25 - Parashurama protects a boy from a tiger

Vasishtha said: 

1. Thereupon, the lord of the Universe was delighted in his mind, due to the Yoga of devotion of Råma. Hence, he became visible to him along with the groups of Devas. 

2-3. On seeing the three-eyed lord of the chief of the Devas, the moon-crested lord with a lordly bull as vehicle, god Shambhu, accompanied by crores of goblins, the scion of the family of Bhrugu got up with great excitement. His eyes became dim on account of tears due to delight. He prostrated on the ground to Sharva with great devotion. 

4. Rising up and bowing down his head several times, Räma eulogised the lord of the universe with palms joined in reverence. 

Rāma said: 

5. “Obeisance to you, O lord of the chiefs of the Devas. Hail to you O Parameśhvara. Obeisance to you, O lord of the Universe. Bow to you, O destroyer of the three Puras.¹ 

1. The three cities of gold, silver and iron in the sky, air and earth were built by Maya for demons. These were burnt down along with the demon-residents by god Shiva.

6. Salute to you O lord presiding over everything. Obeisance to you, O lord endearing himself to his devotees. Hail to you O lord of all living beings. Obeisance to you, O bull-bannered lord. 

7. Obeisance to you the overlord of everything. Bow to you, O merciful lord. Obeisance to you, O abode of everyone, Obeisance to you, O Lord of bluish-red complexion. 

8. Obeisance to the trident-bearing lord, the destroyer of the hosts of the enemies of the Devas. Salute to you, Kapălin (one holding the skull), the sole protector of all the worlds. 

9. Obeisance to the lord who resides perpetually in the cremation ground; obeisance to the lord who dwells on the Kailasa mountain. Obeisance be to you, the wielder of the noose; Bow to the lord who swallowed poison Kalakūta. 

10. Obeisance to the all-pervading lord worthy of being saluted by the Devas. Hail to you, the self-born lord, obeisance to Shambhu who is the witness to the activities of the entire universe. 

11. Obeisance to the lord with the crescent moon on his crest, shining on account of the white foams of the Ganga. Bow to Shiva, the Supreme Soul, having huge serpent-chiefs as garland. 

12. Obeisance to the lord whose body is covered with the holy ashes. Salute to the lord who has the sun, the fire and the moon for his eyes. Hail to you, O Kapardin (one with matted hair), obeisance to you the suppressor of the demon Andhaka. 

13. Obeisance to the destroyer of the three demon cities. Obeisance to the annihilator of Dakşha's sacrifice; obeisance to the lord whose broad chest is dyed with the saffron from the breasts of the daughter of the mountain Himalaya. 

14. Hail to the great lord Mahadeva; obeisance to you that have the elephant hide, for your robes. Bow to Shiva whose form is meditated upon by the Yogins. Obeisance to the lord of inconceivable refulgence. 

15. Obeisance to you that abide in the middle of the pericarp of the lotus-like heart of your own devotees. Bow to you that have the main principle, and essence of all the Vedas (and Āgamas) as your form. 

16. Obeisance to the awakener of the leading Yogins. Hail to the nectar-souled one, obeisance to Shankara whose grandeur pervades everything. Bow to the Supreme Soul. 

17. Obeisance to Sharva the quiescent lord. The Brahman having the cosmic form. Obeisance to the lord without beginning, middle and end; obeisance to the eternal lord of unmanifest form. 

18. Hail to the lord whosc form is both manifest and unmanifest. Obeisance to the lord of gross as well as subtle nature. Bow to the lord who can be comprehended through the Vedantas. Obeisance to the lord with the universal knowledge for his form. 

19. Obeisance to the lord whose feet are worshipped with flowers (as well as) heads of groups of Suras and Asuras. Obeisance to Shrikantha, the creator of the universe. Repeated obeisance unto the maker of the worlds. 

20. Obeisance to you, the lord with the Rajas Guna in his heart while creating the Universe in the form of Hiranyagarbha, Obeisance to Hara the primordial (lord and the cause of) the universe. 

21. Obeisance to you, the soul of the universe. Hail to you the cause of the sustenance and activities of the world. Bow to you whose form is Såttvic knowledge, Obeisance to the lord identical with the supreme soul as well as the individual soul. 

22. Obeisance to the lord who assumes transformation of the Tamas Guna while performing the duty of the annihilation of the Universe. Obeisance to the lord who has the form of Rudra at the end of the Kalpa. Obeisance to the lord who knows the para and Apara (the great and non-great or remote to proximate). 

23. Obeisance to the eternal lord without any change or transformation. Obeisance to the lord of the nature of Sat and Asat. Obeisance to the lord who awakens every intellect. Hail to the lord who causes changes in the intellect and sense-organs. 

24. Repeated obeisance to that lord by whose Mäya the Devas have diverse minds [forms(?)] such as the Vasus, the Adityas, the Maruts, the Sådhyas, the Rudras and the Aśhvins. 

25. You have an unborn, eternal subtle form that has no aberrations and that is incomparable. Even the Yogins who are always devoid of impurities do not know that. 

26. It is because they do not comprehend you, the incomprehensible one, that Brahma and others have indeed (to wander in) the worldly existence. They do not have for long the same activity (?) 

27. Whether a scholar or an irrational person, one continues to wander in the worldly existence as long as one does not approach your feet since you alone are the destroyer of ignorance. 

28. He alone is clever, he alone is fortunate; he alone is a sage, and a scholar by whom the intellect has been stabilized at your lotus-like feet. 

29. On account of its being extremely subtle, your existence of the nature of the three Vedas is due to its extreme subtlety too deep even to the learned ones. How is it to be known by me, deluded that I am.

30. Your greatness is beyond the purview of words. Now I am incapable of eulogising it adequately well, because I am dull-witted. 

31. Hence, though out of ignorance (i.e. Ignorant though I am) you have been eulogised by me with (genuine) devotion. O lord of the Devas, do become pleased. Indeed, you are fond of your devotees and endear yourself to them”.

Vasishtha said: 

32. On being eulogised thus with great devotion by Rāma, Shankara spoke to him sinilingly with words deep and resonant like the rumble of the cloud. 

The Lord said: 

33. “O Råma, I am extremely pleased with the heroism you possess, your penance, your devotion towards me and particularly with this eulogy. 

34. Hence, do choose your boon. Whatever you wish mentally I shall bestow it upon you, without keeping back anything”. Vasishtha said: 

35. On being told thus by the Lord of the Devas, O king, the leading member of the family of Bhrugu bowed down to him. With palms joined in reverence he spoke thus -

36. "O lord if you are pleased and if I deserve a boon, then I wish to be endowed with all the miraculous missiles from you. 

37. Due to your favour, there should not be anyone superior to me in miraculous missiles, weapons and in the sacred scriptures. There should not be anyone in all the worlds to defeat me in battles. Vasishtha said: 

38. After saying "So be it", Shambhu who was delighted gave Ráma missiles and weapons in their entirety in due order along with their Mantras. 

39. Shankara who stood in front of him with satisfaction made Rama take up the four types of miraculous weapons along with the modes of their discharge as well as their withdrawal. 

40. Shankara gave Rama an excellent chariot of unobstructed speed and velocity, with white horses and beautiful banner. He gave him two inexhaustible quivers of arrows. 

41. He gave him an unaging (ever-new) unbreakable divine bow (named) Vijaya, with firm bowstring. He gave him a costly wonderful coat of mail that can withstand all types of weapons. 

42. O king, he granted him invincibility in battle, heroism without a parallel on the earth and the ability to hold his vital airs as long as he wished. 

43. By means of a Bijamantra (incantation) in his name, he granted him renown all over the worlds. He granted Bhargava great potentiality for his austerities. 

44-47. He granted Ráma proper and relevant devotion towards himself. Thereafter, the moon-crested lord Shambhu, Hara, soon vanished with the selfsame body accompanied by all the goblins and the Devas. After obtaining everything that he desired, Råma became satisfied. When Sharva (Shiva) became invisible he spoke to Mahodara: "O Mahodara, it behoves you to preserve all these things, the chariot, the bow etc. for my sake when I have some task to be performed through these, you will be remembered, by me. On being remembered by me you will send them to me". 

Vasishtha said: 

48. Saying “So be it”, Mahodara departed. The most excellent one among the descendants of Bhrugu felt satisfied (in having fulfilled his duty) and desired to go to see his elders. 

49. As he proceeded ahead, Rama who was induced by his previous actions controlling his future, entered a cave in the Himalaya mountains in a dense forest. 

50. There he saw a boy, the son of a Brāhmaṇa, crying like one who was extremely frightened as he was chased by a tiger. He was (as if) holding his vital airs (with great difficulty). 

51. On seeing him, Rama had his heart overwhelmed with sympathy and he became excited due to his eagerness to save him. Saying "Stop, stop" loudly, he pursued that tiger. 

52. Chasing him with great speed, the scion of the family of Bhrugu, caught up the extremely terrible tiger in the forest after a long time. 

53. That Brāhmaṇa boy who was pursued by the tiger, fled with great fright for his life. He fell down near a cave in the forest. 

54. Rāma had his eyes turned red due to anger. With a desire to redeem the Brahmana boy he took up a small blade of grass and chanted mantras over it as though it were a missile of Kuśha grass. 

55. In the meantime the hyaena (tiger) of great power ran after the Brāhmaṇa boy. On seeing him fallen, hc roared loudly making the heaven and earth tremble. 

56. With the fire of his missile, he burned the tiger who was striking with the tips of his claws. He thus released the Brāhmaṇa boy who was not at all wounded. 

57. That sinful (hyena) whose body had been burned completely due to the Brahminical fire, assumed the body of a Gandharva. Rising on to the sky, he spoke thus to Råma with great respect. 

58. "O sage, formerly, as I had been cursed by a Brahmaņa I attained the state of a tiger. Redeemed now from the effects of that curse, I am going to heaven”. 

59. When he went away hastily after saying thus, Rāma who was wonderstruck sympathetically lifted up the fallen Brahmana boy. 

60. Sitting near the Brahmaņa boy he said the following words--"Do not be afraid”, O king. Slowly he stroked his limbs, reviving his life (and spirits). 

61. Lifted up thus by Räma, he opened his eyes and looked around. He saw the most excellent one among the members of the family of Bhrugu in front of him. 

62. He became surprised on seeing the tiger reduced to ashes. With his fear dispelled he said thus—"Who are you, please? How did you come here? 

63. By whom was this tiger reduced to ashes, the hyena of terrifying shape and size, who almost appeared like another god of death and attempted to kill me? 

64. My mind is highly deluded and excited due to fear, O sage of great intellect. Although it has been killed, all the quarters appear to be filled with the tiger even now. 

65. I consider you to be everyone-my father, mother, friend and preceptor since you brought me back to life when I had met with the greatest of mishaps. 

66. There was a certain excellent sage of great penance called Shanta. I am his son. Desirous of visiting holy centres, I went to the village of Shālagrama.¹ 

1. A place near the source of the Gandaka where Bharata and sage Pulaha performed penance (De. 174). The place abounds in sacred stones called Salagråma. 

67. From there I proceeded to the mountain Gandhamädana, desirous of visiting the holy penance grove of Badarika resorted to by many groups of sages. 

68. Desirous of going further, I lost my way on the Himalaya mountain. Entering a fascinating forest, I got confused while viewing the different regions. 

69. I went a distance of a Krośha (three Kms) towards the east. As ill luck would have it, I was afflicted with fear and I had to run. 

70. When I had fallen down I have been lifted up now from the ground with great love and mercifulness by you like a son, by his father. Thus my story has been wholly narrated to you”.

 Vasishtha said: 

71. On being asked thus by him, O leading king, Råma narrated his story entirely to him in due order. 

72. Mutually conversing thus they were delighted very much. He did not stay there for a long time thereafter. Then he desired to proceed ahead. 

73. Followed by him, Rāma came out of that cave with great joy and started towards the residence of his parents. 

74-75. Since he was not wounded although he was caused to fall on the ground by the tiger and since he was saved by Rāma who killed the tiger, the name of that Brähmaņa boy. became well known on the Earth as Akrutavraņa (not wounded), O leading king. 

76. Ever since then, he became a great friend and follower of Rama in every situation like a shadow on the ground when there is sunlight. 

77. Followed by him, O king, Rama came to the presence of Bhrugu. He saw Khyati, approached her and bowed down to her humbly. 

78. He was blessed and congratulated by those two delighted persons. In order to please them, he stayed there for a few days. 

79-80. After that, with their permission, he went to the hermitage of the great sage Chyavana. The sage Rama of noble mind saluted sage Chyavana who was surrounded by the groups of his disciples, whose mind was quiescent and who had controlled the internal sense-organs, as well as bowed to Sukanya, Chyavana's wife. 

81. Congratulated by both of them who were delighted he went to the hermitage of Aurva desirous of seeing the sage. 

82. The highly intelligent Rāma paid his respects to him and was congratulated and blessed by him, O king. Due to Aurva's affection, he remained there for a few days. 

83. After being permitted to go by him very slowly, Bhargava of great glory, accompanied by Akrutavrana, joyously started towards the abode of Ruchika. 

84. After bowing down at the feet of the parents of his father, separately he saluted them. They two, O king, blessed him with their good wishes, due to his delight. 

85. On being asked by them, O leading king, the liberal minded sage Råma narrated his entire story in due order in the manner it had taken place. 

86. After staying there for a few days he went to the abode of his parents with their permission. He was delighted extremely. 

87. Approaching his parents who were seated within their excellent hermitage, the delighter of the members of the family of Bhrugu, bowed down duly at their feet. 

88. When he bowed down at their feet, they eagerly and respectfully lifted him up, embraced him and sprinkled him with tears from their eyes. 

89. They congratulated him with blessings. They kept him on their laps. They looked at his face again and again. Stroking his limbs, they derived great joy. 

90. They asked Rama—“What has been done by you, dear son, so long? Who is this boy? Where were you staying? 

91. How did you live with him? How has he come? O dear one, let this be completely and truthfully reported to us both by you”.