14.029
ब्राह्मण उवाच॥
The Brāhmaṇa said.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। कार्तवीर्यस्य संवादं समुद्रस्य च भामिनि ॥१४-२९-१॥
Here too, O beautiful lady, they relate an ancient tale—the conversation between Kārtavīrya and the Ocean. (14-29-1)
कार्तवीर्यार्जुनो नाम राजा बाहुसहस्रवान्। येन सागरपर्यन्ता धनुषा निर्जिता मही ॥१४-२९-२॥
There was a king named Kārtavīrya Arjuna, who had a thousand arms; with his bow he conquered the earth, which extended to the ocean. (14-29-2)
स कदाचित्समुद्रान्ते विचरन्बलदर्पितः। अवाकिरच्छरशतैः समुद्रमिति नः श्रुतम् ॥१४-२९-३॥
We have heard that, once, while wandering at the edge of the ocean, puffed up by his strength, he scattered hundreds of arrows into the ocean. (14-29-3)
तं समुद्रो नमस्कृत्य कृताञ्जलिरुवाच ह। मा मुञ्च वीर नाराचान्ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते ॥१४-२९-४॥
The ocean, having bowed to him with joined palms, spoke: "Hero, do not release the iron arrows; tell me what I should do for you." (14-29-4)
मदाश्रयाणि भूतानि त्वद्विसृष्टैर्महेषुभिः। वध्यन्ते राजशार्दूल तेभ्यो देह्यभयं विभो ॥१४-२९-५॥
O tiger among kings, beings attached to intoxication are being slain by the great arrows released by you; grant them protection, O mighty one. (14-29-5)
अर्जुन उवाच॥
Arjuna said.
मत्समो यदि सङ्ग्रामे शरासनधरः क्वचित्। विद्यते तं ममाचक्ष्व यः समासीत मां मृधे ॥१४-२९-६॥
If there is any bow-bearer anywhere in battle who is equal to me, tell me of him—one who was my equal in the fight. (14-29-6)
समुद्र उवाच॥
The ocean said.
महर्षिर्जमदग्निस्ते यदि राजन्परिश्रुतः। तस्य पुत्रस्तवातिथ्यं यथावत्कर्तुमर्हति ॥१४-२९-७॥
If the great sage Jamadagni is well-known to you, O king, then his son is worthy to properly perform your hospitality. (14-29-7)
ततः स राजा प्रययौ क्रोधेन महता वृतः। स तमाश्रममागम्य राममेवान्वपद्यत ॥१४-२९-८॥
Then the king, filled with great anger, went; having arrived at that hermitage, he approached only Rāma. (14-29-8)
स रामप्रतिकूलानि चकार सह बन्धुभिः। आयासं जनयामास रामस्य च महात्मनः ॥१४-२९-९॥
He, together with his relatives, did things opposed to Rāma and caused fatigue for Rāma, the great-souled one. (14-29-9)
ततस्तेजः प्रजज्वाल रामस्यामिततेजसः। प्रदहद्रिपुसैन्यानि तदा कमललोचने ॥१४-२९-१०॥
Then, O lotus-eyed one, the splendor of Rāma, whose radiance is immeasurable, blazed forth, burning the armies of the enemy. (14-29-10)
ततः परशुमादाय स तं बाहुसहस्रिणम्। चिच्छेद सहसा रामो बाहुशाखमिव द्रुमम् ॥१४-२९-११॥
Then Rama, having taken the axe, suddenly cut off the thousand-armed one's arm-branch as if (he were cutting) a branch from a tree. (14-29-11)
तं हतं पतितं दृष्ट्वा समेताः सर्वबान्धवाः। असीनादाय शक्तीश्च भार्गवं पर्यवारयन् ॥१४-२९-१२॥
Seeing him fallen and slain, all the assembled kinsmen, having taken swords and lances, encircled the Bhārgava. (14-29-12)
रामोऽपि धनुरादाय रथमारुह्य सत्वरः। विसृजञ्शरवर्षाणि व्यधमत्पार्थिवं बलम् ॥१४-२९-१३॥
Rāma too, swiftly took up his bow, climbed into the chariot, and, releasing showers of arrows, scattered the king's army. (14-29-13)
ततस्तु क्षत्रियाः केचिज्जमदग्निं निहत्य च। विविशुर्गिरिदुर्गाणि मृगाः सिंहार्दिता इव ॥१४-२९-१४॥
Then, however, some of the kṣatriyas, having slain Jamadagni, entered the mountain strongholds like deer distressed by lions. (14-29-14)
तेषां स्वविहितं कर्म तद्भयान्नानुतिष्ठताम्। प्रजा वृषलतां प्राप्ता ब्राह्मणानामदर्शनात् ॥१४-२९-१५॥
Because they did not perform their prescribed duties out of fear, the people became outcastes due to the absence of the Brāhmaṇas. (14-29-15)
त एते द्रमिडाः काशाः पुण्ड्राश्च शबरैः सह। वृषलत्वं परिगता व्युत्थानात्क्षत्रधर्मतः ॥१४-२९-१६॥
These Dravidians, Kāśas, Puṇḍras and the Śabaras attained the status of outcastes because they abandoned their kṣatriya duties. (14-29-16)
ततस्तु हतवीरासु क्षत्रियासु पुनः पुनः। द्विजैरुत्पादितं क्षत्रं जामदग्न्यो न्यकृन्तत ॥१४-२९-१७॥
But then, whenever new races of kṣatriyas were produced again and again by the twice-born among the slain kṣatriyas, the son of Jamadagni (Paraśurāma) cut them down. (14-29-17)
एकविंशतिमेधान्ते रामं वागशरीरिणी। दिव्या प्रोवाच मधुरा सर्वलोकपरिश्रुता ॥१४-२९-१८॥
At the end of the twenty-first sacrifice, the divine and sweet-voiced goddess of Speech, renowned in all worlds, spoke to Rama. (14-29-18)
राम राम निवर्तस्व कं गुणं तात पश्यसि। क्षत्रबन्धूनिमान्प्राणैर्विप्रयोज्य पुनः पुनः ॥१४-२९-१९॥
O Rāma, O Rāma, turn back! Dear one, what virtue do you see in repeatedly depriving these kṣatriya relatives of their lives? (14-29-19)
तथैव तं महात्मानमृचीकप्रमुखास्तदा। पितामहा महाभाग निवर्तस्वेत्यथाब्रुवन् ॥१४-२९-२०॥
In the same way, the ancestors, headed by Ṛcīka, then said to him, the great-souled one: "O greatly fortunate one, return!" (14-29-20)
पितुर्वधममृष्यंस्तु रामः प्रोवाच तानृषीन्। नार्हन्तीह भवन्तो मां निवारयितुमित्युत ॥१४-२९-२१॥
But Rama, unable to bear his father’s killing, spoke to those sages: “You, sirs, should not restrain me here.” (14-29-21)
पितर ऊचुः॥
The ancestors said.
नार्हसे क्षत्रबन्धूंस्त्वं निहन्तुं जयतां वर। न हि युक्तं त्वया हन्तुं ब्राह्मणेन सता नृपान् ॥१४-२९-२२॥
You should not kill Kṣatriya relatives, O best among the victorious. It is not proper for you, as a Brāhmaṇa, to slay kings. (14-29-22)
