Parashurama Destroys the Kshatriyas

Verse 1 (bhagavata.9.16.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच पित्रोपशिक्षितो रामस्तथेति कुरुनन्दन । संवत्सरं तीर्थयात्रां चरित्वाश्रममाव्रजत् ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca pitropaśikṣito rāmas tatheti kuru-nandana saṁvatsaraṁ tīrtha-yātrāṁ caritvāśramam āvrajat

Shri Shuka said: O son of the Kuru dynasty, thus instructed by his father, Rama replied "So be it"; and after a year spent in pilgrimage, he returned to the hermitage.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.9.16.2)

कदाचिद् रेणुका याता गङ्गायां पद्ममालिनम् । गन्धर्वराजं क्रीडन्तमप्सरोभिरपश्यत ॥ २ ॥

kadācid reṇukā yātā gaṅgāyāṁ padma-mālinam gandharva-rājaṁ krīḍantam apsarobhir apaśyata

Once Renuka, having gone to the Ganga, saw the king of the Gandharvas, garlanded with lotuses, sporting there with celestial nymphs.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.9.16.3)

विलोकयन्ती क्रीडन्तमुदकार्थं नदीं गता । होमवेलां न सस्मार किञ्चिच्चित्ररथस्पृहा ॥ ३ ॥

vilokayantī krīḍantam udakārthaṁ nadīṁ gatā homa-velāṁ na sasmāra kiñcic citraratha-spṛhā

Though she had gone to the river only to fetch water, gazing upon him at play, and stirred a little by longing for Chitraratha, she forgot the hour appointed for the fire offering.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.9.16.4)

कालात्ययं तं विलोक्य मुनेः शापविशङ्किता । आगत्य कलशं तस्थौ पुरोधाय कृताञ्जलिः ॥ ४ ॥

kālātyayaṁ taṁ vilokya muneḥ śāpa-viśaṅkitā āgatya kalaśaṁ tasthau purodhāya kṛtāñjaliḥ

Realizing the moment had passed, and fearing her husband's curse, she returned, set the water-pot down before him, and stood there with hands folded.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.9.16.5)

व्यभिचारं मुनिर्ज्ञात्वा पत्न्याः प्रकुपितोऽब्रवीत् । घ्नतैनां पुत्रकाः पापामित्युक्तास्ते न चक्रिरे ॥ ५ ॥

vyabhicāraṁ munir jñātvā patnyāḥ prakupito ’bravīt ghnataināṁ putrakāḥ pāpām ity uktās te na cakrire

The sage, perceiving his wife's inward straying, said in fury: "Kill this sinful woman, my sons!" — but hearing this, they would not do it.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.9.16.6)

रामः सञ्चोदितः पित्रा भ्रातृन् मात्रा सहावधीत् । प्रभावज्ञो मुनेः सम्यक् समाधेस्तपसश्च सः ॥ ६ ॥

rāmaḥ sañcoditaḥ pitrā bhrātṝn mātrā sahāvadhīt prabhāva-jño muneḥ samyak samādhes tapasaś ca saḥ

Urged then by his father, Rama, who fully knew the power of the sage's meditation and austerity, slew his brothers along with his mother.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.9.16.7)

वरेणच्छन्दयामास प्रीतः सत्यवतीसुतः । वव्रे हतानां रामोऽपि जीवितं चास्मृतिं वधे ॥ ७ ॥

vareṇa cchandayām āsa prītaḥ satyavatī-sutaḥ vavre hatānāṁ rāmo ’pi jīvitaṁ cāsmṛtiṁ vadhe

Well pleased, the son of Satyavati offered Rama a boon; and Rama asked that those he had slain be brought back to life, with no memory of having been killed.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.9.16.8)

उत्तस्थुस्ते कुशलिनो निद्रापाय इवाञ्जसा । पितुर्विद्वांस्तपोवीर्यं रामश्चक्रे सुहृद्वधम् ॥ ८ ॥

uttasthus te kuśalino nidrāpāya ivāñjasā pitur vidvāṁs tapo-vīryaṁ rāmaś cakre suhṛd-vadham

At once they rose again, unharmed, as though merely waking from sleep. It was because he well knew his father's power in austerity that Rama had carried out the killing of his own kin.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.9.16.9)

येऽर्जुनस्य सुता राजन् स्मरन्तः स्वपितुर्वधम् । रामवीर्यपराभूता लेभिरे शर्म न क्वचित् ॥ ९ ॥

ye ’rjunasya sutā rājan smarantaḥ sva-pitur vadham rāma-vīrya-parābhūtā lebhire śarma na kvacit

O king, the sons of Arjuna, overpowered by Rama's might and forever remembering their father's death, could find peace nowhere.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.9.16.10)

एकदाश्रमतो रामे सभ्रातरि वनं गते । वैरं सिषाधयिषवो लब्धच्छिद्रा उपागमन् ॥ १० ॥

ekadāśramato rāme sabhrātari vanaṁ gate vairaṁ siṣādhayiṣavo labdha-cchidrā upāgaman

Once, when Rama had gone into the forest together with his brothers, those sons, seeking to avenge their grudge, seized their chance and came to the hermitage.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.9.16.11)

दृष्ट्वाग्न्यागार आसीनमावेशितधियं मुनिम् । भगवत्युत्तमश्लोके जघ्नुस्ते पापनिश्चयाः ॥ ११ ॥

dṛṣṭvāgny-āgāra āsīnam āveśita-dhiyaṁ munim bhagavaty uttamaśloke jaghnus te pāpa-niścayāḥ

Finding the sage seated in the fire-chamber, his mind absorbed in Bhagavan, the Lord of glorious praise, those men, resolved on sin, struck him down.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.9.16.12)

याच्यमानाः कृपणया राममात्रातिदारुणाः । प्रसह्य शिर उत्कृत्य निन्युस्ते क्षत्रबन्धवः ॥ १२ ॥

yācyamānāḥ kṛpaṇayā rāma-mātrātidāruṇāḥ prasahya śira utkṛtya ninyus te kṣatra-bandhavaḥ

Though Rama's pitiable mother begged them, those degenerate sons of kshatriyas, utterly merciless, forcibly severed his head and carried it away.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.9.16.13)

रेणुका दुःखशोकार्ता निघ्नन्त्यात्मानमात्मना । राम रामेति तातेति विचुक्रोशोच्चकैः सती ॥ १३ ॥

reṇukā duḥkha-śokārtā nighnanty ātmānam ātmanā rāma rāmeti tāteti vicukrośoccakaiḥ satī

Renuka, stricken with grief and sorrow, struck her own body with her hands, and that chaste woman cried out loudly, "O Rama, Rama! O father!"

Verse 14 (bhagavata.9.16.14)

तदुपश्रुत्य दूरस्था हा रामेत्यार्तवत्स्वनम् । त्वरयाश्रममासाद्य ददृशुः पितरं हतम् ॥ १४ ॥

tad upaśrutya dūrasthā hā rāmety ārtavat svanam tvarayāśramam āsādya dadṛśuḥ pitaraṁ hatam

Hearing that anguished cry from afar, the sons hastened back to the hermitage and there beheld their father slain.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.9.16.15)

ते दुःखरोषामर्षार्तिशोकवेगविमोहिताः । हा तात साधो धर्मिष्ठ त्यक्त्वास्मान्स्वर्गतो भवान् ॥ १५ ॥

te duḥkha-roṣāmarṣārti- śoka-vega-vimohitāḥ hā tāta sādho dharmiṣṭha tyaktvāsmān svar-gato bhavān

Bewildered by the surge of grief, rage, indignation, pain and sorrow, they cried: "Alas, father, most virtuous and righteous one, you have left us and gone to heaven!"

Verse 16 (bhagavata.9.16.16)

विलप्यैवं पितुर्देहं निधाय भ्रातृषु स्वयम् । प्रगृह्य परशुं रामः क्षत्रान्ताय मनो दधे ॥ १६ ॥

vilapyaivaṁ pitur dehaṁ nidhāya bhrātṛṣu svayam pragṛhya paraśuṁ rāmaḥ kṣatrāntāya mano dadhe

Lamenting thus, Rama entrusted his father's body to his brothers, took up his axe, and resolved to bring the kshatriya race to its end.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.9.16.17)

गत्वा माहिष्मतीं रामो ब्रह्मघ्नविहतश्रियम् । तेषां स शीर्षभी राजन् मध्ये चक्रे महागिरिम् ॥ १७ ॥

gatvā māhiṣmatīṁ rāmo brahma-ghna-vihata-śriyam teṣāṁ sa śīrṣabhī rājan madhye cakre mahā-girim

O king, going to Mahishmati, its fortune already ruined by the killing of a brahmana, Rama, from the heads of those sons, raised a great mountain in its midst.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.9.16.18)

तद्रक्तेन नदीं घोरामब्रह्मण्यभयावहाम् । हेतुं कृत्वा पितृवधं क्षत्रेऽमङ्गलकारिणि ॥ १८ ॥

tad-raktena nadīṁ ghorām abrahmaṇya-bhayāvahām hetuṁ kṛtvā pitṛ-vadhaṁ kṣatre ’maṅgala-kāriṇi

With their blood he formed a terrible river, a source of dread to all who scorned the brahmanas; and making his father's murder the pretext against a kshatriya order already given to evil,

Verse 19 (bhagavata.9.16.19)

त्रिःसप्तकृत्वः पृथिवीं कृत्वा निःक्षत्रियां प्रभुः । समन्तपञ्चके चक्रे शोणितोदान् ह्रदान् नव ॥ १९ ॥

triḥ-sapta-kṛtvaḥ pṛthivīṁ kṛtvā niḥkṣatriyāṁ prabhuḥ samanta-pañcake cakre śoṇitodān hradān nava

that lord rid the earth of kshatriyas twenty-one times over, and at the place called Samantapanchaka he formed nine lakes filled with their blood.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.9.16.20)

पितुः कायेन सन्धाय शिर आदाय बर्हिषि । सर्वदेवमयं देवमात्मानमयजन्मखैः ॥ २० ॥

pituḥ kāyena sandhāya śira ādāya barhiṣi sarva-devamayaṁ devam ātmānam ayajan makhaiḥ

He then rejoined his father's head to his body, laid it upon kusha grass, and through sacrifice worshiped that self-same deity who is the embodiment of all the gods.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.9.16.21)

ददौ प्राचीं दिशं होत्रे ब्रह्मणे दक्षिणां दिशम् । अध्वर्यवे प्रतीचीं वै उद्गात्रे उत्तरां दिशम् ॥ २१ ॥

dadau prācīṁ diśaṁ hotre brahmaṇe dakṣiṇāṁ diśam adhvaryave pratīcīṁ vai udgātre uttarāṁ diśam

He gave the eastern quarter to the Hota priest, the southern to the Brahma priest, the western to the Adhvaryu, and the northern to the Udgata.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.9.16.22)

अन्येभ्योऽवान्तरदिशः कश्यपाय च मध्यतः । आर्यावर्तमुपद्रष्ट्रे सदस्येभ्यस्ततः परम् ॥ २२ ॥

anyebhyo ’vāntara-diśaḥ kaśyapāya ca madhyataḥ āryāvartam upadraṣṭre sadasyebhyas tataḥ param

The intermediate directions he gave to the other priests, the center to Kashyapa, the land of Aryavarta to the overseeing priest, and whatever remained he divided among the assembled priests.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.9.16.23)

ततश्चावभृथस्नानविधूताशेषकिल्बिषः । सरस्वत्यां महानद्यां रेजे व्यब्भ्र इवांशुमान् ॥ २३ ॥

tataś cāvabhṛtha-snāna- vidhūtāśeṣa-kilbiṣaḥ sarasvatyāṁ mahā-nadyāṁ reje vyabbhra ivāṁśumān

Then, having taken the concluding ritual bath and thus washed away every last trace of sin, he shone on the bank of the great river Sarasvati like the sun in a cloudless sky.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.9.16.24)

स्वदेहं जमदग्निस्तु लब्ध्वा संज्ञानलक्षणम् । ऋषीणां मण्डले सोऽभूत् सप्तमो रामपूजितः ॥ २४ ॥

sva-dehaṁ jamadagnis tu labdhvā saṁjñāna-lakṣaṇam ṛṣīṇāṁ maṇḍale so ’bhūt saptamo rāma-pūjitaḥ

Jamadagni, thus worshiped by Rama, regained his own body along with full memory, and became the seventh among the circle of great sages.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.9.16.25)

जामदग्न्योऽपि भगवान् रामः कमललोचनः । आगामिन्यन्तरे राजन् वर्तयिष्यति वै बृहत् ॥ २५ ॥

jāmadagnyo ’pi bhagavān rāmaḥ kamala-locanaḥ āgāminy antare rājan vartayiṣyati vai bṛhat

O king, in the age yet to come, that lotus-eyed Bhagavan Rama, son of Jamadagni, will himself become a great teacher of the Veda.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.9.16.26)

आस्तेऽद्यापि महेन्द्राद्रौ न्यस्तदण्डः प्रशान्तधीः । उपगीयमानचरितः सिद्धगन्धर्वचारणैः ॥ २६ ॥

āste ’dyāpi mahendrādrau nyasta-daṇḍaḥ praśānta-dhīḥ upagīyamāna-caritaḥ siddha-gandharva-cāraṇaiḥ

Even now he dwells upon Mount Mahendra, his weapons laid aside, his mind utterly at peace, his deeds ever sung by the Siddhas, Gandharvas and Charanas.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.9.16.27)

एवं भृगुषु विश्वात्मा भगवान् हरिरीश्वरः । अवतीर्य परं भारं भुवोऽहन् बहुशो नृपान् ॥ २७ ॥

evaṁ bhṛguṣu viśvātmā bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ avatīrya paraṁ bhāraṁ bhuvo ’han bahuśo nṛpān

Thus the Lord Hari, the soul of the universe, descended within the line of Bhrigu, and time and again removed from the earth the grievous burden of its unworthy kings.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.9.16.28)

गाधेरभून्महातेजाः समिद्ध इव पावकः । तपसा क्षात्रमुत्सृज्य यो लेभे ब्रह्मवर्चसम् ॥ २८ ॥

gādher abhūn mahā-tejāḥ samiddha iva pāvakaḥ tapasā kṣātram utsṛjya yo lebhe brahma-varcasam

From Gadhi was born a son of great splendor, blazing like kindled fire, who through austerity relinquished his kshatriya nature and attained the very radiance of a brahmana.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.9.16.29)

विश्वामित्रस्य चैवासन् पुत्रा एकशतं नृप । मध्यमस्तु मधुच्छन्दा मधुच्छन्दस एव ते ॥ २९ ॥

viśvāmitrasya caivāsan putrā eka-śataṁ nṛpa madhyamas tu madhucchandā madhucchandasa eva te

O king, Vishvamitra had one hundred and one sons, of whom the middle one was named Madhuchhanda; and all his brothers together came to be known by that same name.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.9.16.30)

पुत्रं कृत्वा शुनःशेफं देवरातं च भार्गवम् । आजीगर्तं सुतानाह ज्येष्ठ एष प्रकल्प्यताम् ॥ ३० ॥

putraṁ kṛtvā śunaḥśephaṁ devarātaṁ ca bhārgavam ājīgartaṁ sutān āha jyeṣṭha eṣa prakalpyatām

Vishvamitra adopted as his own son Shunahshepha, son of Ajigarta and of the line of Bhrigu, also called Devarata, and told his sons: "Let him be regarded as your eldest."

Verse 31 (bhagavata.9.16.31)

यो वै हरिश्चन्द्रमखे विक्रीतः पुरुषः पशुः । स्तुत्वा देवान् प्रजेशादीन् मुमुचे पाशबन्धनात् ॥ ३१ ॥

yo vai hariścandra-makhe vikrītaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ stutvā devān prajeśādīn mumuce pāśa-bandhanāt

That very Shunahshepha, sold to be offered as the human sacrificial victim at King Harishchandra's sacrifice, praised the gods headed by the Lord of creatures, and was thereby freed from his sacrificial bonds.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.9.16.32)

यो रातो देवयजने देवैर्गाधिषु तापसः । देवरात इति ख्यातः शुनःशेफस्तु भार्गवः ॥ ३२ ॥

yo rāto deva-yajane devair gādhiṣu tāpasaḥ deva-rāta iti khyātaḥ śunaḥśephas tu bhārgavaḥ

Given over by the gods at that sacrifice to the ascetic descendant of Gadhi, he became known as Devarata, "given by the gods" — this same Shunahshepha of the Bhrigu line.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.9.16.33)

ये मधुच्छन्दसो ज्येष्ठाः कुशलं मेनिरे न तत् । अशपत् तान्मुनिः क्रुद्धो म्लेच्छा भवत दुर्जनाः ॥ ३३ ॥

ye madhucchandaso jyeṣṭhāḥ kuśalaṁ menire na tat aśapat tān muniḥ kruddho mlecchā bhavata durjanāḥ

The eldest among the sons of Madhuchhanda did not agree that this was well done; the sage, enraged, cursed them: "Become outcastes, you wicked sons!"

Verse 34 (bhagavata.9.16.34)

स होवाच मधुच्छन्दाः सार्धं पञ्चाशता ततः । यन्नो भवान् सञ्जानीते तस्मिंस्तिष्ठामहे वयम् ॥ ३४ ॥

sa hovāca madhucchandāḥ sārdhaṁ pañcāśatā tataḥ yan no bhavān sañjānīte tasmiṁs tiṣṭhāmahe vayam

Then Madhuchhanda, together with the younger fifty, said: "Whatever you decide for us, father, in that we shall abide."

Verse 35 (bhagavata.9.16.35)

ज्येष्ठं मन्त्रदृशं चक्रुस्त्वामन्वञ्चो वयं स्म हि । विश्वामित्रः सुतानाह वीरवन्तो भविष्यथ । ये मानं मेऽनुगृह्णन्तो वीरवन्तमकर्त माम् ॥ ३५ ॥

jyeṣṭhaṁ mantra-dṛśaṁ cakrus tvām anvañco vayaṁ sma hi viśvāmitraḥ sutān āha vīravanto bhaviṣyatha ye mānaṁ me ’nugṛhṇanto vīravantam akarta mām

"We accept you, seer of the mantra, as our eldest, and shall follow you." Vishvamitra then said to his sons: "You who have honored my wish and made me father of worthy sons — may you yourselves become fathers of worthy sons."

Verse 36 (bhagavata.9.16.36)

एष वः कुशिका वीरो देवरातस्तमन्वित । अन्ये चाष्टकहारीतजयक्रतुमदादयः ॥ ३६ ॥

eṣa vaḥ kuśikā vīro devarātas tam anvita anye cāṣṭaka-hārīta- jaya-kratumad-ādayaḥ

"O Kushikas, this hero Devarata is now one of you — follow him." Vishvamitra had other sons besides, among them Ashtaka, Harita, Jaya and Kratumat.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.9.16.37)

एवं कौशिकगोत्रं तु विश्वामित्रैः पृथग्विधम् । प्रवरान्तरमापन्नं तद्धि चैवं प्रकल्पितम् ॥ ३७ ॥

evaṁ kauśika-gotraṁ tu viśvāmitraiḥ pṛthag-vidham pravarāntaram āpannaṁ tad dhi caivaṁ prakalpitam

Thus, through Vishvamitra's own sons, the Kaushika lineage came to be divided into distinct branches, and it was arranged in just this way.