Renuka's Lapse and the Slaying of Jamadagni

Verse 1 (3.117.1)

स वेदाध्ययने युक्तो जमदग्निर्महातपाः । तपस्तेपे ततो देवान्नियमाद्वशमानयत् ॥

sa vedādhyayane yukto jamadagnirmahātapāḥ | tapastepe tato devānniyamādvaśamānayat

Devoted to the study of the Veda, Jamadagni of great austerity practised penance, and by his discipline brought the gods under his sway.

Verse 2 (3.117.2)

स प्रसेनजितं राजन्नधिगम्य नराधिपम् । रेणुकां वरयामास स च तस्मै ददौ नृपः ॥

sa prasenajitaṃ rājannadhigamya narādhipam | reṇukāṃ varayāmāsa sa ca tasmai dadau nṛpaḥ

He went to King Prasenajit, O king, and asked for Renuka in marriage; and the king gave her to him.

Verse 3 (3.117.3)

रेणुकां त्वथ संप्राप्य भार्यां भार्गवनन्दनः । आश्रमस्थस्तया सार्धं तपस्तेपेऽनुकूलया ॥

reṇukāṃ tvatha saṃprāpya bhāryāṃ bhārgavanandanaḥ | āśramasthastayā sārdhaṃ tapastepe'nukūlayā

Having gained Renuka as his wife, the joy of the Bhargavas lived in his hermitage and practised austerities together with her, who was ever of one mind with him.

Verse 4 (3.117.4)

तस्याः कुमाराश्चत्वारो जज्ञिरे रामपञ्चमाः । सर्वेषामजघन्यस्तु राम आसीज्जघन्यजः ॥

tasyāḥ kumārāścatvāro jajñire rāmapañcamāḥ | sarveṣāmajaghanyastu rāma āsījjaghanyajaḥ

Four sons were born to her, with Rama as the fifth. Though he was the last born, Rama was by no means the least of them all.

Note on the text: Corrected आसीञ्जघन्यजः → आसीज्जघन्यजः (misprint in Wikisource; ञ्ज for the sandhi ज्ज of आसीत् + जघन्यजः; the critical edition reads āsīj jaghanyajaḥ).

Verse 5 (3.117.5)

फलाहारेषु सर्वेषु गतेष्वथ सुतेषु वै । रेणुका स्नातुमगमत्कदाचिन्नियतव्रता ॥

phalāhāreṣu sarveṣu gateṣvatha suteṣu vai | reṇukā snātumagamatkadācinniyatavratā

Once, when all the sons had gone out to gather fruit, Renuka, constant in her vows, went to bathe.

Verse 6 (3.117.6)

सा तु चित्ररथं नाम मार्तिकावतकं नृपम् । ददर्श रेणुका राजन्नागच्छन्ती यदृच्छया ॥

sā tu citrarathaṃ nāma mārtikāvatakaṃ nṛpam | dadarśa reṇukā rājannāgacchantī yadṛcchayā

As she was coming back, O king, Renuka happened to see the king named Chitraratha, lord of Martikavata,

Verse 7 (3.117.7)

क्रीडन्तं सलिले दृष्ट्वा सभार्यं पद्ममालिनम् । ऋद्धिमन्तं ततस्तस्य स्पृहयामास रेणुका ॥

krīḍantaṃ salile dṛṣṭvā sabhāryaṃ padmamālinam | ṛddhimantaṃ tatastasya spṛhayāmāsa reṇukā

sporting in the water with his queen, wearing a garland of lotuses; and seeing him in all his splendour, Renuka longed for him.

Verse 8 (3.117.8)

व्यभिचाराच्च तस्मात्सा क्लिन्नाम्भसि विचेतना । अन्तरिक्षान्निपतिता नर्मदायां महाह्रदे ॥

vyabhicārācca tasmātsā klinnāmbhasi vicetanā | antarikṣānnipatitā narmadāyāṃ mahāhrade

Through that transgression she grew moist with desire there in the water and was beside herself. Falling from the sky, she dropped into a great pool of the Narmada.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (`) before the second line. The first line is CE 3.116.8a (reading tu for ca); the second line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; star passage 575*, line 1).

Verse 9 (3.117.9)

उत्तीर्य चापि सा यत्नाज्जगाम भरतर्षभ । प्रविवेशाश्रमं त्रस्ता तां वै भर्तान्वबुध्यत ॥

uttīrya cāpi sā yatnājjagāma bharatarṣabha | praviveśāśramaṃ trastā tāṃ vai bhartānvabudhyata

Climbing out with effort, she went on, O bull of the Bharatas, and entered the hermitage in fear. Her husband perceived what had happened to her.

Note on the text: Corrected उतीर्य → उत्तीर्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped half-consonant; the CE apparatus reads uttīrya) and removed a stray wiki mark ('). The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; star passage 575*, line 2); the second line is CE 3.116.8c.

Verse 10 (3.117.10)

स तां दृष्ट्वाच्युतांधैर्याद्ब्राह्म्या लक्ष्म्या विवर्जिताम् । धिक्शब्देन महातेजा गर्हयामास वीर्यवान् ॥

sa tāṃ dṛṣṭvācyutāṃdhairyādbrāhmyā lakṣmyā vivarjitām | dhikśabdena mahātejā garhayāmāsa vīryavān

Seeing her fallen from steadfastness and bereft of her brahminical radiance, the mighty sage of great splendour reproached her with cries of "Shame!"

Note on the text: Corrected श्रिक्‌शब्देन → धिक्शब्देन (misprint in Wikisource; garbled akshara; the critical edition reads dhikśabdena).

Verse 11 (3.117.11)

ततो ज्येष्ठो जामदग्न्यो रुमण्वान्नाम नामतः । आजगाम सुषेणश्च वसुर्विश्वावसुस्तथा ॥

tato jyeṣṭho jāmadagnyo rumaṇvānnāma nāmataḥ | ājagāma suṣeṇaśca vasurviśvāvasustathā

Then Jamadagni's eldest son, Rumanvan by name, came home, and after him Sushena, Vasu and Vishvavasu.

Verse 12 (3.117.12)

तानानुपूर्व्याद्भगवान्वधे मातुरचोदयत् । न च ते जातसंमोहाः किंचिदूचुर्विचेतसः ॥

tānānupūrvyādbhagavānvadhe māturacodayat | na ca te jātasaṃmohāḥ kiṃcidūcurvicetasaḥ

One after another the blessed sage commanded them to kill their mother; but they were overcome with bewilderment, and, dazed, said nothing at all.

Verse 13 (3.117.13)

ततः शशाप तान्क्रोधात्ते शप्ताश्चेतनां जहुः । मृगपक्षिसधर्माणः क्षिप्रमासञ्जडोपमाः ॥

tataḥ śaśāpa tānkrodhātte śaptāścetanāṃ jahuḥ | mṛgapakṣisadharmāṇaḥ kṣipramāsañjaḍopamāḥ

Then in anger he cursed them, and, cursed, they lost their reason; at once they became like beasts and birds, like senseless things.

Note on the text: Corrected शप्ताश्चैतनां → शप्ताश्चेतनां (misprint in Wikisource; ै for े; the critical edition reads śaptāś cetanāṃ).

Verse 14 (3.117.14)

ततो रामोऽभ्ययात्पश्चादाश्रमं परवीरहा । तमुवाच महामन्युर्जमदग्निर्महातपाः ॥

tato rāmo'bhyayātpaścādāśramaṃ paravīrahā | tamuvāca mahāmanyurjamadagnirmahātapāḥ

Then Rama, slayer of hostile heroes, came last to the hermitage, and Jamadagni of great austerity, in great wrath, said to him:

Verse 15 (3.117.15)

जहीमां मातरं पापां मा च पुत्र व्यथां कृथाः । तत आदाय परशुं रामो मातुः शिरोऽहरत् ॥

jahīmāṃ mātaraṃ pāpāṃ mā ca putra vyathāṃ kṛthāḥ | tata ādāya paraśuṃ rāmo mātuḥ śiro'harat

"Kill this sinful mother of yours, and do not grieve, my son." Then Rama took up his axe and struck off his mother's head.

Note on the text: Corrected मातु → मातुः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga; the critical edition reads mātuḥ).

Verse 16 (3.117.16)

ततस्तस्य महाराज जमदग्नेर्महात्मनः । कोपो अगच्छत्सहसा प्रसन्नश्चाब्रवीदिदम् ॥

tatastasya mahārāja jamadagnermahātmanaḥ | kopo agacchatsahasā prasannaścābravīdidam

Then, great king, the anger of the great-souled Jamadagni left him at once, and, pleased, he said this:

Note on the text: Corrected कोपोऽभ्यगच्छत् → कोपो अगच्छत् (misprint in Wikisource; "anger came on" contradicts the "pleased" (प्रसन्नः) that follows; following the critical edition, kopo agacchat, "his anger departed", with the hiatus that keeps the metre).

Verse 17 (3.117.17)

ममेदं वचनात्तात कृतं ते कर्म दुष्करम् । वृणीष्व कामान्धर्मज्ञ यावतो वाञ्छसे हृदा ॥

mamedaṃ vacanāttāta kṛtaṃ te karma duṣkaram | vṛṇīṣva kāmāndharmajña yāvato vāñchase hṛdā

You have done a hard deed at my word, my son. Choose whatever wishes you desire in your heart, knower of dharma.

Verse 18 (3.117.18)

स वव्रे मातुरुत्थानमस्मृतिं च वधस्य वै । पापेन तेन चास्पर्शं भ्रातॄणां प्रकृतिं तथा ॥

sa vavre māturutthānamasmṛtiṃ ca vadhasya vai | pāpena tena cāsparśaṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ prakṛtiṃ tathā

He chose that his mother should rise again, that she should not remember being slain, that he himself should not be touched by that sin, and that his brothers should return to their natural state;

Verse 19 (3.117.19)

अप्रतिद्वन्द्वतां युद्धे दीर्घमायुश्च भारत । ददौ च सर्वान्कामांस्ताञ्जमदग्निर्महातपाः ॥

apratidvandvatāṃ yuddhe dīrghamāyuśca bhārata | dadau ca sarvānkāmāṃstāñjamadagnirmahātapāḥ

and that he should be without a rival in battle, and should live long, O Bharata. And Jamadagni of great austerity granted him all those wishes.

Verse 20 (3.117.20)

कदाचित्तु तथैवास्य विनिष्क्रान्ताः सुताः प्रभो । अथानूपपतिर्वीरः कार्तवीर्योऽभ्यवर्तत ॥

kadācittu tathaivāsya viniṣkrāntāḥ sutāḥ prabho | athānūpapatirvīraḥ kārtavīryo'bhyavartata

Once, when his sons had gone out as before, my lord, the heroic Kartavirya, lord of Anupa, arrived there.

Verse 21 (3.117.21)

तमाश्रमपदं प्राप्तमृषिरर्घ्यैः समार्चयत् । स युद्धमदसंमत्तो नाभ्यनन्दत्तथाऽर्चनम् ॥

tamāśramapadaṃ prāptamṛṣirarghyaiḥ samārcayat | sa yuddhamadasaṃmatto nābhyanandattathā'rcanam

When he reached the hermitage, the sage honoured him with the guest-offerings; but he, drunk with the pride of war, did not welcome that honour.

Note on the text: Corrected अर्ध्यात् → अर्घ्यैः (misprint in Wikisource; अर्ध्यात् is not a word — the guest-offering अर्घ्य is meant, and the instrumental is required; the critical edition has a different line, ṛṣer bhāryā samarcayat).

Verse 22 (3.117.22)

प्रमथ्य चाश्रमात्तस्माद्धोमधेनोस्ततोबलात् । जहार वत्सं क्रोशन्त्या बभञ्ज च महाद्रुमान् ॥

pramathya cāśramāttasmāddhomadhenostatobalāt | jahāra vatsaṃ krośantyā babhañja ca mahādrumān

Ravaging the hermitage, he then carried off by force the calf of the sacrificial cow as she lowed, and broke down the great trees.

Verse 23 (3.117.23)

आगताय च रामाय तदाचष्ट पिता स्वयम् । गां च रोरुदतीं दृष्ट्वा कोपो रामं समाविशत् । स मन्युवशमापन्नः कार्तवीर्यमुपाद्रवत् ॥

āgatāya ca rāmāya tadācaṣṭa pitā svayam | gāṃ ca rorudatīṃ dṛṣṭvā kopo rāmaṃ samāviśat | sa manyuvaśamāpannaḥ kārtavīryamupādravat

When Rama came home, his father himself told him of it; and seeing the cow weeping, Rama was seized with anger. Overcome by fury, he rushed at Kartavirya.

Note on the text: The first two lines are CE 3.116.22 (reading rorūyatīṃ for रोरुदतीं); the third line is CE 3.116.23a.

Verse 24 (3.117.24)

तस्याथ युधि विक्रम्य भार्गवः परवीरहा । चिच्छेद निशितैर्भल्लैर्बाहून्परिघसंनिभान् ॥

tasyātha yudhi vikramya bhārgavaḥ paravīrahā | ciccheda niśitairbhallairbāhūnparighasaṃnibhān

Showing his prowess against him in battle, the descendant of Bhrigu, slayer of enemy heroes, cut off with sharp broad-headed arrows his arms, which were like iron bars —

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.116.23c; the second line is CE 3.116.24a.

Verse 25 (3.117.25)

सहस्रसंमितान्राजन्प्रगृह्य रुचिरं धनुः । अभिभूतः स रामेण संयुक्तः कालधर्मणा ॥

sahasrasaṃmitānrājanpragṛhya ruciraṃ dhanuḥ | abhibhūtaḥ sa rāmeṇa saṃyuktaḥ kāladharmaṇā

a thousand of them, O king — wielding his lovely bow. Overpowered by Rama, Kartavirya met his death.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.116.24c; the second line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; star passage 577*).

Verse 26 (3.117.26)

अर्जुनस्याथ दायादा रामेण कृतमन्यवः । आश्रमस्थं विना रामं जमदग्निमुपाद्रवन् ॥

arjunasyātha dāyādā rāmeṇa kṛtamanyavaḥ | āśramasthaṃ vinā rāmaṃ jamadagnimupādravan

Then Arjuna's heirs, enraged against Rama, attacked Jamadagni in his hermitage while Rama was away.

Verse 27 (3.117.27)

ते तं जघ्नुर्महावीर्यमयुध्यन्तं तपस्विनम् । असकृद्रामरामेति विक्रोशन्तमनाथवत् ॥

te taṃ jaghnurmahāvīryamayudhyantaṃ tapasvinam | asakṛdrāmarāmeti vikrośantamanāthavat

They killed that mighty ascetic, who did not fight back, as he cried out again and again, "Rama! Rama!" like one who has no protector.

Verse 28 (3.117.28)

कार्तवीर्यस्य पुत्रास्तु जमदग्निं युधिष्ठिर । घातयित्वा शरैर्जग्मुर्यथागतमरिंदमाः ॥

kārtavīryasya putrāstu jamadagniṃ yudhiṣṭhira | ghātayitvā śarairjagmuryathāgatamariṃdamāḥ

Having slain Jamadagni with arrows, Yudhishthira, the sons of Kartavirya, tamers of foes, went back the way they had come.

Verse 29 (3.117.29)

अपक्रान्तेषु वै तेषु जमदग्नौ तथा गते । समित्पाणिरुपागच्छदाश्रमं भृगुनन्दनः ॥

apakrānteṣu vai teṣu jamadagnau tathā gate | samitpāṇirupāgacchadāśramaṃ bhṛgunandanaḥ

When they had gone and Jamadagni lay in that state, the descendant of Bhrigu came to the hermitage with firewood in his hands.

Verse 30 (3.117.30)

स दृष्ट्वा पितरं वीरस्तदा मृत्युवशं गतम् । अनर्हं तं तथाभूतं विललाप सुदुःखितः ॥

sa dṛṣṭvā pitaraṃ vīrastadā mṛtyuvaśaṃ gatam | anarhaṃ taṃ tathābhūtaṃ vilalāpa suduḥkhitaḥ

Seeing his father then fallen into the power of death — he who never deserved such an end — the hero lamented in deep sorrow.