Chapter 37 - The narrative of Bhārgava Paraśurāma (a)

Vasiṣṭha said:

1. On seeing that extremely wonderful miracle, Paraśurāma narrated everything concerning those two deer exactly as he had heard it.

2. On hearing it, the pot-born sage Agastya who was the Lord himself, joyously spoke to Bhārgava who was sitting in front of him.

Agastya said:

3. “Listen, O highly fortunate Rāma who are expert in discriminating between what has to be done and what should not be done. I am going to tell you now what is conducive to your welfare. Do it with concentration and mental purity.

4. Far from this place there is a great and very rare holy centre of Viṣṇu. It is that place where could be seen the footsteps imprinted by the great noble-souled Viṣṇu.

5. At the time of subduing and binding down of Bali, the noble-souled Vāmana covered the worlds by means of his steps. It was from the tip of one of these toes that Gaṅgā began to flow.

6. Go there and recite this prayer for a month regularly without thinking about anything else. Have perfect control over your sense-organs and be restricted in your diet.

7. The Kavaca (mystical protective formula or mantra). that had been practised by you formerly with a desire for its full accomplishment thereof in order to kill the enemies, will yield the benefit to you.”

Vasiṣṭha said:

8. “On being told thus by Agastya, Rāma, the destroyer of his enemies, bowed down to the quiescent sage and went out of the hermitage.

9. Again along that self-same route, O king, Rāma quickly reached that spot where the celestial river had come out from the last foot-step of Viṣṇu.

10. There this sage built his abode in the company of Akṛtavraṇa and began to practice the divine prayer called Kṛṣṇapremāmṛta (nectar in the form of Kṛṣṇa’s love).

11. He practised the recitation of that prayer of the lord of the Vraja viz. Kṛṣṇa, every day. Hari became pleased, O king, and revealed himself to the view of the son of Jamadagni.

12-13. Śrīkṛṣṇa, the direct lord of the four Vyūhas (i.e. manifestations such as Saṃkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha), the lotus-eyed one, shining brilliantly with his crown having the refulgence of the sun and the two ear-rings. His chest was brightened with the lustre of the jewel Kaustubha. He wore yellow robes. His complexion was like that of the cloud. He was engaged in playing on his flute. He had a fascinating-form.

14. On seeing the Lord, the son of Jamadagni gleefully got up at once; he prostrated himself on the ground like a staff and then eulogised the lord with perfect control (on his sense-organs).

Paraśurāma said:

15. “Obeisance, obeisance to one whose body is the cause of the universe; to one who protects those who resort to him; who dispels the distress of gods and is eulogised by gods the chief of whom were Brahmā, Īśa, Viṣṇu, Indra and others. I bow down constantly to the supreme Lord.

16. Īśāna and others have been incompetent to specify your nature through the Vedic arguments of diverse kinds. You are the unborn lord who cannot be pointed out and specified. I worship you the ancient, infinite Lord. Be merciful unto me.

17. You are the only Lord who bestow what one desires. You assume different kinds of bodies among the Devas, human beings, lower animals and the aquatic beings in order to prevent inordinate burden unto the Earth and to sport about to protect the worlds.

18. I worship you who love devout people, who are extremely unattached even to the Goddess of Wealth (Lakṣmī) and others and whose heart is bound in love even with those ladies (? the Cowherdesses) whose minds are defiled by the defect of infidelity and transgression in your own presence.

19. O lord, the delighted Asuras, Suras, human beings along with the Kinnaras, the lower animals and even Ayonis (those not born of a womb) have shed off their sense of possession as “my-ness” with regard to their bodies, wives, children and properties and everything and have resorted to your person.

20. I have attained with respect, that lord of the Devas who grants whatever is desired by those who worship him, who is devoid of desire, and (being transcendental) is bereft of Guṇas (the three attributes of Prakṛti), is inconceivable, unmanifest, annihilator of sins and a store-house of love.

21. Some people subject their bodies to different kinds of tortures (i.e. austerities); others worship by means of various Yajñas. But, O lord, those whose inclinations and desires are bound up with worldly affairs never see your super-natural form even in their dreams.

22-23. Those who have become disgusted and dejected due to the tedium and exhaustion of worldly existence, and therefore duly remember your feet, those who devoutly worship and bow down to them, those who describe them to one another in the assembly, those whose minds are intent and eager to dispel the (accumulated) dirt that is the outcome of many births and those who are mentally attached to your lotus-like feet cross the ocean of worldly existence and enable others also to cross it. Indeed, O lord, your name is an antidote against worldly existence. It is nectar itself.

24. I am, O lord, one whose mind is bound with love and desire. I have been propitiating you, the noble one, by means of various efforts. O lord, you are aware of it. What is there in the world which should be specifically mentioned to you?

Vasiṣṭha said:

25. “When the son of Jamadagni eulogised like this and bowed down to him in front of him, lord Kṛṣṇa spoke in a deep voice as though he was fascinating every one by means of his Māyā.”

Kṛṣṇa said:

26. O Rāma of great fortune, your excellent work has been achieved. Understand that it is due to the power of the Kavaca (Protective hymn) and the eulogy.

27. After killing Kārttavīrya, the haughty-minded king, and after avenging your father, make the Earth devoid of Kṣatriyas.

28. Indeed, Kārttavīrya is the incarnation of my discus, on the surface of the Earth. He has finished his assigned task, O excellent Brāhmaṇa. Finish him, O bestower of honour.

29. From now onwards you will be moving about in this world charged with a part of mine energy. You will do and undo everything at the proper time. You yourself will be the lord.

30. In the twenty-fourth set of four Yugas, in the Tretā Yuga, O dear one, I shall be born in the family of Raghu under the name Rāma. I the eternal lord with four Vyūhas (manifestations e.g. Saṃkarṣaṇa etc.), shall be born (along with the three others).

31-33a. I shall be born of king Daśaratha as the delighter of queen Kausalyā. At that time, O sage of great fortune I will be going to the great city of Janaka alongwith Lakṣmaṇa, after getting the Yajña of Kauśika (Viśvāmitra) concluded.

I will be breaking the bow of Īśa (god Śiva) and marrying the daughter of the king of Videha (i.e. Janaka).

Then, while going back to Ayodhyā, I will take away your proud brilliance and splendour.

Vasiṣṭha said:

33b. After instructing thus the son of Jamadagni, the veritable store of penance, Lord Kṛṣṇa vanished even as the noble-souled Rāma was watching.”