Rama Chandra Dasharath-putra Kaushalya-putra Raghava, of the Ikshwaku clan of the Suryavanshi dynasty, along with his brother Lakshman Dasharath-putra Saumitrin Raghava, trained under the seer-mage, or rshi, Vishwamitra Kaushika. Vishwamitra summoned them for defending the twelve-year-long sacrifice Vishwamitra was conducting, from the Rakshas hordes protecting the forest from the sacrificial flames, and their way of life. The Rakshas hordes were led by the beautiful Queen Tataka. Rama killed Tataka, and, along with Lakshman, learned the Maha-mantra Gayatri, that summoned the Maha-Brahman-Shakti of Bala and Atibala, giving nigh-omnipotence in battle. Using this, Lakshman and Rama killed Tataka's son, Subahu, with the Agneya-astra, the astra of the Firelord Agni, and forced Subahu's younger, more powerful brother, Mareech, to a retreat with the Purusha-astra, or the Manava-astra, charged with the power of the Solar Dynasty.
After this, Vishwamitra took Rama and Lakshman to Mithila, capital of Videha, where the swyam-vara of King Janak's daughter, heir to the throne of Videha, the warrior-princess Sita Vaidehi Janaki was taking place. The conquest was to string the Pinaka Bow of Rudra, which was nigh-impossible to lift; the feat had been accomplished by Sita herself.
The Bow had been used by Rudra to raze Tripura, the three cities of Tarakaksha, Vidyunmali and Kamalaksh, the sons of Tarakasura. Rama succeeded where all others failed, but broke the bow in the process. The bow reforged, and was sent back to Rudra's abode at Kailash.
Hearing the destruction of the bow, Rama Jamadagneya, chieftain of the Bhargava-Angirasa clan of scholar-warriors, descendant of Kavi Brghu - the son of Agni the Firelord, better known to itihasa (history) by a much more fearsome name: Parashurama, emerged as the marriage procession proceeded to Ayodhya, capital of Kosala, where Rama lived with his father, King Dasharath.
Parashurama challenged Rama to a duel, after giving him an ancient bow - Kodanda.
"Eons ago," he said, "Vishwakarman, the architect of the gods, forged two invincible bows - the Bow of Rudra, Pinaka, used by him to raze the three cities of Tripura, the bow you destroyed, and the Bow of Narayana, Kodanda, the bow I have given you. Narayana and Rudra once dueled using their bows, and Narayana's bow overcame Rudra the Annihilator himself. Rudra later equaled Narayana in another duel, but before that, he gave his bow to Janak, King of Videha, and Narayana gave his bow to me. Now, I have given you this bow. I shall use my dev astra, the Battleaxe of Destruction given to me by Shiva Rudra the Destroyer, razer of Tripura, and duel you, Rama Chandra. Thus, has Bhargava Parashurama Jamadagneya Chyavanya spoken."
Vashishta, eldest son of Bramha the Creator, a preceptor to Rama and senior-most among seer-mages, greater in power and tapasya than Parashurama himself, declared that the duel was to happen, and Rama and Parashurama faced each other.
Rama chanted the Gayatri Mantra, summoning the energies of Bala and Atibala, and pulled the string of Kodanda, as the twang filled the universe with the primordial sound - Aum A-Ka-Ho Sa-Ri-Ga-Ma-Pa-Da-Ni, and all shlokas and mantras, all syllables, words and possible sounds, silence and entropy, everything, reflected in that single sound.
Parashurama chanted the invincible shloka of Rudra, charging the Axe of Destruction with the Pashupata-astra; then, with an unmistakable screech of delight, the dev astra controlled its own movements, striking and seriously injuring Rama twice.
Rama, undeterred, determined to win, sent the Manava-astra at Parashurama, but it was easily blocked and destroyed by the omnipotence of Pashupati, the protector of creatures, Rudra himself.
Then, Rama summoned his danava-destroying chakra, Sudarshana. The sky, veiled by crow-black clouds, flashed a blinding light, and Sudarshana descended as if fixed to a rigid pole. It fixed itself to Rama's finger, and spun in immeasurable speed, the indestructable weapon made of a metal unknown to mortal science, of blazing golden hue, equal in luster to Jatavedas, the refulgent Agni himself, and to Surya, Vivasvat himself, progenitor of the Solar Dynasty.
The thirty-three razor-sharp blades hit each other, the friction creating a keening edge to each of the jagged spikes. Then, in one of his omnipotent forms as Achyuta the Imperishable, with the strength of a thousand elephants, Rama released the chakra. With an unmistakable screech of delight, the dev astra descended upon Parashurama of the Axe. Parashurama's battleaxe, charged with the Pashupata-astra, hit the Sudarshana Chakra, charged with the Vaishnava-astra.
The two dev astras collided, and Parashurama was pushed backward, as the axe flung of Bhargava's grip, as Rama Chandra was declared the victor.
After this, Vishwamitra took Rama and Lakshman to Mithila, capital of Videha, where the swyam-vara of King Janak's daughter, heir to the throne of Videha, the warrior-princess Sita Vaidehi Janaki was taking place. The conquest was to string the Pinaka Bow of Rudra, which was nigh-impossible to lift; the feat had been accomplished by Sita herself.
The Bow had been used by Rudra to raze Tripura, the three cities of Tarakaksha, Vidyunmali and Kamalaksh, the sons of Tarakasura. Rama succeeded where all others failed, but broke the bow in the process. The bow reforged, and was sent back to Rudra's abode at Kailash.
Hearing the destruction of the bow, Rama Jamadagneya, chieftain of the Bhargava-Angirasa clan of scholar-warriors, descendant of Kavi Brghu - the son of Agni the Firelord, better known to itihasa (history) by a much more fearsome name: Parashurama, emerged as the marriage procession proceeded to Ayodhya, capital of Kosala, where Rama lived with his father, King Dasharath.
Parashurama challenged Rama to a duel, after giving him an ancient bow - Kodanda.
"Eons ago," he said, "Vishwakarman, the architect of the gods, forged two invincible bows - the Bow of Rudra, Pinaka, used by him to raze the three cities of Tripura, the bow you destroyed, and the Bow of Narayana, Kodanda, the bow I have given you. Narayana and Rudra once dueled using their bows, and Narayana's bow overcame Rudra the Annihilator himself. Rudra later equaled Narayana in another duel, but before that, he gave his bow to Janak, King of Videha, and Narayana gave his bow to me. Now, I have given you this bow. I shall use my dev astra, the Battleaxe of Destruction given to me by Shiva Rudra the Destroyer, razer of Tripura, and duel you, Rama Chandra. Thus, has Bhargava Parashurama Jamadagneya Chyavanya spoken."
Vashishta, eldest son of Bramha the Creator, a preceptor to Rama and senior-most among seer-mages, greater in power and tapasya than Parashurama himself, declared that the duel was to happen, and Rama and Parashurama faced each other.
Rama chanted the Gayatri Mantra, summoning the energies of Bala and Atibala, and pulled the string of Kodanda, as the twang filled the universe with the primordial sound - Aum A-Ka-Ho Sa-Ri-Ga-Ma-Pa-Da-Ni, and all shlokas and mantras, all syllables, words and possible sounds, silence and entropy, everything, reflected in that single sound.
Parashurama chanted the invincible shloka of Rudra, charging the Axe of Destruction with the Pashupata-astra; then, with an unmistakable screech of delight, the dev astra controlled its own movements, striking and seriously injuring Rama twice.
Rama, undeterred, determined to win, sent the Manava-astra at Parashurama, but it was easily blocked and destroyed by the omnipotence of Pashupati, the protector of creatures, Rudra himself.
Then, Rama summoned his danava-destroying chakra, Sudarshana. The sky, veiled by crow-black clouds, flashed a blinding light, and Sudarshana descended as if fixed to a rigid pole. It fixed itself to Rama's finger, and spun in immeasurable speed, the indestructable weapon made of a metal unknown to mortal science, of blazing golden hue, equal in luster to Jatavedas, the refulgent Agni himself, and to Surya, Vivasvat himself, progenitor of the Solar Dynasty.
The thirty-three razor-sharp blades hit each other, the friction creating a keening edge to each of the jagged spikes. Then, in one of his omnipotent forms as Achyuta the Imperishable, with the strength of a thousand elephants, Rama released the chakra. With an unmistakable screech of delight, the dev astra descended upon Parashurama of the Axe. Parashurama's battleaxe, charged with the Pashupata-astra, hit the Sudarshana Chakra, charged with the Vaishnava-astra.
The two dev astras collided, and Parashurama was pushed backward, as the axe flung of Bhargava's grip, as Rama Chandra was declared the victor.