Chapter 75 - Parasurama challenges Rama to combat

“O Rama, O Illustrious Hero, I have heard of your great prowess. I have also been acquainted with your heroic deed, the breaking of the bow at Janakapura, verily a feat exciting wonder and surpassing imagination. Having heard of thine achievement, I, taking this other bow, have come hither. With this terrible bow named Yamadagni, show your strength, O Rama, and placing an arrow in it, discharge it. Should’st you be able to accomplish this, I will engage in honourable combat with you.”

Hearing these words, King Dasaratha, became dejected and humbly addressed the rishi, saying: “O Holy Parasurama, you are a great brahmin sage, it becomes you not to show anger to warriors; be gracious unto my son, who is still a child. You are born in the family of Bhrigu and hast pledged thyself to Indra to bear arms no more. Having given the dominion of the world to Kashyapa and retired to the Mahendra mountain to practise asceticism, why hast you now come hither to destroy us? O Sage, if Rama is slain, none of us will survive.”

The great son of Jamadagni, disregarding the entreaty of King Dasaratha, again addressed Rama, saying: “O Rama, these two bows of exquisite design, famed throughout the world, exceedingly powerful, were forged by Vishvakarma. One of them, wielded by Shri Shiva in combat with Tripura, was broken by you. The other, held by me, of inexpressible power, was given to Vishnu by the gods and is known to give victory over the foe; it is equal in moment to that which you have broken.

“Formerly the gods asked Brahma which of the two excelled the other and Shri Brahma, acquainted with their intention, invoked a quarrel between Vishnu and Mahadeva. They entered into combat one with the other. By the shout raised by Shri Vishnu, Shri Mahadeva was struck motionless and his bow unstrung. Then the gods and rishis came to that place and caused the two gods to be reconciled. Thereafter the gods esteemed the bow of Vishnu to be the more powerful and Shri Shiva surrendered his bow to the King of Mithila, together with all its arrows.

“This bow, belonging to Vishnu, was given in ancient times by that god to Richika and he gave it to his son Jamadagni, my father. He having renounced the bearing of weapons, retired to practise austerity, when the rash and foolish monarch Sahasravaku slew him. Hearing of the cruel death of my sire, I successively destroyed the warrior caste, from generation to generation, thus acquiring dominion over the earth. I conferred this great dominion as a gift on the Sage Kashyapa at the completion of a sacrifice, and retired to the Mahendra mountain, cheerfully observing the practice of Yoga. To-day, O Valiant Prince, acquainted with your great achievement, I have come hither to behold you. Receive this bow, bestowed on my ancestors by Shri Vishnu and in the spirit of a warrior, place an arrow on it. If you succeed in drawing the bow, I will challenge you to fight.”