46 - The Story of Parashurama (Continued) 

Vasistha said: 

1-3. While coming along the path, Rama heard the details (of his father's murder) from the beginning, from the sages such as the attempt (on his father's life) by the princes, the passing away of his parents, the murder of his father and the removal of the head of his father by them. 

On hearing of the death of his mother due to his father's death, Rama of powerful arms, became miserable and grieved and he lamented. Akrutavraņa who had bcen equally grieved consoled him. 

4. Through reasons pointed out in the scriptures, through hints of his heroism and capacity and through cogent arguments and popular examples he alleviated Räma's grief. 

5. On being consoled, the highly intelligent scion of the family of Bhrugu, regained his courage. He proceeded ahead, desirous of seeing his brothers. He was accompanied by his friend. 

6. Himself, reduced in physical strength due to misery he saw them (his brothers). He bowed down to them who too were equally miserable. Continuously experiencing grief and anger, he stayed with them for three days. 

7. His fierce wrath (due to the recurring) recollection of the death of his father developed soon so much that it became capable of annihilating the worlds. 

8. Being truthful to his vow, he reaffirmed in his heart the pledge taken by him formerly for the sake of his mother. He prepared himself for the massacre of all Kșhatriyas. 

9-10. Bhargava resolved thus—"After killing all those born of Kshatriya race, I will perform the libation offerings to my parents with the blood from their bodies". He indicated his desire to all his brothers. Being permitted by them and having concluded all the obsequies, he started from his house. 

11. Accompanied by Akrutavraņa, he went to Mähismati. Standing in a park at the outskirts of that city, he remembered Mahodara. 

12. He sent to Rama a chariot, bow etc. and all the necessary requisites for fighting along with Sahasåha. 

13. Råma, the conqueror of enemies, became ready (for the battle) well-accoutred. He got into the chariot. He took up his bow along with the arrows and blew his conch presented by Rudra. 

14. He made a twanging sound with the bowstring, making heaven and Earth tremble as it were, Sahasäha, the most excellent one among the charioteers, drove the chariot. 

15. On account of the sounds of the chariot as well as the bow-string of (Rama) who was furious due to the slaughter of his parents, the entire city, the people and elephants became agitated. 

16. On coming to know that Rama, the destroyer of all Kshatriyas, had come, the sons of the king became deeply agitated and they made full preparations for fighting with him. 

17. Then, O king, the heroic princes Shūrasena and others (seated) in five chariots, made their endeavour to fight with Räma. They were accompanied by other kings as well. 

18. Equipped with armies consisting of four different units, those leading Kshatriyas confronted Rama like the locusts approching fire. 

19. With his single chariot, Bhargava restrained them as they rushed on. Being a hero of boundless valour, he fought with all the kings in the battle. 

20. A battle took place once again between Rama and the kings, wherein the infuriated sage of high intellect, killed a hundred kings. 

21. After killing ŚHhūrasena and others along with their armies and vehicles, he made the entire group of Kshatriyas fall on the ground in a moment. 

22. The kings who survived, whose wishes had been frustrated and whose vehicles and armjes had been killed fled in all directions. 

23. After routing the armies, killing the enemies and winning the battlc, Rama killed hundreds of kings and heroes by means of the fire from his excellent arrows. 

24. Overwhelnied with fury and desirous of burning the entire city, Bhargava discharged a missile that had a lustre similar to that of Kälägni (the fire of world-destruction). 

25. The fire from that missile burned the city along with elephants, horses and men. The flames enveloped the clusters of the entire rampart-wall of the city. 

26. On seeing the city being burned and desirous of saving his own life, Prince Vīdhotra became frightened and fled quickly for the sake of life. 

27. After burning the entire city by means of fire from the missile, and after killing the enemies Rāma appeared like the god of Death, the destroyer who devours all the worlds. 

28. Accompanied by Akrutavraņa and Sahasäha he went ahead making the Earth tremble, as it were, by means of the (rumbling) sound of the chariot. 

29. After killing all the Kshatriyas on the surface of the Earth, Rama became calm. Then he went to the mountain Mahendra determining in his mind that he should perform penance. 

30. In the meantime, in thirtytwo years (?) Kshatriyas rose into prominence. Therefore, he returned (from penance) and took the vow of killing them. 

31. Kșhatriya kings were begotten of the widowed wives of those Kshatriyas by Brāhmaņas. Again he (Rama) killed hundreds and thousands of such kings. 

32. In two years, Rama made thc Earth devoid of Kşhatriyas once again. At the end of it he performed penance of twenty-four years’ duration once again. 

33. Again, O king, enlightened Kshatriyas were procreated by the Brahmaņas. Råma killed them entirely like the god of death, the destroyer on the Earth. 

34. In the course of so many years some kings were born. Killing them Rāma roamed over the Earth continuously for two years. 

5. Enough (of this repetition of incidents) O leading king. The Earth was rendered Kşhatriya-less by Rāma who remembered the death of his father. He cleared the earth of Kșhattriyas for all twentyone times. 

36. Since his mother beat her own breast twentyone times, Kshatriyas on the Earth were exterminated by Rāma as many times.¹

1. This seems to be the refrain of the traditional ballad of Parashurama.