A fine morning dawned on Jamadagni's huts,
As open as the dweller who never shuts.
In Braahma muhoorta - second - all got up,
The dawning time, to be followed sharp,
To make the mind and body work at their best,
Good sense prevails throughout the day rest.
The whole family to bath went to river,
Then to do rituals, gods' satisfaction-giver.
Raam, the youngest, went to woods,
To provide enough fire-foods,
To be used in yagna, with hymns and sacrifice,
To be offered with ghrita, gods' price.
Ghrita enflames the fire more,
The fire rises as they pour.
At the advent of spiritual energy,
One feels the heart is burnt from lethargy.
All sins accrued, wrong tendency, thought,
Are burnt to ashes by Divine Power brought.
There's a feeling in whole body, mind,
From heart spreads purity for pure to find.
Such is the sacrifice in yagna-fire,
To bring your sins, yourself in pyre.
Ghrita, clarified butter, is from milk obtained,
From the desire-cow Kaamdhenu's nipple's end.
The cow belonged to Indra originally,
Reached in Jamadagni's hands finally.
The cow was in heaven, grazed in Nandan garden,
Where there is no sound or rain.
For souls have no physical feeling,
Only sense that light up their being.
Arjun and his Kaarttyaveeryas hundred,
On Jamadagni's aashram went to raid.
Reaching, found Renukaa in household work,
The wolfish predators were cunningly in lark.
Arjun asked, "Where is griha-kartaa - house-lord?
We are dying of thirst, to wait cannot afford."
Renukaa invited, "You are my guest,
Please be seated, I'll serve you best.
Guest is god, dharma says,
It's virtuous to serve him in all the ways.
My husband is yagna performing,
As you can hear hymns he is singing."
Renukaa served water to all the king's men
In heart filled with gratitude and then
Went on saying, "Have some food,
I am sure you will like them, they taste so good."
Renukaa brought them foods delicious,
It filled their hearts zealous, malicious.
The kshatriyas to their hearts' content ate,
Match of royal foods there they met.
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Parashuram : the ascetic warrior
PoetryFeatured in Poetry section. The Brahmin, who took to arms to subdue the arrogant warrior class of Kshatriyas, deserves an epic. He is depicted here with all his attributes and vulnerabilities, taken from mythology. If the stories contradict, only...
