Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9: “Liberation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Sixteen
Lord Parasurama Destroys the World’s Ruling Class
SB9.16Summary
When Jamadagni was killed by the sons of Kartaviryarjuna, as described in this chapter, Parasurama rid the entire world of ksatriyas twenty-one times. This chapter also describes the descendants of Visvamitra.
When Jamadagni’s wife, Renuka, went to bring water from the Ganges and saw the King of the Gandharvas enjoying the company of Apsaras, she was captivated, and she slightly desired to associate with him. Because of this sinful desire, she was punished by her husband. Parasurama killed his mother and brothers, but later, by dint of the austerities of Jamadagni, they were revived. The sons of Kartaviryarjuna, however, remembering the death of their father, wanted to take revenge against Lord Parasurama, and therefore when Parasurama was absent from the asrama, they killed Jamadagni, who was meditating on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Parasurama returned to the asrama and saw his father killed, he was very sorry, and after asking his brothers to take care of the dead body, he went out with determination to kill all the ksatriyas on the surface of the world. Taking up his axe, he went to Mahismati-pura, the capital of Kartaviryarjuna, and killed all of Kartaviryarjuna’s sons, whose blood became a great river. Parasurama, however, was not satisfied with killing only the sons of Kartaviryarjuna; later, when the ksatriyas became disturbing, he killed them twenty-one times, so that there were no ksatriyas on the surface of the earth. Thereafter, Parasurama joined the head of his father to the dead body and performed various sacrifices to please the Supreme Lord. Thus Jamadagni got life again in his body, and later he was promoted to the higher planetary system known as Saptarsi-mandala. Parasurama, the son of Jamadagni, still lives in Mahendra-parvata. In the next manvantara, he will become a preacher of Vedic knowledge.
In the dynasty of Gadhi, the most powerful Visvamitra took birth. By dint of his austerity and penance, he became a brahmana. He had 101 sons, who were celebrated as the Madhucchandas. In the sacrificial arena of Hariscandra, the son of Ajigarta named Sunahsepha was meant to be sacrificed, but by the mercy of the Prajapatis he was released. Thereafter, he became Devarata in the dynasty of Gadhi. The fifty elder sons of Visvamitra, however, did not accept Sunahsepha as their elder brother, and therefore Visvamitra cursed them to become mlecchas, unfaithful to the Vedic civilization. Visvamitra’s fifty-first son, along with his younger brothers, then accepted Sunahsepha as their eldest brother, and their father, Visvamitra, being satisfied, blessed them. Thus Devarata was accepted in the dynasty of Kausika, and consequently there are different divisions of that dynasty. SB9.16.1 TEXT 1 sri-suka uvaca pitropasiksito ramas tatheti kuru-nandana samvatsaram tirtha-yatram caritvasramam avrajat SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; pitra—by his father; upasiksitah—thus advised; ramah—Lord Parasurama; tatha iti—let it be so; kuru-nandana—O son of the Kuru dynasty, Maharaja Pariksit; samvatsaram—for one complete year; tirtha-yatram—traveling to all the holy places; caritva—after executing; asramam—to his own residence; avrajat—returned. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear Maharaja Pariksit, son of the Kuru dynasty, when Lord Parasurama was given this order by his father, he immediately agreed, saying, “Let it be so.” For one complete year he traveled to holy places. Then he returned to his father’s residence. SB9.16.2 TEXT 2 kadacid renuka yata gangayam padma-malinam gandharva-rajam kridantam apsarobhir apasyata SYNONYMS kadacit—once upon a time; renuka—Jamadagni’s wife, the mother of Lord Parasurama; yata—went; gangayam—to the bank of the River Ganges; padma-malinam—decorated with a garland of lotus flowers; gandharva-rajam—the King of the Gandharvas; kridantam—sporting; apsarobhih—with the Apsaras (heavenly society girls); apasyata—she saw. TRANSLATION Once when Renuka, the wife of Jamadagni, went to the bank of the Ganges to get water, she saw the King of the Gandharvas, decorated with a garland of lotuses and sporting in the Ganges with celestial women [Apsaras]. SB9.16.3 TEXT 3 vilokayanti kridantam udakartham nadim gata homa-velam na sasmara kincic citraratha-sprha SYNONYMS vilokayanti—while looking at; kridantam—the King of the Gandharvas, engaged in such activities; udaka-artham—for getting some water; nadim—to the river; gata—as she went; homa-velam—the time for performing the homa, fire sacrifice; na sasmara—did not remember; kincit—very little; citraratha—of the King of the Gandharvas, known as Citraratha; sprha—did desire the company. TRANSLATION She had gone to bring water from the Ganges, but when she saw Citraratha, the King of the Gandharvas, sporting with the celestial girls, she was somewhat inclined toward him and failed to remember that the time for the fire sacrifice was passing. SB9.16.4 TEXT 4 kalatyayam tam vilokya muneh sapa-visankita agatya kalasam tasthau purodhaya krtanjalih SYNONYMS kala-atyayam—passing the time; tam—that; vilokya—observing; muneh—of the great sage Jamadagni; sapa-visankita—being afraid of the curse; agatya—returning; kalasam—the waterpot; tasthau—stood; purodhaya—putting in front of the sage; krta-anjalih—with folded hands. TRANSLATION Later, understanding that the time for offering the sacrifice had passed, Renuka feared a curse from her husband. Therefore when she returned she simply put the waterpot before him and stood there with folded hands. SB9.16.5 TEXT 5 vyabhicaram munir jnatva patnyah prakupito ’bravit ghnatainam putrakah papam ity uktas te na cakrire SYNONYMS vyabhicaram—adultery; munih—the great sage Jamadagni; jnatva—could understand; patnyah—of his wife; prakupitah—he became angry; abravit—he said; ghnata—kill; enam—her; putrakah—my dear sons; papam—sinful; iti uktah—being thus advised; te—all the sons; na—did not; cakrire—carry out his order. TRANSLATION The great sage Jamadagni understood the adultery in the mind of his wife. Therefore he was very angry and told his sons, “My dear sons, kill this sinful woman!” But the sons did not carry out his order. SB9.16.6 TEXT 6 ramah sancoditah pitra bhratrn matra sahavadhit prabhava-jno muneh samyak samadhes tapasas ca sah SYNONYMS ramah—Lord Parasurama; sancoditah—being encouraged (to kill his mother and brothers); pitra—by his father; bhratrn—all his brothers; matra saha—with the mother; avadhit—killed immediately; prabhava-jnah—aware of the prowess; muneh—of the great sage; samyak—completely; samadheh—by meditation; tapasah—by austerity; ca—also; sah—he. TRANSLATION Jamadagni then ordered his youngest son, Parasurama, to kill his brothers, who had disobeyed this order, and his mother, who had mentally committed adultery. Lord Parasurama, knowing the power of his father, who was practiced in meditation and austerity, killed his mother and brothers immediately. PURPORT The word prabhava jnah is significant. Parasurama knew the prowess of his father, and therefore he agreed to carry out his father’s order. He thought that if he refused to carry out the order he would be cursed, but if he carried it out his father would be pleased, and when his father was pleased, Parasurama would ask the benediction of having his mother and brothers brought back to life. Parasurama was confident in this regard, and therefore he agreed to kill his mother and brothers. SB9.16.7 TEXT 7 varena cchandayam asa pritah satyavati-sutah vavre hatanam ramo ’pi jivitam casmrtim vadhe SYNONYMS varena cchandayam asa—asked to take a benediction as he liked; pritah—being very pleased (with him); satyavati-sutah—Jamadagni, the son of Satyavati; vavre—said; hatanam—of my dead mother and brothers; ramah—Parasurama; api—also; jivitam—let them be alive; ca—also; asmrtim—no remembrance; vadhe—of their having been killed by me. TRANSLATION Jamadagni, the son of Satyavati, was very much pleased with Parasurama and asked him to take any benediction he liked. Lord Parasurama replied, “Let my mother and brothers live again and not remember having been killed by me. This is the benediction I ask.” SB9.16.8 TEXT 8 uttasthus te kusalino nidrapaya ivanjasa pitur vidvams tapo-viryam ramas cakre suhrd-vadham SYNONYMS uttasthuh—got up immediately; te—Lord Parasurama’s mother and brothers; kusalinah—being happily alive; nidra-apaye—at the end of sound sleep; iva—like; anjasa—very soon; pituh—of his father; vidvan—being aware of; tapah—austerity; viryam—power; ramah—Lord Parasurama; cakre—executed; suhrt-vadham—killing of his family members. TRANSLATION Thereafter, by the benediction of Jamadagni, Lord Parasurama’s mother and brothers immediately came alive and were very happy, as if awakened from sound sleep. Lord Parasurama had killed his relatives in accordance with his father’s order because he was fully aware of his father’s power, austerity and learning. SB9.16.9 TEXT 9 ye ’rjunasya suta rajan smarantah sva-pitur vadham rama-virya-parabhuta lebhire sarma na kvacit SYNONYMS ye—those who; arjunasya—of Kartaviryarjuna; sutah—sons; rajan—O Maharaja Pariksit; smarantah—always remembering; sva-pituh vadham—their father’s having been killed (by Parasurama); rama-virya-parabhutah—defeated by the superior power of Lord Parasurama; lebhire—achieved; sarma—happiness; na—not; kvacit—at any time. TRANSLATION My dear King Pariksit, the sons of Kartaviryarjuna, who were defeated by the superior strength of Parasurama, never achieved happiness, for they always remembered the killing of their father. PURPORT Jamadagni was certainly very powerful due to his austerities, but because of a slight offense by his poor wife, Renuka, he ordered that she be killed. This certainly was a sinful act, and therefore Jamadagni was killed by the sons of Kartaviryarjuna, as described herein. Lord Parasurama was also infected by sin because of killing Kartaviryarjuna, although this was not very offensive. Therefore, whether one be Kartaviryarjuna, Lord Parasurama, Jamadagni or whoever one may be, one must act very cautiously and sagaciously; otherwise one must suffer the results of sinful activities. This is the lesson we receive from Vedic literature. SB9.16.10 TEXT 10 ekadasramato rame sabhratari vanam gate vairam sisadhayisavo labdha-cchidra upagaman SYNONYMS ekada—once upon a time; asramatah—from the asrama of Jamadagni; rame—when Lord Parasurama; sa-bhratari—with his brothers; vanam—into the forest; gate—having gone; vairam—revenge for past enmity; sisadhayisavah—desiring to fulfill; labdha-chidrah—taking the opportunity; upagaman—they came near the residence of Jamadagni. TRANSLATION Once when Parasurama left the asrama for the forest with Vasuman and his other brothers, the sons of Kartaviryarjuna took the opportunity to approach Jamadagni’s residence to seek vengeance for their grudge. SB9.16.11 TEXT 11 drstvagny-agara asinam avesita-dhiyam munim bhagavaty uttamasloke jaghnus te papa-niscayah SYNONYMS drstva—by seeing; agni-agare—at the place where the fire sacrifice is performed; asinam—sitting; avesita—completely absorbed; dhiyam—by intelligence; munim—the great sage Jamadagni; bhagavati—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uttama-sloke—who is praised by the best of selected prayers; jaghnuh—killed; te—the sons of Kartaviryarjuna; papa-niscayah—determined to commit a greatly sinful act, or the personified sins. TRANSLATION The sons of Kartaviryarjuna were determined to commit sinful deeds. Therefore when they saw Jamadagni sitting by the side of the fire to perform yajna and meditating upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is praised by the best of selected prayers, they took the opportunity to kill him. SB9.16.12 TEXT 12 yacyamanah krpanaya rama-matratidarunah prasahya sira utkrtya ninyus te ksatra-bandhavah SYNONYMS yacyamanah—being begged for the life of her husband; krpanaya—by the poor unprotected woman; rama-matra—by the mother of Lord Parasurama; ati-darunah—very cruel; prasahya—by force; sirah—the head of Jamadagni; utkrtya—having separated; ninyuh—took away; te—the sons of Kartaviryarjuna; ksatra-bandhavah—not ksatriyas, but the most abominable sons of ksatriyas. TRANSLATION With pitiable prayers, Renuka, the mother of Parasurama and wife of Jamadagni, begged for the life of her husband. But the sons of Kartaviryarjuna, being devoid of the qualities of ksatriyas, were so cruel that despite her prayers they forcibly cut off his head and took it away. SB9.16.13 TEXT 13 renuka duhkha-sokarta nighnanty atmanam atmana rama rameti tateti vicukrosoccakaih sati SYNONYMS renuka—Renuka, the wife of Jamadagni; duhkha-soka-arta—being very much aggrieved in lamentation (over her husband’s death); nighnanti—striking; atmanam—her own body; atmana—by herself; rama—O Parasurama; rama—O Parasurama; iti—thus; tata—O my dear son; iti—thus; vicukrosa—began to cry; uccakaih—very loudly; sati—the most chaste woman. TRANSLATION Lamenting in grief for the death of her husband, the most chaste Renuka struck her own body with her hands and cried very loudly, “O Rama, my dear son Rama!” SB9.16.14 TEXT 14 tad upasrutya durastha ha ramety artavat svanam tvarayasramam asadya dadrsuh pitaram hatam SYNONYMS tat—that crying of Renuka; upasrutya—upon hearing; dura-sthah—although staying a long distance away; ha rama—O Rama, O Rama; iti—thus; arta-vat—very aggrieved; svanam—the sound; tvaraya—very hastily; asramam—to the residence of Jamadagni; asadya—coming; dadrsuh—saw; pitaram—the father; hatam—killed. TRANSLATION Although the sons of Jamadagni, including Lord Parasurama, were a long distance from home, as soon as they heard Renuka loudly calling “O Rama, O my son,” they hastily returned to the asrama, where they saw their father already killed. SB9.16.15 TEXT 15 te duhkha-rosamarsarti- soka-vega-vimohitah ha tata sadho dharmistha tyaktvasman svar-gato bhavan SYNONYMS te—all the sons of Jamadagni; duhkha—of grief; rosa—anger; amarsa—indignation; arti—affliction; soka—and lamentation; vega—with the force; vimohitah—bewildered; ha tata—O father; sadho—the great saint; dharmistha—the most religious person; tyaktva—leaving; asman—us; svah-gatah—have gone to the heavenly planets; bhavan—you. TRANSLATION Virtually bewildered by grief, anger, indignation, affliction and lamentation, the sons of Jamadagni cried, “O father, most religious, saintly person, you have left us and gone to the heavenly planets !” SB9.16.16 TEXT 16 vilapyaivam pitur deham nidhaya bhratrsu svayam pragrhya parasum ramah ksatrantaya mano dadhe SYNONYMS vilapya—lamenting; evam—like this; pituh—of his father; deham—the body; nidhaya—entrusting; bhratrsu—to his brothers; svayam—personally; pragrhya—taking; parasum—the axe; ramah—Lord Parasurama; ksatra-antaya—to put an end to all the ksatriyas; manah—the mind; dadhe—fixed. TRANSLATION Thus lamenting, Lord Parasurama entrusted his father’s dead body to his brothers and personally took up his axe, having decided to put an end to all the ksatriyas on the surface of the world. SB9.16.17 TEXT 17 gatva mahismatim ramo brahma-ghna-vihata-sriyam tesam sa sirsabhi rajan madhye cakre maha-girim SYNONYMS gatva—going; mahismatim—to the place known as Mahismati; ramah—Lord Parasurama; brahma-ghna—because of the killing of a brahmana; vihata-sriyam—doomed, bereft of all opulences; tesam—of all of them (the sons of Kartaviryarjuna and the other ksatriya inhabitants); sah—he, Lord Parasurama; sirsabhih—by the heads cut off from their bodies; rajan—O Maharaja Pariksit; madhye—within the jurisdiction of Mahismati; cakre—made; maha-girim—a great mountain. TRANSLATION O King, Lord Parasurama then went to Mahismati, which was already doomed by the sinful killing of a brahmana. In the midst of that city he made a mountain of heads, severed from the bodies of the sons of Kartaviryarjuna. SB9.16.18-19 TEXTS 18–19 tad-raktena nadim ghoram abrahmanya-bhayavaham hetum krtva pitr-vadham ksatre ’mangala-karini trih-sapta-krtvah prthivim krtva nihksatriyam prabhuh samanta-pancake cakre sonitodan hradan nava SYNONYMS tat-raktena—by the blood of the sons of Kartaviryarjuna; nadim—a river; ghoram—fierce; abrahmanya-bhaya-avaham—causing fear to the kings who had no respect for brahminical culture; hetum—cause; krtva—accepting; pitr-vadham—the killing of his father; ksatre—when the whole royal class; amangala-karini—was acting very inauspiciously; trih-sapta-krtvah—twenty-one times; prthivim—the entire world; krtva—making; nihksatriyam—without a ksatriya dynasty; prabhuh—the Supreme Lord, Parasurama; samanta-pancake—at the place known as Samanta-pancaka; cakre—he made; sonita-udan—filled with blood instead of water; hradan—lakes; nava—nine. TRANSLATION With the blood of the bodies of these sons, Lord Parasurama created a ghastly river, which brought great fear to the kings who had no respect for brahminical culture. Because the ksatriyas, the men of power in government, were performing sinful activities, Lord Parasurama, on the plea of retaliating for the murder of his father, rid all the ksatriyas from the face of the earth twenty-one times. Indeed, in the place known as Samanta-pancaka he created nine lakes filled with their blood. PURPORT Parasurama is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and his eternal mission is paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]—to protect the devotees and annihilate the miscreants. To kill all the sinful men is one among the tasks of the incarnation of Godhead. Lord Parasurama killed all the ksatriyas twenty-one times consecutively because they were disobedient to the brahminical culture. That the ksatriyas had killed his father was only a plea; the real fact is that because the ksatriyas, the ruling class, had become polluted, their position was inauspicious. Brahminical culture is enjoined in the sastra, especially in Bhagavad-gita (catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]). According to the laws of nature, whether at the time of Parasurama or at the present, if the government becomes irresponsible and sinful, not caring for brahminical culture, there will certainly be an incarnation of God like Parasurama to create a devastation by fire, famine, pestilence or some other calamity. Whenever the government disrespects the supremacy of the personality of Godhead and fails to protect the institution of varnasrama-dharma, it will certainly have to face such catastrophes as formerly brought about by Lord Parasurama. SB9.16.20 TEXT 20 pituh kayena sandhaya sira adaya barhisi sarva-deva-mayam devam atmanam ayajan makhaih SYNONYMS pituh—of his father; kayena—with the body; sandhaya—joining; sirah—the head; adaya—keeping; barhisi—upon kusa grass; sarva-deva-mayam—the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the demigods; devam—Lord Vasudeva; atmanam—who is present everywhere as the Supersoul; ayajat—he worshiped; makhaih—by offering sacrifices. TRANSLATION Thereafter, Parasurama joined his father’s head to the dead body and placed the whole body and head upon kusa grass. By offering sacrifices, he began to worship Lord Vasudeva, who is the all-pervading Supersoul of all the demigods and of every living entity. SB9.16.21-22 TEXTS 21–22 dadau pracim disam hotre brahmane daksinam disam adhvaryave praticim vai udgatre uttaram disam anyebhyo ’vantara-disah kasyapaya ca madhyatah aryavartam upadrastre sadasyebhyas tatah param SYNONYMS dadau—gave as a gift; pracim—eastern; disam—direction; hotre—unto the priest known as hota; brahmane—unto the priest known as brahma; daksinam—southern; disam—direction; adhvaryave—unto the priest known as adhvaryu; praticim—the western side; vai—indeed; udgatre—unto the priest known as udgata; uttaram—northern; disam—side; anyebhyah—unto the others; avantara-disah—the different corners (northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest); kasyapaya—unto Kasyapa Muni; ca—also; madhyatah—the middle portion; aryavartam—the portion known as Aryavarta; upadrastre—unto the upadrasta, the priest acting as overseer to hear and check the mantras; sadasyebhyah—unto the sadasyas, the associate priests; tatah param—whatever remained. TRANSLATION After completing the sacrifice, Lord Parasurama gave the eastern direction to the hota as a gift, the south to the brahma, the west to the adhvaryu, the north to the udgata, and the four corners—northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest—to the other priests. He gave the middle to Kasyapa and the place known as Aryavarta to the upadrasta. Whatever remained he distributed among the sadasyas, the associate priests. PURPORT The tract of land in India between the Himalaya Mountains and the Vindhya Hills is called Aryavarta.