Parashurama Wonders How Compassion Entered His Heart
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 277
Doha 280 · Movement 1 of 2
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Parashurama says his hand will not move though fury burns his chest. Has the king-slaying axe grown blunt? Has hostile fate reversed his nature? How could compassion have entered a heart trained for terrible action?
Mercy makes him suffer unbearably. Lakshmana bows his head and calls him compassion embodied, whose words fall like flowers. If kindness burns the sage so fiercely, what would true anger do to his body?
Parashurama warns Janaka that the stubborn youth desires a home in Death's city and tells the king to shield his eyes. Lakshmana thinks that closing the eyes cannot make a person disappear. The struggle has become almost inward: the axe-bearer battles the restraint arising within himself and calls it weakness.
The warrior who conquered kings now wrestles with the unexpected mercy holding his own hand.
Read the passage from the Manas
बहइ न हाथु दहइ रिस छाती। भा कुठारु कुंठित नृपघाती।। भयउ बाम बिधि फिरेउ सुभाऊ। मोरे हृदयँ कृपा कसि काऊ।। आजु दया दुखु दुसह सहावा। सुनि सौमित्र बिहसि सिरु नावा।। बाउ कृपा मूरति अनुकूला। बोलत बचन झरत जनु फूला।। जौं पै कृपाँ जरिहिं मुनि गाता। क्रोध भएँ तनु राख बिधाता।। देखु जनक हठि बालक एहू। कीन्ह चहत जड़ जमपुर गेहू।। बेगि करहु किन आँखिन्ह ओटा। देखत छोट खोट नृप ढोटा।। बिहसे लखनु कहा मन माहीं। मूदें आँखि कतहुँ कोउ नाहीं।।
My hand will not rise, yet fury scorches my chest. My axe, the slayer of kings, has grown blunt. Fate has turned against me and my very nature has shifted. How could compassion ever have entered this heart of mine? Today mercy makes me endure pain beyond bearing. Hearing this, Lakshmana smiled and bowed his head. 'O father, you are the very image of compassion and grace. Your words fall like blossoms as you speak. If compassion alone sets the sage's body ablaze, then what would become of him when true anger arose? Let the Creator say! Look, Janaka, at this stubborn boy. The fool wishes to make his home in the city of Yama. Quickly shield your eyes, O king. This wretched little princeling is not worth looking upon.' Lakshmana smiled and thought to himself: 'Closing one's eyes does not make anyone disappear.'