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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 74: Paraśurāma: The two divine bows and the challenge

Summary. Paraśurāma ignores Daśaratha’s plea, recounts the rival divine bows and his vengeance, and challenges Rāma to string Viṣṇu’s bow

Sequence

  1. Paraśurāma says he has heard of Rāma's extraordinary breaking of the bow and has brought another → he challenges Rāma to draw it with an arrow, after which he will offer single combat (1.74.1–4)
  2. Daśaratha begs him to spare his sons, reminding him that he had laid down arms, given the earth to Kaśyapa, and retired to Mahendra → he says none of the family can live if Rāma is killed (1.74.5–9)
  3. ignoring the appeal, Paraśurāma speaks to Rāma alone. (1.74.10)
  1. He explains that Viśvakarman made two great divine bows, one for Śiva and the other for Viṣṇu (1.74.11–13)
  2. in an earlier contest, Brahmā set the two Devas against each other to test their strength → Viṣṇu’s “huṃ” sound rendered Śiva motionless and slackened his bow → the Devas restored peace and judged Viṣṇu the stronger (1.74.14–19)
  3. Śiva entrusted his bow to Devarāta → Viṣṇu entrusted the other to Ṛcīka, who passed it to Jamadagni, Paraśurāma's father (1.74.20–22)
  4. Paraśurāma recounts that Arjuna brought about the death of his father after he had laid down his weapons → in vengeance he repeatedly destroyed the kṣatriyas, conquered the earth, and gave it to Kaśyapa as a sacrificial fee (1.74.23–25)
  5. while living on Mahendra he heard of Rāma's feat and came → he again demands that Rāma take up Viṣṇu's bow, fit the arrow, and prove himself. (1.74.26–28)

Verses 1.74.1–28

1.74.1

rāma dāśarathe vīra vīryaṃ te śrūyate 'dhutam
dhanuṣo bhedanaṃ caiva nikhilena mayā śrutam

“O heroic Rāma, son of Daśaratha, your valour is heard to be wondrous, and the breaking of the bow too I have heard of in full.

Words: rāma — O Rāma; dāśarathe — O son of Daśaratha; vīra — O hero; vīryaṃ — valour, prowess; te — your; śrūyate — is heard; 'dhutam — wondrous; dhanuṣo — of the bow; bhedanaṃ — the breaking; caiva — and; nikhilena — completely, in full; mayā — by me; śrutam — heard

1.74.2

tad adbhutam acintyaṃ ca bhedanaṃ dhanuṣas tvayā
tac chrutvāham anuprāpto dhanur gṛhyāparaṃ śubham

That breaking of the bow by you was wondrous and inconceivable; hearing of it I have come, taking up another fine bow.

Words: tad — that; adbhutam — wondrous; acintyaṃ — inconceivable; ca — and; bhedanaṃ — breaking; dhanuṣas — of the bow; tvayā — by you; tac — that; chrutvāham — having heard, I; anuprāpto — have come, arrived; dhanur — a bow; gṛhyāparaṃ — taking up another; śubham — fine, good

1.74.3

tad idaṃ ghorasaṃkāśaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ mahad dhanuḥ
pūrayasva śareṇaiva svabalaṃ darśayasva ca

This great bow of Jamadagni's line, of fearsome aspect — draw it to the full with an arrow, and display your strength.

Words: tad idaṃ — this here; ghorasaṃkāśaṃ — of fearsome aspect; jāmadagnyaṃ — of (the line of) Jamadagni; mahad — great; dhanuḥ — bow; pūrayasva — draw to the full, string; śareṇaiva — with an arrow indeed; svabalaṃ — your own strength; darśayasva — show, display; ca — and

1.74.4

tad ahaṃ te balaṃ dṛṣṭvā dhanuṣo 'sya prapūraṇe
dvandvayuddhaṃ pradāsyāmi vīryaślāghyam idaṃ tava

Then, having seen your strength in the drawing of this bow, I shall grant you single combat — a thing praiseworthy for your valour.

Words: tad — then; ahaṃ — I; te — your; balaṃ — strength; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; dhanuṣo — of the bow; 'sya — this; prapūraṇe — in the drawing/stringing; dvandvayuddhaṃ — single combat, a duel; pradāsyāmi — I shall grant, give; vīryaślāghyam — praiseworthy for valour; idaṃ — this; tava — your, for you

1.74.5

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rājā daśarataḥs tadā
viṣaṇṇavadano dīnaḥ prāñjalir vākyam abravīt

Hearing that speech of his, King Daśaratha then, his face fallen and himself wretched, with palms joined, spoke these words:

Words: tasya — his; tadvacanaṃ — that speech; śrutvā — having heard; rājā — the king; daśarataḥs — Daśaratha; tadā — then; viṣaṇṇavadano — with despondent face; dīnaḥ — wretched, distressed; prāñjalir — with palms joined; vākyam — words; abravīt — spoke

1.74.6

kṣatraroṣāt praśāntas tvaṃ brāhmaṇasya mahāyaśāḥ
bālānāṃ mama putrāṇām abhayaṃ dātum arhasi

“O greatly renowned one, you, being a brahmin, have been appeased of your wrath against the warrior-race; you ought to grant safety to my young sons.

Words: kṣatraroṣāt — from wrath against the kṣatriyas; praśāntas — calmed, appeased; tvaṃ — you; brāhmaṇasya — of/being a brahmin; mahāyaśāḥ — O greatly renowned one; bālānāṃ — young, of the young ones; mama — my; putrāṇām — of the sons; abhayaṃ — safety, freedom from fear; dātum — to give, grant; arhasi — you ought

1.74.7

bhārgavāṇāṃ kule jātaḥ svādhyāyavrataśālinām
sahasrākṣe pratijñāya śastraṃ nikṣiptavān asi

Born in the line of the Bhārgavas, devoted to Vedic study and vows, you laid down your weapons, having so promised to the thousand-eyed (Indra).

Words: bhārgavāṇāṃ — of the Bhārgavas; kule — in the family, line; jātaḥ — born; svādhyāyavrataśālinām — devoted to Vedic study and vows; sahasrākṣe — to the thousand-eyed (Indra); pratijñāya — having promised; śastraṃ — weapon(s); nikṣiptavān asi — you laid down

1.74.8

sa tvaṃ dharmaparo bhūtvā kāśyapāya vasuṃdharām
dattvā vanam upāgamya mahendrakṛtaketanaḥ

You, having become devoted to dharma, gave the earth to Kāśyapa, and retiring to the forest, made your dwelling on Mount Mahendra —

Words: sa tvaṃ — you (that same one); dharmaparo — devoted to dharma; bhūtvā — having become; kāśyapāya — to Kāśyapa; vasuṃdharām — the earth; dattvā — having given; vanam — to the forest; upāgamya — having retired, gone; mahendrakṛtaketanaḥ — who made his abode on Mahendra

1.74.9

mama sarvavināśāya saṃprāptas tvaṃ mahāmune
na caikasmin hate rāme sarve jīvāmahe vayam

You have come, O great sage, for my utter destruction; and if Rāma alone be slain, not one of us shall live.

Words: mama — my; sarvavināśāya — for utter destruction; saṃprāptas — have come, arrived; tvaṃ — you; mahāmune — O great sage; na — not; caikasmin — and one (loc. abs.); hate — slain (loc. abs.); rāme — Rāma (loc. abs.); sarve — all; jīvāmahe — shall we live; vayam — we

1.74.10

bruvaty evaṃ daśarathe jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān
anādṛtyaiva tad vākyaṃ rāmam evābhyabhāṣata

As Daśaratha spoke thus, the mighty son of Jamadagni, disregarding those words entirely, addressed Rāma alone:

Words: bruvaty — (as he was) speaking; evaṃ — thus; daśarathe — Daśaratha (loc. abs.); jāmadagnyaḥ — the son of Jamadagni; pratāpavān — mighty, valorous; anādṛtyaiva — disregarding entirely; tad vākyaṃ — those words; rāmam — Rāma; evābhyabhāṣata — addressed indeed

1.74.11

ime dve dhanuṣī śreṣṭhe divye lokābhiviśrute
dṛḍhe balavatī mukhye sukṛte viśvakarmaṇā

These two are the finest of bows, divine and renowned throughout the worlds — firm, powerful, foremost, and well-wrought by Viśvakarman;

Words: ime — these; dve — two; dhanuṣī — bows (dual); śreṣṭhe — the finest (dual); divye — divine (dual); lokābhiviśrute — renowned throughout the worlds (dual); dṛḍhe — firm (dual); balavatī — powerful (dual); mukhye — foremost (dual); sukṛte — well-made (dual); viśvakarmaṇā — by Viśvakarman (the divine artificer)

1.74.12

atisṛṣṭaṃ surair ekaṃ tryambakāya yuyutsave
tripuraghnaṃ naraśreṣṭha bhagnaṃ kākutsha yat tvayā

one was bestowed by the gods on Tryambaka (Śiva) eager for battle — the destroyer of the Triple City, O best of men, the very one that was broken by you, O Kākutstha;

Words: atisṛṣṭaṃ — bestowed, granted; surair — by the gods; ekaṃ — one; tryambakāya — to Tryambaka (Śiva); yuyutsave — eager for battle, wishing to fight; tripuraghnaṃ — the destroyer of the Triple City; naraśreṣṭha — O best of men; bhagnaṃ — broken; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; yat — which; tvayā — by you

1.74.13

idaṃ dvitīyaṃ durdharṣaṃ viṣṇor dattaṃ surottamaiḥ
samānasāraṃ kākutstha raudreṇa dhanuṣā tv idam

this second, unassailable one was given to Viṣṇu by the chief gods; and this one, O Kākutstha, is equal in power to the bow of Rudra.

Words: idaṃ — this; dvitīyaṃ — second; durdharṣaṃ — unassailable; viṣṇor — to Viṣṇu; dattaṃ — given; surottamaiḥ — by the chief gods; samānasāraṃ — of equal strength/pith; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; raudreṇa — with Rudra's; dhanuṣā — with the bow; tv — and, indeed; idam — this

1.74.14

tadā tu devatāḥ sarvāḥ pṛcchanti sma pitāmaham
śitikaṇṭhasya viṣṇoś ca balābalanirīkṣayā

Now once, all the gods asked the Grandsire (Brahmā), out of a wish to test the relative strength of the blue-throated one (Śiva) and of Viṣṇu:

Words: tadā — then, once; tu — now; devatāḥ — the gods; sarvāḥ — all; pṛcchanti sma — asked; pitāmaham — the Grandsire (Brahmā); śitikaṇṭhasya — of the blue-throated one (Śiva); viṣṇoś — of Viṣṇu; ca — and; balābalanirīkṣayā — out of a wish to examine their relative strength

1.74.15

abhiprāyaṃ tu vijñāya devatānāṃ pitāmahaḥ
virodhaṃ janayām āsa tayoḥ satyavatāṃ varaḥ

Understanding the gods' intent, the Grandsire, best of the truthful, created enmity between the two.

Words: abhiprāyaṃ — intent, purpose; tu — and; vijñāya — having understood; devatānāṃ — of the gods; pitāmahaḥ — the Grandsire; virodhaṃ — enmity, conflict; janayām āsa — created, brought about; tayoḥ — between the two; satyavatāṃ — of the truthful; varaḥ — the best

1.74.16

virodhe ca mahad yuddham abhavad romaharṣaṇam
śitikaṇṭhasya viṣṇoś ca parasparajayaiṣiṇoḥ

And in that enmity there took place a great, hair-raising battle between the blue-throated one and Viṣṇu, each seeking to conquer the other.

Words: virodhe — in the enmity; ca — and; mahad — great; yuddham — battle; abhavad — took place; romaharṣaṇam — hair-raising; śitikaṇṭhasya — of the blue-throated one; viṣṇoś — of Viṣṇu; ca — and; parasparajayaiṣiṇoḥ — of the two each seeking to conquer the other

1.74.17

tadā taj jṛmbhitaṃ śaivaṃ dhanur bhīmaparākramam
huṃkāreṇa mahādevaḥ stambhito 'tha trilocanaḥ

Then that bow of Śiva, of fearsome might, was made to slacken; and by a “huṃ” (of Viṣṇu) the Great God, the three-eyed one, was thereupon rendered rigid.

Words: tadā — then; taj — that; jṛmbhitaṃ — made to slacken, made to gape; śaivaṃ — of Śiva; dhanur — bow; bhīmaparākramam — of fearsome might; huṃkāreṇa — by the sound ‘huṃ’; mahādevaḥ — the Great God (Śiva); stambhito — paralyzed, made rigid; 'tha — then; trilocanaḥ — the three-eyed one

1.74.18

devais tadā samāgamya sarṣisaṃghaiḥ sacāraṇaiḥ
yācitau praśamaṃ tatra jagmatus tau surottamau

Then the gods, coming together with the hosts of seers and the cāraṇas, entreated them; and there those two chief gods were brought to peace.

Words: devais — by the gods; tadā — then; samāgamya — having come together; sarṣisaṃghaiḥ — with the hosts of seers; sacāraṇaiḥ — with the cāraṇas (celestial minstrels); yācitau — the two (being) entreated; praśamaṃ — to peace, calm; tatra — there; jagmatus — the two went, came to; tau — those two; surottamau — the two chief gods

1.74.19

jṛmbhitaṃ tad dhanur dṛṣṭvā śaivaṃ viṣṇuparākramaiḥ
adhikaṃ menire viṣṇuṃ devāḥ sarṣigaṇās tadā

Seeing that bow of Śiva made to slacken by Viṣṇu's feats of might, the gods, with the hosts of seers, then reckoned Viṣṇu the greater.

Words: jṛmbhitaṃ — made to slacken; tad — that; dhanur — bow; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; śaivaṃ — of Śiva; viṣṇuparākramaiḥ — by Viṣṇu's feats of might; adhikaṃ — greater, superior; menire — reckoned, considered; viṣṇuṃ — Viṣṇu; devāḥ — the gods; sarṣigaṇās — with the hosts of seers; tadā — then

1.74.20

dhanū rudras tu saṃkruddho videheṣu mahāyaśāḥ
devarātasya rājarṣer dadau haste sasāyakam

But Rudra, greatly renowned and angered, gave his bow, together with its arrow, into the hand of the royal seer Devarāta among the Videhas.

Words: dhanū — the bow; rudras — Rudra; tu — but; saṃkruddho — angered; videheṣu — among the Videhas; mahāyaśāḥ — greatly renowned; devarātasya — of Devarāta; rājarṣer — of the royal seer; dadau — gave; haste — into the hand; sasāyakam — together with its arrow

1.74.21

idaṃ ca viṣṇavaṃ rāma dhanuḥ parapuraṃjayam
ṛcīke bhārgave prādād viṣṇuḥ sa nyāsam uttamam

And this bow of Viṣṇu, O Rāma, conqueror of enemy cities — Viṣṇu gave it to Ṛcīka the Bhārgava as a precious deposit.

Words: idaṃ — this; ca — and; viṣṇavaṃ — of Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava; rāma — O Rāma; dhanuḥ — bow; parapuraṃjayam — conqueror of enemy cities; ṛcīke — to Ṛcīka; bhārgave — the Bhārgava; prādād — gave; viṣṇuḥ — Viṣṇu; sa — he, that; nyāsam — a deposit, trust; uttamam — excellent, precious

1.74.22

ṛcīkas tu mahātejāḥ putrasyāpratikarmaṇaḥ
pitur mama dadau divyaṃ jamadagner mahātmanaḥ

And Ṛcīka of great splendour gave that divine (bow) to his son of matchless deeds, my father, the great-souled Jamadagni.

Words: ṛcīkas — Ṛcīka; tu — and; mahātejāḥ — of great splendour; putrasyāpratikarmaṇaḥ — to his son of matchless deeds; pitur — father; mama — my; dadau — gave; divyaṃ — the divine (bow); jamadagner — to Jamadagni; mahātmanaḥ — the great-souled

1.74.23

nyastaśastre pitari me tapobalasamanvite
arjuno vidadhe mṛtyuṃ prākṛtāṃ buddhim āsthitaḥ

When my father, endowed with the power of austerity, had laid down his weapons, Arjuna (Kārtavīrya), stooping to a base mind, brought about his death.

Words: nyastaśastre — having laid down weapons (loc. abs.); pitari — my father (loc. abs.); me — my; tapobalasamanvite — endowed with the power of austerity (loc. abs.); arjuno — Arjuna (Kārtavīrya); vidadhe — brought about, wrought; mṛtyuṃ — death; prākṛtāṃ — base, common, vulgar; buddhim — mind, mentality; āsthitaḥ — adopting, resorting to

1.74.24

vadham apratirūpaṃ tu pituḥ śrutvā sudāruṇam
kṣatram utsādayaṃ roṣāj jātaṃ jātam anekaśaḥ

Hearing of my father's most cruel and unparalleled slaying, in fury I exterminated the kṣatriyas as they were born, again and again.

Words: vadham — the slaying; apratirūpaṃ — unparalleled, unheard-of; tu — and; pituḥ — of my father; śrutvā — having heard; sudāruṇam — most cruel; kṣatram — the kṣatriyas, warrior-race; utsādayaṃ — I exterminated; roṣāj — out of fury; jātaṃ jātam — (each one) as they were born; anekaśaḥ — repeatedly, many times over

1.74.25

pṛthivīṃ cākhilāṃ prāpya kāśyapāya mahātmane
yajñasyānte tadā rāma dakṣiṇāṃ puṇyakarmaṇe

And having won the entire earth, I gave it, O Rāma, at the end of a sacrifice, to the great-souled Kāśyapa of holy deeds, as his sacrificial fee —

Words: pṛthivīṃ — the earth; cākhilāṃ — and the entire; prāpya — having won, obtained; kāśyapāya — to Kāśyapa; mahātmane — the great-souled; yajñasyānte — at the end of the sacrifice; tadā — then; rāma — O Rāma; dakṣiṇāṃ — as a sacrificial fee; puṇyakarmaṇe — of holy deeds

1.74.26

dattvā mahendranilayas tapobalasamanvitaḥ
śrutavān dhanuṣo bhedaṃ tato 'haṃ drutam āgataḥ

having given it away, dwelling on Mahendra and endowed with the power of austerity, I heard of the breaking of the bow, and thereupon came here swiftly.

Words: dattvā — having given; mahendranilayas — dwelling on Mahendra; tapobalasamanvitaḥ — endowed with the power of austerity; śrutavān — having heard; dhanuṣo — of the bow; bhedaṃ — the breaking; tato — then; 'haṃ — I; drutam — swiftly; āgataḥ — came

1.74.27

tad idaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ rāma pitṛpaitāmahaṃ mahat
kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya gṛhṇīṣva dhanuruttamam

So take up this great bow of Viṣṇu, O Rāma, handed down from my father and forefathers; setting the warrior's duty foremost, grasp this excellent bow.

Words: tad idaṃ — this here; vaiṣṇavaṃ — of Viṣṇu; rāma — O Rāma; pitṛpaitāmahaṃ — (handed down) from father and grandfather; mahat — great; kṣatradharmaṃ — the warrior's duty; puraskṛtya — setting foremost, honouring; gṛhṇīṣva — take, grasp; dhanuruttamam — the excellent bow

1.74.28

yojayasva dhanuḥ śreṣṭhe śaraṃ parapuraṃjayam
yadi śaknoṣi kākutstha dvandvaṃ dāsyāmi te tataḥ

Fit to this excellent bow the enemy-conquering arrow; if you are able, O Kākutstha, I shall then grant you single combat.

Words: yojayasva — fit, join, set; dhanuḥ śreṣṭhe — to the excellent bow (loc.); śaraṃ — the arrow; parapuraṃjayam — the conqueror of enemy cities; yadi — if; śaknoṣi — you are able; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; dvandvaṃ — single combat, a duel; dāsyāmi — I shall grant; te — to you; tataḥ — then

← 1.73 Paraśurāma: Omens and the encounter on the road home · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.75 Paraśurāma: Defeat and the surrender of heavenly worlds →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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