Chapter 17: PARASHURAMA CHARITRA -The Unique and Popular Shri Krishnaamrita Ashtottara Stotra
Endowed with the Maha Trailokya Vijaya Mantra Kavacha, Bhargava Rama moved on to Pushkara Tirtha and coninued his Tapasya and Worship as a preparatory effort to destroy the King Kartaveeryarjuna. As he took bath in Pushkara and was returning to his Ashram through a Forest, he overheard the conversation of a deer couple saying that they would not have any fear of an attack of a tiger or lion as they were fotunate to have the Ashram of Bhargava Rama in their vicinity; the he-deer told about the uniqueness of Rama who had taken a vow to kill the King Kartaveeryarjuna as he killed his father Jamadagni who refused to gift Kamadhenu and also took another vow that he would attack Kshatriya Kings twenty four times and eradicate the Kshatriya Vamsha; as advised, Rama made severe Tapasya and secured all possible Astra-Shastras as also the Trailokya Vijaya Kavacha as a preparation for the great battle with the King who after all was not an ordinary warrior but had unique boons of invincibility by Bhagavan Dattatreya whose staunch support that King was fortified with! The he-deer then continued to say that Bhragava would do well to visit Agastya Muni’s Ashram and secure Krishnaamrita Stotra too and that Strotra would reinforce his blessings from Maha Deva earlier; after that, no force on Earth and the other Elements could ever subdue the Bhargava Rama, let alone Kartaviryarjuna! All this convesation of the deer-couple was heard by Rama and straight proceded to the Ashrama of Agastya Maha Muni and narrated what all was heard in the forest. The Muni explained that in the past birth a Brahmana Kumara called Suri was the youngest son of Veda Vidwan Shiva- Dutta who trained all the sons in Vedas; once all the brothers went to a forest to collect flowers and fruits and suddenly they heard the frantic sounds of a deer attached by a tiger and killed the deer; Suri felt so intensely moved and he too died soon enough by the shock; the deer killed by the tiger became the present she-deer and Suri was reborn as the he-deer. Having heard the incident of the deer and their conversation, Agastya Muni taught the ‘Krishna Ashtottara Naamavali’ to Bhargava Rama as Maha Sesha taught it to Bhu Devi: He stated that this Ashtottara was a highly Sacred Mantra which could bestow ‘Animaadi Ashta Siddhis’ as it was very potent. Samasta Japa Yagjnaanaam Phaladam Paapanaashanam, Shrunu Devi Pravakshyaami Naamaaashtottaram Shatam/ Sahasrannaamnaam Punyaanaam Triraavrityaa tu yatphalam, Ekaavrityaa tu Krishnasya naamaikam tatprayacchati/ Tasmaatpunyataram chaitat-stotram Paatakanaashanam, Naamnaamastottara shatasyaahmeva Rishih Priye/ Chhandonushtthubdevataa tu Yogah Krishnariyaavahah, Shri Krishnah Kamalaanaatho Vaasudevah Sanatana/ Vasudevaatmajah Punyo Leelaa Maanusha Vigrahah, Sri Vatsa Koustubha dharo Yashodaa Vatsalo Harih/ Chaturbhujaachakraasi gadaa shankhaayudhaa- yudhah, Devakinandanah Shreesho Nandagopa priyaatmajah/ Yamunaa Vega Samhaari Balabharda Priyaanujah, Putanaa jeevita harah Shakataasura bhanjanah/ Nandavraja janaanandi Sacchidaananda Vigrahah, Navaneeta viluptango Navaneetanatonaghah/ Navaneeta lavaa haari Muchukunda prasaada krut, Shodasha Streesaharshestribhangi Madhuraakrutih/ Shukavaagamrutaabdheendurgovindo Govidaam patih, Vatsapaalana samchaari Dhenukaasura mardanah/ Truneekruta trunaavarto Yamalaarjuna bhanjanah, Uttaalaa taala bhettaa cha tamaala shyaamalaakritih/ Gopagepeeshwaro Yogi Surya Koti Samaprabhah, Ilaapatih Paranjyotiryaadavendro Yadudwahah/ Vanamaali Peetavaasaah Paarijaataapahaarakah, Govardhanaachalodhartaa Gopaalah Sarva paalakah/ Ajo Niranjanah Kaamajanakah Kanjalochakah, Madhuhaa Mathuraanaatho Dwaarakanaatha ko Bali/ Vrindaavanaanta sanchaari Tulasidaama bhushanah, Shyamantaka maney hartaa Naranaaraayanaatmakah/ Kubjaakrishtaambara dharo Mayee Parama Puurushah, Mushti kaasura Chaanura malla yuddha vishaaradah/ Samsaara Vairi Kamsaarirmuraarirnaraka- ntakah, Anaadi Brahmachari cha Krishnaavyasana Karshakah/ Shishupaala shiracchettaa Duryodhanakulanta krit, Viduraakruura varado Vishwa rupa pradarshakah/ Satyavaaksatya Sankalpah Satyabhaamaarato Jayee, Subhadraa purvajo Vishnurbheeshma mukti pradaa- yakah/ Jagadguru Jagannatho Venu Vaadya Vishaaradah, Vrishabhaasura Vidhvamsee Bakaarir Baana baahu krit/ Yudhishtara pratishthaataa Barhibarhaavatamsakah, Partha saaratiravyakto geetaamrita mahodadhih/ Kaaliyaphanimaanikya ranjita shri padaambjah, Daamodaro Yagnabhoktaa Daanavendravinaashanah/ Naraayanah param Brahma panna- gaavashana vaahananah/ Jalakreedaa samaasakta Gopivastraapahaarakah/ Punya Shlokas- Teertha paado Vedavedyo Dayaanidhih, Sarva tirthaatmakah Sarvagraharupi Paraatparah/
Ityevam Krishna Devasya naamnaamashtottaram shatam, Krishnena Krishna Bhaktena Shrutwaa Geetaamrutam Puraa/ Stotram Krishna priyakaram krutam tasmaanmayaa Shrutam, Krishnapremaamrutam naama paramaananda daayakam/ Atyutbhava duhkaghnam Paramaayushya varthanam, Daanam Vratam Tapasteertham yatkrutam twiha janmani/ Pathataam Shrunavataam chaiva kotikotigunam bhavet, Putrapradamaputraanaamagatinaam Gatipradam/ Dhanavaaham daridraanaam Jayecchunaam Jayaavaham, Shishunaam Gokulaanaam cha pushtidam Punyavarthanam/ Baalaroganahaadeenam shamanam Shanti Kaarakam, Antey Krishna smaranadam Bhavataapatrayaahakam/Asiddha saadhakam Bhadrey Japaadikaramaatmanaam Krishnaaya Yadavendraaya Jnaana samudraaya yoginey/ Naathaaya Rukminishaaya Namo Vedaanta Vediney,Imam Mantram Mahadevi Japanneva Divaashinam/ Sarvagrahaanugrahbhaaksarvapriyatamo bhavet, Putra poutrehi parivritah Sarva Siddhi samruddhimaan/ (`This highly popular ‘Krishnaashtottara’ is extremely popular, auspicious, Provider of Siddhis, Destroyer of severe sins, Giver of the fruits of several Tirtha Yatras, Granter of Japa Yagna Phalaas; Even if one Pavitra naama of Govinda would suffice to secure Punya and ifthe Ashtottara is read out or heard for three weeks then the dividends are enormous indeed! Bhu Devi! Sesha was the Rishi of this Ashtottara; the Chhandas or the Prosody was known as Anushttup andYoga was titled as Krishna and the Ashtottara is as follows: Shri Krishna, Kamala natha, Vaasudeva, Sanatana, Vesudevaatmaja, Punya Swarupa, Leela Manusha Vigraha or the Embodiment of Illusions; the wearer of Sri Vatsa Kaustubha Mani; the beloved of mother Yashoda; Hari or he whose mere utterance of this name smashes all kinds of sins; he who was adored with Shankha-Chakra-Gada-Kripana weapons; the son of Devaki; Nandagopa’s beloved son; he who controlled the swift currents of the waters of River Yamuna; the cherished brother of Balabhadra; the killer of Rakshasi Putana; the destoyer of the Shakatasura; the darling of the Nanda-Vraja Villagers; Sacchidananda or the Ever Happy Being; He whose body parts were smeared with butter; He who enjoys dance to secure butter; Anagha or the Sinless; He as a child playfully steals butter for fun; the Lord who granted Mukti to Rishi Muchukunda; He who was the Unique husband of sixteen thousand women; the embodiment of sweetness; he who was created by the sacred words of Suka Muni; Govinda! Govidaampati or the Head of all matters related to Cows; He was in the habit of nurturing cows and calves; the slayer of Dhenukasura; the slaughterer of Trinaavartaasura in grass bits and pieces; Vanamali; Peetavaasa or dressed in yellow attire; the securer of the Parijata flower from Swarga; the lifter of Govardhana Mountain as if it were a toy!; Gopala; Sarvapaala; Aja or who was never born; Nirtanjanma; Kamajanaka or the father of Manmatha; Kanjalochana; the Lotus-Eyed; Madhuha or the Killer of Demon Mathura; Dwarakanatha; Balavaan; Brindaavana Sanchari; he sports Tulasi Garlands; he who took away the glittering and Gold-yielding Shyamantaka Jewel; the Form of Nara and Narayana; he who was attracted by the dress of Kubja and straightened her up; Maya Swabhava; expert in killing Mushtika asura and the wrestler Chanura; Samsara Vairi or the Antagonist of Samsara; Kamsaari; Muraari Narakantaka; Sanatana Brahmachari; the Reliever of Droupadi’s predicaments; the smasher of Sishupala’s haughty head; the eradicator of Duryodha’s Vamsha; the bestower of boons to the virtuous Vidura and Akrura; the manifestor of Vishwa Rupa or the Mammoth Form of Universe; The Embodiment of Truth and Truthful Thoughts; the favourite of Devi Satyabhama; Jayee or of the characreristic of Victory; the elder brother of Subhadra; Vishnu! The imparter of Mukti to Bheeshma; Jagadguru; Jagannaatha; Expert in Venu Vadya; the killer of Vrishabhaasura; the Enemy of Bakaasura whom Bhima killed; slicer of Banasura’s hands; the Appointer of Yudhishtara as the King; Barhi barhaavatamsa or he who adorned Peacock feathers on his headgear; Parthasarathi or the Charioteer of Arjuna; Avyaka or the Undiscernible; the Ocean of Gitaamrita; He who displayed his soft feet with the illumination of the diamonds on the hoods of Kaliya Serpent!; Damodara or he who tied up his tummy and waist with a silken thread; who revelled in swimming and water sports; the Stealer of the dresses of Gopikas as they were swimming; Punya Shloka or praised by the Virtuous; Tirtha Paada or where His Feet touch would be Holy Places; Veda Vedya or who is comprehended only by Vedas; Dayanidhi the Icon of Mercy; Sarva Tirthaatmika or His Soul represented all the Hallowed Places of Pilgrimage; Paratpara or the Supreme Most! ) The above Ashtottara of Bhavan Krishna was scripted by Veda Vyasa which Agastya Muni said that was instructed to Bhargava Rama. This potent Ashtottara was documented after hearing the ‘Geetaasaara’ or the Essence of Gita. Those who read or hear the Ashtottara would overcome all kinds of tribulations and miseries; enhances Arogya (Health), Aishwarya (Opulence), Jaya (Victory), Graha Shanti, Good Progeny, reputation and bestows the fruits of Dana, Vrata, Tapa, and Tirtha Yatras manifold. Agastya Muni further assured that reciting the Stanza viz. Krishnaaya Yadavendraaya naana mudraaya Yoginey, Naathaaya Rukmini -shaaya Namo Vedanta vediney/ would yield endless benefits!
As soon as the Krishnaamrita Stotra concluded, several Rishis in the Ashram of Agastya confirmed that they were in the habit of reciting the Stotra daily and they experienced visible transformation in their own lives. They prostrated before the Form of Ananta Deva who basically outlined the Stotra and inspired Veda Vyasa to follow the thoughts. Strangely enough the Deer Couple which also heard the ‘Krishnaamrita’ nearby and alighted a Vimana from Vaikuntha even while al those present in the Ashram of Agastya and the visibly moved Rishis had a ready proof for themselves. Bhargava went into Yoga Samadhi for long time and Krishna himself appeared before him and assured that owing to the earlier Trailokya Vijaya Mantra and the instant Krishaamrita, Rama was fully fortified to face the arrogant King and destroy him, besides extinguish the entire Kshatriya Vamsha as it came to represent vice, conceit and devastation of Virtue and Justice. Krishna reminded Bhragava of Vishnu’s own ‘Amsha’and that his mission was to re-establish Dharma and Nyaaya! He further directed that after eradicating Kshatriyas, Bhargava should await Raghu Rama’s arrival till Treta Yuga in Tapasya so that the latter would take over the deeds of ‘Dharma Samsthaapana’ later on.