41 - The Story of Bhargava (continued) 

Vasistha continued: 

1. On seeing the terrible killing of their father, the hundred sons of Karttavirya hurriedly resisted the excessively terrible Bhargava severally, by means of their respective armies. 

2. Extremely infuriated at the death of their father all those sons who had an Akşhauhiņi each and who were extremely ferocious in battle, offered a tumultuous fight. 

3. On seeing his herioc sons who were proficient in battle, Rama took up his axe and fought with them in battle. 

4. Within a short period of only two Muhûrtas *, Rama hurriedly slew that army consisting of a hundred Akshauhinis ** 

5. On seeing their armies sportingly annihilated with his axe by Ráma, all of them of highly esteemed valour, fought with Rama. 

*Muhûrta =48 minutes. 

**A division of army consisting of 21870 chariots, as many elephants, 65610 borse and 10350 foot-soldiers. 

6. Striking with different kinds of divine weapons, those sons of great valour and prowess encircled the noble souled Bhargava. 

7. The powerful holy lord Rama, stationed in the middle of their circle, shone like the navel of a wheel. 

8. While the hundred princes were encircling him, Råma (facing each of them) shone as if dancing in the battle like Lord Krishna in the midst of Gopis (cow-herd girls of Vrundåvana at the time of Rasa dance), and they appeared glorious like the Gopis adance around Krishna. 

9. Then the Devas with Brahmā as their leader came there seated in their respective aerial chariots. They showered Råma of no unabated vigour, with garlands of flowers from the Nandana garden in the heaven. 

10. The sound produced by the clash of weapons mingled with Humkāras (sounds of Hum) reached the firmament like that of the triple symphony. The wounds caused by the arrow's appeared like thosc caused by nails and teeth. 

11. Those who had been wounded and injured with the weapons began to scream like experts in vocal music who sang at a high pitch. The Devas with eyes expressive of great wonder surveyed the battle zone of the kings that proceeded like this. 

12. Desirous of killing the sons of the king in battle by means of different kinds of excellent missiles, Rāma, the powerful lord wielding his bow, separated the stronger ones from the group and formed a new line. 

13. He killed those heroic warriors one by one. Out of the hundred, five fled losing all courage viz. Sūra, Vruşhåsya, Vruşhasena, Shūrasena and Jayadhvaja. 

14. With their minds filled with great fright and desirous of protecting their lives, those princes went into the forests at the foot of the Himålayas severally (Each entering a separate forest). None of those afflicted and unhappy ones was seen afterwards. 

1. The propriety of comparison in w. 7 and 8 as well as in vv. 10 and 11 deserves reconsideration. 

15. After slaying the other kings also who had gathered there to assist king Karttavīrya, Rāma, accompanied by Akrutavraņa joyously came to the river Narmadā and took his bath. 

16. After taking bath, performing his daily rites and worshipping the bull-emblemed lord, O lord of the Earth, he set off in order to visit Lord Shiva, the resident of the Kailasa mountain. 

17. He wanted also to meet Umā, the consort of his preceptor and Skanda and Vinayaka their sons. This noblesouled sage accompanied by Akşhtavraņa went on with the speed of the mind. 

18. After completing his task, he rejoiced much. Reaching the Kailăsa inountain instantly, he saw the great city named Alaka, 

19. It was rendered beautiful by the mansions and palaces studded with different kinds of precious gems and jewels. It appeared splendid, due to the Yakşhas who had assumed various forms and who had ornaments of different and wonderful types. 

20. It was full of groves, parks and gardens abounding in many types of trees. It was rendered beautiful by very large lakes and tanks. 

21-24. It was externally surrounded by the Alakananda, also called Sītā (a branch of the Gangā). 

There the elephants, even when they are not thirsty, joyously drink waters turned tawny in colour, due to the saffron mixed into it when the celestial damsels bathe in it. 

Here and there musical notes are heard, produced jointly for ever by the Gandharvas and the Apsaras. 

On seeing the city, o king, Bhargava rejoiced excessively. 

He went to the peak above it where there was the great abode of Shiva. Thereafter, O leading king, he saw a great Banyan tree with cool shade. 

25. Beneath it, there was an excellent abode that was connected with the Siddhas and that was worthy of residence. There he saw a rampart wall extending to a hundred Yojanas. 

26-30. It was studded with different kinds of precious stones and jewels. It was beautiful with four gateways. It was filled with Gaņas. He saw Nandiśhvara, Mahakala, Raktákşha, Vikațodara, Pingalākṣha, Viśhālākṣha, Virūpåkşha, Ghatodara, Mandāra, Bhairava, Bāņa, Ruru who was very terrible, Viraka, Virabhadra, Chaņda Bhặngi, Riți, Mukha, leading Siddhas, Náthas, Rudras, Vidyādharas, the great serpents, the Bhūtas, Pretas, Piśhāchas, Kūşhmāņdas, Brahma-råkșhasas Vetalas leading Dänavas, leading Yogins with matted hair, Yakshas, Kimpurușhas, Däkinis and Yoginis. 

On seeing them he became glad and with the permission of Nandin he entered it. 

31-32. There he saw Śhhiva's palace surrounded by the world. It extended to four Yojanas. At the eastern entrance he saw Kärttikeya and Vinayaka scated. The former was on the left side and the latter on the right side. On seeing them, Bhargava bowed down to both of them whosc valour and exploit were like that of Shiva. 

33. Thc excellent Pärşhadas (attendants of Shiva) and the Kșhetrapālas were stationed there. They were adorned with bejewelled ornaments and were scated on thrones set with precious stones and jewels. 

34. Vinayaka enquired of Bhårgava as he was entering Shiva's palace and said— “O great Sir, stay for a while. 

35-37a. Mahadeva is sleeping now in the company of Umà. I shall go in, take the permission of the lord and come back within a moment. Then I shall enter along with you, dear brother. Stand here now." 

On hearing these words of Vināyaka, the delighter of the family of Bhrugu began to speak to Gaņeśha in a hurry.

Rāma said: 

37b-40. Dear brother, I shall go into the harem, bow down to Parvati and Sharkara, the sovereigns of the Universe, and shall immediately return to my own abode. 

Karttavīrya, as well as Suchandra along with their sons, relatives and the armies, thousands of other kings of the Kambojas, Palhavas, Shakas, Kanyakubjas, lords of Kosalas and others who were extremely powerful and who were experts in the use of Maya (power of illusion) -all these had been killed by mc, due to the favour of Sambhu. Hence, I shall bow down to him and go back to my own house". 

41. After saying this, Bhargava stood there in front of Ganapati. The lord of Gaņas then spoke these sweet words to Bhärgava.

Vinayaka said: 

42-43. "Stop for a while, O highly fortunate one. You will certainly see the lord. Now, O brother, the lord of the Universe is in the company of Bhavāni. 

He who spoils the pleasure of a man and a women seated together in the same seat, shall surely go to hell. 

44 Especially this is definitely decided that a Brähmaņa shall never see his father, preceptor or king, enjoying privacy. 

45. Whether out of carnal desire or otherwise, if a person sees another person inclined to sexual intercourse, he shall have to suffer certainly separation from his wife in the course of seven births. 

46. He is a base man-he who looks at the buttocks, breasts and face of another man's wife, his mother, sister or daughter". Bhargava said: 

47. O, unusual and unprecedented words have been heard from your mouth. Have they come out due to your mistake or have you uttered them jocularly? 

48. The restriction from the scripture cited by you refers to lovers and passionate ones prone to aberrations. There is no fault in case of an infant or a person devoid of passionate feelings. 

49. I will get into the harem brother. What have you to object to in this matter, O boy. Stand by. I shall do in accordance with what is seen and what is relevant to the occasion, there. 

50. It is there that our mother and father are present as observed by you and they are the parents of all the worlds, Parvati and Parameśhvara". 

51. After saying this, o king, Bhårgava attempted to go in. Vinayaka got up in a hurry and restrained him. 

52. There was a wordy warfare between them and then a tug and pull at each other's hands. On seeing this, Skanda became bewildered and wanted them to realize their mistake. 

53. He seized both of them with his hands and pushed them away from each other. 

Then the infuriated Bhargava, the slayer of heroic enemics, took up his axe and attempted to hurl it at Gaņeśha. 

54-55. The elephant-faced lord (Gaņeśha) saw that the excellent scion of the family of Bhrugu was about to hurl his axe against himself with great rapidity due to his anger. There fore, he lifted Bhärgava by means of his hand quickly and took him to the different worlds viz. Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Suarloka, Maharloka above it, Janaloka, Tapo-Loka and Satyaloka and then brought him to Vaikuntha. 

The son of Isha (i.e. Shiva's son) then showed the Goloka to the excellent scion of the family of Bhrugu. Then he let him fall down to the seven nether-worlds and showed them also. He then lifted him up once again and hurled him into the midst of the waters rapidly. This made Bhārgava frightened and he became desirous of protecting his own life. Then Ganesha brought him to the same place where he was standing before.