Parashurama
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Parashurama Bhargava or Parasurama (Axe-wielding Rama), is the Sixth avatara of Vishnu, and a son of Jamadagni. He received an axe after undertaking a terrible penance to please Shiva, from whom he learned the methods of warfare and other skills. He is a Chiranjeevin, who fought the ocean to create the land of Konkan (Maharashtra - Karnataka - Kerala coastline).
Parashurama's creation was a mistake as his mother was given a concoction made to produce a Kshatriya child. Parashurama was of mixed varna. Parashurama's maternal uncle was the mighty King and Brahmarishi Vishwamitra but was a brahmin on his father's side.
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The Killing of Jamadagni
King Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna) and his army visited Jamadagni, a brahmin sage, who fed his guest and the whole army with his divine cow Surabhi; the king demanded the magical cow and Jamadagni refused because he needed the cow for his religious ceremonies. King Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna) sent his soldiers to take the cow and Parashurama killed the entire army and the king with his axe. In return, the princes beheaded Jamadagni.
Attempted Extermination of the Kshatriya Race
When Parashurama returned home he found his mother crying hysterically. When asked why she was crying, she beat her chest 21 times. In a rage, Parashurama vowed to exterminate the world's Kshatriyas 21 times. He killed the entire clan of Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna), thus conquering the entire earth. He offered his dead father's soul tarpana with the blood of the kings and warriors he slew. He then conducted the Ashwamedha sacrifice, done only by sovereign kings, and gave the entire land he owned to the priests who performed at the yagya, viz. Kashyapa.
Parashurama then became responsible for killing the world's kings and warriors who came to attack him in revenge for the killing of Kartavirya Arjuna, to prevent a Brahmin from being emperor and threatening their position. The Ashwamedha demanded that the kings either submit to Parashurama's imperial position, or thwart the sacrifice by defeating him in battle. They did neither and were killed. Parashurama exterminated the world's Kshatriyas 21 times, thus fulfilling his vow.
Parashurama very easily loses all his power to King Rama and the Brahmin community is deemed incapable of performing the duties of warriors and kings, who are required to be adept at the martial arts, war and administration.
Legends
According to one legend, the story goes on that Parashurama was struck by remorse at his wanton killings, and offered penance on a mountain top. The sea god Varuna responded, and offered him land equal to the distance he could throw his axe. Parashurama threw his axe from Gokarnam and it fell at Kanyakumari. As promised the sea gave way to land, thus giving rise to Kerala.
According to one legend, Parashurama also went to visit Shiva once but the way was blocked by Ganesha. Parashurama threw the axe at him and Ganesha, knowing it had been given to him by Shiva, allowed it cut off one of his tusks.
Siva's Bow
In the Ramayana, Parashurama came to the betrothal ceremony of the seventh Avatara, Rama, to the princess Sita. As a test of worthiness the suitors were required to lift and string the bow of Siva, given to the king Janaka by Parshurama. Rama successfully strung the bow, but in the process it broke in two, producing a tremendous noise that reached the ears of Parashurama.
Parashurama comes to confront Rama as the Ayodhyans make their way back to their city. Rama is himself angered by Parashuramas arrogance and decides to show the might of true kings. With very little effort snatches the bow of Vishnu, strings it, places an arrow and points it straight at the challenger's heart. Rama spares Parashurama as he is relative of his guru Vishwamitra.
At this point, Parashurama feels himself devoid of the tremendous mystical energy he possessed for so long. He realizes that Rama is superior and the true Vishnu incarnate. He accepts Rama's superiority, devotes his tapasya to him, pays homage to Rama and promises to return to his hermitage and not return to the world of men.
In another version of the legend, Rama simply pacifies the angry Parashurama, who is enraged at an ordinary prince breaking the sacred bow of Siva. Eventually Parashurama realises the true identity of rama as the true Vishnu incarnate and to confirm the same asks him to try and place the arrow on vishnu's bow. Rama places the arrow on the bow and proves his identity to Parashurama. Then he tells him that as the arrow cannot be wasted, what should he destroy? Parashuram's religious merits or his ability to move at lightning speed. Parashurama asks his religious merits to be destroyed and hence he returns to his hermitage.
The Mahabharata
In the Mahabharata, Parashurama was the instructor of the warrior Karna, born to a Kshatriya mother but raised as the son of a charioteer, or lower class of Kshatriyas. Karna came to Parashurama after being rejected from the school of the teacher Drona, who taught the five Pandava and one hundred Kaurava princes. Parashurama agreed to teach Karna, believing him to be of Brahmin birth, and gave him the knowledge of the extremely powerful Brahmastra weapon. But one day while Parashurama was sleeping with his head resting on Karna's leg, an insect crawled up and bit Karna. He, not wishing to wake his teacher, did not move or cry out, but the flow of his blood eventually awakened Parashurama. Convinced that only a Kshatriya could have borne such pain in silence and that Karna had therefore lied in order to receive instruction, he cursed Karna that his knowledge of the Brahmastra would fail him when he needed it most.
The Sixth Avatara
The purpose of the sixth incarnation of Vishnu is considered by religious scholars to be to relieve the earth's burden by exterminating the sinful, destructive and irreligious monarchs that pillaged its resources, and neglected their duties as kings.
Parashurama is of a martial Brahmin varna. See Mohyal.
However, unlike all other avatars, Parashurama still lives on earth even today. Secondly, he is an Avesha Avatara, a secondary type of Avatara. In such an Avatara, Vishnu does not directly descend such as that of Rama or Krishna but instead enters the soul of a man with His form. Accordingly, unlike Rama and Krishna, Parashurama is not worshipped. But in South India, there exists one major temple commemorating Parashurama.
Other Names
- Bhrigupati
- Bhargava