Paraśurāma Āgamana (Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa)

Paraśurāma Āgamana means “the arrival of Paraśurāma”. This episode comes in the Bāla Kāṇḍa of the Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, soon after Bhagavān Rāma broke Śiva’s bow at Mithilā. It tells how Paraśurāma came in great anger, how he met Lakshmaṇa and Rāma, and how he came to know who Rāma is.

Paraśurāma arrives in anger

The sound of Śiva’s bow breaking at Mithilā reached the far-off āśrama (hermitage) of Paraśurāma. He took it as an insult to Śiva, whose bow was dear to his devotion, and he was filled with fierce anger. He came striding to Mithilā with his matted hair flying, his eyes red and his great paraśu (axe) on his shoulder. The earth shook under his feet.

Lakshmaṇa’s sharp words

Lakshmaṇa was young and hot-blooded. He saw how Paraśurāma carried himself and was not afraid. He stepped forward and spoke straight out, with no softening: “O muni! The bow is broken. What is done is done. Why this anger? Is a piece of old wood worth so much grief?”

Paraśurāma’s anger grew at the bold words of the young prince. He fixed his blazing eyes on Lakshmaṇa. The two traded words with growing heat. Lakshmaṇa was fearless and pointed, and Paraśurāma was mighty and terrible. The assembly watched in stunned silence. Viśvāmitra and the other munis held their breath.

Rāma’s calm humility

Rāmacandra stepped forward with joined hands and spoke gently, and the exchange stopped. He greeted Paraśurāma with deep respect. He called him a great muni, one who had the special grace of both Śiva and Vishṇu. In essence he said: “O Bhārgava! I am only a child of the Raghu line. Whatever I have done was done by the grace of my guru Viśvāmitra and at Janaka’s request. I have done no wrong. But if I have erred out of ignorance, correct me. I am your junior, and I am ready to hear your words.”

Rāma’s humility and steady tone moved the whole assembly. Paraśurāma looked at him and saw that Rāma’s bearing was not that of an ordinary prince. His calm was complete. His eyes held a depth that his age could not explain.

The challenge of the Vaishṇava bow

Paraśurāma then brought forward the great Vaishṇava-dhanus, the bow of Bhagavān Vishṇu, which he had carried for a long time. He held it out and challenged Rāma: “If you are truly a hero worthy of Sītā, if you truly have the power you have shown, string this bow. Let us see.”

Before Rāma could step forward to take it, the bow moved by itself. It flew from Paraśurāma’s grip as if drawn by an unseen force, sailed through the air and settled in Rāma’s hands. Rāma stood holding it calmly, as if it had always been his.

Recognition and departure

At that moment Paraśurāma remembered. Long ago Bhagavān Vishṇu had given him the Vaishṇava-dhanus with these words: “Keep this until you meet the one who can wield it. That one will be my avatāra.” Now the bow had gone to Rāmacandra by its own will.

Paraśurāma stood silent. Then his anger passed away like clouds before the wind. He bowed down before Rāmacandra and praised him with his whole heart and deep devotion. He named Rāma as Bhagavān Vishṇu himself, come down in human form. He saw that his task on earth, to rid the kshatriya world of adharma, was now complete in the hands of Bhagavān Rāma.

He asked Rāmacandra to forgive any harsh words spoken in that meeting. Then Paraśurāma left for the forest to take up his tapas again. He went as lightly as one who has put down a great load, and his anger had turned into devotion.

Sources

• Tulasī Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, Paraśurāma Āgamana