words Gavishṭha understood that the daityas were already as good as dead. He said nothing more. (Chapter 39)

Rāhu’s account: the churning of the ocean

At this time Sālva saw before him the cut-off head of his kinsman, the bodiless form known as Rāhu, and bowed to him. Rāhu said, “I have no wish to be an enemy of Bhagavān Vishṇu. It was by his anger that I became a limbless fragment, and by his grace that I became a graha. Let me tell you what I saw.”

The churning of the ocean

The devas, who must die by their own limits, prayed to Keśava for deathlessness. Bhagavān Vishṇu told them, “Churn the milk-ocean, and bring in the asuras too. With my help you will get the nectar.”

Hari, as Ananta, the aṃśa (portion) of Saṅkarshaṇa, pulled up Mount Mandara. As Kūrma he held it up beneath the ocean. He made Vāsuki the churning rope. The devas took the tail side, and the dānavas took the head of the snake. Hari himself held Vāsuki’s mouth, so the poisonous breath fell on the asura side. Mandara churned. Its peaks plunged down, crushing trees and creatures. The roar of the ocean filled the three worlds. The mountain shone with coloured minerals like a dancer hung with jewels.

The gifts of the ocean

First came the terrible Kālakūṭa poison, blazing like the fire at pralaya (the end of the world). The devas and dānavas were overcome with fear. For the good of all the worlds, Śaṅkara drank it. It stayed in his throat and turned it blue. That is why he is called Nīlakaṇṭha, the blue-throated one.

Then rose the crescent moon, which Mahādeva took into his jaṭā (matted hair). Then rose the brightness of the Kaustubha, which Hari took to wear on his chest. Then came the swift Uccaiḥśravas, the moon-white horse, which went to the devas. Then came the soma wine, which the suras drank. Then came the Apsarasas. And then Lakshmī Devī herself rose.

Lakshmī’s appearance

She rose from the milk-ocean in a form of the highest beauty. Her feet were the colour of blooming lotuses, with one toe always a little raised, the mark of supreme beauty. Her calves were free of hair and perfectly shaped. Her thighs were like golden pillars. Her waist curved like Indra’s bow. Every part of her was in perfect proportion. Her neck was like a conch, her eyes wide and dark like blue lotuses, and her long dark hair was like a second body of beauty. She wore shining silks, great golden kuṇḍalas (earrings), a garland of divine flowers, a hāra (necklace) on her neck like the flow of the Gaṅgā, anklets that rang with the sound of swans, and she carried in her hand a lotus set with vaidūrya gems.

When she turned her gaze, both devas and dānavas were lost in wonder for a moment and forgot themselves. She looked at them all, then looked toward Bhagavān Vishṇu. He stood above every other form, blazing with the light of ten thousand suns, in golden garments bright as fresh-melted gold. At the sight of him Lakshmī was wholly taken. As the daughter of the ocean, she became his at once, and she is never apart from him.

Bhagavān Vishṇu carried her in his heart. She took the amṛta-kamaṇḍalu (water-pot of nectar). Then Dhanvantari rose with the pot of amṛta. The dānavas at once snatched it from Dhanvantari and ran off. Hari went after them to get it back. (Chapters 40–41)

Lakshmī in all things

Rāhu taught Sālva more about Lakshmī’s presence in all things. “She is Kānti in all that shines and Dhṛti in all that stands firm. She is Prabhā in Sūrya and Jyotsnā in Candra. She is Śrī in kings, Brahmaśrī in the Vedic ṛshis, and Jayaśrī, victory in battle. She is Sāvitrī, Sarasvatī, Gaṅgā, Tushṭi, Pushṭi, Prajñā, Svāhā, Svadhā and Medhā. She is in the lotus, in silver and gold, in the conch, in fire, in the ocean and in white flowers. As Vishṇu fills the universe, so Kshīrābdhikanyā, the daughter of the milk-ocean, fills the universe in her form as Prakṛti.”

Across the seven manvantaras (ages of a Manu) she has appeared in different ways:

• In the Svāyaṃbhuva Manvantara she appeared as Bhārgavī, the daughter of Bhṛgu.
• In the Svārocisha Manvantara she came from Agni.
• In the Uttama Manvantara she came from pure water.
• In the Tāmasa Manvantara she came from the earth.
• In the Raivata Manvantara she came from the bilva tree.
• In the Cākshusha Manvantara she came from the thousand-petalled lotus.
• In the present Vaivasvata Manvantara she came from the churning of the milk-ocean.

(Chapter 41)

The Mohinī avatāra and Rāhu’s fate

Vishṇu took a wondrous female form to win back the amṛta from the dānavas. This was Mohinī. Her step was so light that it hardly touched the earth. Every feature of hers was perfect. She wore garments bright as the moon and every ornament. She walked like a royal elephant, and wherever her glance fell, lilies and lotuses seemed to scatter.

At the sight of this supreme beauty all the dānavas fell into infatuation, except Prahlāda. Through his bhakti (devotion) he knew at once that this was Bhagavān Vishṇu, in the form of the universal Viśvarūpa, appearing as a woman. Prahlāda calmed the others and himself handed the pot of amṛta to Mohinī. He said, “O auspicious one, I know you. You are beyond all names. These others are overcome with desire. Do not stir the rākshasas further. This is your devotee Prahlāda before you.”

Mohinī took the amṛta and quickly carried it to the devas, leaving the dānavas behind. She gave the nectar to the devas as they sat in rows. Rāhu says: “I took the form of Sūrya, sat among the devas and drank some amṛta. Sūrya and Candra knew me and showed me to Hari. Quick Hari cut my head from my body with his Sudarśana Cakra. But I had already swallowed amṛta, so my life did not leave me. My head alone lived.”

Bhagavān Vishṇu saw his plight and said, “Since you drank amṛta, you cannot die. Since I slew you, you will reach an exalted state. Ask for a vara.” Rāhu asked to be counted among the grahas, to be worshipped, and to be able to seize Sūrya and Candra at parva times. Bhagavān Vishṇu granted all this. “You will be a graha. At certain times you will cover Sūrya and Candra. That moment of eclipse will be a parvakāla, a holy time good for snāna (bathing), japa (repeating mantras), homa (fire offering), dāna (giving) and śrāddha (offerings to ancestors). Whatever share falls to any person at that time, you will receive.” (Chapter 42)

The deva-dānava war

When the dānavas found that they had lost the amṛta, their anger was terrible. They gathered their forces like a vast ocean of darkness. Bali and Bāṇāsura were like sea-turtles, Śambara like a great whirlpool, Ānuhlāda like a crocodile, Kālakeya like water, Hiraṇyāksha like a jewel, Prahlāda like a mountain that cannot be moved, Namuci like a wave, Hiraṇyakaśipu like light, and Kālanemī like a dark cloud.

The great war between the devas and dānavas began. Indra fought Prahlāda, Agni fought Namuci, Candra fought Ānuhlāda, Varuṇa fought Bāṇa, Yama fought Bali, Rudra fought Hiraṇyakaśipu, Vāyu fought Vṛtrāsura, and Kubera fought Hiraṇyāksha. For a time the devas were overwhelmed and fled in the ten directions. They took shelter in the āśrama of Nara and Nārāyaṇa. Nara and Nārāyaṇa took up the śaṅkha (conch) and cakra (discus) and fought the dānavas. The sight of their matchless power made the dānava ocean shrink. The devas rallied, and the dānavas were driven in defeat to Varuṇa’s realm. Indra returned to svarga in triumph.

Having seen all this, Rāhu said to Sālva, “Such is the greatness of Hari. I have no wish to be his enemy. Make peace with Indra, O king. Your father’s house in pātāla is waiting for you in comfort.” (Chapter 43)

Sālva’s speech on dharma

Sālva heard Rāhu in silence. Then he answered with a speech on dharma and three kinds of beings. Those who seek neither moksha nor worldly enjoyment are tāmasa and are lost in both worlds. Those who seek worldly enjoyment and do not care for moksha are rājasa, the middle kind. Those who seek moksha and turn away from worldly work are sāttvika, the best.

“My mind was too tāmasa to fix on moksha in time. I was drawn into ruling a kingdom. But now I have thought it over. Death is certain for everyone who has a body, in the sky, on earth, in svarga or in pātāla. Let that death come from the hand of the Bhārgava.

“I have done yajñas. I have done tapas. I have protected the people. I have defeated my enemies. I have cared for the good of the people. What is left but to die? To die in battle at the hand of one whom Śaṅkara himself sent is not defeat. Vishṇu’s hand in battle is moksha. I will not make peace with Indra after I have once put him to shame. Go well, O Rāhu. When I have a divine body in svarga, you will see me again with your divine sight.”

Rāhu saw that what was coming could not be turned aside. He left for svarga without another word. (Chapter 44)

The battle

Paraśurāma’s messenger and Sālva’s reply

Paraśurāma sent his messenger Ākṛtapraṇu to Sālva’s court. “Rāma was sent against you by Trilocana. Make yourself ready, O lord of the dānavas. He has sent me so that he will not strike you unready, for he never strikes one who is not alert. Stand firm in battle.”

Sālva replied, “Tell Paraśurāma that I do not want to fight him. I want to fight Śiva himself, who sent him. If Rāma stands in my way, I will face him too and scatter his force. Let him come.”

Sālva then made his battle preparations. He bathed, lit the sacred fire and honoured the brāhmaṇas. He mounted his great war-elephant like Sūrya rising above a mountain. His dānava followers cheered him. (Chapter 45)

The bad omens

As Sālva’s army marched, bad omens grew in number. His left arm trembled. His heart and left eye fluttered without stopping. The gem fell from his crown. The elephants set their left feet over their right. Jackals, foxes, tigers and cats crossed from south to left. Deer, boars and spotted deer cried ominously on his left. Oil, mud, jaggery, coal, hide, hair and dry grass lay in the path of the marching army. Sālva knew for certain that there was no escape from death. He pressed on.

On that road Paraśurāma suddenly stood before him, blazing, terrible and magnificent. (Chapter 46)

Paraśurāma’s form

The Bhārgava stood alone, with no armour. His jaṭā blazed like a pillar of fire. His colour was the dark green of a thunder-cloud. He wore the kṛshṇājina (black antelope skin). He wore nothing else but the sacred cord. His body was the gathered tejas (radiance) of both brahma and kshatra. His footsteps made the earth shake. His paraśu, the great battle-axe, blazed with the light of the clear midday sky. His face was like that of Yama and Kāla. He was the third eye of Parameśvara made visible, for the destruction of the wicked. Standing alone, he saw that great dānava army as no more than a puddle.

At the sight of him the dānavas roared, “Strike him! He is a brāhmaṇa who has fallen from his proper place! Kill him!” They rushed upon him all together. (Chapter 47)

The slaughter of Sālva’s army

Paraśurāma took the full charge of the Saiṃhikeya army. Spears, clubs, maces, swords, śūlas (tridents), pāśas (nooses), bhindipalas and iron rods came as a heavy rain of weapons from every side at once. He stood like a mountain in a storm and did not move. He never needed a second blow to finish any of them. One stroke of the paraśu felled each dānava who came within his reach. Heads flew like stalks of darbha grass in a gale. The blood of the dānavas filled the battlefield like a river of red.

Even as they fell by hundreds and thousands, the rest kept charging like moths into a fire. Paraśurāma leapt from chariot to chariot and from elephant to elephant, striking as he went. He cut off heads from the seat of one ratha (chariot) after another. He climbed onto a running elephant, struck the rider and jumped to the next. He moved so fast that he could not be seen. Like the sun behind rain-clouds, he vanished and appeared again, each time leaving more dead.

Weapons were hurled at him by the hundred. He split them in mid-air with one sweep of the edge of the paraśu, and the sparks from that splitting burned the dānavas who attacked. Brahmā, with the devas and the great ṛshis, watched from their vimānas (flying chariots) and praised him. “We have seen archery, sword-fighting and many kinds of battle. But never before has one warrior with only a battle-axe done what Rāma is doing here today.” Flowers fell from the sky. The dānava hosts, in tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands, were wiped out. When Sālva’s whole army was destroyed, the survivors fled to take shelter under Sālva’s own flag. (Chapter 48)

Sālva’s death

Sālva himself now mounted a huge war-elephant and charged at Paraśurāma. The great tusker ran at the Bhārgava at full speed. With a single roar Paraśurāma brought it to a dead stop. Sālva then shot a close volley of arrows and for a moment covered Paraśurāma’s sight. Covered on all sides by arrows and weapons, Paraśurāma closed his eyes and hurled his paraśu at Sālva. Sālva tried to turn it aside with a weapon but could not. The paraśu struck his head, set with a jewelled crown, and shattered it.

Paraśurāma then picked up a golden carved mace from the ground and hurled it at Sālva on his elephant. With a single blow he slew Sālva, the two mahouts who held the aṅkuśa (elephant goad), the armed shield-bearer behind, and the flag-bearer at the elephant’s side.

Sālva fell. The earth could not bear the force of the defeat of the remaining dānavas. The survivors fled at once into Varuṇa’s ocean realm.

The devas, led by Brahmā, came to the battlefield. Paraśurāma saluted them, and they worshipped him and went back to their own realms. Indra, with the three worlds given back to him by Paraśurāma’s arms, took up his home in svarga and ruled the three worlds in peace and joy. (Chapter 49)

Śiva’s gift at Kailāsa

When the battle was over, Śiva himself came to the battlefield riding his lion, with the pramathas (his attendants). He took Paraśurāma by the hand and brought him to Kailāsa. There, with loving care, he stroked Paraśurāma’s wounds. All the cuts and bruises vanished, and Paraśurāma’s full strength came back. Then Śiva spoke to him with great joy.

“O Rāma, O Mahānubhāva! You have filled me with delight. Your courage has no equal. Your sattva is above all. On this earth you alone can bear the great astras. Now live here on Kailāsa and practise astra-yoga with the pramathas until you have mastered every astra completely. After that, go back to your father.

“This divine paraśu that your father gave you will, from today, go wherever you send it whenever you release it, and will come back to your hand of its own accord. If it does not, that will be a sign to you. I will answer every doubt of yours. Now rest well, my son, in happiness and glory.”

Paraśurāma, with every wish fulfilled, lived on Kailāsa with Śiva’s pramathas and practised the whole astra-vidyā. (Chapter 49)

Sources

• Vishṇu Dharmottara Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, Chapters 37–49