Sushmajee
Mahaabhaarat | Stories

12-Shaanti Parv, 50
Stories-MBH - 8-Shaanti - page 12

Home | Kathaa Index | Stories Index

Parashuraam

Back to Kathaa

 
Story of Parashuraam
Ch  50

Branched from   G-8-Shaanti-9


Vaasudev said to Yudhishthir - "Listen to the story of mighty Parashuraam as how he killed millions of Kshatriya, then how they sprang again and then again got slaughtered. Jadu had a son name Rajas, and Rajas had a son named Balaakaashwa. Balaakaashwa had the son named Kushik. Kushik did a severe Tap to Indra to get a son. Indra himself incarnated as his son named Gaadhi. Gaadhi had a daughter named Satyavatee whom he gave to Muni Richeek, a descendent of Bhrigu, as his wife. Richeek Muni was very pleased with her services, so he cooked sacrificial food of rice and milk to give it to Gaadhi so that he can have a son. He called Satyavatee and asked her to take that portion to her mother, and another portion to be taken by herself. He further said - "A son, who will be very powerful and a good Kshatriya, will be born to her. He will not be able to be defeated by any Kshatriya, he will be the slayer of Kshatriya." After instructing thus Richeek went away to woods for his Tap.

Gaadhi was to go on a pilgrimage so he with his wife came to Muni Richeek's house. Satyavatee got very happy to see them and taking the two portions told everything to her mother. Her mother took her daughter's portion herself by mistake and left her own to her daughter. At this Satyavatee conceived a child of terrible form intended to become the slayer of Kshatriya. Seeing a Braahman child in his wife's womb, Richeek Muni said to her - "You have been deceived by your mother by substituting her own portion to yours. Now your son will be of cruel deeds, and your brother will be a Braahman of great penance. In your food I put the seed of Supreme Brahmaa while your mother's food was the sum total of Kshatriya energy. Now it will not happen what I intended for."

Hearing this Satyavatee fell on the floor and said, "Please don't say such words to me." Richeek Muni said - "I did not do it. It has been done by the food you have taken." Satyavatee said - "You can create the world, what of a child. Please give me a son who is righteous and devoted to peace." Richeek said - "I have never told lie even in jest. How can I do that with this sanctified food prepared with Vaidik formula. It was ordained by Destiny. I did it by the power of my Tap, now all the descendents of your father will have Braahman qualities." Then Satyvatee said - "Let my grandson should be like this but not my son, please." Richeek said - "How does it make difference, but it will be as you say." At the appropriate time Satyavatee gave birth to Jamadagni, an ocean of penance; and Kushik had a son named Vishwaamitra who was born in a Kshatriya family but had all the qualities of a Braahman. Jamadagni had the son named Parashuraam who had all the qualities of a Kshatriya. He pleased Shiv on Gandhmaadan mountain and got his weapons including an axe of great energy. He soon became invincible on Earth.

Meanwhile there was a king of Haihaya named Kritveerya whose son was Arjun. Arjun was very mighty and got thousand arms by pleasing Dattaatreya. He won the whole Prithvi and became the Chakravartee Raajaa (emperor), and at last donated the Earth to Braahman in an Ashwamedh Yagya. Once he gave alms to Agni Dev upon his asking. Agni Dev then burnt many villages, mountains, forests etc. He burnt Apav's place also so he gave Shaap to Arjun - "You have burnt my forests without any exception so Raam of Bhrigu Vansh will chop off your thousand arms."

Arjun who was very religious and peaceful did not pay much attention to his Shaap. His powerful sons became the cause of his death. Without the knowledge of Kritveerya, they brought the sacred cow of Maharshi Jamadagni. At this angry Raam chopped Arjun's arms and brought back his father's cow. In turn Arjun's son killed Jamadagni while Raam was away to bring woods for Yagya. At this Raam filled with rage vowed to empty the Earth from Kshatriya. He killed all the sons and grandsons of Kritveerya and thousands of Haihaya family people. Soon he emptied the earth from Kshatriya the he retired to woods. After some thousands years ---

The grandson of Vishwaamitra, and son of Raivya, Paravasu started accusing him in public - "Pratardan and others were not the righteous and Kshatriya at the time of a sacrifice at the fall of Yayaati. You only boast. Because you fear from Kshatriya that is why you have gone to woods." So Raam once again took up arms and killed hundreds of Kshatriya. Whoever were left out again multiplied. Raam killed even the newborn babies, but some Kshatriya women succeeded in protecting their babies. Thus he killed Kshatriya 21 times. Then he did Ashwamedh Yagya and donated this whole Prithvi to Kashyap Jee. To preserve the remaining Kshatriya, Kashyap Jee pointing towards the land on which the sacrificial ladle was still lying, said to Raam - "You do not live here on my land. Go to the shores of southern ocean." Hearing this the ocean immediately created a place called Surparak for Raam on his other shore.

Then Shoodra and Vaishya started uniting with wives of Braahman. In this set up, unprotected by Kshatriya, the Earth sank to its lowest depths. Seeing this Kashyap kept her on his lap, that is how she got her name as "Urvee". Then she requested Kashyap Jee to give her a king. She said - "I have concealed some foremost Kshatriya in Kshatriya women. There is another Kshatriya in Puru's lineage, Vidoorath's son who has been brought up among Riksh (bears) on Rikshvat mountain. Another person is the son of Saudaas who has been protected by Maharshi Paraashar. Although he is born in high order but he works like Shoodra for Rishi, and that he is called Sarvkarm (doer of all work). Shibi's son Gopati has been brought up in forest among cows, let him protect me. Pratardan's son Vats is also mighty, and has been brought up among calves. He may also protect me. Dadhivaahan's grandson and Divirath's son Brihadrath was concealed by Gautam on the banks of Gangaa. Many Kshatriya of Marutt family have also been protected, they have been protected by ocean. They are living with artisans and goldsmiths. Their fathers and grandfathers were killed because of me so it is my duty that their funeral rites should be duly performed."

Hearing this Kashyap Jee installed all those as kings as Prithvi indicated. So the present Kshatriya are the descendents of those kings.

 

Home | Kathaa Index | Stories Index

Back to Kathaa

Created by Sushma Gupta On 03/09/02
Contact: sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 01/24/11