The Stag and the Doe

ALL OF US KNOW the basic Parashurama story. Therefore, from Brahmanda Purana, I have picked up bits less familiar. Trailokya-vijaya mantra was an example of that. Having obtained the kavacha, Parashurama performed austerities in Pushkara for one hundred years, while Akritavrana tended to him. This entire story is being recounted by Vasishtha to King Sagara.

On one occasion, Parashurama went to Lake Pushkara to have a bath and witnessed a great wonder there. A stag came there, along with a doe, and they were running. They were chased by a hunter on a hunt. The stag was scorched by the heat and was suffering greatly. He was thirsty and was eager to drink some water. As Rama watched, he arrived at the shore of the lake. He was followed by the scared doe, the possessor of darting eyes. Scared in their minds, both of them drank the water there. At that time, the hunter arrived there, with a bow and arrows in his hands. He saw Rama, the descendant of the Bhargava lineage, stationed there. Akritavrana was also there, but he was looking far away. The hunter was scared of the descendant of the Bhrigu lineage and thought, “This Rama is immensely valiant and destroys the wicked. While he is watching, how can I kill the stag and the doe?” Filled with such thoughts, the hunter remained there. On account of Rama, his mind was scared. Rama saw the scared stag and doe drink water. The intelligent one debated, “Where is the reason for fear here? There is no roar from a tiger and no hunter can be seen. What is the reason for their fear and why are their eyes darting? Perhaps the deer species has been created with such darting eyes. That is the reason they are glancing with darting eyes, even while they are drinking water. There is no other reason here. Why are they distressed and filled with fear? It can be discerned that their limbs are suffering and they are trembling.” (Parashurama could not see the hidden hunter.)

In the centre of Lake Pushkara, Parashurama thought in this way. Akritavrana was with him. As long as they were there, those two drank water and sought refuge under the shade of a tree. Seeing the great-souled Rama, they happily conversed with each other. The doe said, “O beloved! As long as Rama is stationed here, let us also remain here. In the presence of this brave one, we need not suffer from any fear. Even if the hunter arrives here and seeks to strike us, the mere glance of the sage will reduce him to ashes.” Hearing the doe’s words, the stag looked at Rama and was satisfied. Full of delight, he spoke to his beloved. “O immensely fortunate one! O beautiful one! It is exactly as you have said. I also know about the powers of the extremely great-souled Rama. The person who can be seen by his side is his shishya, Akritavrana. That immensely fortunate one had also been terrified and afflicted as a result of the fear of a tiger. This Rama is Jamadagni’s youngest son. He saw that his father had suffered at the hands of Kartavirya. Extremely angry, he has taken a pledge to kill the king. To accomplish that task, he had earlier gone to Brahma’s world. Instructed by Brahma, he had gone to Shiva’s world. Having taken Shiva’s permission, he had approached Shiva’s presence. He had told him everything about the conduct of the king and his own father. Full of compassion, Mahadeva had greeted the descendant of the Bhrigu lineage and had given him Krishna’s mantra and the impenetrable kavacha. He had also given him his own Pashupata weapon and the collection of other astras. Having affectionately given him the weapons, he had lovingly released him. Intent on undertaking sadhana with the mantra, he has come here. The intelligent one, with dharma in his soul, constantly performs japa with Krishna’s kavacha. While the extremely great-souled one has been doing this, one hundred years have passed. However, in performing sadhana with the mantra, he has still not obtained siddhi. There is a reason for this. O one with the liquid eyes! It is held that there are three types of bhakti– superior, middling and inferior. Uttama bhakti is that of Shiva, Narada, the great-souled Shuka, rajarshi Ambarisha, Rantideva, Maruti [Hanuman], Bali, Vibhishana, the great-souled Prahlada, the gopis and Uddhava. O one with the auspicious eyes! Middling bhakti is that of Vasishtha and other lords among sages and Manu and others. Inferior bhakti is shown by ordinary people. Though he constantly practices yama, Rama is only devoted to the middling kind of bhakti. Since he has not served the lord of gopis in the proper way, he has not obtained siddhi.” At being told this by her beloved, the doe was delighted and immediately asked about the characteristics of bhakti that gives rise to love.”

As long as Rama is stationed here, let us also remain here. In the presence of this brave one, we need not suffer from any fear. Even if the hunter arrives here and seeks to strike us, the mere glance of the sage will reduce him to ashes

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The doe asked, “O virtuous one! O beloved! O immensely fortunate one! Your words are out of this world. How did you come to acquire this kind of jnana? Please tell me about that now.” The stag replied, “O beloved! O immensely fortunate one! Listen. Such jnana results from meritorious deeds. On seeing Bhargava today, those good merits have been generated in me. This Bhargava is auspicious in his atman. He is devoted to Krishna and has conquered his senses. He always serves his guru and lovingly performs the nitya and naimittika rites. O beautiful one! That is the reason why, on seeing him today, the jnana has been generated in me. Thus, I got to know about the great-souled Rama’s conduct today. If one hears about it, one obtains the auspicious and sins are destroyed. Whatever he will do, also comes under the purview of that jnana. There is bhakti that is known as superior. Without it, even with the mantra and the kavacha, one will not obtain siddhi in millions of years. When Bhargava receives Agastya’s favours, he will obtain the stotram known as Krishna-premamrita. [Full of the amrita of love towards Krishna.] That bestows superior bhakti. Knowing this, he will obtain siddhi for the mantra and the kavacha. The sage knows the truth about this. He is full of compassion and grants freedom from fear. He will instruct him about the truth of that jnana, which brings happiness. The immensely intelligent one will get to know about the stotram known as Krishna-premamrita. All its units are made out of Shri Krishna’s conduct. Having thus obtained siddhi with the kavacha, he will kill the king who is the lord of the Haihayas, along with his sons, advisers, well-wishers, soldiers and mounts. He will eliminate kings from the earth twenty-one times.” Having told the doe this, the stag stopped.

The doe said, “This is praiseworthy. This is laudable. Through seeing him, jnana that is beyond the senses, has been generated in you. Therefore, tell me everything about the reasons behind you and me. As a result of what karma have we obtained birth as inferior species?”

The stag replied, “Hear about the reasons why we have become deer. In samsara, it is nature that is the cause behind existence. For a living being, the nature of virtuous and wicked karma determines the appearance of memory. Earlier, in the country of Dravida, I was born in a family of Brahmanas, possessing many kinds of prosperity. My gotra was Koushika. My father was named Shivadatta and he was accomplished in all the sacred texts. Four of us were born as his sons and we were excellent dvijas. The eldest was Rama. Dharma was younger to him and Prithu was younger to Dharma. I was born as the fourth and was known by the name of Suri. In the due order, the immensely illustrious Shivadatta performed our sacred thread ceremonies. He taught us the Vedas and Vedangas. Devoted to jnana, we were engaged in serving our guru. We went to the forest and brought back flowers, water, kindling, kusha grass, and clay. On one occasion, all of us reached a mountain in the forest. It was named Oudbhida and it was on the banks of River Kritamala. It was dawn and all of us bathed in the great river. Pleased in our minds, we offered arghya, performed japa and climbed that excellent mountain. There were many kinds of trees. The caves were frequented by tigers, lions, bears, rhinoceroses, musk-deer, gigantic elephants, sharabhas and others. From inside crevices, waterfalls descended from lofty tops, with a loud roar. The place was frequented by many kinds of predatory beasts, small animals and birds. We brothers saw these curious objects and were delighted. It was as if we no longer remembered ourselves and got separated from each other. Meanwhile, a doe arrived there, very thirsty. It desired to drink water from the top of a waterfall. As it was drinking water, roaming around as it willed, an extremely terrible tiger arrived there. It seized the doe, which was afflicted by fear. On seeing that it had been seized, I fled in fear. I fell down from above and as I died, I remembered the doe. Having died, the doe was born as you. Since I remembered the doe, I was born as a stag.”

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Bibek Debroy

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