32 - Parašhurāma's Penance: Parashuráma Receives Missiles from Shiva

Vasishtha said: 

1. On hearing the words of Brahma, Rama became much delighted in his mind. After bowing down to the preceptor of the Universe, he went to Shiva's region. 

2. It was a hundred thousand Yojanas (1 Yojana - 12 km) above the world of Brahma. It was different from it. It was difficult to explain or describe it clearly. It could be approached only by Yogins and was greater than the greatest. 

3. Vaikuntha was to the right of it and the world of Gauri was to the left. The world of Dhruva was beneath it. It was higher than all the worlds. 

4. Räma who could go there due to the power of his penance, saw the world of Shiva which was unparalleled and which was full of many things generating curiosity and wonder. 

5. Leading Yogins, Siddhas, auspicious and holy Pāśhupatas (Devotees of Pashupati i.e. Shiva) etc. live there. So also people of quietude, devoid of enmity and having the meritorious benefits of austerities of ten million Kalpas. 

6. It was rendered splendid by pärijāta and other divine trees as well as wish-yielding cows, the Kamadhenus. It had been created by Shankara, the Yogin, by means of his yogic power, out of his own will. 

7-8. It was so wonderful that it had never been seen even in his dream by Viśhvakarman, the preceptor of all artisans and craftsmen. It was rendered splendid by hundreds of divine lakes beautified by rubies. It was very beautiful, being equipped with altars studded with gems and surrounded by golden rampart walls. 

9. It was very lofty touching even the sky. It was as white and clean as milk. It had four gateways. It was rendered splendid by gem-set altars and daises. 

10. It was endowed with gemset * (lit. red) flights of stairs, and gemset pillars and doors having different wonderful paintings. It was beautified by various fascinating articles and fittings. 

*rakta is probably a misprint for raina. 

11. There was a beautiful abode in the middle, rendered splendid by the principal gateway. Räma of virtuous soul saw it. He appeared to have come across something very wonderful. 

12-14. He saw two gatekeepers of terrifying forms there. Their teeth and mouths (or faces) were very frightful. Their eyes were deformed and reddish in colour. They resembled mountains that had been burnt (and hence black). They had great strength and exploit. They had bedecked themselves with holy ashes. Their garments were the hides of tiger. They held Trishulas (tridents) and Pattishas (spears with sharp edges). They were brilliant with Brahminical splendour. On seeing them he felt a bit afraid in his mind. He spoke thus humbly 

15. “I bow down to you two, O Lords. I have come here to see lord Shankara. It behaves you to let me in after obtaining the permission of the Lord.” 

16. On hearing his words, those two followers of the lord went in and got permission of Shiva. Then they gave him permission to go within. 

17-18. On getting their permission, he joyously entered the harem. The Brāhmaṇa saw a beautiful assembly hall filled with groups of Siddhas. On seeing this hall of the lord filled with many fragrant scents, he was surprised and awestruck. There he saw Śhiva, the quiescent moon-crested lord with three eyes. 

19. His hand appeared rendered splendid by a trident. He had excellent garment of tiger's skin. His limbs were smeared with holy ashes and made beautiful. A serpent served the purpose of sacred thread. 

10. He was delighted in his own self. All his desires had been perfectly realized. He had a lustre equivalent to that of ten million suns. He had five heads and ten arms. His person was ever eager to bless the devotees. 

21. He was expounding true knowledge and yogic principles to the Siddhas by means of the Tarka-Mudrå (i.e. esoteric gesture by means of fingers to indicate arguments). He was joyously being eulogised by leading Yogins and Pramathas. 

22. He was encircled by Bhairavas, Yogins as well as Rudras. On seeing Him, Rama bent down his head (in reverence) with very great joy. 

23-24. On seeing Kärttikeya to His left, Gaņeśhvara (i.e. Ganapati) to the right, Nandiśhvara, Mahäkāla and Virabhadra in front of him and the hundred-armed Durgå on his lap, he bowed down to her too. Thereafter, the scholarly sage began to eulogise the lord in faltering convulsive speech (over-whelmed with emotions): 

25. "I bow down to Lord Shiva, Išhana, the eternal (imperishable) all-pervasive lord, lord Ugra with serpents for his ornaments, the lord dazzling with the garland of human skulls. 

26. I know you as that lord of all the worlds, who creates, sustains and annihilates the worlds, who assumes the forms of Brahma and others, who is the eldest of all and who is an ocean of mercy. 

27. I bow down to that lord who is beyond the pale of speech and mind; whom even the Vedas are not competent to eulogise; who cannot be realized through knowledge and intellect and who has neither form nor shape. 

28. I bow down to that lord who is greater than the greatest and whom Indra and other Devas, the sages, the Manus and the Asuras do not understand in reality. 

29. I bow down to that lord who is identical with the Universe, by whose minutest part all the worlds consisting of the mobile and immobile beings are created, and in whom all of them get merged once again. 

30. I bow down to Hara that great lord from whose slightest anger bursts forth that fire which burns down everything including the upper worlds as well as the Nether worlds. 

31. The following eight Mürtis¹ (forms of Shiva) are worthy of being worshipped by the entire world viz. the Earth, wind, fire, water, ether, Yajvan (sacrificial priest), moon and sun. I bow down to that Yajña (the lord identical with Yajña). 

1. These eight forms of Shiva are comprised of (1) the elements (bhūtas) constituting physical man, (2) Präņa and Apana symbolized by the sun and the moon. These constitute the vital man, (3) Mind or manas called by various names like Hote, Yajvan (Yajamåna)Dikşhita etc. Kālidasa in Shākuntala 1.1 pays obeisance to this eight-formed Shiva. These are called eight Vasus in Vedic literature as they make all creatures manifest in concrete form (Shat. Br. 11.6.3.6). 

32. I seek refuge in that lord who has the form of Kala (Time, god of death), who is the primordial creator of the Universe in the form of Kala; who is the protector (of the Universe) by assuming a separate form and by being identical with the universe, and who in the end annihilates everything by assuming the physical form of Rudra.” 

33. After saying this, sage Bhargava joyously and enthusiastically fell down near his (Shiva's) feet. The ocean of mercy (the lord) sportingly lifted him up with his left hand and placed his right hand on his head. 

34. He eagerly congratulated and blessed him. He placed him in front of Ganešha. With his eyes wet with compassion, the lord who fulfils the desires of everyone, glanced at his wife Uma and spoke.

Śhiva said: 

35. “O boy, who are you? In whose family were you born? What is the purpose for which you have come here? Tell us about it. Delighted by your devotional attitude, I shall grant whatever you have in your mind.” 

36. On being told thus eagerly by the able-souled Hara, the dispeller of the distress of the whole Universe, (the scion of the family of) Bhrugu, once again bowed down to the lord of the Devas, the preceptor, the ocean of mercy and spoke immediately. 

Parashurama said: 

37. O lord, I am born as the son of Jamadagni in the family of Bhrugu. My name is Rāma. I seek refuge in you, who are worthy of being honoured by the whole universe. 

38. O lord of the Universe, fulfil my cherished desire for the work of which I have come to your presence, O lord. 

39. Jamadagni, my father, O lord, accorded hospitable reception to king Karttavirya who had been on a hunting expedition. 

40. Out of greed that silly and foolish king struck that sage down by using force. On seeing him killed, the cow went away to the world of cows. 

41. Without feeling any remorse for the death of my innocent father the king returned to his city. Afterwards, my mother lamented very bitterly. 

42. On coming to know of it, our great-grandfather Bhrugu who is aware of the events of the world, came there, O great lord. Indeed, I too came back from the forest. 

43. After consoling the extremely distressed brothers of mine along with me and my mother, that sage who is conversant with Mantras resuscitated my father back to life. 

44. Before the arrival of Bhrugu, I had been highly infuriated by the grief of my mother. Consoling my mother, O lord, I had taken a vow. 

45. Since her chest had been beaten twentyone times by my mother, I will rid the earth of Kșhatriyas as many times. 

46. This is the vow. Lord of the Universe, Mahadeva will fulfil it. Hence, O lord, I have come to your presence.

Vasishtha said: 

47. On hearing these words of his and glancing at the face of Durgā, Hara remained absorbed in thought for a moment with his face bent down. 

48. In the meantime surprised as she was, Durgă laughed a lot, O great king and said to Bhargava who was bent on wreaking revenge. 

49. "O ascetic, O son of a Brāhmaṇa, out of anger you wish to make this Earth devoid of kings twentyone times. Great indeed is your daring rashness, O boy. 

50. Without any weapon you wish to kill Arjuna, the king with a thousand arms, by whom even Rāvana was contemptuously discomfited by a sportive knitting of his eyebrows. 

51. To him the coat of mail of Lord Vişhņu had been given as also the Shakti (Divine javelin) of excessive potentiality. How do you aspire to kill him?

52. Lord Shankara, the ocean of mercy is competent to make it otherwise. None other than Shankara, dear son, can carry out a noble deed.”. 

53. Thereupon, after obtaining the consent of the goddess (by the previous hint) Lord Shambhu, the ocean of mercy addressed these gentle words to the son of Jamadagni. 

Shiva said: 

54. From today onwards O Bråhmaņa, you shall be like Skanda to me. O highly intelligent one, I shall give you the divine coat of mail and teach you the mantra thereof. 

55. Due to its favour, you will sportingly kill Kårttavīrya and make the earth devoid of kings, twentyone times." 

56-61. After saying this, Shankara taught him the Mantra (esoteric formula) that is extremely difficult to obtain and the following weapons etc. viz.-extremely miraculous coat of mail named Trailokyavijaya, the Nägapāśha (Serpentine noose), (missiles like) thc Pāśhupata, the Brahmästra which is very much inaccessible, Nārāyaṇastra, the Agneya (Arrow with the firegod as deity), the Vayavya (of the wind god), the Väruņa (of Varuņa the ocean-god), the Gāndharva, the Gāruda, the extremely wonderful weapon Jrumbhaņåstra, the macc, the Shakti, the Parashu (Axe) the trident and the excellent Daņda (baton). 

On receiving all these weapons Ráma became delighted. After bowing down to the quiescent Śhiva, Durgā, Skanda and Ganeshvara and circumambulating them Råma went to the excellent holy centre Puşhkara.¹ After mastering the technique of the Mantra conferred by Śhiva and Kavacha (thc excellent coat of mail,) the scion of the family of Bhrugu fulfilled his task. After killing Karttavirya along with his army and the entire family he returned. The leading member of the family of Bhrugu went to the abode of his father. 

1. A holy place six miles from Ajmer (Rajasthan). There are three Kundas called Jyeşhtha, Madhyama and Kanishtha. The Sarasvati is credited to have filled these Kundas' for her father Brahmadeva vide infra ch. 35. 38-44.