Parashurama Chalisa

Victory to Lord Parashurama, an ocean of joy. Victory to the master of sages, the sun who lights up virtue and wisdom.

You are the crown jewel of the Bhrigu line and a fierce, steady fighter in war. The fire of a warrior burns in you, yet your body keeps the calm of a sage.

You are the son of Jamadagni, born to Renuka. Your splendour and power spread across the whole world.

You appeared in the bright fortnight of Vaishakha, on the third lunar day, under the gentle Punarvasu star, a most pleasing moment.

Your birth came in the first watch of the night, when the air was neither cold nor hot. It was the Pradosh tithi, a time that carries ease and happiness.

Then, in the sage's hut, the newborn gave his first cry. Lord Hari himself took birth from Renuka's womb.

At your birth six planets stood exalted in their own signs. Your moon-sign was Gemini, and the placing of Rahu set deep good fortune in place.

Joining brilliance with wisdom, you took a human form. In the house of Jamadagni, the Supreme itself was born.

As a child you were given the pure name Rama. By chanting that holy name the world finds rest and peace.

Three lines of sacred ash mark your brow, and matted locks crown your head. The munja-grass sacred thread on your shoulder is lovely to behold.

A fine girdle of deerskin wraps your waist. A Rudraksha rosary rests across your broad chest.

Your handsome form shines in yellow cloth. The quiver and bow on your shoulder win over every heart.

You know the Vedas, Puranas, Shrutis and Smritis through and through. The world knows you as anger given form, anger raised to guard dharma.

In your right hand you lift the holy axe. In your left you hold, with grace, the Vedic scripture.

You are deeply learned, with virtue and knowledge beyond measure. You hold full command over both the scriptures and the weapons.

Across the fourteen worlds and the nine regions, in every direction, your fame and fierce power are felt.

Once you came to blows with Lord Ganesha. You are like the bee circling the lotus of the Bhrigu line, ever devoted to its honour.

You broke one of Ganesha's tusks and so ended the fight. From that day Ganesha carried the name Ekadanta, the one-tusked lord.

King Kartavirya Arjuna, the ruler with a thousand arms, was a cruel and dreadful tyrant.

Seeing the divine wish-granting cow at Jamadagni's hermitage, he resolved in his heart to seize it for his own palace.

When asking did not win him the cow, he started a battle. He was defeated, and the whole world laughed at his folly.

The wicked king's heart filled with hardened rage. His hatred toward the sage Jamadagni swelled beyond bounds.

The great sage sat lost in deep meditation. The king struck him down with his weapon in that defenceless moment.

As the weapon landed, Jamadagni fell. It was as if fate itself had turned against the warrior clans that day.

Hearing of his father's killing and his mother's heavy weeping, Parashurama's mind filled with fierce anger and endless grief.

Taking up his sharp and terrible axe, he struck down the wicked king at once.

He offered the blood of the warriors as a libation for his father. So the son repaid the murder of his father.

Twenty-one times he cleared the earth of its tyrant warriors. The land he won he then gave away to the Brahmins.

In the Treta age a beautiful deed unfolded, when Lord Rama of the Raghu line broke the great bow of Shiva.

Taking the one who broke his Guru's bow for an enemy, you resolved to destroy him root and branch.

Then Rama of the Raghu line joined his palms in respect and spoke humbly, and afterwards quietly revealed his own divine strength.

The mighty Bhishma, Drona and Karna all became your pupils in the Dvapara age.

You gave them the knowledge of weapons and scripture, and they earned great renown. Through their teacher's glory their fame travelled to every horizon.

In all four ages your greatness has been sung, by gods and sages, by humans and demons alike.

You gave all your wealth to the sage Kashyapa and withdrew to the Mahendra mountain to perform penance.

Even now, O Lord, you remain absorbed in deep meditation. Every world bows its head to you each day.

You regard all four social orders as one and the same. You are the Lord whose vision is even toward all.

All who take refuge in you gain the four aims of life, righteousness, wealth, desire and liberation, whether god or demon, human, king or beggar.

For whoever recites this Shri Parashurama Chalisa, Lord Shiva, consort of Gauri, stays forever favourable.

O Lord, who is to the night as the full moon, dweller within all hearts, please come and live in mine.