Bhishma said - Let me tell you more.
There is a great lake near the Brahmaputra river. It is here that the sage Parashurama had bathed to clean himself off the sin of killing his mother.
Yudhistira said - I am amazed. Why did a sage like Parashurama, kill his own mother?
Bhishma said -
Jamadagni was a great sage. He was married to Renuka. They had five sons, the youngest of whom was called Rama. One day Jamadagni asked Renuka to fetch water for his worship. Renuka went with the pitcher to get water. There she saw the aprasa Gritachi dancing. She stood watching the apsara and lost track on time. When she came back with the water, it was late. The sage got angry and asked his eldest son to cut off the head of Renuka. The eldest son did not want the sin of matricide in his hands and he refused. The sage asked the other three sons and they too refused.At this, the sage asked Rama to cut off the head of his mother and four brothers. Not thinking twice, Rama did that.
The sage was pleased and blessed him to be immortal and a great warrior. He asked his son to ask for something.
Rama said Please revive my mother and brothers.
Jamadagni did that and the four brothers and Renuka got up.
The sin of death was heavy in the hands of Rama.He was not able to throw down the axe from his hand. He asked his father what to do.
Jamadagni thought for a while and said The sin of killing ones mother is a grave one. For that you need to visit all the pilgrim spots. Once done, go to the brahmin Vishnuyasha. He will tell you how to loose the axe from your hand.
Rama started off.
He went to Gaya, Varanasi, banks of Ganga, Mansarovar, Prabhasa and all other pilgrim spots across the land.
After that he went to the land of Kosala to meet Vishnuyasha.
Vishnuyasha wanted to know who he was.
Rama told him. Vishnuyasha told him to have a dip in the lake near Brahmaputra. The lake, he said, had whirlpools in it, and one had to be careful else the person would get pulled inside.
Vishnuyaksha said - Once a great sage Sutapa went to Brahma. There he happened to see the apsara Menaka with lustful eyes. The sage was cursed to live like a crocodile in the lake and devour anyone who went there. The sage asked how he would get relief. Brahma said When Rama with the axe (Parashu) went to the lake, the crocodile would be relieved.
When Parashurama went there, he saw the whirlpools trying to drown him. With his axe, he cut the current and the water quietened. Parashurama then had a bath there. The crocodile came and bit him. Parashurama pulled the crocodile to the shore. The crocodile, relieved of its curse, left the place.
Relieved of the sin, Parashurama went home.
There is a great lake near the Brahmaputra river. It is here that the sage Parashurama had bathed to clean himself off the sin of killing his mother.
Yudhistira said - I am amazed. Why did a sage like Parashurama, kill his own mother?
Bhishma said -
Jamadagni was a great sage. He was married to Renuka. They had five sons, the youngest of whom was called Rama. One day Jamadagni asked Renuka to fetch water for his worship. Renuka went with the pitcher to get water. There she saw the aprasa Gritachi dancing. She stood watching the apsara and lost track on time. When she came back with the water, it was late. The sage got angry and asked his eldest son to cut off the head of Renuka. The eldest son did not want the sin of matricide in his hands and he refused. The sage asked the other three sons and they too refused.At this, the sage asked Rama to cut off the head of his mother and four brothers. Not thinking twice, Rama did that.
The sage was pleased and blessed him to be immortal and a great warrior. He asked his son to ask for something.
Rama said Please revive my mother and brothers.
Jamadagni did that and the four brothers and Renuka got up.
The sin of death was heavy in the hands of Rama.He was not able to throw down the axe from his hand. He asked his father what to do.
Jamadagni thought for a while and said The sin of killing ones mother is a grave one. For that you need to visit all the pilgrim spots. Once done, go to the brahmin Vishnuyasha. He will tell you how to loose the axe from your hand.
Rama started off.
He went to Gaya, Varanasi, banks of Ganga, Mansarovar, Prabhasa and all other pilgrim spots across the land.
After that he went to the land of Kosala to meet Vishnuyasha.
Vishnuyasha wanted to know who he was.
Rama told him. Vishnuyasha told him to have a dip in the lake near Brahmaputra. The lake, he said, had whirlpools in it, and one had to be careful else the person would get pulled inside.
Vishnuyaksha said - Once a great sage Sutapa went to Brahma. There he happened to see the apsara Menaka with lustful eyes. The sage was cursed to live like a crocodile in the lake and devour anyone who went there. The sage asked how he would get relief. Brahma said When Rama with the axe (Parashu) went to the lake, the crocodile would be relieved.
When Parashurama went there, he saw the whirlpools trying to drown him. With his axe, he cut the current and the water quietened. Parashurama then had a bath there. The crocodile came and bit him. Parashurama pulled the crocodile to the shore. The crocodile, relieved of its curse, left the place.
Relieved of the sin, Parashurama went home.
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