Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 20
परशुरामप्रादुर्भावः
The Appearance of Parasurama on the Return from Mithila
तस्मिंस्तमसि घोरे तु भस्मच्छन्नेव सा चमू:।।1.74.17।।ददर्श भीमसङ्काशं जटामण्डलधारिणम्। भार्गवं जामदग्न्यं तं राजराजविमर्दिनम्।।1.74.18।।कैलासमिव दुर्धर्षं कालाग्निमिव दुस्सहम्। ज्वलंतमिव तेजोभिर्दुर्निरीक्ष्यं पृथग्जनै:।।1.74.19।।स्कन्धे चासज्य परशुं धनुर्विद्युद्गणोपमम् । प्रगृह्य शरमुख्यं च त्रिपुरघ्नं यथा शिवम्।।1.74.20।।
tasmiṁs tamasi ghore tu bhasmacchannā iva sā camūḥ ||1.74.17||
dadarśa bhīmasaṅkāśaṁ jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇam |
bhārgavaṁ jāmadagnyaṁ taṁ rājarājavimardinam ||1.74.18||
kailāsam iva durdharṣaṁ kālāgnim iva dussaham |
jvalantam iva tejobhir durnirīkṣyaṁ pṛthagjanaiḥ ||1.74.19||
skandhe cāsajya paraśuṁ dhanur vidyudgaṇopamam |
pragṛhya śaramukhyaṁ ca tripuraghnaṁ yathā śivam ||1.74.20||
在那可怖的黑暗中，军队仿佛被灰烬所覆。此时达沙罗陀看见婆伽婆·帕罗修罗摩——阇摩达格尼之子：形貌骇人，顶戴如冠的结发髻，素以摧折诸王而闻名。他如凯拉萨山般不可攻破，如劫末毁灭之火般难以承受；灵性威光炽燃，令凡俗难以直视。肩负战斧，手执如电光簇闪的神弓，并握其首要之箭，宛如湿婆毁灭特里普拉之时。
In that dreadful darkness while the army looked as if covered with ashes, king Dasaratha encountered the repressor of kings, descendant of Bhrugu and son of Jamadagni with a terrible crown of matted hair, inaccessible like Kailasa mountain and unendurable like the fire at the time of dissolution. The laymen gazing at his blazing energy,hanging an axe on his shoulder and holding a bow in his hand which flashed like lighning and the principal arrow he looked like Siva at the time of slaying of Tripura.
FAQs
The verse frames righteous authority as something that must be approached with humility and restraint: immense power (tejas) is real and morally weighty, and ordinary people should not treat it casually. Dharma here is reverent recognition of spiritual and martial potency, which demands self-control rather than provocation.
While returning from Mithilā after Rāma’s marriage, Daśaratha’s party encounters Paraśurāma. The text heightens suspense by describing him as terrifying, radiant, and weapon-bearing—setting the stage for the ensuing confrontation/testing.
Paraśurāma’s formidable tapas and uncompromising martial presence are emphasized; implicitly, Daśaratha’s role is to respond with royal composure and due respect toward a powerful Brahmarṣi-warrior figure.