Parashuraam seemed very elated,

But Jamadagni was disappointed.

He was grim, nodding his head,

"Don't know what trouble you bred.

A king is the last person to kill,

The raajya is run at his will.

Without him the kingdom is fateless,

So many people rendered stateless.

Now what has happened cannot be undone,

Anger of yours you better shun."

To begin hom Jamadagni went,

To forest Raam for woods he sent.

Today will require yagna greater

To pray for peace of the past dictator.

All night Raam was fighting,

Now after bathing he did some eating.

Then he followed his daily routine

Going to forest as always had been.

Meanwhile Aarjunis after hunting all day,

Taking rest at night to keep fatigue at bay,

Returned after dawn to the palace,

What they found was beyond their guess.

None was speaking, neither cheering,

Heads-eyes otherwise, solemn atmosphere to bring.

Princes looked, nobody looked back,

Harsh cries of crows black

Tore through air paining their ears,

Why the heart is filling with fears?

Ministers crowded, head downed.

Pushing them aside, they horribly found

Their king-father lying in a pool of blood,

The marble floor was all in flood.

A ghastly scene, all hands cut off,

Disjoined head, face rough.

Eyes wide, looking nowhere,

The morbid picture was difficult to bear.

The crown ruling the whole world,

Blood-stained, on floor lies hurled.

"It is Parashuraam, none other,

He killed our great father."

At once they set on chariots.

Ordered ministers they, furious,

To keep the army at stand by,

Wherever they are, at palace high.

But Parashuraam was out in forest.

Jamadagni decided to take a rest

By cooling off his mind in meditation,

To reduce day's happening tension.

Alas! Tension hasn't gone still,

Coming in greater waves, that's God's will.

At bordering jungle Jamadagni came,

To be for few hours in Brahma realm.

He sat on a favourite spot,

That occasionally peace brought,

Under a tree, over rock bed,

Not much sunshine, beautiful shade.

Because meditating place should be higher

Than average level of ground. Fire

Thus leaps up in heart,

Confidence arises, to be part

of a higher level.

Inside greatness thus revel.

Rathees- charioteers- forest entered,

Encircled around Jamadagni centered.

Alighting, they looked for Raam around,

With revengeful mind, murder bound.

"Raam is not here," Shoorsen said,

"Afraid, probably he has fled."

"The calf was not there, it was Raam's handiwork,

We will definitely find Raam, mark."

At Oorjit's comment Jayadhwaj replied,

"Look, Parashuraam's father is eyed.

Harmless, weaponless, in dhyaan deep,

Spiritually powerful, now nothing to keep.

We shall avenge the death of our father,

By killing his father, none other."

At this all same opined,

Together all, to all they signed.

These cunning foxes forgot the basic

Kshatriya dharma- unarmed not to pick.

They all encircled Jamadagni in dhyan,

A wrishi amongst armed Kshatriya clan.

They all readied their wooden, strong bows,

Connected with strings their arrows.

Dhyaanastha Jamadagni was hundred times hit,

The royal members did not care a bit.

The great Brahmabaadee fell on mud

From his aasan, with a resounding thud.

In chariots rode away the princes maliceful,

Where are the sunrays of goodness to pull?

Jamadagni was not dead, in agony wreathing,

Waiting to see Raam's face, before last breathing.

His flesh was pierced by hundred arrow heads,

When will cease Kshatriya's nationwide raids?

He was strong, though an old man,

Great physical and mental strength in his blood ran.

Such a man never forgets to remember

The name of God, before leaving body-chamber.

But Jamadagni muttered in painful sensation,

"Raam, Raam" without cessation.

Raam, by the way, was from jungle returning,

His agony-pronounced name in his ears did ring.

He had gone deep into forest

To choose trees for wood best.

What was happening he knew not,

At outskirts of jungle what calamity brought.

Perplexed, he looked for source of sound,

At his favourite place his father he found.

Astonished, to his father ran he,

Wounded from shoulder to the knee.

"Pitaa! Pitaa!!" Terribly he cried,

Overflew his emotion's tide.

Broken arrows lying here and there,

As his body turned, helpless, bare.

Than his father nothing he loved more,

To the great yogee, all his respect did pour.

He understood readily what did happen,

How Jamadagni was inflicted with arrows' rain.

But no time to waste, there was still life in him,

Pulled out arrows with black face grim.

For each pull, Jamadagni shrilled,

Peaceful, self-content forest was filled

With heart-wrenching, agonising sound,

Where in this world Brahma to be found?

With pieces of flesh arrow-heads came out.

So Raam did with heart stout.

Pain was gone, but blood was oozing,

Raam covered the wounds, his clothes using.

Panting Jamadagni beautifully smiled,

Looked with love at his favourite child.

He could not die before seeing his face,

Seeing serving son he was full of grace.

Parashuraam quickly picked up his father,

Saving his life was his only bother.

He ran to their huts, face utmost red,

Eyes rolling, with dried tears shed.

Not seeing anything, path even not,

Apparently blank mind destination brought.

Reaching, he ran to hut keeping store,

Laying down father at the door,

To get herbal medicines duly preserved.

By then by the commotion the family observed

The terrible scene to their shocking,

What catastrophe the day to bring!

On her husband's breast Renukaa fell,

Sky, trees, earth were filled at her yell.

Raam gently removed his mother,

Standing horrified was Raam's each brother.

"Stay calm, maatah, pitaa's still alive,

Let's not waste time to make him revive."

Brothers checked the wounds, while Raam collected

Medicines to apply parts affected.

All brothers became engaged

In treatment with heart raged.

After much time heart rate increased,

Jamadagni's senses were much eased.

The situation to them Parashuraam explained,

How revenge on him his father gained.

The brothers were enraged, him only blamed

Why King's life Raam had claimed.

Parashuraam was speechless, with lips wide

Stared blankly. They could not hide

Their compromising, weak attitude,

To live a low life devoid of feud.

Jamadagni was perturbed at the scenario,

Even at this hour his strength did show.

"Stop it! Listen to Raam if you can.

It's better to die than put faith in ban.

Goals are determined by your confidence.

He believed he could, so he went for offence.

Raam, come here.'' At Raam's approach,

Jamadagni to his loyal son began to coach,

''You are an avataar, Vishnu's son,

To establish peace have been brought on.

You cannot rest before duty fulfilling,

Let this cover your sattvaa- being.''

He paused as it was difficult to speak,

In last pal gifting knowledge his seek.

''How to make peace, pitaa, say,

When demons all have closed the way?''

''It is, O Raam, for you to find out,

How among darkness light may sprout.''

Thus spake Jamadagni, the great Brahma-exponent,

The last words before being One with the Element.

Renukaa banged her head, repeatedly, on the hut-floor,

Fire, nay, volcano Raam in chest bore.

''Aum Hari, Aum Hari'' brothers, reciting,

Arranged woods from stable for the burning,

On woods and corpse applied ghee,

Prayed for their father's aatmaa free.

By then many had gathered the compound,

Grief and blame all over to sound.

Rumanvaan applied fire on pitaa's lips,

Uttering shloks as per scripts.

Then alighted the stock to terrible flame

Which addressed the sky in his name.

Parashuraam was deep inside

Beholding the fire, took to decide,

''Dear father, I shall not rest,

Till I establish peace at its best.

The powerfuls won't understand, you know,

Till their heads get hard-hitting blow.

I take the vow, O father, I shall wipe out,

The martial race of the kshatriyas stout.''