Parashurama 

(Sanskrit: परशरु ाम IAST: Paraśurāma, lit. Rama with an axe) is the sixth

avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. He is the son of Renuka and one of the saptarishis, Jamadagni. He
lived during the last Treta and Dvapara Yugas and is one of the Chiranjivi (immortals) of Hinduism.
Parashurama, a Brahmin, received his famous axe after undertaking terrible penance to
please Shiva, who in turn taught him Kalaripayattu (the mother of all martial arts).
Parashurama is most known for ridding the world of kshatriyas twenty-one times over after the
mighty king Kartavirya Arjuna, not the famous one of Mahabharata, killed his father. As per
the Mahabharata, Parashurama single-handedly successfully conquered the entire world and killed
cores of kshatriyas. Parashurama conducted hundreds ofAshvamedhas and gave away the entire
earth he conquered as alms to sage Kashyapa.[1] He plays important roles in
the Mahabharata and Ramayana, serving as mentor to Bhishma, Drona and Karna.[2]
Parashurama and Indrajit (Ravana's son) are believed to be the only humans who ever possessed
the three ultimate weapons: the Brahmanda astra, Vaishnava astra and Pashupatastra.
Parashurama was a disciple of Shiva and learned the scriptures and the arts of warfare from Shiva.
He then acquired celestial weapons from Shiva and the other gods on Shiva's instructions. Shiva
personally trained Parashurama for decades in the art of warfare.The Bhargavastra was his personal
celestial weapon and vijaya was his personal bow which was gifted by Shiva. Parashurama also
fought back the advancing seas to save the lands of Konkan and Kerala.
Parashurama is worshipped as mūlapuruṣa, or male ancestral founder by some Anavil, Dravidulu,
Bhumihar,Tyagi, Chitpavan, Nambudiri Brahmin communities. Along with the
sages Vyasa, Kripa and Drona's son Ashwatthama, Parashurama is considered to be foremost
among the rishis in the Kaliyuga.[3][4] Parashurama will also become one of the saptarishi in the 8th
Manvantara.[5] Parashurama is a mighty Maharathi and he will reappear as the martial instructor
of Vishnu's 10th avatar Kalki.

Contents

The word Parashurama is derived from two words parashu (परश)ु meaning 'axe' and rama (राम). So

literally, the wordParashurama means 'Rama with an axe'. His other names include:

 Ramabhadra (रामभद्र) – gracious Rama

 Bhargava (भार्गव) – descendant of Bhrigu
 Bhrigupati (भग
ृ ुपति) – lord of Bhrigu dynasty
 Bhriguvanshi (भग
ृ व
ु ंशी) – he who belongs to Bhrigu lineage
 Jamadagnya (जामदग्न्य) – son of Jamadagni
Parashurama grew up to be a powerful youth. Though a Brahmin by birth, Parashurama expressed
unusual interest in weapons and studied warfare as well as sacred scriptures under the tutelage of
his father who was himself a powerful archer. Afterwards, Parashurama devoted himself in serving
his parents and brothers, helping Jamadagni to run his hermitage.
According to the Brahmanda Purana, when Parashurama was a teenager, he expressed his desire
to meet his paternal grandfather Richika.
Jamadagni permitted his son and Parashurama visited Richika in his hermitage. Richika and his wife
welcomed him and Parashurama stayed with them for a few months, serving them and acquiring
knowledge from Richika. Curious about his ancestors, Parashurama went to the hermitage of
Richika's father Aurva and a few months later, he went to Aurva's father, Chyavana. Parashurama
was devoted to them and they too gave him knowledge.
Many months later, Chyavana told Parashurama to meet his own father, Sage Bhrigu, the very
progenitor of the Bhargava race himself. With Chyavana's instructions, Parashurama was able to
enter Bhrigu's hermitage and bowed down before his ancestor.
Parashurama lived with Bhrigu for many months and Bhrigu trained his descendant in performing
harsh penances. After his training, Bhrigu called Parashurama and asked him to immediately go to
the Himavat and Gandhamadana mountains and perform penances to Lord Shiva, in order to
acquire divine weapons from him.
Lord Shiva was pleased with this, and appeared before him and asked him for a boon. Parashurama
expressed his desire to obtain celestial weapons and skills in warfare from the God. Shiva told him
that he would grant the boon only when Parashurama proved himself to be a worthy soul. Shiva told
Parashurama to undertake a Tirtha Yatra or holy pilgrimage. After years of penances, Shiva was
pleased with Parashurama's devotion and summoned him. Shiva ordered Parashurama to slay
the Daityas and Danavas who were the enemies of the Devas, to which the latter agreed.
After vanquishing the Daityas and Danavas in battle, Parashurama proved himself worthy. He
acquired many boons from Lord Shiva. Parashurama's first boon was that he should surpass
everyone in divine weapons, in the skill of wielding weapons and in mastery of sacred scriptures. His
second boon was to be unvanquishable and invincible in battle. His third boon was to be free of sins
and diseases and remain in his prime and health forever. His fourth boon was to be renowned in the
world. His fifth boon was to be capable of performing arduous tasks and penances and to remain
devoted to Shiva forever. Shiva granted all these boons to him. Shiva gave him mastery over many
celestial weapons as well as a chariot and horses which could go anywhere at will, a celestial
armour, divine bows, a conch shell and two inexhaustible quivers of arrows.
Once, Lord Shiva challenged Parashurama to a battle to test his skills in warfare. The spiritual
master Lord Shiva and the disciple Shri Parashuram became locked in fierce battle, a dreadful duel
that lasted for twenty one days and while evading a blow by the Trident (Trishul) of Lord Shiva, Shri
Parashuram countered and vigorously attacked him with his Parashu. It struck Lord Shiva on the
forehead creating a wound. Lord Shiva was very pleased to see the amazing warfare skills of his
disciple and passionately embraced Shri Parashuram. Lord Shiva preserved this wound as an
ornament so that the reputation of his disciple remained imperishable and insurmountable. 'Khanda-
parshu' (wounded by Parashu) is one of the thousand names of Lord Shiva.
Having been trained in warfare by Lord Shiva himself, Parashurama became the foremost of all
wielders of weapons.
Meeting Akritavana[edit]
On his way home, Parashurama saw a Brahmin boy chased by a tiger. Parashurama plucked a
grass blade and burnt the tiger to ashes. The boy recovered and decided to follow Parashurama as
a friend and disciple. Since he was unwounded, he was called Akritavana.
The duo first went to Bhrigu, then Chyavana, then Aurva, then Richika and then Jamadagni and told
them about their adventures.
Shri Parashurama, clipped the thousand arms of Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahastrarjun), one by one, with
his Parshu and killed him. He repelled his army by showering arrows on them. The whole country
greatly welcomed the destruction of Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahastrarjun). The king of Deities, Indra was
in possession of Lord Shiva'sVijaya Dhanusha. Indra was so pleased that he presented this most
beloved Vijaya (bow) to Shri Parashurama on instruction from Lord Shiva. Dev Indra had destroyed
demon dynasties with this bow. By the fatal arrows shot with the help of this Vijaya bow, Shri
Parashurama destroyed the miscreant Kshatriyas twenty one times.
Later Shri Parashurama presented the Vijaya bow to his disciple Karna when he was pleased with
his intense devotion to the Guru. Karna used this bow to fight on the 17th day of the Kurukshetra
war. Karna become unconquerable with help of the Vijaya.
Kartavirya Sahastrarjun and The Haihaya Kingdom[edit]
Main articles: Kartavirya Arjuna and Haihayas
The time of Parashurama was a tumultuous one for the Indian subcontinent, with puranas indicating
frequent battles between several rival Kshatriya clans and kingdoms. Parashurama lived within
the Haihaya Kingdom, located in modern-day Maheshwar on the banks of the Narmada River. The
generations of enmity between the Kshatriya Haihaya and the Brahmin Bhargavas, from whom
Parashurama hailed, were mentioned in the Mahabharata numerous times.

Dattatreya, embodiment of the holy trinityTrimurti, whom Kartavirya worshiped and who would later deliver
the Tripura Rahasyato Parashurama

The Haihaya were ruled by a powerful and cruel King named Kartavirya Arjuna. He was the
incarnation of Sudarshana, Lord Vishnu's Celestial weapon, Chakra that had taken birth in human
form. In addition, Kartavirya worshipped a divine being known as Dattatreya, embodiment
of Trimurti and descendant of the Saptarishi Atri. For his obeisance, Dattatreya had granted the king
a flying golden chariot that would travel wherever he wished and one-thousand arms.
With these boons, Kartavirya became immeasurably powerful, conducting many military conquests
after which he madeMahishmati in present-day Maheshwar capital of his Kingdom. Kartavirya
became so powerful that he was even able to defeat and imprison the demon King Ravana at
the Godavari. Ravana, in turn, would later be the nemesis of theRamayana.
The violent persecution of Brahmins by Kshatriya had at the time spanned generations. Aurva,
great-grandfather of Parashurama, recalled a vivid childhood experience:
While lying unborn, I heard the doleful cries of my mother and other women of the Bhrigu race who
were then being exterminated by the Kshatriyas. When those Kshatriyas began to exterminate the
Bhrigus together with unborn children of their race, it was then that wrath filled my soul. My mother
and the other women of our race, each in an advanced state of pregnancy, and my father, while
terribly alarmed, found not in all the worlds a single protector. Then when the Bhrigu women found
not a single protector, my mother held me in one of her thighs.

— Mahabharata 1:182

As the third book of the Mahabharata begins, Akritavrana, a disciple of the avatar speaks:
With pleasure shall I recite that excellent history of the godlike deeds of Rama, the son of Jamadagni
who traced his origin to the race of Brigu.

— Mahabharata 3:117

As Rama grew older, he was sincere in his piety and pleased Lord Shiva with the oblation of
excruciating tapas. As a blessing, he was granted the Parashu of Shiva, after which he was known
as Parashurama or 'Rama with axe'. Shiva also granted the boon of invincibility to Parashurama
along with many other boons.
During the time of Parashurama, there was once a Yadava named Kartavirya Arjuna, who was the
most powerful king of his time. Kartavirya had a 1000 human arms endued with tremendous strength
and dexterity. He had acquired them as well as many Yogic powers as boons after pleasing the
Sage Dattatreya with his penances. This made him one of the most powerful warriors of all time.
Despite being a wise and righteous king, Kartavirya became arrogant as he never lost or failed in
anything. He harassed his own subjects and the very gods were afraid of him. One day, Kartavirya
audaciously asked the god Varuna if there was anyone equal to him in combat. Varuna replied that
Parashurama was equal to Kartavirya. The answer enraged Kartavirya as he didn't believe anyone
would exist as his equal.
Soon after Parashurama received his blessing, King Kartavirya of the Haihaya came upon the
hermitage of Jamadagni The visit happened at a time Parusharama was away in the forest
gathering yagna and although the King had a massive entourage, the saptarishi was able to serve
the King a grand feast. When Kartavirya asked how he was able to do so, Jamadagni showed him a
blessed Kamadhenu cow, given to Jamadagni by Indra, which was able to grant wishes. Kartavirya's
ministers urged the king to steal the cow. Kartavirya's preceptor, Sage Garga admonished the king
not to follow the evil counsel, but Kartavirya gave the orders to procure the cow. Jamadagni refused
to part with the cow despite being offered tremendous wealth. The evil Haihayas forcibly beat up the
sage to unconsciousness, uprooted the trees around the hermitage and forcibly stole the cow.
Kartavirya regretted the incident but he decided not to return the cow after what happened, fearing
the wrath of the sage.
Returning home, Parashurama was infuriated upon learning what happened and rashly swore that
he would exterminate the race of Kshatriyas 21 times after seeing his aggrieved mother beat her
chest 21 times.
Parashurama prayed to Lord Brahma for guidance. Brahma warned Parashurama that slaying
Kartavirya was an extremely daunting task since he had thousands of powerful allies. Brahma told
him to procure the Trailokya Kavacha (armour) from Lord Shiva. Parashurama went to Shiva and
told him of his task. Shiva warned Parashurama that Kartavirya also acquired the Kavacha from
Dattatreya. The God then gave the armour as well as many divine weapons to Parashurama.
However, Parashurama was unable to use the Kavacha despite knowing the incantations to use it.
So he went to Agastya who imparted to him a Vishnu Stotra or hymn which he heard from
Sheshanaga and asked him to go to the Gangotri and practice the hymn for one month.
Parashurama did as he was told and beheld Lord Vishnu himself. Vishnu blessed Parashurama for
victory and told him what the future held. After completing his quest and attaining mastery of the
Kavacha, Parashurama headed towards Mahishmati to slay Kartavirya.
War between Parashurama and Kartavirya Arjuna[edit]
Parashurama reached the outskirts of Mahishmati and sent a message to Kartavirya, either return
Kamadhenu and surrender to the Bhargavas or death on the battlefield.
Outraged, Kartavirya summoned billions of kings who were his vassals and allies and a thousand
mighty akshauhinis (each akshauhini consists of 21870 war elephants each carrying seven soldiers,
21870 battle chariots each carrying four men, 65610 cavalry and 109350 footsoldiers).
Parshurama ascended on a single chariot and without any ally, marched against the formidable
Haihayas. War broke out and Parashurama began to wreak havoc among the Haihayas. He first
slew Mangala, the King of Matsya and slew his soldiers with the Narayanastra. Next he slew the
Kings of Vidarbha, Videha and the Nishadas along with their force. Fighting continuously for three
days, Parashurama slew 12 entire akshauhinis.
Then the Ikshvaku King Suchandra advanced against Parashurama with a 100,000 princes and
seven akshauhinis. Parashurama slaughtered the seven akshauhinis and all the 100,000 warriors.
Suchandra and Parashurama fought one another.
Suchandra was able to counter all of Parashurama's attacks. Enraged, Parashurama once more
invoked the Narayanastra, but Suchandra bowed in front of it and the Narayanastra was rendered
useless. Bewildered, Parashurama hurled many weapons at the king, but the latter easily caught
them. Parashurama hurled the trident of Shiva (Shivashula), but upon striking the chest of the king, it
turned into a garland of flowers. Using his inner vision, Parashurama realized that Suchandra was
invincible due to the presence of the terrible goddess Bhadrakali inside his body.
Parashurama prayed to the goddess and prompted her to appear before him. Bhadrakali offered to
grant him a boon. Parashurama asked her for the means to slay Suchandra. Bhadrakali told him to
use the Agneyastra and slay him. Parashurama did so and incinerated Suchandra on the battlefield.
Suchandra's son, Pushkaraksha rushed against Parashurama, but the latter cleaved him into halves
with his axe and slaughtered nine akshauhinis.
Then Kartavirya himself, with a thousand hands and five hundred bows, mounted on a colossal
golden chariot drawn by a hundred horses proceeded against Parashurama and both fought one
another. The two rivals hurled Brahmastras at each other. Worried that this would destroy the world,
Parashurama mentally recalled both the Brahmastras. Parashurama then shot arrows, cutting off
Kartavirya's ears and smashing his crown. Kartavirya, blinded in pain, shot many divine weapons at
Parashurama and the latter easily countered Kartavirya's attacks. Kartavirya hurled a trident he
acquired from Dattatreya at Parashurama and knocked him unconscious. Parashurama recovered
and hacked of Kartavirya's thousand arms. He invoked the Pashupatastra and decapitated the king,
incinerating him to ashes. Thus Parashurama slew Kartavirya Arjuna.
Parashurama then turned towards the 11,000 sons of Kartavirya. In 48 minutes, he slaughtered a
hundred akshauhinis and killed many of Kartavirya's sons, while the surviving sons fled from the
battlefield in fear. Parashurama slaughtered the remaining kings and allies of Kartavirya and routed
the Haihayas, emerging victorious and returned with the Kamadhenu cow.
Death of Jamadagni[edit]
When he returned home, his father was pleased, but seeing the blood stained axe of Parashurama,
also concerned. He cautioned his son he must be aware of wrath and pride. Parashurama accepted
the reprimand of his father, in penance and went on a pilgrimage to holy places for one year in
purification.
Meanwhile, the sons of Kartavirya discovered their father at the palace and knew that only
Parashurama could have killed him. In revenge, they traveled to the hermitage and murdered
Jamadagni, discharging arrows into him like killing a stag. Afterwards, they decapitated his body and
took his head with them.
When Parashurama returned home, he found his mother next to the body of his father, crying
hysterically as she beat her breast twenty one times in a row. Furious, he hunted down the sons of
Kartavirya at the palace. He killed them all and returned with the head of his father to conduct the
cremation. Parashurama then vowed to enact a genocide on the war-mongering Kshatriyas twenty
one times over, once for each time his mother's hand hit her chest.

Parashurama returning with the sacred calf with Jamadagni cautioning him to not becontrolled by anger

Vengeance against Kshatriya[edit]

Parashurama then travelled the whole of Earth, killing all men of the Kshatriya varna. The first book
of the Mahabharata reveals:
In the interval between the Treta and Dwapara Yugas, Parashurama, great among all who have
borne arms, urged by impatience of wrong, repeatedly smote the Kshatriyas. And when that fiery
meteor, by his own valour, annihilated the entire varna of the Kshatriyas, he formed at Samanta-
panchaka five lakes of blood.

— Mahabharata 1:2

One legend describes Parasharuma returning to a village after battle in what is now the Badami
Taluka, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. While the warrior-sage washed his axe in the river
Malaprabha, unknown to him, downstream beyond a bend in the river, village women were cleaning
their clothes. His mighty axe stained the entire river red and the women exclaimed "Ai hole!"
translating to 'Oh, what a river!'. This is said to be the etymology of the present-day villageAihole.
After he had finally rid the world of Kshatriyas, Parashurama conducted the Ashvamedha sacrifice,
done only by sovereign kings and gave the land he had conquered to Kashyapa, who performed
the yagya . After seeing the impoverished condition of some Brahmins in northern India involved in
priestly services Parshuram gave him the land that he had conquered. The Ashvamedha demanded
that the remaining Kshatriya kings either submit to Parashurama or stop the sacrifice by defeating
him in battle. They were unable to do either and so perished.
Parashurama is unique in that although he is the sixth avatar of Vishnu, as an immortal, he has also
lived to see the subsequent incarnations of Vishnu in Rama andKrishna. Parashurama played an
important role in both Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Shiva's Bow[edit]
Parashu Rama challenged Rama who was on his way back to Ayodhya, Dasaratha begged him to leave the
teenage boy

In the Ramayana, Parashurama had given the bow of Shiva to King Janaka, the father of
princess Sita for her swayamvar. As a test of worthiness, suitors were asked to lift and string the
mystic weapon. None were successful until Rama, but in the process of being strung, the bow
snapped in half. This produced a tremendous noise that reached the ears of Parashurama as he
meditated atop the Mahendra Mountains.
In Valmiki Ramayana, Parashurama stops the journey of Sri Rama and his family after his marriage
to Sita. He threatens to kill Sri Rama and his father, King Dasharatha, begs him to forgive his son
and punish him instead. Parashurama neglects Dasharatha and invokes Sri Rama for a challenge.
Sri Rama proves to be equal with him in all common weapons. Hence Parasurama gives him the
divine Sharanga bow (the personal bow of Supreme Lord Vishnu) and tells him to string it. Rama
does that in a blink and points an arrow at Parasurama. The warrior-sage realized he was looking at
his own subsequent reincarnation and gives his divine weapons to Rama and retires to further
penance.
In one version played in Ramlilas across India, Parashurama arrived to the scene deeply angry. The
Kshatriyas were advised by Brahmarishi Vasistha not to confront the sage, but Sita still approached.
Parashurama blessed her, saying "Dheergha Sumangali bhavah," or "You will have your husband
alive for your lifetime."
When he then turned to confront Rama, Parashurama was unable to lift his axe. He was held back
by his own word and pacified by the brilliance of Rama. When the warrior-sage realized he was
looking at his own subsequent reincarnation, his own bow flew to Rama along with the essence of
Vishnu, and thus the seventh avatar was fully realized.

Bhishma taking the bhishana pratigya

Parashurama and Bhishma, two of the greatest warriors of the epics, shared an interesting history
together as guru and student. Bhishma was a Kuru prince and Parashurama instructed him in the
martial arts as a boy. Their conflict began years later, with the beautiful princess Amba. Along with
her sisters Ambika and Ambalika, Princess Amba had been abducted by Bhishma in a
misunderstanding between two kingdoms. Now, with her honor tainted, no man would take her for
bride and she was condemned to remain destitute. Bhishma himself was unable to marry due to
his bhishana pratigya, or vow of celibacy and allegiance to Hastinapur. Amba then sought the help of
Parashurama to kill Bhishma.
Taking pity on her plight, the avatar agreed to fight his former student on her behalf. The battle
lasted twenty-three days, by the end of which, both warriors were bloodied and pierced by arrows.
On the 23rd day of battle, Bhishma attempted to use the Prashwapastra against Parashurama.
Learned of in his previous birth as Prabhasa (one of the Ashta Vasus), this weapon was unknown to
Parashurama and would put the afflicted to sleep in the battlefield. This would have given Bhishma
the victory. Before he could release it, however, a voice from the sky warned him that "if he uses this
weapon it would be a great insult towards his Guru."
Pitrs then appeared and obstructed the chariot of Parashurama, forbidding him from fighting any
longer. The spirit of Parashurama's father, Jamadagni and his grandfather, Ruchika, spoke to him:
O son, never again engage in battle with Bhishma or any other Kshatriya. Heroism and courage in
battle are the qualities of a Kshatriya and study of the Vedas and the practice of austerities are the
wealth of the Brahmans. Previously, you took up weapons to protect the Brahmans, but this is not
the case now. Let this battle with Bhishma be your last. O son of the Bhrigu race, it is not possible to
defeat Bhishma.

— Mahabharata 188:5

In the end, the Gods showered praise on Bhishma and he sought the blessing of Parashurama as
his guru. The avatar then acknowledged that his former student was truly invincible, telling Amba:
Using even the very best of weapons I have not been able to obtain any advantage over Bhishma,
that foremost of all wielders of weapons! I have exerted now to the best of my power and might.
Seek the protection of Bhishma himself, you have no other refuge now.

— Mahabharata 189:1

Mentorship of Drona[edit]
At the end of his time in the Vedic period, Parashurama was renouncing his possessions to become
a sannyasi. As the day progressed, Drona, then a poor Brahmin, approached Parashurama asking
for alms. By that time, the warrior-sage had already given the Brahmins his gold and Kashyapa his
land, so all that was left were his body and weapons. Parushurama asked which Drona would have,
to which the clever Brahmin responded:
O son of Bhrigu, it behoveth thee to give me all thy weapons together with the mysteries of hurling
and recalling them.

— Mahabharata 7:131

Thus, Parashurama gave all his weapons unto Drona, making him supreme in the science of arms.
This becomes crucial as Drona later became the guru to both thePandavas and the Kauravas who
fought against each other in the Kurukshetra War.
It is said that Lord Parashurama carried Lord Vishnu's "Sudharshana Chakra" and "Bow" and Lord
Balram's "Gadha" while they fulfilled their education with GuruSandipani.
Fate of Karna[edit]
Karna was brother to the Pandavas and the son of Surya, but was raised by a Suta charioteer.
Karna lies to Parashurama that he is a Brahmin and a descendant of Brigu Maharishi. Parashurama
then accepts him as his student and teaches him of all the powerful Brahmanda astra weapons.
Parashurama trains Karna to such a point that he declares Karna to be equal to himself in the art of
warfare and archery.
One day, as Parashurama slept, resting his head on the lap of Karna, a scorpion crawled up the leg
of the student and bit Karna's thigh. In spite of the pain, Karna neither flinched nor cried to avoid
disturbing his guru's rest. Warm blood, however, trickled down his leg and woke Parashurama. In
some versions, Lord Indrabecame afraid of the fighting prowess of Karna and he himself took the
form of a bee and stung Karna's thigh in order to benefit his son Arjuna.[6] Convinced that only a
Kshatriya could have borne such pain in silence, Parashurama realized that Karna had lied and
cursed his student that his knowledge would fail him when it was most crucial. Upon Karna's
pleading, Parshurama gifted him the celestial weapon called Bhargavastra, along with his personal
bow called Vijaya, for being such a diligent student.
Years later, during the Kurukshetra war, Karna had a dream in which he envisioned his guru and
asked him to take back the curse he had placed years back. Parashurama revealed that he had
known all along Karna was a Kshatriya, but because he was a worthy student Parashurama had
instructed him regardless. Theavatar explained to Karna that the Brahmanda astra had to fail him
when he needed it most. If he killed Arjuna, Duryodhana would be king instead of Yudhishthiraand
chaos would ensue. Parashurama asked Karna to accept his curse and asked him to die at the
hands of Arjuna, so that the world might live in peace. Karna accepted his guru's words and in return
the grateful guru, Parashurama blessed Karna with immortal glory and everlasting fame.
All three students of Parashurama – Bhishma, Drona and Karna fought on the Kaurava side (for
different reasons) and were killed by unfair tricks.

Different epochs[edit]
There are a number of stories of Parashurama in different Puranas, detailing his interactions with
different gods of the Hindu pantheon and even occurring during different Yuga due to his
being Chiranjivi.
Ekadanta[edit]
According to Puranas, Parashurama travelled to the Himalayas to pay respect to his teacher, Shiva.
While travelling, his path was blocked by Ganesha, son of Shiva and Parvati. Parashurama threw his
axe at the elephant-god. Ganesha, knowing the weapon had been given to Parashurama by his
father, allowed it to sever his left tusk.
His mother Parvati was infuriated and declared she would cut off the arms of Parashurama. She
took the form of Durga, becoming omnipotent, but at the last moment, Shiva was able to pacify her
by making her see the avatar as her own son. Parashurama also asked her forgiveness and she
finally relented when Ganesha himself spoke on behalf of the warrior-saint. Parashurama then gave
his divine axe to Ganesha and blessed him. Another name for Ganesha because of this encounter
is Ekadanta, or 'One Tooth'.
Beating back the Arabian Sea[edit]

Lord Parashurama with Saraswat Brahmin settlers demanding Varuna make the seas recede to save the lands
of Konkan and Kerala

Puranas write that the western coast of India was threatened by tumultuous waves and tempests,
causing the land to be overcome by the sea. Parashurama fought back the advancing waters,
demanding Varuna release the land of Konkanand Malabar. During their fight, Parashurama threw
his axe into the sea. A mass of land rose up, but Varuna told him that because it was filled with salt,
the land would be barren.
Parashurama then performed a tapasya for Nagaraja, the King of Snakes. Parashurama asked him
to spread serpents throughout the land so their venom would neutralize the salt filled earth. Nagaraja
agreed and a lush and fertile land grew. Thus, Parashurama pushed back the coastline between the
foothills of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, creating modern day konkan and malabar.
The coastal area of Kerala, Konkan, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, are today also known
as Parashurama Kshetraor Land of Parashurama in homage. Puranas record that Parashurama
placed statues of Shiva at 108 different locations throughout the reclaimed land, which still exist
today. Shiva, is the source of Kundalini energy and it around his neck that Nagaraja is coiled and so
the statues were in gratitude for their baneful cleansing of the land.
Then he took a winnowing basket, or Surpa, and threw it at the sea. The water retreated and from
the place the basket fell at Gokarna, land rose again. This land is called Kerala, or
'Siirparaka'(Brahmanda Purana, Chapters 98 and 99). It is also said that while beating back the sea,
Parashurama fired an arrow from his mystical bow that landed in Goa at Benaulim,
creating Salkache Tollem or 'Lotus Lake'.
Request to Shiva[edit]
According to Hindu tradition, Parshurama reclaimed the land of Konkan after donating the earth to
Maharshi Kashyap. Then he requested different Gods and Goddesses to settle in the newly created
land and to take responsibility of various clans. Parshuram, being a devotee of Shiva, requested
Shiva to give him audience everyday, while he is living in the newly created land. Lord Shiva
accepted his request. Lord Parshuram also brought 60 'Vipras' to settle in Konkan. One such Vipra
named 'Vyad' installed a Shivalinga at Guhagar. In this era, since evil thoughts are supposed to
prevail, Gods are to remain in their invisible forms. Accordingly, Lord Shiva decided to grace the
Shivalinga installed by Vyad Muni. This same Shivalinga is the well known Vyadeshwar. Thus, Lord
Shiva blesses 0Guhagar in the 'Vyadeshwar' Shivalinga from those years thereto now. According to
another history, in the era of King Sakuran, the Vyadeshwar Shivalinga was re-invented and the
Temple, which we see today, was constructed.
Rambhoja[edit]
Kshetra scripture has a legend in which a king named Ramabhoja worshipped Parashurama. He
was the ruler of the lands between Gokarna and Kanyakumari and was proclaimed king of the entire
Parashurama Kshetra. While performing aswamedha yajna, he was plowing the land, but mistakenly
killed a snake that was araksha in disguise. In repentance, Rambhoja was directed by Parashurama
to build a rajathatpeetha or large silver pedestal, with the image of a serpent at its four corners in
obeisance. Parashurama also ordered that he distribute gold to the needy equal to his own weight
as Tulabhara.
Rambhoja performed the ashwamedha yajna successfully and Parashurama appeared before him
again, declaring that he was pleased. To this day, the silver pedestal remains a center of pilgrimage.
The surrounding land is known as Thoulava, in remembrance of the Tulabhara of Rambhoja.
Surya[edit]
Surya, the sun god, riding across the sky in his chariot

Parashurama once became annoyed with the sun god Surya for making too much heat. The warrior-
sage shot several arrows into the sky, terrifying Surya. When Parashurama ran out of arrows and
sent his wife Dharani to bring more, the sun god then focused his rays on her, causing her to
collapse. Surya then appeared before Parashurama and gave him two inventions that have since
been attributed to the avatar, sandals and an umbrella.
Dattatreya[edit]
Nath tradition holds that Parashurama, after enacting his vengeance, sought
out Dattatreya atop Mount Gandhamadanafor spiritual guidance. Their conversations gave rise to
Tripura-rahasya, a treatise on Advaita Vedanta. It was here thedeity instructed the warrior-sage on
knowledge of scripture, renunciation of worldly activities and non-duality, thus freeing him from the
karmic cycle of death and rebirth.
Kalaripayattu[edit]
Parashurama and the saptarishi Agastya are regarded as the founders of kalaripayattu, the oldest
martial art in the world. Parashurama was a master in the art of weaponry, as taught to him
by Shiva. As such, he developed northern kalaripayattu or vadakkan kalari, with more emphasis on
weapons than striking and grappling. Southern kalaripayattu was developed by Agastya and focuses
more on weaponless combat. Kalaripayattu is known as the 'mother of all martial arts'.
Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, also practiced kalaripayattu. When he traveled
to China to spread Buddhism, he brought the martial art with him, which in turn was adapted to
become the basis of Shaolin Kung Fu.

Sanyasi and end time[edit]

By the end of the Vedic period, Parashurama had grown weary of bloodshed and became
a sannyasi, giving up his possessions to practice penance. The first book of the Mahabharata writes:
The son of Jamadagni, after twenty-one times making the Earth bereft of Kshatriyas, wended to that
best of Mountains Mahendra and there began his ascetic penance.

— Mahabharata 1:14

He traveled to central India at the northern end of the Eastern Ghats and Western Odisha and
ascended the Mahendra Mountains. Before he left, Parashurama distributed the territories he
conquered among Brahmins, who ruled for many centuries. Kingdoms included
Kerala, Mushika, Karnata and Konkana.
Unlike other incarnations of Vishnu, Parashurama is a Chiranjivi and is said to still be doing penance
today in Mahendragiri. The Kalki Purana writes that he will reemerge at the end of Kali Yuga to be
the martial and spiritual guru of Kalki, the tenth and final avatar of Vishnu. It is foretold that he will
instruct Kalki to perform a difficult penance to Shiva, and receive the celestial weaponry needed to
bring about end time.[citation needed]

Kalki, tenth and final avatar of Vishnu

Along with the sages Vyasa, Kripa and Ashwatthama, Parashurama is considered to be foremost

among the rishis in Kaliyuga. Parashurama will also become one of the Saptarishi in the
8th Manvantara along with sages Vyasa, Kripa and Ashwatthama.

Parashurama Temples[edit]
There are numerous temples and statues of Parashurama throughout the Indian subcontinent, some
of which include:

 Thiruvallam Sree Parasurama Temple, Trivandruam, Kerala

 Parashurama temple, Attirala, a vernacular name for Hatyarala.
Cuddapah district, Andhra Pradesh.
 Parshurama temple, Sohnag, Salempur, Deoria District, Uttar
Pradesh
 Parashurama Kunda, Lohit District, Arunachal Pradesh, where
Parashuram washed his sins after committing matricide
 Akhnoor, (Jammu),Jammu and Kashmir
 Fort [Songadh], Gujarat
  Gudimallam, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
 Harpur, Zamania, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh
 Jalalabad, Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh
 Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan
 Khatti, near Phagwara, Punjab, India
 Maniyar, Ballia, Uttar Pradesh
 Mahurgarh, Maharashtra
 Parashurama Mandir, Chiplun, Maharashtra
 Sri Kalakama Parashurama Temple,
Darbetadka, Belthangady, Karnataka
 Shree Parashurama Temple, Sanyasikatte, Karnataka
 Parashurama Temple, Banavasi, Karnataka
 Painguinim, Canacona, Goa
 Rajkot, Gujarat
 Shivpuri, Akkalkot, Khopoli, Maharashtra
 Parashurama Mandir, Peetambara Peetham, Datiya, Madhya
Pradesh
 Shivsar Talao Pond Statue, Phalodi, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
 Sri Parasurama Swamy Temple, Thiruvallam, 6 km south
of Thiruvananthapuram Kerala
 Tosh, Manikaran, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
 Padubelle, Udupi, Karnataka, India
 Kojra, Sirohi, Rajasthan, India
 Parashurama Mandir, Mokama, Bihar, India
 Janapav Hill, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
 Parshuram Kutiya, Nirmand, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

Parashurama Kshetras[edit]
The ancient Saptakonkana is a slightly larger region described in the Sahyadrikhanda which refers
to it as Parashuramakshetra (Sanskrit for "the area of Parashurama").

Part of a series on

Vaishnavism

1. . Sarup & Sons. p.  376.

References[edit]
 KM, Ganguly (2016) [1883], The Mahabharata of Krishna-
Dwaipayana Vyasa (Drona Parva Section LXX ed.), Sacred Texts
 Mackenzie, Donald A, Indian Myth and Legend, Sacred Texts

Additional sources[edit]
  Parkhe B, Ramayashogatha (1975, 2008)
 Sharma DR, परशरु ाम महागाथा शोध ग्रंथ
 Potdar J, Bhagwan Parashurama
 Mehrotra NC, Shahjahanpur Etihasik Evam Sanskritik
Dharohar (1999) Pratiman Prakashan 30 Kucha Ray Ganga
Prasad Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh
 Parashurama Patrika Quarterly Magazine
 Bhagwan Parashuram-K M Munshi

परशुराम

पौरोणिक परिचय[संपादित करें ]

परसुराम की प्रतिमा

परशुरामजी का उल्लेख रामायण, महाभारत, भागवत पुराण और कल्कि पुराण इत्यादि अनेक ग्रन्थों में किया गया

है । वे अहं कारी और धष्ृ ट हैहय वंशी क्षत्रियों का पथ्ृ वी से २१ बार संहार करने के लिए प्रसिद्ध हैं। वे धरती पर
वैदिक संस्कृति का प्रचार-प्रसार करना चाहते थे। कहा जाता है कि भारत के अधिकांश ग्राम उन्हीं के द्वारा
बसाये गये। वे भार्गव गोत्र की सबसे आज्ञाकारी सन्तानों में से एक थे, जो सदै व अपने गुरुजनों और माता
पिता की आज्ञा का पालन करते थे। वे सदा बड़ों का सम्मान करते थे और कभी भी उनकी अवहे लना नहीं
करते थे। उनका भाव इस जीव सष्टि
ृ को इसके प्राकृतिक सौंदर्य सहित जीवन्त बनाये रखना था। वे चाहते थे
कि यह सारी सष्टि
ृ पशु पक्षियों, वक्ष
ृ ों, फल फूल औए समच
ू ी प्रकृति के लिए जीवन्त रहे । उनका कहना था कि
राजा का धर्म वैदिक जीवन का प्रसार करना है नाकि अपनी प्रजा से आज्ञापालन करवाना। वे एक ब्राह्मण के
रूप में जन्में अवश्य थे लेकिन कर्म से एक क्षत्रिय थे। उन्हें भार्गव के नाम से भी जाना जाता है।

यह भी ज्ञात है कि परशुराम ने अधिकांश विद्याएँ अपनी बाल्यावस्था में ही अपनी माता की शिक्षाओं से सीख
ली थीँ (वह शिक्षा जो ८ वर्ष से कम आयु वाले बालको को दी जाती है )। वे पश-ु पक्षियों तक की भाषा समझते
थे और उनसे बात कर सकते थे। यहाँ तक कि कई खूख्
ँ वार वनैले पशु भी उनके स्पर्श मात्र से ही उनके मित्र
बन जाते थे।

उन्होंने सैन्यशिक्षा केवल ब्राह्मणों को ही दी। लेकिन इसके कुछ अपवाद भी हैं जैसे भीष्म और कर्ण।

उनके जाने-माने शिष्य थे -

1. भीष्म
2. द्रोण, कौरव-पाण्डवों के गुरु व अश्वत्थामा के पिता एवं
3. कर्ण।

कर्ण को यह ज्ञात नहीं था कि वह जन्म से क्षत्रिय है । वह सदै व ही स्वयं को क्षूद्र समझता रहा लेकिन उसका
सामर्थ्य छुपा न रह सका। जब परशुराम को इसका ज्ञान हुआ तो उन्होंने कर्ण को यह श्राप दिया की उनका
सिखाया हुआ सारा ज्ञान उसके किसी काम नहीं आएगा जब उसे उसकी सर्वाधिक आवश्यकता होगी। इसलिए
जब कुरुक्षेत्र के युद्ध में कर्ण और अर्जुन आमने सामने होते है तब वह अर्जुन द्वारा मार दिया जाता है क्योंकि
उस समय कर्ण को ब्रह्मास्त्र चलाने का ज्ञान ध्यान में ही नहीं रहा।

इतिहास[संपादित करें ]

जन्म[संपादित करें ]
प्राचीन काल में  कन्नौज में गाधि नाम के एक राजा राज्य करते थे। उनकी सत्यवती नाम की एक अत्यन्त
रूपवती कन्या थी। राजा गाधि ने सत्यवती का विवाह भग
ृ ुनन्दन ऋषीक के साथ कर दिया। सत्यवती के
विवाह के पश्‍चात ् वहाँ भग
ृ ु ऋषि ने आकर अपनी पुत्रवधू को आशीर्वाद दिया और उससे वर माँगने के लिये
कहा। इस पर सत्यवती ने श्‍वसरु को प्रसन्न दे खकर उनसे अपनी माता के लिये एक पत्र
ु की याचना की।
सत्यवती की याचना पर भग ृ ु ऋषि ने उसे दो चरु पात्र दे ते हुये कहा कि जब तम
ु और तुम्हारी माता ऋतु
स्नान कर चुकी हो तब तुम्हारी माँ पुत्र की इच्छा लेकर पीपल का आलिंगन करना और तुम उसी कामना को
लेकर गूलर का आलिंगन करना। फिर मेरे द्वारा दिये गये इन चरुओं का सावधानी के साथ अलग अलग
सेवन कर लेना। इधर जब सत्यवती की माँ ने दे खा कि भग
ृ ु ने अपने पुत्रवधू को उत्तम सन्तान होने का चरु
दिया है तो उसने अपने चरु को अपनी पत्र
ु ी के चरु के साथ बदल दिया। इस प्रकार सत्यवती ने अपनी माता
वाले चरु का सेवन कर लिया। योगशक्‍ति से भग
ृ ु को इस बात का ज्ञान हो गया और वे अपनी पुत्रवधू के पास
आकर बोले कि पत्र
ु ी! तम्
ु हारी माता ने तम्
ु हारे साथ छल करके तम्
ु हारे चरु का सेवन कर लिया है । इसलिये अब
तुम्हारी सन्तान ब्राह्मण होते हुये भी क्षत्रिय जैसा आचरण करे गी और तुम्हारी माता की सन्तान क्षत्रिय होकर
भी ब्राह्मण जैसा आचरण करे गी। इस पर सत्यवती ने भग ृ ु से विनती की कि आप आशीर्वाद दें कि मेरा पुत्र
ब्राह्मण का ही आचरण करे , भले ही मेरा पौत्र क्षत्रिय जैसा आचरण करे । भग
ृ ु ने प्रसन्न होकर उसकी विनती
स्वीकार कर ली। समय आने पर सत्यवती के गर्भ से जमदग्नि का जन्म हुआ। जमदग्नि अत्यन्त तेजस्वी थे।
बड़े होने पर उनका विवाह प्रसेनजित की कन्या रे णक
ु ा से हुआ। रे णक
ु ा से उनके पाँच पत्र
ु हुए जिनके नाम थे -
रुक्मवान, सुखेण, वसु, विश्‍वानस और परशुराम।

माता पिता भक्त परशरु ाम[संपादित करें ]

श्रीमद्भागवत में दृष्टान्त है कि गन्धर्वराज चित्ररथ को अप्सराओं के साथ विहार करता दे ख हवन हे तु गंगा तट
पर जल लेने गई रे णुका आसक्त हो गयी और कुछ दे र तक वहीं रुक गयीं। हवन काल व्यतीत हो जाने से
क्रुद्ध मुनि जमदग्नि ने अपनी पत्नी के आर्य मर्यादा विरोधी आचरण एवं मानसिक व्यभिचार करने के
दण्डस्वरूप सभी पुत्रों को माता रे णुका का वध करने की आज्ञा दी।

अन्य भाइयों द्वारा ऐसा दस्

ु साहस न कर पाने पर पिता के तपोबल से प्रभावित परशुराम ने उनकी आज्ञानुसार
माता का शिरोच्छे द एवं उन्हें बचाने हे तु आगे आये अपने समस्त भाइयों का वध कर डाला। उनके इस कार्य
से प्रसन्न जमदग्नि ने जब उनसे वर माँगने का आग्रह किया तो परशरु ाम ने सभी के पन
ु र्जीवित होने एवं
उनके द्वारा वध किए जाने सम्बन्धी स्मति
ृ नष्ट हो जाने का ही वर माँगा।

पिता जमदग्नि की हत्या और परशरु ाम का प्रतिशोध[संपादित करें ]

Parasurama killing Sahasrarjuna.jpg सहस्त्रार्जुन से युद्धरत परशुराम का एक चित्र

कथानक है कि हैहय वंशाधिपति का‌र्त्तवीर्यअर्जुन (सहस्त्रार्जुन) ने घोर तप द्वारा भगवान दत्तात्रेय को प्रसन्न
कर एक सहस्त्र भुजाएँ तथा युद्ध में किसी से परास्त न होने का वर पाया था। संयोगवश वन में आखेट करते
वह जमदग्निमनिु के आश्रम जा पहुँचा और दे वराज इन्द्र द्वारा उन्हें प्रदत्त कपिला कामधेनु की सहायता से
हुए समस्त सैन्यदल के अद्भत
ु आतिथ्य सत्कार पर लोभवश जमदग्नि की अवज्ञा करते हुए कामधेनु को
बलपूर्वक छीनकर ले गया।

कुपित परशुराम ने फरसे के प्रहार से उसकी समस्त भुजाएँ काट डालीं व सिर को धड़ से पथ
ृ क कर दिया। तब
सहस्त्रार्जुन के पत्र
ु ों ने प्रतिशोध स्वरूप परशरु ाम की अनप
ु स्थिति में उनके ध्यानस्थ पिता जमदग्नि की हत्या
कर दी। रे णुका पति की चिताग्नि में प्रविष्ट हो सती हो गयीं। इस काण्ड से कुपित परशुराम ने पूरे वेग से
महिष्मती नगरी पर आक्रमण कर दिया और उस पर अपना अधिकार कर लिया। इसके बाद उन्होंने एक के
बाद एक पूरे इक्कीस बार इस पथ्ृ वी से क्षत्रियों का विनाश किया। यही नहीं उन्होंने हैहय वंशी क्षत्रियों के
रुधिर से स्थलत पंचक क्षेत्र के पाँच सरोवर भर दिये और पिता का श्राद्ध सहस्त्रार्जुन के पुत्रों के रक्त से
किया। अन्त में महर्षि ऋचीक ने प्रकट होकर परशुराम को ऐसा घोर कृत्य करने से रोका।

इसके पश्चात उन्होंने अश्वमेघ महायज्ञ किया और सप्तद्वीप यक्

ु त पथ्ृ वी महर्षि कश्यप को दान कर दी।
केवल इतना ही नहीं, उन्होंने दे वराज इन्द्र के समक्ष अपने शस्त्र त्याग दिये और सागर द्वारा उच्छिष्ट भूभाग
महे न्द्र पर्वत पर आश्रम बनाकर रहने लगे।

है हयवंशी क्षत्रियों का विनाश[संपादित करें ]

माना जाता है कि परशुराम ने 21 बार है हयवंशी क्षत्रियों को समूल नष्ट किया था। क्षत्रियों का एक वर्ग है
जिसे हैहयवंशी समाज कहा जाता है यह समाज आज भी है । इसी समाज में एक राजा हुए थे सहस्त्रार्जुन।
परशुराम ने इसी राजा और इनके पुत्र और पौत्रों का वध किया था और उन्हें इसके लिए 21 बार युद्ध करना
पड़ा था।

कौन था सहस्त्रार्जुन ?: सहस्त्रार्जुन एक चन्द्रवंशी राजा था जिसके पूर्वज थे महिष्मन्त। महिष्मन्त ने ही नर्मदा

के किनारे महिष्मती नामक नगर बसाया था। इन्हीं के कुल में आगे चलकर दर्दुु म के उपरान्त कनक के चार
पुत्रों में सबसे बड़े कृतवीर्य ने महिष्मती के सिंहासन को सम्हाला। भार्गव वंशी ब्राह्मण इनके राज पुरोहित थे।
भार्गव प्रमख
ु जमदग्नि ॠषि (परशरु ाम के पिता) से कृतवीर्य के मधरु सम्बन्ध थे। कृतवीर्य के पत्र
ु का नाम भी
अर्जुन था। कृतवीर्य का पुत्र होने के कारण ही उन्हें कार्त्तवीर्यार्जुन भी कहा जाता है । कार्त्तवीर्यार्जुन ने अपनी
अराधना से भगवान दत्तात्रेय को प्रसन्न किया था। भगवान दत्तात्रेय ने युद्ध के समय कार्त्तवीर्याजुन को
हजार हाथों का बल प्राप्त करने का वरदान दिया था, जिसके कारण उन्हें सहस्त्रार्जुन या सहस्रबाहु कहा जाने
लगा। सहस्त्रार्जुन के पराक्रम से रावण भी घबराता था।

युद्ध का कारण: ऋषि वशिष्ठ से शाप का भाजन बनने के कारण सहस्त्रार्जुन की मति मारी गई थी।
सहस्त्रार्जुन ने परशरु ाम के पिता जमदग्नि के आश्रम में एक कपिला कामधेनु गाय को दे खा और उसे पाने की
लालसा से वह कामधेनु को बलपूर्वक आश्रम से ले गया। जब परशुराम को यह बात पता चली तो उन्होंने
पिता के सम्मान के खातिर कामधेनु वापस लाने की सोची और सहस्त्रार्जुन से उन्होंने युद्ध किया। युद्ध में
सहस्त्रार्जुन की सभी भुजाएँ कट गईं और वह मारा गया।

तब सहस्त्रार्जुन के पुत्रों ने प्रतिशोधवश परशुराम की अनुपस्थिति में उनके पिता जमदग्नि को मार डाला।
परशुराम की माँ रे णुका पति की हत्या से विचलित होकर उनकी चिताग्नि में प्रविष्ट हो सती हो गयीं। इस
घोर घटना ने परशुराम को क्रोधित कर दिया और उन्होंने संकल्प लिया-"मैं हैहय वंश के सभी क्षत्रियों का नाश
करके ही दम लँ ग
ू ा"। उसके बाद उन्होंने अहं कारी और दष्ु ट प्रकृति के है हयवंशी क्षत्रियों से 21 बार यद्ध
ु किया।
क्रोधाग्नि में जलते हुए परशुराम ने सर्वप्रथम हैहयवंशियों की महिष्मती नगरी पर अधिकार किया तदप ु रान्त
कार्त्तवीर्यार्जुन का वध। कार्त्तवीर्यार्जुन के दिवंगत होने के बाद उनके पाँच पुत्र जयध्वज, शूरसेन, शूर, वषृ और
कृष्ण अपने अस्तित्व की लड़ाई लड़ते रहे ।

दन्तकथाएँ[संपादित करें ]

ब्रह्मवैवर्त परु ाण में कथानक मिलता है कि कैलाश स्थित भगवान शंकर के अन्त:परु में प्रवेश करते समय गणेश
जी द्वारा रोके जाने पर परशुराम ने बलपूर्वक अन्दर जाने की चेष्ठा की। तब गणपति ने उन्हें स्तम्भित कर
अपनी सँूड में लपेटकर समस्त लोकों का भ्रमण कराते हुए गोलोक में भगवान श्रीकृष्ण का दर्शन कराके भूतल
पर पटक दिया। चेतनावस्था में आने पर कुपित परशुरामजी द्वारा किए गए फरसे के प्रहार से गणेश जी का
एक दाँत टूट गया, जिससे वे एकदन्त कहलाये।

रामायण काल[संपादित करें ]

एक पौरोणिक चित्र: श्रीराम (दायें) और परशुराम (बाएँ)

उन्होंने त्रेतायुग में रामावतार के समय शिवजी का धनुष भंग होने पर आकाश-मार्ग द्वारा मिथिलापुरी पहुँच
कर प्रथम तो स्वयं को "विश्व-विदित क्षत्रिय कुल द्रोही" बताते हुए "बहुत भाँति तिन्ह आँख दिखाये" और
क्रोधान्ध हो "सुनहु राम जेहि शिवधनु तोरा, सहसबाहु सम सो रिपु मोरा" तक कह डाला। तदप ु रान्त अपनी
शक्ति का संशय मिटते ही वैष्णव धनुष श्रीराम को सौंप दिया और क्षमा याचना करते हुए "अनुचित बहुत
कहे उ अज्ञाता, क्षमहु क्षमामन्दिर दोउ भ्राता" तपस्या के निमित्त वन को लौट गये। रामचरित मानस की ये
पंक्तियाँ साक्षी हैं- "कह जय जय जय रघुकुलकेतू, भग
ृ ुपति गये वनहिं तप हे तू"। वाल्मीकि रामायण में वर्णित
कथा के अनुसार दशरथनन्दन श्रीराम ने जमदग्नि कुमार परशुराम का पूजन किया और परशुराम ने रामचन्द्र
की परिक्रमा कर आश्रम की ओर प्रस्थान किया।

जाते जाते भी उन्होंने श्रीराम से उनके भक्तों का सतत सान्निध्य एवं चरणारविन्दों के प्रति सुदृढ भक्ति की
ही याचना की थी।

महाभारत काल[संपादित करें ]

भीष्म द्वारा स्वीकार न किये जाने के कारण अंबा प्रतिशोध वश सहायता माँगने के लिये परशुराम के पास
आयी। तब सहायता का आश्वासन दे ते हुए उन्होंने भीष्म को युद्ध के लिये ललकारा। उन दोनों के बीच २३
दिनों तक घमासान युद्ध चला। किन्तु अपने पिता द्वारा इच्छा मत्ृ यु के वरदान स्वरुप परशुराम उन्हें हरा न
सके।

परशुराम अपने जीवन भर की कमाई ब्राह्मणों को दान कर रहे थे, तब द्रोणाचार्य उनके पास पहुँचे। किन्तु
दर्भा
ु ग्यवश वे तब तक सब कुछ दान कर चुके थे। तब परशुराम ने दयाभाव से द्रोणचार्य से कोई भी अस्त्र-
शस्त्र चुनने के लिये कहा। तब चतुर द्रोणाचार्य ने कहा कि मैं आपके सभी अस्त्र शस्त्र उनके मन्त्रों सहित
चाहता हूँ ताकि जब भी उनकी आवश्यकता हो, प्रयोग किया जा सके। परशरु ामजी ने कहा-"एवमस्त!ु " अर्थात ्
ऐसा ही हो। इससे द्रोणाचार्य शस्त्र विद्या में निपण
ु हो गये।

परशुराम कर्ण के भी गुरु थे। उन्होने कर्ण को भी विभिन्न प्रकार कि अस्त्र शिक्षा दी थी और ब्रह्मास्त्र चलाना
भी सिखाया था। लेकिन कर्ण एक सूत का पुत्र था, फिर भी यह जानते हुए कि परशुराम केवल ब्राह्मणों को ही
अपनी विधा दान करते हैं, कर्ण ने छल करके परशरु ाम से विधा लेने का प्रयास किया। परशरु ाम ने उसे
ब्राह्मण समझ कर बहुत सी विद्यायें सिखायीं, लेकिन एक दिन जब परशुराम एक वक्षृ के नीचे कर्ण की गोदी
में सर रखके सो रहे थे, तब एक भौंरा आकर कर्ण के पैर पर काटने लगा, अपने गरु
ु जी की नींद मे कोई
अवरोध न आये इसलिये कर्ण भौंरे को सेहता रहा, भौंरा कर्ण के पैर को बुरी तरह काटे जा रहा था, भौरे के
काटने के कारण कर्ण का खून बहने लगा। वो खून बहता हुआ परशुराम के पैरों तक जा पहुँचा। परशुराम की
नींद खुल गयी और वे इस खून को तुरन्त पहचान गये कि यह खून तो किसी क्षत्रिय का ही हो सकता है जो
इतनी दे र तक बगैर उफ़ किये बहता रहा। इस घटना के कारण कर्ण को अपनी अस्त्र विद्या का लाभ नहीं
मिल पाया।

एक अन्य कथा के अनस

ु ार एक बार गरु
ु परशरु ाम कर्ण की एक जंघा पर सिर रखकर सो रहे थे। तभी एक
बिच्छू कहीं से आया और कर्ण की जंघा पर घाव बनाने लगा। किन्तु गुरु का विश्राम भंग ना हो, इसलिये कर्ण
बिच्छू के दं श को सहता रहा। अचानक परशुराम की निद्रा टूटी और ये जानकर की एक ब्राम्हण पुत्र में इतनी
सहनशीलता नहीं हो सकती कि वो बिच्छू के दं श को सहन कर ले। कर्ण के मिथ्याभाषण पर उन्होंने उसे ये
श्राप दे दिया कि जब उसे अपनी विद्या की सर्वाधिक आवश्यकता होगी, तब वह उसके काम नहीं आयेगी।

विष्णु अवतार[संपादित करें ]

भग
ृ ुश्रेष्ठ महर्षि जमदग्नि द्वारा सम्पन्न पुत्रष्टि
े यज्ञ से प्रसन्न दे वराज इन्द्र के वरदान स्वरूप पत्नी रे णुका के
गर्भ से वैशाख शुक्ल तत
ृ ीया को विश्ववन्द्य महाबाहु परशुराम का जन्म हुआ था। वे भगवान विष्णु के
आवेशावतार थे।

कल्कि पुराण[संपादित करें ]

कल्कि परु ाण के अनस

ु ार परशरु ाम, भगवान विष्ण ु के दसवें अवतार कल्कि के गरु
ु होंगे और उन्हें यद्ध
ु की शिक्षा
दें गे। वे ही कल्कि को भगवान शिव की तपस्या करके उनके दिव्यास्त्र को प्राप्त करने के लिये कहें गे।

मार्शल आर्ट में योगदान[संपादित करें ]

भगवान परशुराम शस्त्र विद्या के श्रेष्ठ जानकार थे। परशुराम केरल के मार्शल आर्ट कलरीपायट्टु की उत्तरी
शैली वदक्कन कलरी के संस्थापक आचार्य एवं आदि गुरु हैं।[1] वदक्कन कलरी अस्त्र-शस्त्रों की प्रमख
ु ता वाली
शैली है ।

Ironically, next Sunday, May 12 is Mother's Dayand Shri Parashuram Jayanti. Why do I say

"ironically"? Because, Shri Parashuram , the sixth reincarnation of Shri Vishnu is also accused of
killing his Mother. Let us find out why did he do it?

Once, Parashuram's Mother went to the river to fetch water. Upon reaching the river, she was
attracted to a handsome prince sporting in the water with women and desired his company.
Dazed, she lost all sense of time and forgot that her husband was awaiting her return for his fire
sacrifice. When she eventually arrived, her husband was furious to learn of her adulterous
thoughts by means of his meditative power and ordered his sons to kill their Mother.

The sons weren't sure what to do. In Vedic culture, murdering any woman (what to speak of
one's own Mother) is a horrible sin. On the other hand, disobeying an elder's command
(especially the father's) is also a great offense. When the sage's confused elder sons declined to
obey his command, the sage instructed his youngest son, Parashuram, to kill his disloyal Mother
and disobedient brothers.

Parashuram, knowing the power of his father, thought that if he refused to carry out his father’s
order he would be cursed, but if he carried out the order, his father would be pleased and would
give him a benediction.

he would then be able to bring his Mother and brothers back to life with that benediction.
Parashuram therefore killed his own Mother and brothers. When Jamadagni, Parashuram's father
being very pleased, offered to give him a benediction, Parashuram requested that his Mother and
brothers be brought back to life and that they would not remember having been killed by him.
His Mother and brothers immediately came to life as if awakened from sound sleep.
Parashurama was fully aware of his father’s power of austerity and had therefore decided to kill
his Mother.
 

Jamadagni was certainly very powerful due to his austerities, but because of a slight offense by
his poor wife, Renuka, he ordered that she be killed. This certainly was a sinful act, and therefore
the stage was set for him to bear the consequences of his actions.  As a karmic reaction to the
sage's killing of his wife and sons, the princes killed him.

 
The pastimes of the Lord and His devotees and incarnations are
transcendental affairs that we cannot imitate. Still, the story of Sri
Parashuram's family teaches us to be wary of lust and anger, which can
disrupt the lives of even such great souls as Parashuram's parents.

Now this is one of the most famous legands that I have been hearing
since childhood, due to my close association with the land of Konkan
in general and the town of Chiplun in particular -- and also with the
Kokanastha Brahmins - the Kulkarnis, Deshpandes, Patils, Inamdars,
Gokhales, Phadkes, Rastes, Patwardhans, Aptes and so on ... the list
is endless. The Peshwas (prime ministers) of the late Maratha empire
are the most famous group of Chitpavan Brahmins in the history.

This post is about how the famous warrior saint Parashurama - Rama

with an axe - Vishnu's 6th Avatar, ordered the Ocean to recede and
thus created the entire stretch of what is known as Konkan and
Malabar.

Prelude - Jamadagni and Kartavirya Arjuna

----------------------------------------------------------------------

It all started when long time ago a Haihaya Kshatriya king Kartavirya
Arjuna - nothing to do with the Arjuna of Mahabharata - (also called
Sahasrarjuna - purportedly with a thousand arms) visited the sage
Jamadagni of the Bhrigu clan and his ashram. Jamadagni fed the
guets and his whole army with the help of the milk provided by his
magical divine cow - Kamadhenu (one of the jewels that hadsurfaced
during the Samudra - manthan of devas and danavas - and was gifted
to the Bhrigus). 

The king Kartavirya Arjuna got extremely interested in this cow and
demanded to have it. When Jamadagni refused, because he needed
the cow for his religious ceremonies, the king forcibly took the cow
away and his army devastated the ashram while going away, leaving
the poor old man behind.

When Jamadagni's son Parashurama returned from his studies - he

was a disciple of Lord Shiva who had taught him the highest of the
warfare, he saw the devastated ashram. He chased and fought
the king Kartavirya Arjuna, and after cutting each one of his thousand
arms one by one, finally killed the king with his axe.

When Kartavirya Arjuna's sons heard about this, they attacked

Jamdagni's ashram as revenge in Parashurama's absence and killed
the old sage. When Parashurama returned, he saw his
mother Renuka beating her chest 21 times and learnt of his father's
murder. Furious with rage, he vowed to exterminate the world's
Haihaya-Kshatriyas 21 times. 
Parashurama thus attacked the murderers and killed all the sons and
their aides. His thirst for revenge unquenched, he went on killing every
adult Kshatriya on earth, not once but 21 times, filling five ponds with
blood. Finally, his grandfather - Richeek rishi, the son of Bhrigu rishi -
one of the Saptarshis - appeared andstopped him.

Parashurama's Ashwamedha Yagna

---------------------------------------------------------

By this time Parashurama had anyway won all the known earth from
the Kshatriyas and had exterminated them. He then offered his dead
father's soul the tarpana (last rites) with the blood of the Kshatriya
kings he slew. He decided to conduct the Ashwamedha Yagna, done
by sovereign kings - thus becoming the first sovereign king of
mankind. 

However, it seemed he was so defiled by the slaughter that other

brahmins refused to perform any ceremonies for him. Finally
Kashyapa rishi agreed to perform at the yagna. Parashurama gave
the entire land he owned to the head priest who performed at the
yagna - i.e. Kashyapa rishi, and decided to give upviolence, become
an ascetic and practice penances.

Bhargava rama (Parashurama) thus left for south and reached the
Western Ghats. At that time, the land ended there, and the realm of
god Varuna - the lord of the oceans - began. Parashurama
called upon the god and asked his help. Initially the sea god did not
agree to recede. Infuriated, Parashurama decided to throw a
Bramhastra (missile) on the sea to render it completely dry. Varuna
got scared and agreed to a truce. He agreed to recede as far west as
Parashurama's arrow would hit the waters from the place he was
standing.

Parashuram shot an arrow from the top of the current day's Sahyadris
- the Western Ghats (probably from Chiplun) into the sea. The place
where he stood has his temple at Lote Parashurama near Chiplun.
The place where the arrow landed is called Bannali - the modern-day
Benaulim in Goa. This reclaimed belt of land of about 30 miles broad
became available for mankind.

Who will live on the new land? - Pyre Purified Brahmins

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

However, there was still the problem of settlers. Who will leave their
own homes and go settle in a newly created marshland - who knows
how it will be like? So Parashurama found it difficult to get companions
to follow him to build the land.

At that time the bodies of fourteen persons happened to be cast

ashore by the sea which then washed the foot of the Sahyadri hills.
These corpses Parashurama purified, by burning them on a funeral
pyre (or chita in Sanskrit), and restored them to life. He taught them
the Brahmin rituals, and made them perform ceremonies to free them
from guilt. The brahmins thus got a second life and werecalled
Chitpavan ('those who have become pure - pavan - by going through
the pyre') and the place where this happened was called Chit-polan
(modern-day Chiplun).
It was these Chitpavan brahmins who followed Parashurama and
settled in Konkan. These are called Kokanastha Brahims (or Kobra's
for short) nowadays. Parashurama set apart the banks of the
river Vashishthi for these new Brahmins. After establishing this
settlement, Parashurama retired to Gokarna in North Canara
(Karnataka).

This is the long and short of why Konkan is called Parashurama

Bhumi and how Chitpavan Brahims got their name.

P.S. There are also mentions about the origins of Saraswat Brahmins
found in the Kokan region. This was because by the time
Parashurama left for the south, the ancient river Saraswati of Vedic
times, which was the lifeline of the people of northern India - had
vanished (dried). The sage Kashyap rishi requested Parashurama's
help to migrate the people who lived on the banks of the river and
settle elsewhere. These people who earlier lived on the banks of river
Saraswati - hence called Saraswat Brahims - accompanied
Parashurama in his journey south and settled in Konkan.

Best
- Shreekant
29 March 2009

Ref: Skanda Purana, Sahyadri Khand, Marathi Edition

The present day Chitpavan Brahmins have descended from Sage Parshurama (born
5000 B.C). The story of creation goes as follows :  
Parshurama was the son of Jamadagni and Renuka who belonged to the Kshatriya, or
warrior caste. He was great worshipper of Lord Shiva and a devoted son. He was
blessed with parshu a kind of weapon by Lord Shiva himself. He was a master at
weaponry and taught the knowledge he had to Guru Dronacharya, Karna & Arjuna.  
Raja Kartavirya once burnt down the monastery of Sage Vashishti. The angry sage
then cursed him that "Parshurama shall kill you". Not the one to keep away from
mischief, the King stole the Holy Cow called as "Kamadhenu" from the sage. On
hearing of this mischief angry Parshurama tracked the King down and killed him with
his parshu. In order to avenge for their father's death the sons of the slain King killed
the sage Vasishti in retaliation. This act really angered Parshurama and he pledged
that "he would get rid of the Kshatriya's (the warrior caste) 21 times from the face of
the earth". 
And he did that. So as a penance for this horrific genocide (ethnic cleansing) he
organised a very large yadnya and donated all the lands which he had acquired to Sage
Kashyap. Then he left for the Mahendra mountains in southern India to meditate.
After a long and severe meditation on the sea coast, he pleased Varun the Lord of
Rain and asked him to grant him new land from the sea. But in vain, the sea would not
retract, so in anger he put his arrow to his bow and shot it in the seaward direction.
Parshurama's anger was well known even to the Gods in Heaven. Lord of Sea was
terrified and requested Parshurama not to do such a deed. But who can get back a
arrow which has left the bow. The sea backed off to that region where the arrow had
found its mark. This new holy land was known as "Konkan".
Here on this new land Parshurama settled his fellow Brahmins, these 60 families
formed the basis of original 60 surnames.

However there is another tale, which is more popular in the Sahyadri's or Desh i.e. the
plateau region of Deccan which forms the major part of Maharashtra state, in modern
India. 

After committing the genocide of the Kshatriya's, Parshurama had committed worst
kind of sin. In order to get salvation for this act he had make very large offerings to
the Gods by prayers and worship (pooja). Parshurama was known for his legendary
anger and capabilities, thus other Brahmins were not ready to be associated with his
functions. Hence the prayers would have been without the official sanction of other
learned Brahmins. 

As fate would be, at that very moment Parshurama saw 14 dead bodies floating in the
sea. Parshurama purified the dead bodies on the funeral pyre and brought them back
to life. These fourteen men formed the basis of 14 Gotra's of the Chitpavan Brahmins.
Afterwards they were settled by Parshurama by reclaiming the land from the sea.  

In Sanskrit the rich language of ancient India, "Chita" - means pyre and "Pavan"
means pure. Since the bodies were brought back to life on a pyre and were purified
hence they would be called asCHITAPAVAN meaning those who were purified by
fire. And since Parshurama was responsible for their new life, they would be brahmins
like him.
 1.  Avalon, Arthur (Sir John Woodroffe) (1913, reprint 1972) (tr.) Tantra of the Great Liberation
(Mahāanirvāna Tantra), New York: Dover Publications, ISBN 0-486-20150-3, p. xli: The Rishi are
seers who know, and by their knowledge are the makers of shastra and "see" all mantras. The word
comes from the root rish Rishati-prāpnoti sarvvang mantrang jnānena pashyati sangsārapārangvā,
etc. The seven great Rishi or saptarshi of the first manvantara are Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha,
Kratu, Pulastya, and Vashishtha. In other manvantara there are other sapta-rshi. In the present
manvantara the seven are Kashyapa, Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra, Gautama, Jamdagnini,
Bharadvaja. To the Rishi the Vedas were revealed. Vyasa taught the Rigveda so revealed to Paila,
the Yajurveda to Vaishampayana, the Samaveda to Jaimini, Atharvaveda to Samantu, and Itihasa and
Purana to Suta. The three chief classes of Rishi are the Brahmarshi, born of the mind of Brahma,
the Devarshi of lower rank, and Rajarshi or Kings who became Rishis through their knowledge and
austerities, such as Janaka, Ritaparna, etc. Thc Shrutarshi are makers of Shastras, as Sushruta.
The Kandarshi are of the Karmakanda, such as Jaimini.
2. ^ Jump up to:    Subodh Kapoor (2004).  A Dictionary of Hinduism: Including Its Mythology, Religion,
a b

History, Literature, and Pantheon. Cosmo Publications. pp.  185–. ISBN 978-81-7755-874-6.

His five sons were Rumanwat, Sushena, Vasu, Vishvavasu, andParasurama