The Greatness of the Iron Staff

Verse 1 (skanda.6.94.1)

सूत उवाच॥ तथान्या लोहयष्टिस्तु तस्मिन्क्षेत्रेऽतिशोभना॥ मुक्ता परशुरामेण भंक्त्वा निजकुठारकम्

sūta uvāca tathānyā lohayaṣṭistu tasminkṣetre'tiśobhanā muktā paraśurāmeṇa bhaṁktvā nijakuṭhārakam

Suta said: In that field there is also another most splendid iron staff, left there by Parashurama after he broke his own axe.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.94.2)

तां दृष्ट्वा मानवः सम्यगुपवासपरायणः॥ मुच्यते हि स्वकात्पापात्तत्क्षणाद्विजसत्तमाः

tāṁ dṛṣṭvā mānavaḥ samyagupavāsaparāyaṇaḥ mucyate hi svakātpāpāttatkṣaṇādvijasattamāḥ

O best of brahmins, a man who duly observes a fast and beholds it is instantly freed from his own sins.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.94.3)

ऋषय ऊचुः॥ कुतः परशुरामेण भंक्त्वा निजकुठारकम्॥ निर्मिता लोहयष्टिः सा तत्रोत्सृष्टा च सा कुतः

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kutaḥ paraśurāmeṇa bhaṁktvā nijakuṭhārakam nirmitā lohayaṣṭiḥ sā tatrotsṛṣṭā ca sā kutaḥ

The sages said: For what reason did Parashurama break his own axe and fashion that iron staff, and for what reason was it left there?

Verse 4 (skanda.6.94.4)

सूत उवाच॥ यदा रामो ह्रदं कृत्वा तर्पयित्वा निजान्पितॄन्॥ गतामर्षो द्विजेन्द्राणां दत्त्वा यज्ञे वसुन्धराम्

sūta uvāca yadā rāmo hradaṁ kṛtvā tarpayitvā nijānpitṝn gatāmarṣo dvijendrāṇāṁ dattvā yajñe vasundharām

Suta said: When Rama, having made a lake and offered libations to his own ancestors, and having given away the whole earth to the foremost brahmins in sacrifice, had let go of his wrath...

Verse 5 (skanda.6.94.5)

ततः संप्रस्थितो हृष्टो धृत्वा मनसि सागरम्॥ स्नानार्थं तं समादाय कुठारं भास्करप्रभम्

tataḥ saṁprasthito hṛṣṭo dhṛtvā manasi sāgaram snānārthaṁ taṁ samādāya kuṭhāraṁ bhāskaraprabham

...then, joyfully, holding the ocean in his mind, he set out to bathe there, taking with him his axe, radiant as the sun.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.94.6)

तदा स मुनिभिः प्रोक्तः सर्वैस्तत्क्षेत्रवासिभिः॥ वांछद्भिस्तु हितं तस्य सदा शमपरायणैः

tadā sa munibhiḥ proktaḥ sarvaistatkṣetravāsibhiḥ vāṁchadbhistu hitaṁ tasya sadā śamaparāyaṇaiḥ

Then all the sages dwelling in that region, ever devoted to peace and ever wishing him well, spoke to him.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.94.7)

रामराम महाभाग यद्धारयसि पाणिना॥ शस्त्रं पूर्णे प्रतिज्ञोऽपि तन्न युक्तं भवेत्तव

rāmarāma mahābhāga yaddhārayasi pāṇinā śastraṁ pūrṇe pratijño'pi tanna yuktaṁ bhavettava

"Rama, Rama, O illustrious one, even though your vow is now fulfilled, it is not fitting for you to still carry this weapon in your hand."

Verse 8 (skanda.6.94.8)

अनेन करसंस्थेन तव कोपः कथंचन॥ न यास्यति शरीरस्थस्तस्मादेनं परित्यज

anena karasaṁsthena tava kopaḥ kathaṁcana na yāsyati śarīrasthastasmādenaṁ parityaja

"As long as this remains in your hand, the wrath residing in your body will by no means depart; therefore give it up."

Verse 9 (skanda.6.94.9)

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ततो रामः कृतांजलिः॥ प्रोवाच विनयोपेतः प्रहसंस्तान्द्विजोत्तमान्

teṣāṁ tadvacanaṁ śrutvā tato rāmaḥ kṛtāṁjaliḥ provāca vinayopetaḥ prahasaṁstāndvijottamān

Hearing their words, Rama, with joined palms, humbly and with a smile, replied to those excellent brahmins.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.94.10)

कुठारश्चैव विप्रेंद्रा रुद्रतेजोद्भवेन च॥ लोहेन निर्मितः पूर्वमक्षयो विश्वकर्मणा

kuṭhāraścaiva vipreṁdrā rudratejodbhavena ca lohena nirmitaḥ pūrvamakṣayo viśvakarmaṇā

"O foremost of brahmins, this imperishable axe was fashioned long ago by Vishvakarma out of iron born from the very radiance of Rudra."

Verse 11 (skanda.6.94.11)

तदहं संपरित्यज्य कथमेनं द्विजोत्तमाः॥ क्षत्त्रधर्मपरोऽप्येवं प्रगच्छामि दिगंतरम्

tadahaṁ saṁparityajya kathamenaṁ dvijottamāḥ kṣattradharmaparo'pyevaṁ pragacchāmi digaṁtaram

"O best of brahmins, how then, devoted as I still am to the duty of a kshatriya, could I abandon this and go off to another region?"

Verse 12 (skanda.6.94.12)

यदि चैनं मया मुक्तं कुठारं च द्विजोत्तमाः॥ ग्रहीष्यति परः कश्चिन्मम वध्यो भविष्यति

yadi cainaṁ mayā muktaṁ kuṭhāraṁ ca dvijottamāḥ grahīṣyati paraḥ kaścinmama vadhyo bhaviṣyati

"And, O best of brahmins, if some other man should take up this axe once I have abandoned it, he shall become liable to be slain by me."

Verse 13 (skanda.6.94.13)

नापराधमिमं शक्तः सोढ़ुं चाहं कथंचन॥ अपि ब्राह्मणमुख्यस्य जनस्यान्यस्य का कथा

nāparādhamimaṁ śaktaḥ sor̤huṁ cāhaṁ kathaṁcana api brāhmaṇamukhyasya janasyānyasya kā kathā

"I would by no means be able to endure this offense, even from the foremost of brahmins — what then to speak of any other, ordinary person!"

Verse 14 (skanda.6.94.14)

तथापि नास्ति ते शांतिर्मुक्तेऽप्यस्मिन्द्विजोत्तमाः॥ गृहीतेऽपि च युष्माभिस्तस्माद्रक्ष्यः प्रयत्नतः

tathāpi nāsti te śāṁtirmukte'pyasmindvijottamāḥ gṛhīte'pi ca yuṣmābhistasmādrakṣyaḥ prayatnataḥ

"Even so, O best of brahmins, I shall have no peace even once I have let it go, and even should you yourselves take it; therefore it must be guarded with great care."

Verse 15 (skanda.6.94.15)

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः॥ यद्येवं त्वं महाभाग रक्षार्थं संप्रयच्छसि॥ अस्माकं तत्र भंक्त्वाशु पिंडं कृत्वा समर्पय

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ yadyevaṁ tvaṁ mahābhāga rakṣārthaṁ saṁprayacchasi asmākaṁ tatra bhaṁktvāśu piṁḍaṁ kṛtvā samarpaya

The brahmins said: "O illustrious one, if you are entrusting it to us in this way for safekeeping, then quickly break it, form it into a single solid mass, and give it to us."

Verse 16 (skanda.6.94.16)

येन रक्षामहे सर्वे परमं यवमाश्रिताः॥ न च गृह्णाति वा कश्चिद्गते कालांतरेऽपि च

yena rakṣāmahe sarve paramaṁ yavamāśritāḥ na ca gṛhṇāti vā kaścidgate kālāṁtare'pi ca

"So that we may all watch over it with the utmost care, and so that no one, even after a long span of time, may ever pick it up."

Verse 17 (skanda.6.94.17)

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा रामः शस्त्रभृतां वरः॥ चक्रे लोहमयीं यष्टिं तं भंक्त्वा स कुठारकम्

teṣāṁ tadvacanaṁ śrutvā rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāṁ varaḥ cakre lohamayīṁ yaṣṭiṁ taṁ bhaṁktvā sa kuṭhārakam

Hearing their words, Rama, foremost among the wielders of weapons, broke that axe and fashioned from it an iron staff.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.94.18)

ततः स ब्राह्मणेंद्राणामर्पयामास सादरम्॥ रक्षार्थं भार्गवश्रेष्ठो विनयावनतः स्थितः

tataḥ sa brāhmaṇeṁdrāṇāmarpayāmāsa sādaram rakṣārthaṁ bhārgavaśreṣṭho vinayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ

Then Rama, best of the descendants of Bhrigu, bowing humbly, respectfully handed it over to the foremost brahmins for safekeeping.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.94.19)

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः॥ लोहयष्टिमिमां राम त्वत्कुठारसमुद्भवाम्॥ वयं संरक्षयिष्यामः पूजयिष्याम एव हि

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ lohayaṣṭimimāṁ rāma tvatkuṭhārasamudbhavām vayaṁ saṁrakṣayiṣyāmaḥ pūjayiṣyāma eva hi

The brahmins said: "O Rama, we shall guard this iron staff born of your axe, and we shall also worship it."

Verse 20 (skanda.6.94.20)

यथा शक्तिमयी कीर्तिः स्कन्दस्यात्र प्रतिष्ठिता॥ लोहयष्टिमयी तद्वत्तव राम भविष्यति

yathā śaktimayī kīrtiḥ skandasyātra pratiṣṭhitā lohayaṣṭimayī tadvattava rāma bhaviṣyati

"Just as Skanda's fame is enshrined here in the form of the spear, O Rama, so too your fame shall be enshrined here in the form of this iron staff."

Verse 21 (skanda.6.94.21)

भ्रष्टराज्यस्तु यो राजा एनामाराधयिष्यति॥ स्वं राज्यमचिरात्प्राप्य स प्रतापी भविष्यति

bhraṣṭarājyastu yo rājā enāmārādhayiṣyati svaṁ rājyamacirātprāpya sa pratāpī bhaviṣyati

"Whatever king, having lost his kingdom, worships this staff, shall soon regain his own kingdom and become mighty."

Verse 22 (skanda.6.94.22)

विद्याकृते द्विजो वा यः सदैनां पूजयिष्यति॥ स विद्यां परमां प्राप्य सर्वज्ञत्वं प्रपत्स्यते

vidyākṛte dvijo vā yaḥ sadaināṁ pūjayiṣyati sa vidyāṁ paramāṁ prāpya sarvajñatvaṁ prapatsyate

"Whatever brahmin worships it constantly for the sake of learning shall attain supreme knowledge and reach omniscience."

Verse 23 (skanda.6.94.23)

अपुत्रो वा नरो योऽथ नारी वा पूजयिष्यति॥ एतां यष्टिं त्वदीयां च पुत्रवान्स भविष्यति

aputro vā naro yo'tha nārī vā pūjayiṣyati etāṁ yaṣṭiṁ tvadīyāṁ ca putravānsa bhaviṣyati

"Whatever childless man or woman worships this staff of yours shall be blessed with a son."

Verse 24 (skanda.6.94.24)

उपवासपरो भूत्वा यश्चैनां पूजयिष्यति॥ आश्विनस्यासिते पक्षे चतुर्दश्यां विशेषतः॥ स प्राप्स्यति सदा कामानभीष्टान्मनसि स्थितान्

upavāsaparo bhūtvā yaścaināṁ pūjayiṣyati āśvinasyāsite pakṣe caturdaśyāṁ viśeṣataḥ sa prāpsyati sadā kāmānabhīṣṭānmanasi sthitān

"Whoever, observing a fast, worships it — especially on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Ashvina — shall always obtain whatever desires reside in his heart."

Verse 25 (skanda.6.94.25)

एवं श्रुत्वा ततो रामस्तेषामेव द्विजन्मनाम्॥ प्रणम्य प्रययौ तूर्णं समुद्रसदनं प्रति

evaṁ śrutvā tato rāmasteṣāmeva dvijanmanām praṇamya prayayau tūrṇaṁ samudrasadanaṁ prati

Having heard this, Rama then bowed to those very brahmins and swiftly set out toward the abode of the ocean.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.94.26)

तेऽपि विप्रास्ततस्तस्याश्चक्रुः प्रासादमुत्तमम्॥ तत्र संस्थाय तां चक्रुस्ततः पूजासमाहिताः

te'pi viprāstatastasyāścakruḥ prāsādamuttamam tatra saṁsthāya tāṁ cakrustataḥ pūjāsamāhitāḥ

Those brahmins then built a magnificent shrine for it, established it there, and, with focused mind, began to worship it.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.94.27)

प्राप्नुवंति च तत्पार्श्वात्कामानेव हृदि स्थितान्॥ सुस्तोकेनाऽपि कालेन दुर्लभास्त्रिदशैरपि

prāpnuvaṁti ca tatpārśvātkāmāneva hṛdi sthitān sustokenā'pi kālena durlabhāstridaśairapi

And from its presence, in but a very short time, they obtain those very desires residing in their hearts — desires that are hard to attain even for the gods.