30 - Lamentation of Renuka: Parashurāma's Vow to Slay all Kshattriyas, Jamadagni Resuscitated 

Vasishtha continued: 

1. On hearing the report of the murder of Jamadagni and similar events, the king became very much distressed in his mind. He thought about the various matters concerned. 

2. “Alas I have been very wicked in the events concerning both the worlds. Firstly, my desire to take away the property of a Brāhmaṇa and secondly his (Jamadagni's) extremely censurable murder. 

3. Deluded in my mind and devoid of shame, I did not pay heed to the words of this sensible Brahmaņa, my family priest. In that case I should have avoided such a difficult situation." 

4. Thinking thus with a grief-stricken heart, he returned to his city along with his army and followers. 

5. When the king went back towards his city along with his attendants, Oking, Renuka suddenly rushed out of hermitage. 

6. Thereupon, she saw her husband who was lying in a pool of blood, with all his limbs wounded and who had fallen motionless on the ground. 

7. As her husband lay senseless, she thought that he had been killed. Thereupon, she fell down on the ground and fainted as though struck by a thunderbolt, 

8. After a long time, she got up from the ground. She became more distressed and miserable. Falling down and getting up again and again, she wept loudly. 

9. With her body becoming dusky-white coloured on account of the dust from the ground, with her face covered with flowing tears, she lamented much. Fallen into the sea of sorrow, she became all the more pitiable. 

10. "Alas dear lord, fully familiar with all religious rites, ocean of the nectar of civility and courtesy, Fie upon over-quiescence. No one shall desire such a quietude as this. 

11. O bestower of honour, where have you gone? Coming out of the hermitage, you have cast me suddenly into the deep ocean of distress, and rendered me lordless and forlorn. 

12. Friendship and intimacy of good people is said to be Saptapada (produced when one accompanies another taking seven steps together or when one talks seven words with another). In regard to this, I have been cheated along with you. It behoves you to take me too to the place where you are going alone now. 

13. O highly fortunate Lord! My heart is not torn asunder immediately after seeing you in such a plight as this. Indeed, women are hard-hearted”. 

14. She lamented thus. She wept again and again. Overwhelmed with ocean of excessive misery, she cried out “O Råma, O Råma." 

 15. In the meantime, Ráma too returned to the hermitage, from the forest, accompanied by Akrutavraņa and bearing the burden of the sacrificial twigs. 

16. On the way he had seen many ill omens indicating fear from danger. On seeing them, he had become distressed in his heart. The holy lord then came to the hermitage immediately. 

17. On seeing him coming, the weeping lady became more distressed. With her sorrow renewed, Renukă lamented again. 

18. Extremely afflicted on account of her separation from her husband, she beat her belly (?) with both of her hands, in front of Råma, o king. 

19. Rama had already come to know the report in full on the way itself. Seeing his mother dejected on account of sorrow like a female osprey, he too became miserable. 

20. Though overwhelmed by misery and sorrow, the intelligent sage (i.e. Råma) regained his courage. With both the eyes filled with tears, he stood on the ground with his face directed downwards. 

21. On seeing Rama in such a plight, Akrutavraņa said thus: -"What is this, O you the noblest among the descendants of Bhrugu? This is not proper and suitable for you. 

22. Nowhere do people like you, I highly fortunate one, bewail too much. Great men with fortitude are never miserable over a loss. 

23. It is sorrow that brings about emaciation and withering up of all sense-organs. O sage of long powerful arms, get rid of this sorrow. People like you do not deserve to be subjected to it. 

24. Certainly, it is sorrow alone that prevents all affairs of consequence both in this world and in the next. How is it that you give room to it in your heart? 

25. Hence, be pleased to regain your wealth of courage and console your mother who is weeping profusely, because her mind is upset by the suspicion of immediate widowhood. 

26. An object that has passed off never returns. Hence, forget everything that has taken place and think about your duty." 

27. On being appeased by him thus, Rama steadied his soul by his own efforts, slowly. 

28. Overwhelmed by sorrow and misery, Renuka wept again and again. She beat her belly (?) twenty-one times with the pair of her hands. 

29. Meanwhile with tears welling up in his eyes, Råma came near her and consoled his weeping mother, saying "Enough, mother". 

30-32. Relieving from her misery his mother who was overwhelmed with her sorrow for her dead husband, Råma said thus: -"Since you beat your chest twenty-one times, I shall exterminate the entire Kshatriya caste as many times, wherever they may be on this earth. I am speaking the truth unto you. Hence, get rid of your sorrow and assume courage now. Certainly what has gone is gone for ever, never to return". 

33. On being consoled thus by him, Reņukă regained her courage with great difficulty despite her inordinate misery, and said "So be it” in reply. 

34. Then, along with his brothers, Räma of long powerful arms, made preparations for the cremation of his father's body by means of fire, in accordance with the injunctions, o king. 

35. Reņuka of steadfast holy rites, whose body was overwhelmed with sorrow for her husband, called all her sons together and spoke these words: 

Reņukā said: 

36. O my sons, I wish to follow your father who has gone to Heaven and who was by nature meritorious. It behaves you all to allow me to do so. 

37. The misery of widowhood is unbearable. How can I endure it? I will be hated as I am bereft of my husband. How can I carry on my activities, thus? 

38. Hence, I shall follow my beloved husband so that I shall proceed along with him without interruption for ever in the other world. 

39. By entering this burning pyre, I will be slightly after a long time, the dear guest of my husband in the world of the Pitrus (Manes). 

40. If you wish to do what is pleasing to me, dear sons, nothing else should be expressed by you by taking a united stand against me, except your concurrence and support in this act of my self-immolation to fire. 

41. After saying these words with firm decision, Reņukå decided to follow her husband by entering the fire. 

42. At that very juncture an incorporeal speech uttered thus, addressing Renukå along with her sons. 

43. “O Renukā, listen attentively to my words, along with your sons. Do not do anything rash and reckless, O gentle lady, I shall tell you something pleasing to you. 

44. No rash and reckless act should be committed by anyone who desires his own welfare. You must not die. If one continues to live, one is sure to see happiness. 

45. Hence, O lady of bright smiles, sustain your asset of fortitude. Bide your time screening yourself behind an inevitable cause. 

46. Ere long your husband will regain consciousness. O splendid lady, when he is resuscitated you will realize your desires. You will be the recipient of much weal lasting for a long time.”

Vasişhtha said: 

47. Having heard those words (of the incorporeal speech) Reņuka regained fortitude. Out of respect and high value of that (Divine speech), the sons became delighted. 

48. Thereafter, they took the body of the sage, their father, to the inner apartments of the hermitage. Laying it in a place sheltered from the wind, they sat all around it. 

49-50. As they sat there with their soul and the mind submerged in gloom (lit. not much delighted), they saw many important and splendid omens whereby they were consoled a little, in their minds. The leading sages sat there along with their mother, eagerly expecting the revival of their father back to life. 

51. Meanwhile, due to the power of destiny, O king, sage (Bhrugu), the intelligent progenitor and sustainer of the line of Bhrugus, came there by chance. 

52. He was the creator (i.e. composer) of the Atharvan mantras. He was thoroughly conversant with the Vedas and the Vedangas (ancillaries to the Vedas). He knew the meanings of all scriptures. He was highly intelligent and respected by the Asuras. 

53. He knew the mystic lore of Mrutasañjivini¹ whereby he could resuscitate the Dänavas who died on being struck by the Devas. This secret lore was inaccessible to other sages. 

1. Generally it is Šhukra, Ushana Kavi, who is credited to have the sole mastery of Sanjivani Vidyå and the treatise on politics Shukra-nidi-sdra is also ascribed to Shukra. Here Shukra's father Bhrugu is credited with the knowledge of both of these. 

54. It was he who composed the treatise on politics called after him Aušhanasa or Shukra-niti-sära which enabled kings to regain their lost kingdom. Even today all the kings follow it and rely on it. 

55. That great sage arrived at the hermitage. On entering it he saw them all in the same miserable plight over whelmed with sorrow. 

56. On seeing Bhrugu, the original sire of their family, they joyously stood up, honoured him and offered him the most excellent seat: 

57. The great sage congratulated and blessed them all. He asked them,"What has happened here?" They narrated everything to him. 

58. On hearing it, Bhrugu who was conversant with Mantras, immediately took some water. Repeating the mantra of Sanjivini Vidyā he sprinkled (Jamadagni's) body and chanted this. 

59. "If the prowess of my performance of sacrifice and Tapas (penance) is auspicious, let this (sage Jamadagni) come to life thereby. Let him get up like one who had gone to sleep". 

60. As soon as this auspicious statement was uttered by Bhrugu of perfectly righteous activities, the son of Ruchika (i.e. Jamadagni) got up like another Bruhaspati himself. 

61. On seeing Bhrugu, his own respectable grandfather¹ standing there, O king, he bowed down to him devoutly. With palms joined in reverence he said —

1. The word Pitamaha 'grandfather' is rather loosely used here, as Bhrugu is Jamadagni's grandfather's (Aurva's) grandfather. His genealogy in brief, is as follows: 

Bhrugu-Chyavana-Aurva-Ruchika— Jamadagni. 

Jamadagni said: 

62-65. I am blessed. I have realized the fulfilment of my duties. My life is fruitful as I am able to see your feet to which Suras and Asuras offer obeisance O holy lord, bestower of honour. What service shall I render unto you? O holy lord, be pleased to sanctify your own family by means of drops of water from your own feet.” 

After saying this, he joyously applied the Arghya brought by Rāma immediately to wash his feet. With devotion, the noble-minded Jamadagni bent down his neck and sprinkled that water on his head along with the members of his family. 

66-67. After honouring him duly he humbly asked Bhrugu: - 

"O holy lord, why the sin has been committed by that wicked king—that king to whom I extended my hospitality perfectly well in accordance with the injunctions thinking that he was a good man? O highly intelligent one, why did the wicked man did so? 

Vasishtha said: 

68. On being asked thus, o king, the intelligent sage Bhrugu, the omniscient holy lord, meditated and thought for a long time and explained the reason.

Bhrugu said: 

69. Listen, O highly fortunate and dear one, listen to the cause of this act whereby, O sinless one, he committed an evil offence towards you, the omniscient one. 

70. He had been cursed formerly by Vasişhtha¹ for the sake of his destruction as follows: “O deluded one, your power and vigour will be destroyed on account of your offence against a Brāhmaṇa". 

1. This is Āpava Vasişhtha. He is different from Vasişhtha, the narrator of the Parashuråma Legend in this text. He was an ancient sage. Karttavirya helped the fire-god to burn a forest in which the sage Apava Vasişhtha had built his hermitage. When Kärttavirya and the fire-god burnt his hermitage, he cursed Kårttavirya as a result of which the event of carrying away Jamadagni's cow took place-Mbh. Santi.49.41-47. 

71-73. Therefore, how can the sage's words be 'other wise? This Råma will attack that leading king of great vigour, forcefully, O sage of long powerful arms. He has already vowed thus-"O mother, since, being overwhelmed with sorrow, your chest has been struck by you twenty-one times in front of me, I shall make the earth rid of Kşhatriyas twenty-one times”. 

74. Hence, though he may be warded off continuously by you, his father, O bestower of honour, he will surely carry it out with all his might, due to the force of the inevitable future. 

75-76. That king of great fortune had been a devoted servant of old people. He is of great intelligence having acquired his wisdom from Dattatreya, a part of Lord Vişhņu. The noble-souled king is a direct devotee of Lord Vişhņu too. There will be sin in killing him. 

After saying thus, O great king, Bhrugu, the son of Brahma, the great scholar went back the way he had come (awaiting) the revolution of time in the future.