Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.1957

c8.1957

him to string it and take aim. With a smile Śrī Rāma did so and then Paraśurāma said Rāma should draw the string up to his ears. Śrī Rāma got angry and then on the face, which became fierce, by his anger, Paraśurāma saw besides himself, Āditya-Vasu-Rudras, Sādhyas, Bālakhilyas, Devarṣis, oceans, mountains, the Vedas and all such things of this universe. Śrī Rāma sent out his missile from the bow. The whole universe was thrown into chaos. Thunder and lightning rocked the world. Heavy rains flooded the whole land space. Burning stars and meteors fell to the ground. Paraśurāma then knew that Śrī Rāma was the incarnation of Mahāviṣṇu and he stood bowing before him. Ashamed of his defeat he took leave of Śrī Rāma and went to Mahendragiri. When he reached there he found he had lost all his brilliance. Then the manes appeared and advised him to go and bathe in the river Vadhūsarā. Accordingly Paraśurāma went and bathed in the river and regained his lost brilliance. (Chapter 99, Vana Parva).