Essence of Brahmanda Purana
Vishnu

 

Essence Of
Brahmanda Purana

 

15    PARASHURAMA CHARITRA - King Kaartaveeryarjuna and his invincibility
The most valiant and invincible King of the times Kaartaviryarjuna of Haihava Vamsha was contemporary to Bhargava Rama halted at the Ashsram of Jamadagna once along with his huge army which was tired and famished on an afternoon when Sun was hot and severe; the army did not have the strength to move forward and decided to rest. The King knew that the Ashram would not have the resource to feed the contingent but the Muni did provide excellent food to them. The King wondered as to how the Muni was able to do so and discovered that the Celestial Cow Kama - dhenu was in the Ashram and fulfilled all the requirements of the inmates of the Ashram. The King desired to take away the Kamadhenu to his kingdom but Jamadagni declined politely initially and refused flatly later. The King returned to his Kingdom but sent his Minister to manage to bring the Celestial Cow, if necessary by force. Finally force was used and both the Muni and the Kamadhenu resisted till the last but were tortured; Jamadagni Maharshi was almost killed and Kamadhenu flew to Heaven! The soldiers returned only with the calf which was a wasted exercise since without the mother the calf was no avail anyway. On return to the Ashram, Devi Renuka found her husband lying dead in a pool of blood and fainted and after recovering from the shock with some passage of time, she cried incessantly enquiring about Bhargava Rama. Rama returned from the forest to fetch wood and flowers for homa and puja and was non- plussed about what all had happened. He witnessed his mother beating her chest again and again numbering twenty one times and took a vow that not only King Kartaveeryarjuna would be butchered but would also attack Kshatriyas as a race would be slaughtered twenty one times and wipe out traces of them all; for quite some time now Kshatriyas were harassing Brahmanas and Sages on many counts, mostly out of fear that Brahmanas were gaining upper hand due to their knowledge and out of fear of an inferiority complex. Renuka decided to jump into fire along with her dead husband in the execution of the old practice of ‘Sati Sahagamana’ but a Celestial Voice stopped her attempt as Jamadagni’s life would by revived once again. Bhrigu Maharshi came to learn of his son’s death and on seeing his body stated that if he the Maharshi spent all his life as per Vedas and performed all virtuous deeds including Yagnas and Tapas, then Jamadagni his son should rise up from his death bed and sprinkled sacred weater on the dying body and up came Jamadagni fully resuscitated due to the glory of Bhrigu. But Bhrigu after full recovery came to realise Bhargava Rama’s vow to kill Kartaveeryarjuna and felt sad, not only because that revenge was never the principle of a Brahmana but killing a King by one of his own Subjects would tantamount to ‘Rajavadha’which was as atrocious as killing one’s own father! Moreso King Kartaveeryarjuna was not only an illustrious King of extraordinary prowess but also an outstanding devotee of Bhagavan Dattaratreya. This created a predicament to Bhargava Rama as there was a vow to kill the King and the Kshatriya Vamsha in twenty one attacks and on the other hand there was the considered advice tantamounting to an instruction of his father not to do so. Jamadagni then advised to pray to Brahma Deva and act according to his considered advice. Brahma too was not acceptable to either of the vows taken by Bhargav and affirmed that it would not be in order that if simply one King perpetrated a sin, there would be little justification to eradicate the entire Kshatriya Vamsha in twenty one battles! Yet, he blessed Rama to recite a Krishna Kavacha tittled ‘Trailokya Vijaya’ and visit Shiva Loka to seek his blessings in the matter. As Bhargava Rama with great difficulty managed an audience with Shiva, the latter too felt that it was not an easy task to terminate King Kartaviryarjuna who by his mere frown a great warrior like was disarmed and had to flee! However, the ever merciful Mahadeva suggested that he like Skanda Kumara should practise not only the Trailokya Vijaya Mantra but several other powerful Mantras like Nagasatra, Paashupata, Brahmastra, Narayanastra, Agney astra, Varanyastra, Gandharvatra, Garudastra, Jrumbhanaastra and many other Astraas; Rama then bowed with the greatest possible happiness and fulfillment to Shiva, Devi Parvati, Ganesha , Skanda and Nandi Deva and returned to his father Jamadagni, fully overjoyed.!


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