The next morning, Viśvāmitra bade the kings farewell and left for the northern mountains. Soon after that, Daśaratha made preparations to leave for Ayodhyā. Janaka sent his daughters away along with a great deal of wealth, one hundred thousand cows, fabulous carpets, textiles and fabrics as well as an army of horses, elephants and chariots, adorned with jewels and shining with celestial splendour. He also gave them the best of his male and female attendants and heaps of gold, silver, pearls and coral. His heart filled with joy, Janaka said goodbye to Daśaratha and returned to his royal apartments.
Daśaratha, his four sons and their huge army went onwards, led by a group of sages. Huge birds screeched as they travelled and forest animals ran around them before fleeing. Daśaratha was deeply disturbed when he saw this and asked Vasiṣṭha, ‘Why are these birds screeching and these animals running away from us? Why is my heart pounding and my mind oppressed by a nameless fear?’
In a calm and soothing voice, Vasiṣṭha reassured the king. ‘Listen and I will explain this to you. The screeching of the birds foretells great danger but the movement of the animals is a good omen, so do not be overly anxious.’ Even as Vasiṣṭha was speaking, a mighty gale arose and the earth trembled so that all the leaves fell from their trees. The sun was enveloped in darkness and nothing could be seen in any direction. Everything was covered with a fine layer of dust and ashes.
Daśaratha, his sons, Vasiṣṭha and the other sages grew agitated. Their army, covered with ash, was in visible confusion and the other members of their entourage had fainted. And then, out of that terrible darkness, Paraśurāma appeared,* awesome in his vengeful aspect. As immense and immovable as Mount Kailāsa, the killer of kings blazed with his own splendour and was as difficult to look upon as the doomsday fire. His matted locks were coiled on top of his head and he carried his axe on his shoulder. With his mighty bow, which was like a bolt of lightning, and his arrows, he appeared like Śiva out to destroy Tripura.**
Vasiṣṭha and the other sages began to recite sacred mantras when they saw this terrifying sight and they whispered amongst themselves. ‘Could it be that Paraśurāma’s anger at his father’s murder has not cooled? But he has already destroyed the entire race of kṣatriyas in the past to calm his passion and bring peace to his mind! Surely he does not want to annihilate the kṣatriyas all over again!’ Cautiously, they offered Paraśurāma the arghya and spoke to him in gentle tones, calling him ‘Rāma’.
Paraśurāma, son of Jamadāgni, acknowledged their greeting. He turned to Rāma, son of Daśaratha, and said, ‘Rāma, I have heard much about your uncommon valour! And I have also heard that you broke the jewelled bow, a truly wondrous and unthinkable feat. Now I have brought you another fabulous bow, awesome to behold, that belongs to Jamadāgni, my father. I have tested your might, now I will engage you in single combat so that I can see your courage!’
Daśaratha turned pale when he heard Paraśurāma’s challenge. He joined his palms in respect and pleaded with Paraśurāma. ‘You have already wreaked revenge on the kṣatriyas. You are an illustrious brahmin and should be offering my young sons protection! Born in the line of the famous sage Bhṛgu, you have studied the Vedas and have undertaken a great many terrible vows. You renounced the use of all weapons because of a promise that you made to Indra. You yoked yourself to the highest dharma when you gave the earth away to Kaśyapa and made your home in the wilds of Mount Mahendra. Great sage, why do you wish to destroy my clan? None of us will survive, even if only Rāma is killed!’
The mighty Paraśurāma ignored Daśaratha’s plea and spoke to Rāma again. ‘There are two celestial bows that are famous in all the worlds. Superior to all others, they are tough and strong and were crafted specially by Viśvakarmā. The bow you broke was given to Śiva by the gods and he used it to destroy Tripura. The one I have is the second of these indestructible bows and the gods gave it to Viṣṇu. It is the equal of Śiva’s bow in every respect.
‘The gods asked Brahmā who was stronger, Viṣṇu or Śiva. Brahmā, the best of all those who are devoted to truth, understood the intentions of the gods and so he created hostility between Viṣṇu and Śiva. The conflict that arose between the two was terrifying as both Viṣṇu and Śiva were determined to humble the other. An enormous war-cry from Viṣṇu unstrung Śiva’s bow and the great god was stopped in his tracks, stunned. Then the gods, the ṛṣis and the cāraṇas begged Viṣṇu and Śiva to stop their fight and the hostility between them ended. The gods deemed Viṣṇu the superior of the two because he had destroyed Śiva’s bow. In a fit of anger, Śiva gave his bow and arrows to the illustrious royal sage Devarāta, king of the Videhas.
‘Rāma, this is Viṣṇu’s bow and it is known for destroying enemy cities. He gave it to Ṛcika of the Bhṛgus as a sacred trust. The mighty Ṛcika gave it to his matchless son, my father, the great celestial ṛṣi Jamadāgni. When my father renounced the use of all weapons and took refuge in the power of his austerities, he was killed by the wicked king Arjuna.* I heard about the dastardly killing of my father and in anger I exterminated the kṣatriyas again and again, as they were born. I won over the whole of the earth but I gave it away to the meritorious Kaśyapa as a fee for the performance of a sacrifice. Then I went to Mount Mahendra to engage in austerities. But when I heard that you had snapped Śiva’s bow, I came here as soon as I could.
‘Viṣṇu’s fabulous bow has come to me from my ancestors. Take it and fulfil your duty as a kṣatriya! Fit it with this arrow that destroys hostile cities. If you can accomplish that, I will challenge you to single combat!’
Rāma had remained silent all this time out of respect for his father. But now he spoke to Paraśurāma. ‘I have heard all about your deeds, Paraśurāma, and I applaud what you did to avenge your father’s murder. But you think of me as a weakling and a coward, unable to fulfil my duties as a kṣatriya. You obviously do not know my power. I will demonstrate it for you today!’
Rāma grabbed the magnificent bow from Paraśurāma and fitted the arrow into it. Angrily, he said, ‘I must honour you because you are a brahmin. Out of respect for Viśvakarmā, I cannot release this arrow which will definitely kill you. But I shall destroy either your ability to move or the incomparable worlds that you have won through the power of your austerities, whichever you wish. For Viṣṇu’s arrow crushes arrogance and never misses its mark. It cannot be loosed in vain!’
The gods and the groups of ṛṣis with Brahmā at their head, the gandharvas, apsarases, siddhas, cāraṇas and kinnaras gathered to marvel at the sight of Rāma holding the celestial bow and they were struck with wonder. Even Paraśurāma stood there, rooted to the spot, deprived of all his strength by Rāma’s valour, gazing at Rāma holding the magnificent weapon. Finally, he spoke to the lotus-eyed Rāma in a gentle voice. ‘Long ago, when I gave the earth to Kaśyapa, he told me that I could no longer inhabit this region. In keeping with my teacher’s instructions, I have not spent a single night on earth since then because of the promise that I made to Kaśyapa. Rāma, you must not destroy my ability to move as quickly as thought. Let me return to Mount Mahendra, the best of all mountains. Without any further delay, use the magical arrow to destroy the worlds that I have won on the strength of my austerities.
‘I knew that you were Viṣṇu, best of all gods, the one who scorches his enemies, the invincible killer of the demon Madhu, from the moment that you touched the bow! Even the gods have gathered to witness your unparalleled deeds and your invincibility in single combat! It is not a matter of shame for me to have been defeated by you, the lord of the three worlds. Rāma, you are true to your vows. Release the arrow and I shall return to my home in Mount Mahendra!’
Rāma released the arrow and immediately the darkness lifted from all around. The gods and the groups of ṛṣis broke into praise for Rāma who was still holding the fabulous bow. Paraśurāma honoured Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, and then left for his home.
After Paraśurāma left, Rāma handed the bow and its wondrous arrows over to Varuṇa and honoured the sages led by Vasiṣṭha. Then he noticed that his father was still uneasy. ‘Paraśurāma has gone,’ he reassured Daśaratha. ‘Let the four-divisioned army that is protected by you, our leader, go onwards to Ayodhyā!’ Daśaratha was filled with relief when he heard the words ‘Paraśurāma has gone!’ and joyfully he embraced his son and kissed him on the forehead. He instructed his army to proceed towards the city.
Soon, Daśaratha entered Ayodhyā which was gaily decorated, filled with music and fluttering banners, its clean streets sprinkled with water and strewn with flowers. He was welcomed by his rejoicing subjects. Kausalyā, Sumitrā, the slim-waisted Kaikeyī and the other ladies of the royal household came forward to receive the new brides. The fortunate Sītā, the illustrious Urmilā and Kuśadhvaja’s two daughters were dressed in the most exquisite silks and were wearing the loveliest jewellery. They were welcomed with auspicious music and led away to the temple. The young brides greeted all those who welcomed them and then they retired to private apartments with their new husbands.
Now that they were married, the four princes lived happily with their wealth and jewels, their possessions and their friends. They treated their father with respect and honoured his wishes. Of all the people in the world, Rāma was the most illustrious and the most valiant, just as Brahmā is the most virtuous of all beings. Rāma spent many happy seasons with his wife Sītā. She was always in his thoughts and he was always in her heart. He loved her dearly because she had been given to him as a wife by his father but his love for her deepened because of her beauty and her many virtues. Sītā loved Rāma twice as much as he loved her. She was able to tell him all her thoughts and whatever was in her heart. Besides that, this woman who was equal to the gods in her powers of perception and like Lakṣmī in beauty, was able to read Rāma’s innermost thoughts. The marriage between Rāma and Sītā which united the son of a royal sage with the noblest of princesses was like the union of Viṣṇu, the lord of all men, with the illustrious Lakṣmī.