Chapter 94 - Greatness of Lohayaṣṭi

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-2. There is another holy object in that holy spot, namely the splendid Lohayaṣṭi (iron staff), which was abandoned by Paraśurāma after breaking his Kuṭhāra (axe). O excellent Brāhmaṇas, a man who perfectly observes fast and sees it, is rid of his sins at the very instant.

The sages said:

3. Why was his axe broken by Paraśurāma? Why was the iron staff made? Why was it left there?

Sūta said:

4-5. Rāma made the Hrada (whirlpool of blood) and offered oblations to his Pitṛs. Thereby his anger vanished. Then he donated the entire earth to leading Brāhmaṇas in the course of a Yajña.

He was extremely delighted in his mind. He started towards the ocean for his holy bath. At that time he held his axe too that had the lustre of the Sun.

6-8. Then he was told by all the sages of very quiescent nature, who were the inhabitants of that holy spot and always desired his welfare:

“O Rāma, O highly esteemed Rāma, it is not proper on your part to retain the weapon in your hand even when you have completed that task for which you had taken a vow. With this (weapon) held in your hand, the anger lurking in your physical frame will never go. Hence leave this off.”

9. On hearing their words, Rāma joined his palms in reverence and humility. He spoke laughingly to those excellent Brāhmaṇas:

10-14. “O leading Brāhmaṇas, this axe was formerly made by Viśvakarman out of the steel arising from Rudra's splendour and is indestructible. Therefore, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, how can I abondon it and go elsewhere since I have been doing the duties of a Kṣatriya?

O excellent Brāhmaṇas, if any one else lays his hand on this axe left by me, he shall deserve to be killed by me. I shall be unable to brook this offence even if it be that of a Brāhmaṇa chief, to say nothing of another (non-Brāhmaṇa) man.

So, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, I shall have no peace even if it is left or taken by me. Therefore it should be guarded assiduously by you all.”

The Brāhmaṇas said:

15-16. O highly esteemed one, if it is decided that you will hand it over to us for preservation, do break it and make a lump of it before giving it to us so that all of us can carefully guard it. Even after lapse of time, no one will seize it.

17. On hearing their words, Rāma, the foremost among wielders of weapons, broke the axe and made it a staff of steel.

18. Then the most excellent one among the scions of Bhṛgu’s family handed it over to the leading Brāhmaṇas eagerly and stood aside bowing down humby [humbly?].

The Brāhmaṇas said:

19. O Rāma, we shall guard this steel staff fashioned out of the axe, or rather we shall worship it.

20. Just as the glory of Skanda has been established here in the form of his Śakti, O Rama, so also your glory will be established here in the form of this steel staff.

21. A king ousted from kingdom who propitiates this shall become extremely valorous and shall ere long regain his kingdom.

22. A Brāhmaṇa who worships this always for the sake of the acquisition of learning shall attain the greatest lore and become omniscient.

23. A man or a woman without a son, who adores this steel staff of yours shall get sons.

24. One who observes fast and worships this particularly on the fourteenth lunar day in the dark half of the month of Āśvina, will always acquire the desired objectives cherished in the mind always.

25. After listening to the words of those Brāhmaṇas Rāma bowed to them and went quickly to the abode at the ocean.

26. Those Brāhmaṇas erected an excellent palatial shrine for that steel staff, installed it therein and performed the adoration with mental concentration and purity.

27. They obtained from it within a very short period, all the desires cherished in their hearts and rarely available even to Devas.