Parashurama's Challenge

Shloka 1 (bala.75.1)

राम दाशरथे वीर वीर्यं ते श्रूयतेऽद्भुतम्। धनुषो भेदनं चैव निखिलेन मया श्रुतम् ॥ १-७५-१ ॥

rāma dāśarathe vīra vīryaṃ te śrūyate'dbhutam| dhanuṣo bhedanaṃ caiva nikhilena mayā śrutam || 1-75-1 ||

O Rama, son of Dasharatha, O hero, your valour is spoken of as wondrous; and I have heard in full of your breaking of the bow.

Shloka 2 (bala.75.2)

तदद्भुतमचिंत्यं च भेदनं धनुषस्तथा। तच्छ्रुत्वाहमनुप्राप्तो धनुर्गृह्यापरं शुभम् ॥ १-७५-२ ॥

tadadbhutamaciṃtyaṃ ca bhedanaṃ dhanuṣastathā| tacchrutvāhamanuprāpto dhanurgṛhyāparaṃ śubham || 1-75-2 ||

That breaking of the bow was indeed wondrous and inconceivable; hearing of it, I have come here bringing another auspicious bow.

Shloka 3 (bala.75.3)

तदिदं घोरसंकाशं जामदग्न्यं महद्धनुः। पूरयस्व शरेणैव स्वबलं दर्शयस्व च ॥ १-७५-३ ॥

tadidaṃ ghorasaṃkāśaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ mahaddhanuḥ| pūrayasva śareṇaiva svabalaṃ darśayasva ca || 1-75-3 ||

This great bow, terrible in appearance, belonging to Jamadagni's line — string it with an arrow and thereby show your strength.

Shloka 4 (bala.75.4)

तदहं ते बलं दृष्ट्वा धनुषोऽस्य प्रपूरणे। द्वंद्वयुद्धं प्रदास्यामि वीर्यश्लाघ्यमहं तव ॥ १-७५-४ ॥

tadahaṃ te balaṃ dṛṣṭvā dhanuṣo'sya prapūraṇe| dvaṃdvayuddhaṃ pradāsyāmi vīryaślāghyamahaṃ tava || 1-75-4 ||

Then, having seen your strength in stringing this bow, I shall grant you a duel worthy of your valour.

Shloka 5 (bala.75.5)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा दशरथस्तदा। विषण्णवदनो दीनः प्रांजलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १-७५-५ ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rājā daśarathastadā| viṣaṇṇavadano dīnaḥ prāṃjalirvākyamabravīt || 1-75-5 ||

Having heard those words of his, King Dasharatha, his face downcast, spoke in distress with joined palms.

Shloka 6 (bala.75.6)

क्षत्ररोषात् प्रशांतस्त्वं ब्राह्मणश्च महातपाः। बालानां मम पुत्राणामभयं दातुमर्हसि ॥ १-७५-६ ॥

kṣatraroṣāt praśāṃtastvaṃ brāhmaṇaśca mahātapāḥ| bālānāṃ mama putrāṇāmabhayaṃ dātumarhasi || 1-75-6 ||

You are now at peace from your wrath against the Kshatriyas, and you are a Brahmin of great austerity; it is fitting that you grant safety to my sons, who are still but children.

Shloka 7 (bala.75.7)

भार्गवाणां कुले जातः स्वाध्यायव्रतशालिनाम्। सहस्राक्षे प्रतिज्ञाय शस्त्रं प्रक्षिप्तवानसि ॥ १-७५-७ ॥

bhārgavāṇāṃ kule jātaḥ svādhyāyavrataśālinām| sahasrākṣe pratijñāya śastraṃ prakṣiptavānasi || 1-75-7 ||

Born in the line of the Bhargavas, devoted to the vow of Vedic study, you gave your word to thousand-eyed Indra and laid down your weapons.

Shloka 8 (bala.75.8)

स त्वं धर्मपरो भूत्वा काश्यपाय वसुंधराम्। दत्त्वा वनमुपागम्य महेन्द्रकृतकेतनः ॥ १-७५-८ ॥

sa tvaṃ dharmaparo bhūtvā kāśyapāya vasuṃdharām| dattvā vanamupāgamya mahendrakṛtaketanaḥ || 1-75-8 ||

Being thus devoted to Dharma, and having given the earth to Kashyapa, you went to the forest and made your abode upon Mount Mahendra.

Shloka 9 (bala.75.9)

मम सर्वविनाशाय संप्राप्तस्त्वं महामुने। न चैकस्मिन् हते रामे सर्वे जीवामहे वयम् ॥ १-७५-९ ॥

mama sarvavināśāya saṃprāptastvaṃ mahāmune| na caikasmin hate rāme sarve jīvāmahe vayam || 1-75-9 ||

O great sage, have you come now for the utter destruction of us all? For if Rama alone is slain, none of us shall remain alive.

Shloka 10 (bala.75.10)

ब्रुवत्येवं दशरथे जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान्। अनादृत्य तु तद्वाक्यं राममेवाभ्यभाषत ॥ १-७५-१० ॥

bruvatyevaṃ daśarathe jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān| anādṛtya tu tadvākyaṃ rāmamevābhyabhāṣata || 1-75-10 ||

While Dasharatha was thus speaking, the mighty son of Jamadagni, disregarding those words, addressed Rama alone.

Shloka 11 (bala.75.11)

इमे द्वे धनुषी श्रेष्ठे दिव्ये लोकाभिपूजिते। दृढे बलवती मुख्ये सुकृते विश्वकर्मणा ॥ १-७५-११ ॥

ime dve dhanuṣī śreṣṭhe divye lokābhipūjite| dṛḍhe balavatī mukhye sukṛte viśvakarmaṇā || 1-75-11 ||

These two are the foremost of bows, divine, honoured throughout the worlds, firm, mighty, and supreme, well-wrought by Vishvakarma.

Shloka 12 (bala.75.12)

अनिसृष्टं सुरैरेकं त्र्यम्बकाय युयुत्सवे। त्रिपुरघ्नं नरश्रेष्ठ भग्नं काकुत्स्थ यत्त्वया ॥ १-७५-१२ ॥

anisṛṣṭaṃ surairekaṃ tryambakāya yuyutsave| tripuraghnaṃ naraśreṣṭha bhagnaṃ kākutstha yattvayā || 1-75-12 ||

One was given by the gods to battle-eager Tryambaka, Shiva, destroyer of Tripura, O best of men, O Kakutstha — that is the very one you broke.

Shloka 13 (bala.75.13)

इदं द्वितीयं दुर्धर्षं विष्णोर्दत्तं सुरोत्तमैः। तदिदं वैष्णवं राम धनुः परपुरञ्जयम् ॥ १-७५-१३ ॥

idaṃ dvitīyaṃ durdharṣaṃ viṣṇordattaṃ surottamaiḥ| tadidaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ rāma dhanuḥ parapurañjayam || 1-75-13 ||

This second, unassailable bow was given by the foremost of gods to Vishnu — this, O Rama, is the bow of Vishnu, conqueror of enemy citadels.

Shloka 14 (bala.75.14)

समानसारं काकुत्स्थ रौद्रेण धनुषा त्विदम्। तदा तु देवताः सर्वाः पृच्छन्ति स्म पितामहम् ॥ १-७५-१४ ॥

samānasāraṃ kākutstha raudreṇa dhanuṣā tvidam| tadā tu devatāḥ sarvāḥ pṛcchanti sma pitāmaham || 1-75-14 ||

O Kakutstha, this bow is equal in essence to the bow of Rudra. Once, all the gods questioned the Grandsire—

Shloka 15 (bala.75.15)

शितिकण्ठस्य विष्णोश्च बलाबलनिरीक्षया। अभिप्रायं तु विज्ञाय देवतानां पितामहः ॥ १-७५-१५ ॥

śitikaṇṭhasya viṣṇośca balābalanirīkṣayā| abhiprāyaṃ tu vijñāya devatānāṃ pitāmahaḥ || 1-75-15 ||

—wishing to know who was the stronger and who the lesser between Shiva and Vishnu. Understanding the gods' intent, the Grandsire—

Shloka 16 (bala.75.16)

विरोधं जनयामास तयोः सत्यवतां वरः। विरोधे तु महद्युद्धमभवद्रोमहर्षणम् ॥ १-७५-१६ ॥

virodhaṃ janayāmāsa tayoḥ satyavatāṃ varaḥ| virodhe tu mahadyuddhamabhavadromaharṣaṇam || 1-75-16 ||

—that best of the truthful, brought about a rivalry between the two; and from that rivalry arose a great, hair-raising war.

Shloka 17 (bala.75.17)

शितिकण्ठस्य विष्णोश्च परस्परजयैषिणोः। तदा तु जृम्भितं शैवं धनुर्भीमपराक्रमम् ॥ १-७५-१७ ॥

śitikaṇṭhasya viṣṇośca parasparajayaiṣiṇoḥ| tadā tu jṛmbhitaṃ śaivaṃ dhanurbhīmaparākramam || 1-75-17 ||

Between Shiva and Vishnu, each seeking victory over the other, the bow of Shiva, of terrible might, was then drawn wide—

Shloka 18 (bala.75.18)

हुंकारेण महादेवः स्तम्भितोऽथ त्रिलोचनः। देवैस्तदा समागम्य सर्षिसन्घैः सचारणैः ॥ १-७५-१८ ॥

huṃkāreṇa mahādevaḥ stambhito'tha trilocanaḥ| devaistadā samāgamya sarṣisanghaiḥ sacāraṇaiḥ || 1-75-18 ||

—but by Vishnu's mere roar of "hum", the great three-eyed god was rendered motionless. Then the gods, gathering with hosts of sages and celestial singers—

Shloka 19 (bala.75.19)

याचितौ प्रशमं तत्र जग्मतुस्तौ सुरोत्तमौ। जृम्भितं तद्धनुर्दृष्ट्वा शैवं विष्णुपराक्रमैः ॥ १-७५-१९ ॥

yācitau praśamaṃ tatra jagmatustau surottamau| jṛmbhitaṃ taddhanurdṛṣṭvā śaivaṃ viṣṇuparākramaiḥ || 1-75-19 ||

—entreated the two for peace, and those two foremost gods came to reconciliation. Seeing Shiva's bow thus rendered helpless by Vishnu's might—

Shloka 20 (bala.75.20)

अधिकं मेनिरे विष्णुं देवाः सर्षिगणास्तदा। धनू रुद्रस्तु संक्रुद्धो विदेहेषु महायशाः ॥ १-७५-२० ॥

adhikaṃ menire viṣṇuṃ devāḥ sarṣigaṇāstadā| dhanū rudrastu saṃkruddho videheṣu mahāyaśāḥ || 1-75-20 ||

—the gods and sages then deemed Vishnu the greater. And the greatly renowned Rudra, in his displeasure, gave that bow among the line of Videha—

Shloka 21 (bala.75.21)

देवरातस्य राजर्षेर्ददौ हस्ते ससायकम्। इदं च वैष्णवं राम धनुः परपुरञ्जयम् ॥ १-७५-२१ ॥

devarātasya rājarṣerdadau haste sasāyakam| idaṃ ca vaiṣṇavaṃ rāma dhanuḥ parapurañjayam || 1-75-21 ||

—into the hands of the royal sage Devarata, together with its arrow. And this bow of Vishnu, O Rama, conqueror of enemy citadels—

Shloka 22 (bala.75.22)

ऋचीके भार्गवे प्रादाद्विष्णुः सन्यासमुत्तमम्। ऋचीकस्तु महातेजाः पुत्रस्याप्रतिकर्मणः ॥ १-७५-२२ ॥

ṛcīke bhārgave prādādviṣṇuḥ sanyāsamuttamam| ṛcīkastu mahātejāḥ putrasyāpratikarmaṇaḥ || 1-75-22 ||

—Vishnu had given as a supreme trust to Richika of the Bhargava line. And the greatly resplendent Richika, to his son of matchless deeds—

Shloka 23 (bala.75.23)

पितुर्मम ददौ दिव्यं जमदग्नेर्महात्मनः। न्यस्तशस्त्रे पितरि मे तपोबलसमन्विते ॥ १-७५-२३ ॥

piturmama dadau divyaṃ jamadagnermahātmanaḥ| nyastaśastre pitari me tapobalasamanvite || 1-75-23 ||

—that is, to my father, the noble-souled Jamadagni, gave this divine bow. And when my father, endowed with the strength of austerity, had laid aside his weapons—

Shloka 24 (bala.75.24)

अर्जुनो विदधे मृत्युं प्राकृतां बुद्धिमास्थितः। वधमप्रतिरूपं तु पितुः श्रुत्वा सुदारुणम्। क्षत्रमुत्सादयन् रोषाज्जातं जातमनेकशः ॥ १-७५-२४ ॥

arjuno vidadhe mṛtyuṃ prākṛtāṃ buddhimāsthitaḥ| vadhamapratirūpaṃ tu pituḥ śrutvā sudāruṇam| kṣatramutsādayan roṣājjātaṃ jātamanekaśaḥ || 1-75-24 ||

—Arjuna [of Kartavirya], resorting to a base-minded thought, brought about his death. Hearing of my father's cruel and improper slaying, in wrath I have destroyed the Kshatriyas again and again as they were born.

Shloka 25 (bala.75.25)

पृथिवीं चाखिलां प्राप्य काश्यपाय महात्मने। यज्ञस्यान्ते तदा राम दक्षिणां पुण्यकर्मणे ॥ १-७५-२५ ॥

pṛthivīṃ cākhilāṃ prāpya kāśyapāya mahātmane| yajñasyānte tadā rāma dakṣiṇāṃ puṇyakarmaṇe || 1-75-25 ||

And having gained the whole earth, O Rama, I gave it, at the end of a sacrifice, as the sacrificial fee to the noble-souled, pure-deeded Kashyapa.

Shloka 26 (bala.75.26)

दत्त्वा महेन्द्रनिलयः तपोबलसमन्वितः। श्रुत्वा तु धनुषो भेदं ततोऽहं द्रुतमागतः ॥ १-७५-२६ ॥

dattvā mahendranilayaḥ tapobalasamanvitaḥ| śrutvā tu dhanuṣo bhedaṃ tato'haṃ drutamāgataḥ || 1-75-26 ||

Having given it away, I made my abode on Mount Mahendra, endowed with the strength of austerity. Then, hearing of the breaking of the bow, I came here swiftly.

Shloka 27 (bala.75.27)

तदेवं वैष्णवं राम पितृपैतामहं महत्। क्षत्रधर्मं पुरस्कृत्य गृह्णीष्व धनुरुत्तमम् ॥ १-७५-२७ ॥

tadevaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ rāma pitṛpaitāmahaṃ mahat| kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya gṛhṇīṣva dhanuruttamam || 1-75-27 ||

So then, O Rama, take up this great bow of Vishnu, handed down from my father and forefathers — take up this excellent bow, holding to the Dharma of the Kshatriya.

Shloka 28 (bala.75.28)

योजयस्व धनुःश्रेष्ठे शरं परपुरञ्जयम्। यदि शक्तोऽसि काकुत्स्थ द्वन्द्वं दास्यामि ते ततः ॥ १-७५-२८ ॥

yojayasva dhanuḥśreṣṭhe śaraṃ parapurañjayam| yadi śakto'si kākutstha dvandvaṃ dāsyāmi te tataḥ || 1-75-28 ||

Fit to this excellent bow the arrow that conquers enemy citadels; if you are able, O Kakutstha, I shall then grant you a duel.