Chapter 166 - Birth of Paraśurāma

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-5. Ṛcīka took those horses along with the obedient men incharge and went to the place where Gādhi was present.

He offered those excellent horses to the king for the sake of the maiden. Gādhi took them as they were worthy of horse-sacrifice. Each of them surpassed the other and the king derived great pleasure.

Thereupon, he gave his daughter Trailokyasundarī to him in accordance with the injunctions laid down in the Gṛhyasūtras. He gave the daughter in marriage in which the Fire-god and Brāhmaṇas were the witnesses.

But after the formal rite of marriage had been concluded, Ṛcīka, the excellent sage, became uninterested in cohabitation with her.

The sage without passionate attachment spoke to his wife:

6. “O lady of excellent buttocks, I am going to the forest for performing penance. Do request for some boon, so that I can give you what is desired by you.”

7. On hearing the words uttered without any sexual attachment, she became distressed. With eyes filled with tears, she went to her mother.

8. O excellent Brāhmaṇas! She told her about the words of her husband who had no sexual desire but who offered her a boon.

9. O excellent Brāhmaṇas, on hearing the words uttered by her daughter, the mother spoke these words:

10-11. “O my daughter, if this husband of yours is giving whatever is desired by you as boon unto you, then request for a son endowed with Brāhmaṇical virtues.

O splendid girl, on my behalf also request for a son full of the refulgence of a Kṣatriya, since I have been without a son so long.”

12. On hearing the words of her mother, the maiden of excellent holy vows went to Ṛcīka and told him what had been mentioned by her mother in full details.

13. On hearing her words, he duly performed Putreṣṭi sacrifice, bowed down to the Self-born Lord and prepared two Cams.

14. One of the Carus (Consecrated food offering) he charged with all Brāhmaṇical radiance in one and the other with the refulgence pertaining to Kṣatriyas, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

15-16. He gave the former, the excellent Brāhmaṇical Caru, to his wife and told her, “Take this in and embrace an Aśvattha tree. Thereby you will get an excellent son endowed with Brāhmaṇical radiance. Give unto your mother this second Caru.”

17-18. Then the excellent sage Ṛcīka spoke to her (the mother): “Do eat this Caru and embrace a Nyagrodha tree. Thereby you will get an excellent son endowed with the entire radiance of Kṣatriya, O highly esteemed one, my words cannot be futile.”

19. After saying thus, Ṛcīka joyously charged with two types of refulgence. The excellent Brāhmaṇa was in a happy (euphoric) mood.

20. They returned home in a highly delighted mood. They spoke to each other, “It will certainly take place.”

21-24. Then the mother said to the daughter: “When the work on hand is common, it is the practice of all people to do something special.

O lady of excellent eyes, he would have certainly charged a group of Mantras into the Caru that was prepared for you. O highly esteemed one, it is the truth that has been uttered by me.

Hence, O lady of splendid smiles, take my Caru and give yours to me. Let there be alteration in the matter of embracing the trees too. O highly esteemed lady, thereby an excellent son will be born to me.

He will be an expert in the administration of the kingdom. He will be a hero capable of suppressing the army of enemies. Your son shall certainly delight you though he may be only a Brāhmaṇa^[1].”

25. On being told thus in secret by her mother, the lady of great renown interchanged the Carus and the trees, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

26. In the course of the Puṃsavana rite both the ladies of charming eyes had their holy baths and conceived instantly by the intimate contact with the husband.

27. After the conception Trailokyasundarī (Satyavatī) became instantly endowed with the refulgence special to Kṣatriyas. She began to think mentally of kingdoms, riding on elephants and horses and the like.

28. Stories regarding the battles between the hosts of Devas and Asuras were discussed and listened to and the mind was directed towards enjoyment. She put into practice many of her mental plans.

29. She caused excellent horses and elephants to be fetched from her father’s house. Red garments and (saffron) unguents from Kāśmīra and other things too were brought.

30. Ṛcīka noticed the various activities of his wife befitting regal status and the enjoyment of diverse kinds of pleasures. She totally eschewed activities and behaviour worthy of Brāhmaṇas.

31-38. Thereupon, he angrily spoke: “O sinful lady, fie upon you! What has been committed? Certainly interchange of the Carus and the trees has been committed by you.

O sinful lady, I do see that your activities are like these due to that. These activities suit Kṣatriyas. They are avoided in all the activities of Brāhmaṇas.

Bark garments are abandoned. You perform neither holy bath nor Japa. Various kinds of scents such as musk are used (by you). On the other hand your mother is tranquil and quiescent. She is devoted to Japa and Homa and is inclined towards pilgrimage and listening to Vedic Chants. Hence, there is no doubt about it that your son will be a Kṣatriya.

From the characteristic features of the pregnancy, it is certain that an excellent Brāhmaṇa devoted to propagation and practice of celibacy will be born to your mother.

Formerly this was said by the expounders of scriptural texts: ‘The innate quality of the sons of young women in pregnancy will be in conformity with their longings and inclinations (of the mother) at that time.’

On being told thus, she trembled much in her great fright. She remained standing with palms joined in reverence.

39-40. With tears filling her eyes, the distressed maiden spoke these words: “O holy lord, the words spoken by you are true. Without the help of (telltale) signs, you can (directly) know the past and future. Hence, do me this favour of making my son a Brāhmaṇa. A Kṣatriya son does not befit you.”

Ṛcīka said:

41. Whatever Brāhmaṇical refulgence there was had been deposited by me in the Caru intended for you and the regal refulgence in that intended for your mother. If I were to cause any change in this, I will be transgressing the scriptural injunction.

The wife said:

42-43. If it is so, O tiger among the descendants of Bhṛgu, let there be the entire Kṣatriya refulgence caused by you manifested in my grandson to be. Let the son be an excellent Brāhmaṇa even excelling you.

Ṛcīka said:

44. O splendid lady, let it be so. At my instance, your son will be a Brāhmaṇa and the grandson, an irresistible one in battle. He will be equipped with the radiance special to Kṣatriyas.

45. On obtaining the truthful boon, the chaste lady was delighted with the face beaming fully. She told her mother what was stated by her husband.

46. Then, in the tenth month, in the constellation Puṣya (the constellation with Brahspati [Bṛhaspati?] as the deity) she gave birth to a son on a par with the rising Sun.

47. He was endowed with the Brāhmaṇical glory. He was clean, a storehouse of austerities. He was well-known in all the three worlds as Jamadagni. His son became well known by the name Rāma.

48. It was by him that the earth was rid of Kṣatriyas twenty-one times, thanks to the favour of Pitāmaha and the power of the radiance pertaining to Kṣatriyas.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

These two verses are irrelevant. Actually, the change was accidental, not premeditated (Mahābhārata, Śānti 49. 18-28).