10. PARASURAMA'S DISCOMFITURE :

Having thus safely handed back to
Dasaratha at Mithila the princes entrusted
to him in Ayodhya, and after attending the
wedding celebrations, Viswamitra took
leave of the two kings and went to
Himalaya. In the story of Rama,
Viswamitra has no further part.



Viswamitra may be said to be the
foundation of the grand temple of Rama's
story. After Rama's wedding in Mithila,
we do not see him again. It should be
noted that characters that play a leading
role in one canto of Valmiki almost fade
out in subsequent cantos. Viswamitra who
dominates the Bala Kanda does not appear
again. Similarly, Kaikeyi and Guha are
prominent only in Ayodhya Kanda. The
same thing can be said of Bharata whom
we do not come across in the chapters
intervening between the Chitrakuta
meeting and Rama's return to Ayodhya.



The poet hardly brings Bharata before
our eyes during the period of Rama's
distress. The characters in Valmiki
Ramayana (unlike those in the
Mahabharata and in ordinary plays and
novels) do not present themselves off and
on. Critics should bear this general
characteristic of Valmiki's epic in mind.



King Dasaratha returned to Ayodhya,
accompanied by his retinue. On the way,
there were bad omens and anxious
Dasaratha asked Vasishtha what they
portended. Vasishtha replied that there
was no need to be alarmed, for though the
birds in the air indicated approaching
trouble, the animals on the land promised
a happy consummation.



As Dasaratha and Vasishtha were thus
conversing, there broke out a great storm.
Trees were uprooted; the earth quaked and
clouds of dust went up and hid the sun and
there was an all-enveloping darkness.



Everyone was terror-struck. Soon they
knew the reason for the strange
phenomenon. There stood before them the
awe-inspiring figure Parasurama, the
sworn enemy of Kshatriyas, with a bow
on one shoulder and a battle-axe on the
other, and with an arrow shining like
lightning in his hand.



Terrible in appearance, with his matted
locks gathered overhead, he looked like
Rudra exulting in the destruction of
Tripura. His face emitted flame-like
radiance. The son of Sage Jamadagni
struck terror among Kshatriyas, many
generations of which he had annihilated.
Wherever he went he was preceded by
storm and earthquake. And the Kshatriya
race trembled in fear.



The Brahmanas in Dasaratha's retinue
said to one another: "Because his father
was killed by a king, Parasurama took a
vow to destroy the Kshatriya race. We
dared to hope that his vengeful wrath had
been quenched in the blood of the
innumerable kings he has slain. Has he
again started his cruel campaign?"
However, they honored him with the
customary offering of water.



After receiving it, Parasurama
addressed himself to Rama: "Son of
Dasaratha, I have heard of your prowess. I
was somewhat surprised to learn that you
strung the bow in King Janaka's court and
that you drew the string till the bow broke.
Here is my bow, equal in all respects to
the one that you broke. This is the bow of
Vishnu which was entrusted to my father.
If you are able to string this bow, you will
be worthy of my battle."



Dasaratha was perturbed at this turn of
events and he begged that his son Rama
should be spared the trial. He said to
Parasurama: "You are a Brahmana. We
have heard that, satiated with your
revenge, you have gone back to tapas as
becomes your order, in pursuance of your
plighted word to Indra, after giving away
the earth you had conquered to Kashyapa.
Is it proper that you should break your
vow, and seek to injure a prince of tender
years who has done you no wrong, and
who is dearer to us than life?"



Parasurama heard him unmoved
without so much as looking at him, and
addressed himself solely to Rama, as
though the others did not exist:



"Viswakarma originally made two exactly
similar bows. One of them was given to
Rudra and the other to Vishnu. This is the
one given to Vishnu. What you are said to
have strung and bent to the breaking point
was Siva's bow. See if you can, string this
bow of Vishnu; and if you do, it will be
proof of your skill and strength and I will
then honor you by fighting with you."



Parasurama spoke in a loud and
arrogant tone. To him Rama replied in
courteous manner, yet in firm tones: "Son
of Jamadagni! You have been vengeful
because your father was killed by a king. I
do not blame you for that. But you cannot
put me down as you have humbled others.
Please give me your bow."



So saying, he took the bow and arrow
from Parasurama. He strung the bow and
setting the arrow to it, drew the string.
Addressing Parasurama, he said with a
smile: "This mighty Vaishnava arrow
placed on the string cannot be put back
idly. It must destroy something. Tell me,
shall it destroy your powers of
locomotion, or would you rather that it
consumes the fruits of your tapas?"



As the son of Dasaratha strung the bow
of Vishnu, the glory on Parasurama's face
faded, and he stood, no longer the warlike
conqueror, but a self-subdued rishi, for the
purpose of the Parasurama avatar was
over.



Parasurama said mildly to the Prince of
Ayodhya: "I realise who you are. I am not
sorry that you have quenched my
arrogance. Let all my tapas go to you. But
because of my promise to Kashyapa, I
cannot remain in his domains and have
therefore to hurry back to the Mahendra
Mountains before the sunsets. Let me use
my power of locomotion for this single
thing. Subject to this, let the arrow which
you have set to the bow consume all my
power earned through tapas."



So saying, Parasurama went in reverent
circumambulation around the prince and
departed. Ayodhya's citizens were overjoyed
to bear that Dasaratha and the royal
princes were returning to the capital. The
city was festive with flowers and shone
like the deva-loka.



Rama and Sita lived happily in
Ayodhya for twelve years. Rama had
surrendered his heart to Sita. It was
difficult for one to say whether their love
grew because of their virtues or it was
planted in their beauty of form. Their
hearts communed even without speech.
Sita, rejoicing in Rama's love, shone like
Lakshmi in heaven.



Long afterwards, when their forest-life
began, Anasuya, the great sage Atri's holy
wife, extolled Sita's love for Rama.
And Sita answered: "How else could it
be? Rama is a perfect being. His love for
me equals mine for him. His affection
unchanging. Pure of heart, he has
mastered the senses."