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.

By then Jamadagni reached there,

Greeted smilingly the king and his heir.

He blessed all with raised right hand,

Felt happy seeing the royal band.

Then he went away while the princes ate,

Sat in dhyaan, went to samaadhi state.

Arjun said, "These are foods heavenly,

I have never tasted such delicacies certainly.

Wherefrom you got such stomach-fill,

Tell me, bring to palace I will."

Renukaa answered, "From Kaamdhenu cow

We produce these foods, now you know how.

Her produce help us in our spiritual life,

She is divine cow, full of vibe."

"I want to see your cow great,

So astonishing to have such a pet."

To their stable Renukaa took them,

Affectionately called out by her name.

Kaamdhenu replied with "Haambaa" call,

Her glorious tone on their ears did fall.

There sat her calf, tied to wooden pole,

Milky white, very cute, her child sole.

Lovingly Kaamdhenu her calf licked,

"This is the one", Arjun in mind picked.

"I will steal the calf, my cow will be it,

She will feed me with food sumptuous, fit.

What can Raam do, also, I will test,

He has to forget the calf, at its best."

In mind, he a little giggled,

With cunning thought was his mind filled.

"What a beautiful cow!" he expressly said,

"What a beautiful day you have made!

Tell about your family, pray,

Your guest treatment made me sway."

Renukaa about her family told,

About her husband and sons bold.

Arjun came to know Raam was not there,

Whereabouts of the family lied bare.

Greeting Renukaa Arjun went out,

Adviced briefly his five sons stout.

To the palace he came back,

His five sons stayed for the sack.

They stayed hidden behind the trees

And bushes, not a life of ease.

Night fell, all were asleep,

They entered the stable, a flock of sheep.

Jayadhwaj, Shoorsen, Vrishabh, Madhu and

Oorjit- on Kaamdhenu did land.

With ropes in hands, stealthily creeping,

Not a bit of sense in human feeling.

Shoorsen and Vrishabh quickly tied

Kaamdhenu's horns before she eyed.

Jayadhwaj with a knot tied already

Approached the cow before she was ready,

Surrounded it round her mouth,

Sacred cow's maltreatment by uncouth.

Then they fell for Kaamdhenu's calf,

Princes working on King's behalf.

It's mouth and feet tied they,

Immorality had made them sway.

Undid it from binding pole,

Thus they completed their thieving role.

Do anything Kaamdhenu could not,

As she was tied to the rod.

She struggled with the rope, pulled it hard,

But the princes not a bit cared.

Then Oorjit placed the calf on shoulder of his,

The calf, tied, could not itself release.

They went back, at dead of night,

The wolves were howling a call fright.

The Bhaargavs could not know a bit

They were falling on a deadly pit.

As usual, Raam rose at dawn,

Got up from bed, without a yawn,

Offered pranaam, Shiv in mind,

To dedication, discipline, renunciation find,

Went to take a bath in river,

Pleasure, energy, peace giver,

Didn't notice the stable concentrated,

Didn't know how life is fated,

Bathed, came out, to woods he went,

Because he was youngest, so he was sent.

With axe in hand, on shoulder at rest,

Bravely the valiant went to forest.

Aaryavartya was of forest full,

With less people, wood everyday to pull.

Meanwhile the cow could not utter a sound

With mouth tied, to help nobody was found.

Went Parashuraam to stable on return

To keep the woods later to burn.

Saw his father Kaamdhenu hugging,

The calf around nowhere seen.

He asked his father, concerned.

"Price of treat we earned.

King Arjun has took our calf,

Return of gratitude on their behalf."

His mother was outside kitchen standing,

Weeping and shaking, in heart to ring.

Great anger ran through Raam's veins,

His great energy out of chains.

Red in anger, towards palace he ran,

Giant, heavy, ferocious man.

Crossed the jungle-path, crossed the town,

With bombing eyes, a large frown.

Royal buildings standing high,

There was the calf- sitting, shy,

At the entrance of Arjun's mahal.

Seeing, his eyes rolled like ball.

With great fury, through halls he went,

His avenging nature looking for vent.

Unaware, the guards caught by surprise,

With his heavy axe he made them slice.

There came three sainiks with spears in hand

To find their heads cut off, the poor band.

The axe's blade contained the energy of Shiv,

Death to the victim to thoroughly give.

Hearing the cacophony, Arjun was alarmed

In his bedroom, got fully armed.

Two soldiers came in hastily, terrified,

"Beware, O King, a demon is eyed."

By then Parashuraam entered the room,

Chopped off their heads like dirt-clearing broom.

Kaarttyaveeryaarjun thundered, "You are Parashuraam, right?

Vain will go your big fight.

King's guards you dared to kill!

For this go to heaven you will.

Surrender! You will have a painless death.

You were disloyal to King's faith."

Parashuraam groaned, "Heaven you will go, for you if there is any,

In one sin you have committed many.

Part of family is the calf,

You have tore our family to half.

Kaamdhenu is crying, unable to bear,

Parents' tears are intolerable, you hear!

You don't befit the aasan of King,

Covered with malice your heart being.

Cow is mother, you don't know,

Giver of milk, you dharma-foe."

By then two soldiers rushed into,

Them Arjun quickly away did shoo.

"This is my game, I will care,

None to disturb, just scene share.

Raam, nobody can kill me but Force Supreme,

I am His ambassador, bow down to Him."

"No more," Raam charged and axed,

Even with thousand weapons Arjun was vexed.

Raam's axe like lightning moved,

Almost invisible, could barely be shoved.

With thousand weapons Arjun defended,

With clash against axe, all they ended.

Sparkles fumed all around,

With disturbing metallic sound.

Aces, swords, tridents, spears-

Size and length of which anyone fears;

Khargas, knives, bows and arrows

Capable of killing four thousand foes;

To curve deep ankush and to defend shields-

In whose ferocity anybody yields;

-All fell on Parashuraam and the axe of his,

In quick succession without cease.

Raam countered all in lightning defence,

His senses reached one great sense.

His great fighting talent all came out,

Terrible attack all to flout.

Great eyes, great agility, great concentration,

With massive power in augmentation.

Raam counterbalanced weapons approaching

With great speed as per Shiva's coaching,

On other hands keeping an eye,

Loathsome weapons raining fie.

Suddenly he noticed Arjun's wrist gilded,

Dangerously beautiful curvingly wielded

Incoming kharga his below rib targeting,

Shining, splendid arc cutting

Through air almost reaching him,

Just a nimesh five pals did seem.

He flew on air backward,

While driving the axe forward.

From wrist Arjun's hand fell on ground

With the kharga, on floor it found.

Arjun, controlling pain, kept on fighting,

With teeth his lower lip eating.

Raam knelt, axe hitting upward,

Elbow out, hands less two numbered.

Ferociously hitting in quick succession,

Many hands fell in that fashion.

Fountains of blood throughout the room,

Arjun realised he met his doom.

People you make so long cower,

As long you meet with greater power.

The great valiant fighting kept on,

Even at death his valiance shown.

All thousand hands fell on floor,

Clash of titans terribly bore.

Loosing all hands Arjun stood straight,

In Parashuraam's eyes met death's gate.

He realized his vanity, renunciation at tower,

Nothing can be achieved with sole power.

Parashuraam, with his axe's one shot,

Beheading Arjun, his death brought.

Raam, now his ire pacified,

Walked where the calf was in sight.

Raam, gently, takes the calf,

In foreign place in fear shrunk to half.

Put it on his shoulder with much care,

Affection in security to together share.

Reaching home, he happily yells,

"Happiness of union now greatly bells.

O father, look, I have brought back the calf,

The stealer villain I have cut in half."

Raam places calf Kaamdhenu before,

Mother's joy could not be more.

She licks her calf all anxiety gone,

Fit for the world in union to clap on.