Dasharatha Rama smiled at Parasu Rama who spoke in a loud and arrogant tone, and replied softly in a courteous but firm tone "Son of Jamadagni! You have been vengeful because your father was killed by a kshatriya king. I do not blame you for that. But you cannot put me down as you have humbled others. Please give me your bow."
COMMENT: Up to here both these Rama-s were in close quarters with the other few present there. After this dialogue, they had moved a little away from the throng and facing each other as true combatants. A swordsman or an archer needs an arm-length, or sword-length or bow-length, at the least, to swagger his weapon. This place is to be assumed as an isolated place and no one is seeing or listening. This scene has an analogy in Maha Bharata where Krishna was teaching Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. There, it is said, that Krishna froze the time to teach all the eighteen chapters, and none among the two sides of warring factions were aware of Krishna, his teachings, or of Arjuna, excepting Sanjaya, who was placed at a distant place and has seen all with his wisdom-eye. Here we have to borrow that wisdom-eye of Sanjaya and see at these two Rama-s and their actions. When their episode was over, the mist cast around them, rather on our eyes, would be cleared, when Rama returns to his father. This is said in later verses. Further more, all the people present there were rendered unconscious at the arrival of Bhaargava Rama, and a few like Dasharatha, Vashishta, Rama's brothers were with senses. So, even if they heard and saw this scene, those listeners or those who were seeing, did no harm by revealing Rama's godhood to the world, in particular to Ravana.
End Comment.
Rama then coolly snatched the estimable weapon, namely the longbow of Vishnu, from the hand of Bhaargava Rama, along with the long-arrow that is already fitted on it.
COMMENT: At the same time Rama was also said to have extricated the essential nature of Bhaargava. The above said 'distancing' of these two Rama-s has another purpose. Rama has certain innate nature of making his observers enchanted by his very personality. Even Ravana looked at him adoringly in the war scene. This apart, his hands had certain ability to extricate the innate nature of others, should he lay his hand on them. We rarely saw him touching or patting others, except for Seetha, Lakshmana, Hanuman, a squirrel etc. So, it is believed that, Rama has now expropriated the essential nature of Vishnu from Bhaargava Rama, while snatching the bow from his hands. For this 'Padma Puraana' says: iti uktv˜ devŸ vaiÿõavy˜ þakty˜ tad gat˜y˜ saha | jagr˜ha vaiÿõavam c˜pam vinayena ca lŸlay˜ || 'oh, Devi Parvati, saying so Rama took away the Vishnu's animus from Bhaargava Rama, along with the bow of Vishnu, sportingly and obediently, too...' Thus, Rama of Dasharatha bade goodbye to his earlier incarnation, Parashu Rama, as two swords cannot be in one sheath.
END COMMENT.
On lifting up the bow that is already fitted with an arrow on bowstring, Rama started to take aim with it, but feigned indecisive about the target, told Bhaargava Rama with an ire "Oh, Rama of Bhaargava, despite the fact that you are a Brahman I will have no compunction to eliminate you, but because of your relationship with Vishwamitra, and because you are a venerable one for me, I am disinclined to release this arrow that could exterminate your life.
Bhaargava-s are Brahman-s and a Brahman cannot be killed. Then how Rama was prepared to eliminate a Brahman, subjecting himself to the sin called 'Brahman killing...' brahma hatyaa paataka.' There is no sin in eliminating a Brahman who wields weapons and warring. 'It is no sin to eliminate fathers, grandfathers, teachers, and the like [even if they are Brahman-s,] for they are under an illusion, called war...' So said Bhiishma to Krishna and thereby Panadava-s have eliminated Drona, Kripa, Ashvaddhaama and suchlike weaponed Brahman-s in war, but not in peace. There are many more such sayings of Bhiishma. Here Parashu Rama said that he will give a duel to Rama, hence he is no more a Brahman when he raises a weapon. And he is a blood relation of Vishwamitra, and that corner of mercy is not allowing Rama to release the arrow on Parashu Rama.
"However this Vishnu's divine arrow is the conqueror of opponents' citadels, and a vanquisher of their vigour and vainglory, and as such it cannot fall through wastefully. Oh, Bhaargava Rama, either this motility of yours at the speed of your mind, or even those unparalleled realms of heavens which you have earned by the power of your ascesis, I will eliminate whichever you wish."
Gods together with the assemblages of sages had come, keeping the Grandparent Brahma at their fore. Gandharva-s, apsara-s, siddha-s, caarana-s, kinnaraa-s, yaksha-s, sprites and reptilian beings had also come to see Rama who was now wielding the extraordinary longbow of Vishnu, and extremely amazing event that was going to ensue.
Then, when Rama was ready to take aim with the arrow on that inscrutable longbow, and when the worlds were being rendered as oblivious, then that Rama of Jamadagni was rendered absolutely effete and he was simply staring at Rama of Dasharatha in a daze.
COMMENT: Up to here both these Rama-s were in close quarters with the other few present there. After this dialogue, they had moved a little away from the throng and facing each other as true combatants. A swordsman or an archer needs an arm-length, or sword-length or bow-length, at the least, to swagger his weapon. This place is to be assumed as an isolated place and no one is seeing or listening. This scene has an analogy in Maha Bharata where Krishna was teaching Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. There, it is said, that Krishna froze the time to teach all the eighteen chapters, and none among the two sides of warring factions were aware of Krishna, his teachings, or of Arjuna, excepting Sanjaya, who was placed at a distant place and has seen all with his wisdom-eye. Here we have to borrow that wisdom-eye of Sanjaya and see at these two Rama-s and their actions. When their episode was over, the mist cast around them, rather on our eyes, would be cleared, when Rama returns to his father. This is said in later verses. Further more, all the people present there were rendered unconscious at the arrival of Bhaargava Rama, and a few like Dasharatha, Vashishta, Rama's brothers were with senses. So, even if they heard and saw this scene, those listeners or those who were seeing, did no harm by revealing Rama's godhood to the world, in particular to Ravana.
End Comment.
Rama then coolly snatched the estimable weapon, namely the longbow of Vishnu, from the hand of Bhaargava Rama, along with the long-arrow that is already fitted on it.
COMMENT: At the same time Rama was also said to have extricated the essential nature of Bhaargava. The above said 'distancing' of these two Rama-s has another purpose. Rama has certain innate nature of making his observers enchanted by his very personality. Even Ravana looked at him adoringly in the war scene. This apart, his hands had certain ability to extricate the innate nature of others, should he lay his hand on them. We rarely saw him touching or patting others, except for Seetha, Lakshmana, Hanuman, a squirrel etc. So, it is believed that, Rama has now expropriated the essential nature of Vishnu from Bhaargava Rama, while snatching the bow from his hands. For this 'Padma Puraana' says: iti uktv˜ devŸ vaiÿõavy˜ þakty˜ tad gat˜y˜ saha | jagr˜ha vaiÿõavam c˜pam vinayena ca lŸlay˜ || 'oh, Devi Parvati, saying so Rama took away the Vishnu's animus from Bhaargava Rama, along with the bow of Vishnu, sportingly and obediently, too...' Thus, Rama of Dasharatha bade goodbye to his earlier incarnation, Parashu Rama, as two swords cannot be in one sheath.
END COMMENT.
On lifting up the bow that is already fitted with an arrow on bowstring, Rama started to take aim with it, but feigned indecisive about the target, told Bhaargava Rama with an ire "Oh, Rama of Bhaargava, despite the fact that you are a Brahman I will have no compunction to eliminate you, but because of your relationship with Vishwamitra, and because you are a venerable one for me, I am disinclined to release this arrow that could exterminate your life.
Bhaargava-s are Brahman-s and a Brahman cannot be killed. Then how Rama was prepared to eliminate a Brahman, subjecting himself to the sin called 'Brahman killing...' brahma hatyaa paataka.' There is no sin in eliminating a Brahman who wields weapons and warring. 'It is no sin to eliminate fathers, grandfathers, teachers, and the like [even if they are Brahman-s,] for they are under an illusion, called war...' So said Bhiishma to Krishna and thereby Panadava-s have eliminated Drona, Kripa, Ashvaddhaama and suchlike weaponed Brahman-s in war, but not in peace. There are many more such sayings of Bhiishma. Here Parashu Rama said that he will give a duel to Rama, hence he is no more a Brahman when he raises a weapon. And he is a blood relation of Vishwamitra, and that corner of mercy is not allowing Rama to release the arrow on Parashu Rama.
"However this Vishnu's divine arrow is the conqueror of opponents' citadels, and a vanquisher of their vigour and vainglory, and as such it cannot fall through wastefully. Oh, Bhaargava Rama, either this motility of yours at the speed of your mind, or even those unparalleled realms of heavens which you have earned by the power of your ascesis, I will eliminate whichever you wish."
Gods together with the assemblages of sages had come, keeping the Grandparent Brahma at their fore. Gandharva-s, apsara-s, siddha-s, caarana-s, kinnaraa-s, yaksha-s, sprites and reptilian beings had also come to see Rama who was now wielding the extraordinary longbow of Vishnu, and extremely amazing event that was going to ensue.
Then, when Rama was ready to take aim with the arrow on that inscrutable longbow, and when the worlds were being rendered as oblivious, then that Rama of Jamadagni was rendered absolutely effete and he was simply staring at Rama of Dasharatha in a daze.
Vividly: When the aura of Vishnu available in Bhaargava Rama had entered Dasharatha Rama through that inscrutable longbow of Vishnu, Dasharatha Rama's aura dazzled like that of Vishnu, and that dazzlement of Vishnu's aura threw the world in a daze, and then that aura-less, thus vigourless Bhaargava Rama had nothing to do except to stare at Vishnu-like Rama, with upraised eyes.
Rama of Jamadagni was rendered enfeebled as his vitality was subdued by the radiance of Rama of Dasharatha, and he spoke to Rama of Dasharatha, slowly and softly "Once, when I donated the entire earth to the Sage Kashyapa, Kashyapa told me 'uninhabitable is my domain, viz., this earth for you...' thus...
A donor cannot enjoy a gift anymore, once donated to the donee. And if the donor still clings around that donation, it does not come under the true definition of 'donation.' Hence, Parashu Rama is asked to depart from this world. Hence he had gone to the ethereal mountain called Mt. Mahendra.
"From that moment onwards I do not spend nights on this earth. I, therefore would not like my motility impaired. I will depart with the speed of our thoughts to Mt. Mahendra. But I triumphed over matchless realms of heavens with my ascesis; you may hash them up with that irreversible arrow. I have realized your touch of nature as that of the Immutable Supreme Being, God of Gods, the Exterminator of the demon Madhu, namely Vishnu.
"All the gods who have come collectively are beholding you and your next move, for you are an unequalled one in your achievements and to whom there is no counter-dueller in conflicts...
Parashu Rama is hastening up Dasharatha Rama to finish business quickly, otherwise the nature of Rama and his incarnation will publicized, not by these two Rama-s, but the game watching gods. If these spectators stay for a long time in the sky, some airborne demon will let the cat out of the bag.
"Oh, Kakutstha Rama, you are the lord of the triad of worlds, such as you are, you faced me down, and it is malapropos to say that this is a disgrace to me. I therefore request you to release that arrow now and I will depart to the ethereal mountain Mt. Mahendra, a point of no return for me."
Hearing that, Rama smiled and released that arrow. And Rama of Jamadagni vanished in a trice to Mt. Mahendra, the heavenly mountain.
On the departure of Rama of Jamadagni, that most glorious Rama of Dasharatha gave away that longbow of Vishnu into the hand of the inimitable Rain-god.
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