Parashurama's Gift of the Earth and the Sea's Withdrawal

Verse 1 (skanda.6.68.1)

सूत उवाच॥ अथ ते शबरा यत्नाद्रक्तं तद्धैहयोद्भवम्॥ तत्र निन्युः स्थिता यत्र गर्ता सा पितृसंभवा

sūta uvāca atha te śabarā yatnādraktaṁ taddhaihayodbhavam tatra ninyuḥ sthitā yatra gartā sā pitṛsaṁbhavā

Suta said: Then those Shabaras, with great effort, carried that blood, taken from the Haihaya king, to the place where that pit meant for the father's offering stood.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.68.2)

भार्गवोऽपि च तं हत्वा रक्तमादाय कृत्स्नशः॥ ततः संप्रेषयामास यत्र गर्ताऽथ पैतृकी

bhārgavo'pi ca taṁ hatvā raktamādāya kṛtsnaśaḥ tataḥ saṁpreṣayāmāsa yatra gartā'tha paitṛkī

The descendant of Bhrigu too, having slain him and gathering his blood entirely, sent it on to where that ancestral pit lay.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.68.3)

न स बालं न वृद्धं च परित्यजति भार्गवः॥ यौवनस्थं विशेषेण गर्भस्थं वाथ क्षत्रियम्

na sa bālaṁ na vṛddhaṁ ca parityajati bhārgavaḥ yauvanasthaṁ viśeṣeṇa garbhasthaṁ vātha kṣatriyam

That scion of Bhrigu spared neither child nor elder — and above all, not a kshatriya in the flush of youth, nor even one still unborn within the womb.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.68.4)

स्वयं जघान भूपान्स तेषां पार्श्वे तथा परान्॥ विध्वंसाययति क्रुद्धः सैनिकैश्च समन्ततः

svayaṁ jaghāna bhūpānsa teṣāṁ pārśve tathā parān vidhvaṁsāyayati kruddhaḥ sainikaiśca samantataḥ

He himself slew the kings, and likewise those beside them; enraged, he brought ruin on every side, sparing not even their soldiers.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.68.5)

तथैवासृक्प्रगृह्णाति गृह्णापयति चादरात्॥ तेषां पार्श्वैस्ततस्तूर्णं प्रेषयामास तत्र च

tathaivāsṛkpragṛhṇāti gṛhṇāpayati cādarāt teṣāṁ pārśvaistatastūrṇaṁ preṣayāmāsa tatra ca

In just the same way, he collected the blood himself, and had it gathered respectfully by those at his side, then had it sent there swiftly.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.68.6)

एवं निःक्षत्रियां कृत्वा कृत्स्नां पृथ्वीं भृगद्वहः॥ हाटकेश्वरजे क्षेत्रे जगाम तदनन्तरम्

evaṁ niḥkṣatriyāṁ kṛtvā kṛtsnāṁ pṛthvīṁ bhṛgadvahaḥ hāṭakeśvaraje kṣetre jagāma tadanantaram

Thus, having rid the entire earth of kshatriyas, that scion of Bhrigu returned thereafter to the field born of Hatakeshvara.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.68.7)

ततस्तै रुधिरैः स्नात्वा समादाय तिलान्बहून्॥ अपसव्यं समाधाय प्रचक्रे पितृतर्पणम्

tatastai rudhiraiḥ snātvā samādāya tilānbahūn apasavyaṁ samādhāya pracakre pitṛtarpaṇam

Then, bathing in that blood, taking up many sesame seeds, and arranging his sacred thread in the manner prescribed for ancestral rites, he performed the offering to his father.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.68.8)

प्रत्यक्षं सर्वविप्राणां तथान्येषां तपस्विनाम्॥ प्रतिज्ञां पूरयित्वाऽथ विशोकः स बभूव ह

pratyakṣaṁ sarvaviprāṇāṁ tathānyeṣāṁ tapasvinām pratijñāṁ pūrayitvā'tha viśokaḥ sa babhūva ha

In the very presence of all the brahmins, and of the other ascetics as well, having fulfilled his vow, he became free of sorrow at last.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.68.9)

ततो निःक्षत्रिये लोके कृत्वा हयमखं च सः॥ प्रायच्छत्सकलामुर्वीं ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च दक्षिणाम्

tato niḥkṣatriye loke kṛtvā hayamakhaṁ ca saḥ prāyacchatsakalāmurvīṁ brāhmaṇebhyaśca dakṣiṇām

Then, with the world now free of kshatriyas, he performed a horse-sacrifice and gave away the entire earth, together with the sacrificial gifts, to the brahmins.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.68.10)

अथ लब्धवरा विप्रास्तमूचुर्भृगुसत्तमम्॥ नास्मद्भूमौ त्वया स्थेयमेको राजा यतः स्मृतः

atha labdhavarā viprāstamūcurbhṛgusattamam nāsmadbhūmau tvayā stheyameko rājā yataḥ smṛtaḥ

Then the brahmins, having received that gift, said to that foremost of the Bhrigus: 'You must no longer remain upon our land, for it is held that there should be but a single king.'

Verse 11 (skanda.6.68.11)

सोऽपि बाढमिति प्रोच्य हर्षेण महतान्वितः॥ महीपर्यंतमासाद्य प्रोवाचाथ नदीपतिम्

so'pi bāḍhamiti procya harṣeṇa mahatānvitaḥ mahīparyaṁtamāsādya provācātha nadīpatim

He too, saying only 'so be it,' filled with great joy, went to the very edge of the land and then spoke to the lord of rivers, the ocean.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.68.12)

आरोप्य सुमहच्चापमाग्नेयास्त्रं प्रयुज्य च॥ त्रिशिखां भ्रुकुटीं कृत्वा कोपेन महतान्वितः

āropya sumahaccāpamāgneyāstraṁ prayujya ca triśikhāṁ bhrukuṭīṁ kṛtvā kopena mahatānvitaḥ

Raising his great bow and invoking the fire-weapon, his brow furrowed into three deep lines, filled with tremendous fury —

Verse 13 (skanda.6.68.13)

राम उवाच॥ मया निःक्षत्रिया भूमिः कृता शैलवनान्विता॥ ब्राह्मणेभ्यस्ततो दत्ता वाजिमेधे महामखे

rāma uvāca mayā niḥkṣatriyā bhūmiḥ kṛtā śailavanānvitā brāhmaṇebhyastato dattā vājimedhe mahāmakhe

Rama said: 'By me, this earth, with all its mountains and forests, has been made free of kshatriyas, and then given away to the brahmins at the great horse-sacrifice.'

Verse 14 (skanda.6.68.14)

तस्मात्त्वं देहि मे स्थानं कृत्वाऽपसरणं स्वयम्॥ न हि दत्त्वा ग्रही ष्यामि विप्रेभ्यो मेदिनीं पुनः

tasmāttvaṁ dehi me sthānaṁ kṛtvā'pasaraṇaṁ svayam na hi dattvā grahī ṣyāmi viprebhyo medinīṁ punaḥ

'Therefore, withdraw yourself and give me a place to dwell; for, having given the earth away, I shall never take it back again from the brahmins.'

Verse 15 (skanda.6.68.15)

न करोष्यथवा वाक्यं ममाद्य त्वं नदीपते॥ स्थलरूपं करिष्यामि वह्न्यस्त्रपरिशोषितम्

na karoṣyathavā vākyaṁ mamādya tvaṁ nadīpate sthalarūpaṁ kariṣyāmi vahnyastrapariśoṣitam

'If you do not heed my word today, O lord of rivers, I shall turn you into dry land, utterly scorched by the weapon of fire.'

Verse 16 (skanda.6.68.16)

सूत उवाच॥ तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा समुद्रो भयसंकुलः॥ अपसारं ततश्चक्रे यावत्तस्याभिवांछितम्

sūta uvāca tasya tadvacanaṁ śrutvā samudro bhayasaṁkulaḥ apasāraṁ tataścakre yāvattasyābhivāṁchitam

Suta said: Hearing his words, the ocean, filled with fear, then withdrew, exactly to the extent that he desired.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.68.17)

ततश्चकार तत्रैव वसतिं स भृगूद्वहः॥ तपश्चर्यासमायुक्तः पितुर्वधमनुस्मरन्

tataścakāra tatraiva vasatiṁ sa bhṛgūdvahaḥ tapaścaryāsamāyuktaḥ piturvadhamanusmaran

Then that scion of Bhrigu made his dwelling right there, devoted to the practice of austerity, ever recalling the killing of his father.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.68.18)

ततः सर्वान्पुलिन्दांश्च शवरान्मेदसंयुतान्॥ भूम्यन्ते धारयामास पर्वतेषु स भार्गवः

tataḥ sarvānpulindāṁśca śavarānmedasaṁyutān bhūmyante dhārayāmāsa parvateṣu sa bhārgavaḥ

Then that scion of Bhrigu settled all the Pulindas, Shabaras, and Medas at the far edge of that land, in the mountains.