In the last post, we had seen the marriage saga of Rama and Sita, and in the same way, by virtue of everything falling in place, Lakshmana and Urmila, Bharata and Mandavi, Satrughna and SrutaKirti. All four princess also got married at the same time. While Rama is an ideal man, Rama and Sita symbolizes ideal wife and husband. That they both got married under the aegis of Brahmarshi Viswamitra and all other elderly in the very first book of Ramayana – Balakanda is going to revolve the story around these two for the next many chapters. That we had reached an important milestone in the epic, let us look at what the book offers further.
After the wedding festivities, Sage Viswamitra took leave of Rama and Lakshmana, and retired to the Himalayas. He has no more roles in the Ramayana. Dasaratha too departed, bidding farewell to Janaka who saw him off with all due honors and with many gifts to his daughters. Dasaratha started on the journey with his sons, their new brides, the preceptors and the army. A few miles into their travel, the crows soaring high up in the skies along with other birds suddenly started a cacophony of noises. Calling out shrilly and shrieking fearfully, they boded ill and animals on the ground ran in circles. Dasaratha voiced his worry saying, "The birds are crying out in terror, the animals are running around in a frenzy, and my heart quivers. My mind fears a calamity and I am sad". Hearing these words, Vasishta said, "The birds indicate an imminent ill, but the animals indicate the speedy negation of it, so do not brood my Lord".No sooner had Vasishta spoken, when sudden tempestuous winds uprooted the trees. The earth shuddered, the Sun hid in darkness, the directions lost their brilliance and the army fell to earth in a faint soon to be covered by ashes that were blown in by the winds. Out of that terrible darkness, Dasaratha beheld the emergence of an ominous form with matted hair, carrying a menacing axe, a bow and a quiver full of arrows, which were like streaks of lightening. It was Prasurama the son of Jamadagni. Invincible to the most valiant of kings, inviolable like Mount Kailash, he looked like Lord Siva, while slaying Tripurasura. His radiance was awesome and no ordinary mortal could behold that dazzling splendor.
Striding forth like a colossus, he made the sages suspect that enraged at the killing of his father by Karthaviryarjuna, he was out to eliminate the very Kshatriya race.
Sage Vasishta and the ‘Rishis’ wondered whether Parasurama had again started his revenge of killing all Kshatriyas. In fact, he had gone round the world twenty-one times earlier, and cleared the world of the Kshatriya race. However, Vasishta and the ‘Rishis’ welcomed him by offering ‘Arghya’ and ‘Padya’. Accepting the hospitality, Parasurama directly addressed Sri Rama: “O Son of Dasaratha! Rama! I have heard about your heroic deeds and also of breaking the Great Bow of Siva at Mithila. It was really unbelievable and astonishing indeed, to hear about breaking that mighty bow of Siva. I have brought with me an equally powerful bow, received by me from Jamadagni, my father–this Vishnu Bow. Therefore, fitting this great and terrible bow with an arrow, simply draw it to its full length and demonstrate your might. Both these two mighty divine bows — the Rudra Bow and this Vishnu Bow– were made by Viswakarma. With these two bows, there was a fight between Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva. The bow which was broken by you was handed over by the Gods to Lord Siva, who was eager to fight with the demon Tripura, and ultimately succeeded in killing him. This second one was given to Vishnu. It is equal in strength to the bow of Siva as proved by the following anecdote.”
“At the time when the demon Tripura was killed by Siva with his bow, all the gods wanted to know from Brahma the relative strength and weakness of Lords Siva and Vishnu. Brahma sowed the seed of discord between the two. A terrible combat ensued between them; during the combat, the bow of Siva was made inoperative and the three-eyed Siva struck motionless by the roar of Vishnu. The Devas, rishis and Charanas intervened and they came to terms.”
“O Rama! I challenge you to string this Vishnu Bow, if you can. In case you are able to do that, you will be worthy to have a duel with me.”
King Dasaratha appealed for peace, in vain.
Let us now see who this Parasurama was. He was the Rama with the axe (‘parasu’) –the first Rama and the sixth ‘Avatara’ (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. He was born as a Brahmin, the fifth son of his father, Jamadagni and mother, Renuka. By his father’s side, he descended from ‘Bhrigu’, and was, par excellence, the ‘Bhargava’. His mother, Renuka or Renu was the daughter of king Prasenajit. By his mother’s side, he belonged to the royal race of the ‘Kausikas’. He became manifest at the beginning of the ‘Treta Yuga’ for the purpose of repressing the tyranny of the Kshatriyas, the regal caste.
In an earlier life, Parasurama was under the protection of Lord Siva, who instructed him in the use of arms, and gave him a ‘Parasu’, an axe, from which he was named.
By a command of his father, Parasurama cut off the head of his mother, Renuka. At that time, Parasurama was fourteen years of age. Jamadagni had gone out for collection of fruits and roots. Renuka went to the River Narmada (Reva). He found king Karthaveryarjuna having ‘jalakrida’ (playing in water) with his wives. She moved eastwards and found the Salwa King Chitraratha was playing ‘jalakrida’ with his wife. Renuka was impressed by the beauty of the couple. She had never seen such beautiful couples before. She stayed there enjoying their loveplay. When she returned with water, her husband was waiting for a long time. She explained the reason for her delay with all humility. By this, she had incensed her husband by entertaining impure thoughts, and Jamadagni called upon each of his sons to cut off her head. Rumanwat, Suhotra, Viswavasu and Vasu, the senior sons refused. And their father cursed them to be idiots. Only Parasurama obeyed in killing her. His readiness to obey his father pleased the latter, and he granted a boon of the son’s choice. The son begged that his mother might be restored back to life in perfect purity, without ever remembering the killing by him; he also desired that his brothers might be restored to senses. He also begged, for himself, that he might be invincible in single combat and enjoy length of life. All these were bestowed by Jamadagni on Parasurama.
Kartavirya Arjuna, a Kshatriya, and King of Haihayas had a thousand arms. He paid a visit to the hermitage of Jamadagni in the absence of that sage. He was welcomed and hospitably entertained by Renuka with the assistance of the Divine Cow, Suseela. The King wanted to purchase that divine cow in exchange for many cows. This request was not accepted. But when he departed, his minister, ChandraGupta carried off that divine Cow. This ignoble act so enraged Parasurama that he pursued the King and cut off all his thousand hands and killed him. In retaliation, the sons of Kartavirya Arjuna killed Jamadagni, Parasurama’s father. His mother, seeing her dead husband, cried beating her breast twenty-one times. And so Parasurama also vowed vengeance, twenty-one times, against the whole of Kshatrya race. He vowed: “I will go round the Earth twenty-one times and make her free from ‘Kshatriyas’.” The deadbody of Jamadagni was then placed on the pyre for cremation. At that time, accidentally, Sukracharya, came there and with the help of his Mritasanjivani, he restored him back to life.
Parasurama had been famous as a guru of ‘Dhanurveda’ for Karna and Drona in the Mahabharata. Karna was then known as the son of a Sarathi and not as a Kshatriya. He told a lie to his Guru, Parasurama that he was a Brahmin for being admitted as his student. After he taught everything including the secrets of Brahmastra, one day Guru Parasurama slept keeping his head on the lap of Karna. At that time, a worm (which was an Asura called Damsa in his previous birth) pierced the thigh of Karna, and much blood was let out. This awakened Parasurama from his sleep. He knew that a Brahmin could not remain cool and un-affected like Karna when so much blood oozed out. He challenged him that he was not a Brahmin. When Karna confessed that he had to tell a lie to become qualified to be his ‘Sishya’, Guru Parasurama cursed him that he would not remember the Brahmastra mantra when he needed it most in battle.
There is another story of Drona who got ‘Dhanurveda’ from Guru Parasurama. That was when Parasurama had destroyed Kshatriyas in twenty-one rounds and all his wealth was donated to Kasyapa and other Brahmins. Hearing that, Drona approached Parasurama on his way to the Mahendra Mountains. Parasurama said that he had only his body and his knowledge of Dhanurveda left for donation. Drona accepted ‘Dhanur Veda’ (Science of Archery) for himself.
“Thrice seven times, did he (Parasurama) clear the earth of the Kshatriya race, and he filled with their blood the five large lakes of blood, named ‘Samanta Panchaka’, a holy place of pilgrimage at Kurukshetra. All the land taken over by him from Kings was donated to Kasyapa Maharshi. After taking over all the lands thus gifted, Kasyapa told Parasurama: “You have donated all the earth to me. It is not right for you to stay on my land. You may go to the Southern Sea shore, and stay somewhere there.” Hearing this, Parasurama walked to the South and begged land from the Sea. Varuna, the God of Sea advised him to throw a ‘Soorpa’. (a winnowing basket—‘Muram’ in the local language.)
Parasurama threw a ‘Soorpa’ into the sea and reclaimed land from the sea. That reclimed land was called ‘Soorparakam’ or ‘Kerala’. This reclaimed land, Kerala was given as ‘daanam’ (gift) to Brahmins brought from the North by Parasurama. [Source: Mahabharata]. Thereafter, Parasurama went to Mahendra Giri of Western Ghats and did ‘tapas’.
According to “Temples and Legends of Kerala” -
“Traditionally Kerala is associated with the charming myth of Parasurama, the Avatar of Vishnu, who performed penances to atone for the sin of having killied his mother, and the Great God rewarded the devotee for his austerities by reclaiming Kerala from the depths of the Sea. According to legend, it was Parasurama who brought Brahmins to Kerala from the Aryan North and gave them land. Geographically, however, the strip of 579 KM long land of Kerala appears to have been formed by the annual silt brought by the rivers from the Western Ghats, and the association of Parasurama may be a racial memory of the reclamation of the land from the sea. All the same several of the temples in Kerala are associated with the legendary Parasurama.”
Even today, the people of Kerala worship Parasurama as the founder of Kerala; they also honour King Mahabali, associated with Vamana incarnation during their ‘Onam’ festivities. The land of Kerala is even today mentioned in all Vedic chantings as ‘Parasurama Kshetra.’
It was this Parasurama who challenged Sri Rama on his way back to Ayodhya along with the wedding party. King Dasaratha was more than anxious to avoid a confrontation with the legendary destroyer of the Kshatriya race.
Sri Rama accepted the challenge. “As a Kshatriya warrior, it is my duty to accept this challenge. But how can I take up arms against a Brahmin? And that too a close relative of our Revered Viswamitra! The greatness of a Brahmin lies in making a man free from fear and not to frightening him.” Parasurama laughed ferociously and replied: “Ha, Ha, and Rama! I am impressed by what you say; but can you put the string on this bow?”
Sri Rama said, “O Son of Jamadagni! You had been vengeful because your father was killed by a Kshatriya. But you cannot put me down, as you had humbled others. Please give me your bow.”
Rama stepped forward, looked scornfully at Parasurama, as he took the bow, lifted it and strung it with a shining arrow. Parasurama was wonderstruck and hung his head in shame. But Rama said: “I cannot kill you as you are a Brahmin, and closely related to Sage Viswamitra. But when once I fix an arrow to a bow holy like this, I do not take it back. Tell me where I shall aim this arrow–at your ‘Tapas’ or your power of locomotion?”
As brahmin and kshatriya stood poised the gods, the Devatas and other celestials led by Brahma came in hordes to witness this awesome event and the display of Rama's might.
The two Ramas stood facing each other. Rama's eyes beautiful like the soft petals of the lotus met those of Parasurama, which were flashing fire. At that instant the son of Jamadagni lost his powers and was transfixed with wonder. Subdued and gentle he said, "The world is no more at my disposal. I recognize you to be that imperishable divinity, Vishnu, Lord of the gods and unassailable in combat. Do not take away my mobility, which is as swift as thought. Those peerless realms won by my penance you may destroy. Release the arrow and I shall be gone". The arrow shot forward and the regions of Parasurama, gained by his magnificent austerities, disintegrated and disappeared. The brahmin returned to his abode in the hills after paying homage to lord Rama and the world once again saw light emerging from the darkness and dread that had shrouded it.
Parasurama departed. Rama delivered the bow into the hands of Varuna and perceiving Dasaratha's anxiety, wanted to quickly resume their journey to Ayodhya. Dasaratha relieved and ecstatic embraced Rama as though he was born again! Hastening the army, Dasaratha arrived at that most beautiful city of Ayodhya. Bedecked with flowers, fragrant with the scents of incense and sandal it resounded with the fanfare of drums and trumpets the city wore a look of great festivity. Welcoming their king and his entourage people thronged its streets and overflowed them in a show of great joy and gaiety. Dasaratha with his sons and the rest of the royal retinue entered the palace, which was as magnificent as the Himalayan mountains.
At the palace the queens were ready to welcome the new brides who were then ready to worship the family deities. The palace looked festive and was filled with joy. The four sons of Dasaratha, who were best among men, were matchless in valor and unsurpassed in the skills of archery. Dutiful sons they lived in all glory and happiness. Rama whose virtue and truthfulness brought him much fame was dear to the people and their protector! Some days later Dasaratha sent for Bharata and said that Yudhajit his uncle who was at Ayodhya wanted to take him to Kekaya and accompanied by Satrughna were all to all travel on the morrow.
Sri Rama, the best among men, and possessed of all high values by nature, and with all divine weapons under his control, lived happily with Seeta for twelve years at Ayodhya, under the spiritual guidance of Sage Vasishta and other sages and men of wisdom.
Sri Rama, during these twelve years he spent with Seeta, had surrendered his heart to her. Their hearts communed even without speech, and Seeta rejoicing in Rama’s love, shone like goddess Lakshmi in Vaikunta. Much later in life, Seeta had confessed her love to Sri Rama to Anasuya: “Rama is a perfect being. His love for me equals mine for him. His affection is un-changing. Pure at heart, he has mastered his senses.”
Sita's dedication to Rama was absolute and total. So was Rama's devotion towards his consort whom he loved dearly. Her peerless beauty, her accomplishments and above all, her grace and virtue endeared her to him all the more. Their radiance was enhanced in the presence of each other ever in silent communion, their very thoughts coordinated, and they finely honed senses, knew of each other's needs without words. Rama forever dwelt in Sita's loving heart, though he wore a form apart. Sita's celestial beauty matched that of the gods and Rama, though resplendent in his own luster, was rendered more glorious in her presence, just as the glory of Vishnu is enhanced by the presence of Lakshmi.
This concludes chapters 74,75,76 and 77 and with it we had reached the closure of first book – Balakanda. These four chapters dealt on Parasurama and how this mountain of a man was subdued by Rama and the initial years after marriage at Ayodhya.
We have summarized the salient features of all the 77 chapters and 2355 verses of ‘Balakandam’. After reaching the end of first book, we wish to place on record at this stage a few words about the significance of reading and hearing this section - Balakanda of the epic poem which is celebrated as the very first poem— ‘Aadi Kaavyam’. According to ‘Skanda Puranam’, Chapter 23, “daily chanting or hearing of the ‘Balakanda’ section of the Ramayana will bring all auspiciousness and prosperity with children and wealth; and removes family quarrels and cures all diseases of the body and mind.” Yet another work, “Sarvartha-Sara –Vyakhyana”, glorifies the daily reading or hearing of this Kandam by saying: “He who hears the ‘Bala Kandam’, dealing with the birth of Sri Rama will have stable devotion, fufill the desires for enjoyments, and finally merge with the Lord. There is no doubt about it.”
With that, let us look ahead to learning from the next book – ‘Ayodhya kanda’ in subsequent posts.
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