"Akritavrana said, 'Jamadagni devoted himself to the study of the _Veda_
and the practice of sacred penances, and became famous for his great
austerities. Then he pursued a methodical course of study and obtained a
mastery over the entire Veda. And, O king, he paid a visit to Prasenajit
and solicited the hand of Renuka in marriage. And this prayer was
granted by the king. And the delight of Bhrigu's race having thus
obtained Renuka for his wife, took his residence with her in a
hermitage, and began to practice penances, being assisted by her. And
four boys were born of her, with Rama for the fifth. And although the
youngest, Rama was superior to all in merit. Now once upon a time, when
her sons had gone out for the purpose of gathering fruits, Renuka who
had a pure and austere life, went out to bathe. And, O king, while
returning home, she happened to cast her glance towards the king of
Martikavata, known by the name of Chitraratha. The king was in the water
with his wives, and wearing on his breast a lotus wreath, was engaged in
sport. And beholding his magnificent form, Renuka was inspired with
desire. And this unlawful desire she could not control, but became
polluted within the water, and came back to the hermitage frightened at
heart. Her husband readily perceived what state she was in. And mighty
and powerful and of a wrathful turn of mind, when he beheld that she had
been giddy and that the lustre of chastity had abandoned her, he
reproached her by crying out "Fie!" At that very moment came in the
eldest of Jamadagni's sons, Rumanvan; and then, Sushena, and then, Vasu,
and likewise, Viswavasu. And the mighty saint directed them all one by
one to put an end to the life of their mother. They, however, were quite
confounded and lost heart. And they could not utter a single word. Then
he in ire cursed them. And on being cursed they lost their sense and
suddenly became like inanimate objects, and comparable in conduct to
beasts and birds. And then Rama, the slayer of hostile heroes, came to
the hermitage, last of all. Him the mighty-armed Jamadagni, of great
austerities, addressed, saying, "Kill this wicked mother of thine,
without compunction, O my son." Thereupon Rama immediately took up an
axe and therewith severed his mother's head. Then, O great king, the
wrath of Jamadagni of mighty soul, was at once appeased; and
well-pleased, he spake the following words, "Thou hast, my boy,
performed at my bidding this difficult task, being versed in virtue.
Therefore, whatsoever wishes there may be in thy heart, I am ready to
grant them all. Do thou ask me." Thereupon Rama solicited that his
mother might be restored to life, and that he might not be haunted by
the remembrance of this cruel deed and that he might not be affected by
any sin, and that his brothers might recover their former state, and
that he might be unrivalled on the field of battle, and that he might
obtain long life. And, O Bharata's son, Jamadagni, whose penances were
the most rigid, granted all those desires of his son. Once, however, O
lord, when his sons had gone out as before, the valourous son of
Kartavirya, the lord of the country near the shore of the sea, came up
to the hermitage. And when he arrived at that hermitage, the wife of the
saint received him hospitably. He, however, intoxicated with a warrior's
pride, was not at all pleased with the reception accorded to him, and by
force and in defiance of all resistance, seized and carried off from
that hermitage the chief of the cows whose milk supplied the sacred
butter, not heeding the loud lowing of the cow. And he wantonly pulled
down the large trees of the wood. When Rama came home, his father
himself told him all that had happened. Then when Rama saw how the cow
was lowing for its calf, resentment arose in his heart. And he rushed
towards Kartavirya's son, whose last moments had drawn nigh. Then the
descendant of Bhrigu, the exterminator of hostile heroes, put forth his
valour on the field of battle, and with sharpened arrows with flattened
tips, which were shot from a beautiful bow, cut down Arjuna's arms,
which numbered a thousand, and were massive like (wooden) bolts for
barring the door. He, already touched by the hand of death, was
overpowered by Rama, his foe. Then the kinsmen of Arjuna, their wrath
excited against Rama, rushed at Jamadagni in his hermitage, while Rama
was away. And they slew him there; for although his strength was great,
yet being at the time engaged in penances, he would not fight. And while
thus attacked by his foes, he repeatedly shouted the name of Rama in a
helpless and piteous way. And, O Yudhishthira, the sons of Kartavirya
shot Jamadagni, with their arrows, and having thus chastised their foe,
went their way. And when they had gone away, and when Jamadagni had
breathed his last, Rama, the delight of Bhrigu's race, returned to the
hermitage, bearing in his arms, fuel for religious rites. And the hero
beheld his father who had been put to death. And grieved exceedingly he
began to bewail the unworthy fate that had laid his father low.'"