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Parashurama
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| Parashurama | |
|---|---|
| Member of Dashavatara and Chiranjivi | |
 Parashurama by Raja Ravi Varma | |
| Other names |
|
| Devanagari | परशुराम |
| Sanskrit transliteration | Paraśurāma |
| Affiliation | Vaishnavism |
| Abode | Mahendra Mountains |
| Weapon | Parashu (Parashu) |
| Day | Thursday |
| Genealogy | |
| Born | Akshaya Tritiya |
| Parents | |
| Siblings | Rumaṇvān, Suhotra, Vasu, and Viśvāvasu[2] |
| Spouse | Dharani [1] |
Parashurama (Sanskrit: परशुराम, romanized: Paraśurāma, lit. 'Rama with an axe'), also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava and Virarama,[3] is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism.[4] Hindu tradition holds him to be the destroyer of the evil on Earth. He liberates the Mother Earth from felons, ill-behaved men, extremists, demons and those blind with pride. He is described as one of the Chiranjivi (Immortals), who will appear at the end of the Kali Yuga to be the guru of Vishnu's tenth and last incarnation, Kalki.
Key Information
Born to Jamadagni and Renuka, the Brahmin Parashurama was foretold to appear at a time when overwhelming evil prevailed on the earth. The Kshatriya caste, with weapons and power, had begun to abuse their power, take what belonged to others by force and tyrannise people. He corrected the cosmic equilibrium by destroying these Kshatriyas twenty-one times (leaving some lineages). He is married to Dharani, an incarnation of Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu.[5]
In the epic Ramayana, he arrives after Sita Swayamvara, upon hearing the loud noise when Rama uplifts and breaks the divine bow Pinaka. He later deduces that Rama is Vishnu himself, he himself asked Rama to destroy the fruits of his austerities. In the Mahabharata, Parashurama, the formidable warrior-sage and sixth avatar of Vishnu, is renowned for his unparalleled martial prowess. While the epic does not explicitly state the exact number of days Parashurama would have taken to conclude the Kurukshetra war, his legendary feats suggest that he could have ended it swiftly.
Given these accounts, it's widely believed in various retellings and interpretations of the Mahabharata that Parashurama possessed the capability to end the Kurukshetra war in a single day. However, he chose not to participate in the battle, adhering to his vow of renunciation and neutrality.
In the epic Mahabharata he was the guru of Bhisma, Drona, Rukmi and Karna.[6][7]
Parashurama is said to carry various traits including courage, aggression, and warfare along with serenity, patience and prudence. He was known to show his benevolence to Brahmins, children, women, old men and other weaker sections of the society.
Legend
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According to Hindu history, Parashurama was born to the sage Jamadagni and his Kshatriya wife, Renuka. In local tradition, it is believed they lived in a hut located at Janapav.[8] They had a celestial cow called Surabhi, which gives them all that they desire.[7][9] A king named Kartavirya Arjuna (not to be confused with Arjuna, the Pandava)[10][note 1] learns about this cow of plenty and wants it. He asks Jamadagni to give it to him, but the sage refuses. While Parashurama is away from the hut, the king takes it by force.[7] When Jamadagni pleads his case and seeks for the return of the cow, the king strikes him with his fist, killing him. Parashurama learns about this crime, and is upset. With his axe in his hand, he challenges the king to battle. They fight, and Parashurama defeats and kills the king, according to the Padma Purana.[3][5]
The wicked-minded one lost his valour due to his own sin. The mighty son of Reṇukā, being angry, cut off his head, as mighty Indra did the peak of a big mountain, and he who was brave and angry, killed Sahasrabāhu and all the kings with his axe in the battle. Seeing Rāma, the very fearful one, all kings on the earth, struck by fear, ran away as elephants do on seeing a lion. The angry Rāma killed the kings even though they had fled due to the resentment against his father's murder, as the angry Garuḍa killed the serpents. The valorous Rāma made the entire [world] clear of the kṣatriyas, but protected [i.e. spared] only the very great family of Ikṣvāku, due to its being the family to which his maternal grandfather was related, and due to his mother's words.
— Padma Purana, Chapter 241
The warrior class challenges him, and he slays every single member of the class, save for those belonging to the lineages of Manu and Ikshvaku. The mighty son of Jamadagni, having rid the world of the Kshatriyas, then performs the ashvamedha sacrifice. He grants the earth with the seven islands to principal rishis belonging to the Brahmin class. Having renounced the earth and his violent deeds, he retires to the hermitage of Nara-Narayana to engage in penance. The legend likely has roots in the ancient conflict between the Brahmin varna, with knowledge duties, and the Kshatriya varna, with warrior and enforcement roles.[6][7][11]
Epic Ramayana
[edit]In the Ramayana, following Rama's wedding to Sita at Mithila and during their homeward journey to Ayodhya, his party comes across a number of inauspicious signs. Amid an earthquake and a dust storm, Parashurama appears before the party. After accepting the libation offered to him, Parashurama challenges Rama to combat, on the condition that the prince show his strength to the sage by placing a bow within the string of the latter's bow, Sharanga, and discharging it. Ignoring Dasharatha's plea to spare Rama this task, Parashurama relays the divine origin of the bow and the history of its ownership, appealing to Rama's skills as a warrior. Rama seizes the bow from Parashurama and strings it, an act that causes the latter to become bereft of his divine power. Humbled, Parashurama acknowledges that Rama is an incarnation of Vishnu and requests the prince to allow him to return to the mountain Mahendra so that he could practice yoga and accrue merit. After circumambulating Rama in worship, Parashurama returns to his hermitage.[12]
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Epic Mahabharata
[edit]Bhishma
[edit]In the Mahabharata, Parashurama intercedes on the princess Amba's behalf, promising to command his disciple Bhishma to do his duty and marry her after her abduction.[13] When Parashurama arrives with his retinue at Kurukshetra, he sends a message to Bhishma to inform him of his arrival. Bhishma comes to see his guru, offering him the traditional respects. Parashurama commands Bhishma to accept Amba as his wife. Bhishma refuses, restating that he had taken a vow of celibacy. An infuriated Parashurama threatens Bhishma with death. Bhishma tries to calm the sage, but in vain, and he finally agrees to battle his guru to safeguard his Kshatriya duty. Ganga tries stopping the battle by beseeching her son as well as the great sage, but fails.[14] The great battle lasts for 23 days, without any result. On the 24th day, when Bhishma chooses to use a deadly weapon, at the behest of the divine sage Narada and the devas, Parashurama ends the conflict and the battle is declared a draw.[15][16] Parashurama narrates the events to Amba and urges her to seek Bhishma's protection. However, Amba refuses to listen to Parashurama's advice and angrily declares that she would achieve her objective by asceticism.[17]
Parshuram Kshetra
[edit]
There are legends dealing with the origins of the western coast geographically and culturally. One such legend is the retrieval of the west coast from the sea, by Parashurama. It proclaims that Parashurama, an incarnation of Mahavishnu, threw his battle axe into the sea. As a result, the land of the western coast arose, and thus was reclaimed from the waters. The place from which he threw his axe (or shot an arrow) is on Salher fort (the second highest peak and the highest fort in Maharashtra) in the Baglan taluka of Nashik district of Maharashtra. There is a temple on the summit of this fort dedicated to Parshuram and there are footprints in the rock four times the size of normal humans. This fort on a lower plateau has a temple of goddess Renuka, Parshuram's mother and also a Yagya Kunda with pits for poles to erect a shamiyana on the banks of a big water tank.[citation needed]
According to the Sangam classic Purananuru, the Chera king Senkuttuvan conquered the lands between Kanyakumari and the Himalayas.[18] Lacking worthy enemies, he besieged the sea by throwing his spear into it.[18][19] According to the 17th-century Malayalam work Keralolpathi, the lands of Kerala were recovered from the sea by the axe-wielding warrior sage Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu (hence, Kerala is also called Parashurama Kshetram 'The Land of Parashurama'[20]). Parashurama threw his axe across the sea, and the water receded as far as it reached. According to legend, this new area of land extended from Gokarna to Kanyakumari.[21] The land which rose from sea was filled with salt and unsuitable for habitation; so Parashurama invoked the snake king Vasuki, who spat holy poison and converted the soil into fertile lush green land. Out of respect, Vasuki and all snakes were appointed as protectors and guardians of the land. P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar has theorised that Senguttuvan may have been inspired by the Parashurama legend, which was brought by early Aryan settlers.[22]
In present-day Goa (or Gomantak), which is a part of the Konkan, there is a temple in Canacona in South Goa district dedicated to Parashurama.[23][24][25]
Shastras
[edit]Parashurama is generally presented as the fifth son of Renuka and Rishi Jamadagni.[11] The legends of Parashurama appear in many Hindu texts, in different versions:[26]
Devi Bhagvata Purana
[edit]In Chapter 6 of the Devi Bhagavata Purana, he is born from the thigh with intense light surrounding him that blinds all warriors, who then repent their evil ways and promise to lead a moral life if their eyesight is restored. The boy grants them the boon.[11] Parashurama retired in the Mahendra Mountains, according to chapter 2.3.47 of the Bhagavata Purana.[27]
Vishnu Purana
[edit]In Chapter 4 of the Vishnu Purana, Rcika prepares a meal for two women, one simple, and another with ingredients that if eaten would cause the woman to conceive a son with martial powers. The latter is accidentally eaten by Renuka, and she then gives birth to Parashurama.[11]
Vayu Purana
[edit]In Chapter 2 of the Vayu Purana, he is born after his mother Renuka eats a sacrificial offering made to both Rudra (Shiva) and Vishnu, which gives him dual characteristics of Kshatriya and Brahmin.[28]
Mahabharata
[edit]Parashurama is described in some versions of the Mahabharata as the angry Brahmin who with his axe, killed a huge number of Kshatriya warriors because they were abusing their power.[29] In some versions, he even kills his own mother because his father asks him to in order to test his obeisance.[10][30] After Parashurama obeys his father's order to kill his mother, his father grants him a boon. Parashurama asks for the reward that his mother be brought back to life, and she is restored to life.[30] Parashurama remains filled with sorrow after the violence, repents and expiates his sin.[10] After his Mother comes back to life, he tries to clean the blood-stained axe but he finds a drop of blood which he was unable to clean and tries cleaning the blood drop in different rivers. This is when he moves towards the south of India in search of any holy river where he could clean his axe, finally, he reaches Tirthahalli village in Shimoga, Karnataka and tries to clean the axe and to his surprise, the axe gets cleaned in the holy river of Tunga. With respect towards the holy river, he constructs a Shiva linga and performs pooja and the temple is named as Rameshwara temple. The place where Parashurama cleaned his axe is called Ramakunda.
He plays important roles in the Mahabharata serving as mentor to Bhishma (chapter 5.178), Drona (chapter 1.121) and Karna (chapter 3.286), teaching weapon arts and helping key warriors in both sides of the war.[31][32][note 2]
In the regional literature of Kerala, he is the founder of the land, the one who brought it out of the sea and settled a Hindu community there.[6] He is also known as Rama Jamadagnya and Rama Bhargava in some Hindu texts.[3] He is the only incarnation of Vishnu who never dies, never returns to abstract Vishnu and lives in meditative retirement.[10] Further, he is the only incarnation of Vishnu that co-exists with other Vishnu incarnations Rama and Krishna in some versions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, respectively.[10][note 3]
Samanta Panchaka
[edit]According to the Sangraha Parva, after killing 21 generations of Kshatriyas, he filled their blood in five pools collectively known as the Samantha Panchaka (Sanskrit: समंत पञ्चक). He later atoned for his sin by severe penance. The five pools are considered to be holy.
The Anukramanika Parva says that the Samantha Panchaka is located somewhere around Kurukshetra. It also mentions that the Pandavas performed a few religious rites near the Samantha Panchaka before the Kurukshetra War.
Parashurama Kshetra
[edit]Legend tells that before retiring to Mahendragiri mount, Parashurama threw his axe in the Arabian Sea, and land rose out of it, called Parashurama Kshetra. There is much interpretation of 'Parashurama Kshetra' (Land of Parashurama) mentioned in the Puranas.
The region on the western coast of India from Gokarna to Kanyakumari was known as Parashurama Kshetra.[34]
The region of Konkan was also considered as Parashurama Kshetra.[35]
The ancient Saptakonkana is a slightly larger region described in the Sahyadrikhanda which refers to it as Parashuramakshetra (Sanskrit for "The Land Of Parashurama"), Vapi to Tapi is an area of South Gujarat, India. This area is called "Parshuram Ni Bhoomi".[36]
Iconography
[edit]
The Hindu literature on iconography such as the Vishnudharmottara Purana and Rupamandana describes him as a man with matted locks, with two hands, one carrying an axe. However, the Agni Purana portrays his iconography with four hands, carrying his axe, bow, arrow and sword. The Bhagavata Purana describes his icon as one with four hands, carrying his axe, bow, arrows and a shield like a warrior.[37] Though a warrior, his representation inside Hindu temples with him in war scenes is rare (the Basohli temple is one such exception). Typically, he is shown with two hands, with an axe in his right hand either seated or standing.[37]
List of Temples
[edit] | This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2025) |
| Name | Deity | Location | State | Image | Speciality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anantheshwara Temple | Parashurama | Udupi | Karnataka | Parashurama is worshipped in the form of a lingam.[38] | |
| Parashurama Temple | Parashuram | Thiruvallam, Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala | ||
| Athyarala Temple | Parashurama | Rajempet | Andhra Pradesh | ||
| 108 Shiva Temples | Shiva | 108 Locations | Karnataka, Kerala | Believed to be consecrated by Parashurama | |
| Parshuram Kund | Parshurama | Lohit District | Arunachal Pradesh | Pilgrims visit in winter season on every year, especially in the Makar Sankranti day for a holy dip which is believed to wash away one's sins.[39][40] | |
| Mahurgad | Renuka, Parashurama | Nanded District | Maharashtra | Shakti Pitha shrine | |
| Parashurama Temple | Parashurama | Chiplun, Ratnagiri District | Maharashtra | ||
| Parshuram Mandir | Parashurama | Mokama | Bihar | Kalash Yatra | |
| Parashurama Temple | Parashurama | Kollur | Karnataka | ||
| Parashurama Temple | Parashurama | Koteshwara | Karnataka | ||
| Parashurama Temple | Parashurama | Kukke Subrahmanya | Karnataka | ||
| Parashurama Temple | Parashurama | Udupi | Karnataka | ||
| Parashurama Temple | Parashurama | Gokarna | Karnataka | ||
| Parashurama Temple | Parashurama | Anegudde (Kumbhasi) | Karnataka | ||
| Parashurama Temple | Parashurama | Shankaranarayana | Karnataka |
Gallery
[edit]_Kerala_India.jpg)
In popular culture
[edit]The Parashurama avatar symbolizes the strict and non-relinquishing aspect of showing daya (mercy), where he has to be harsh for the well being of the srushti (world).[41]
On top of the hills of Janapav is a Shiva temple where Parashurama is believed to have worshipped Shiva, the ashram is known as Jamadagni Ashram, named after his father. The place also has a Kund (Pond) that is being developed by the state government.[42]
The Bhumihar caste of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar claim to be descendants of Parashuram.[43][44] As Parashurama was a Brahmin who carried out warfare like a Kshatriya, Bhumihars thus claim the traits of both the varnas.[45][46]
In Kannada folklore, especially in devotional songs sung by the Devdasis he is often referred to as a son of Yellamma. Parashurama legends are notable for their discussion of violence, the cycles of retaliations, the impulse of krodha (anger), the inappropriateness of krodha, and repentance.[47]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ The Mahabharata includes legends about both Arjuna, one is dharmic (moral) and other adharmic (immoral); in some versions, Arjuna Kartavirya has mixed moral-immoral characteristics consistent with the Hindu belief that there is varying degrees of good and evil in every person.[10]
- ^ The Sanskrit epic uses multiple names for Parashurama in its verses: Parashurama, Jamadagnya, Rama (his name shortened, but not to be confused with Rama of Ramayana), etc.[33]
- ^ These texts also state that Parasurama lost the essence of Vishnu while he was alive, and Vishnu then appeared as a complete avatar in Rama; later, in Krishna.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ Debroy, Bibek (30 June 2022). Vishnu Purana - Bibek Debroy - Google Books. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 9789354926617. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ^ "Story of Jamadagni". 28 January 2019.
- ^ a b c Julia Leslie (2014). Myth and Mythmaking: Continuous Evolution in Indian Tradition. Taylor & Francis. pp. 63–66 with footnotes. ISBN 978-1-136-77888-9.
- ^ Chakraborty, Yogabrata (28 June 2023). "পুরীধাম ও জগন্নাথদেবের ব্রহ্মরূপ বৃত্তান্ত" [Puridham and the tale of lord Jagannath's legendary 'Bramharup']. dainikstatesmannews.com (in Bengali). Kolkata: Dainik Statesman (The Statesman Group). p. 4. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ a b Coulter, Charles Russell; Turner, Patricia (4 July 2013). Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-96390-3.
- ^ a b c Constance Jones; James D. Ryan (2006). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. p. 324. ISBN 978-0-8160-7564-5.
- ^ a b c d James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N–Z. The Rosen Publishing Group. pp. 500–501. ISBN 978-0-8239-3180-4.
- ^ "Parashurama | Hindu mythology". 6 August 2024.
- ^ Khazan Ecosystems of Goa: Building on Indigenous Solutions to Cope with Global Environmental Change (Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research) (1995). Khazan Ecosystems of Goa: Building on Indigenous Solutions to Cope with Global Environmental Change. Abhinav Publications. p. 29. ISBN 978-9400772014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lynn Thomas (2014). Julia Leslie (ed.). Myth and Mythmaking: Continuous Evolution in Indian Tradition. Routledge. pp. 64–66 with footnotes. ISBN 978-1-136-77881-0.
- ^ a b c d Thomas E Donaldson (1995). Umakant Premanand Shah (ed.). Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects in Honour of Dr. U. P. Shah. Abhinav Publications. pp. 159–160. ISBN 978-81-7017-316-8.
- ^ Valmiki. The Ramayana. pp. 139–144.
- ^ Uberoi, Meera (2005). The Mahabharata. Penguin Books India. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-14-303358-5.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXXI". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ Mani, Vettam (1975). "Amba". Puranic Encyclopaedia: a Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. pp. 27–29. ISBN 978-0-8426-0822-0.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXXVIII". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXXIX". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ a b Menon, A. Sreedhara (1987). Kerala History and its Makers. D C Books. p. 24. ISBN 978-8126421992.
- ^ Ancient Indian History By Madhavan Arjunan Pillai, p. 204 [ISBN missing]
- ^ S. C. Bhatt, Gopal K. Bhargava (2006) "Land and People of Indian States and Union Territories: Volume 14", p. 18
- ^ Aiya VN (1906). The Travancore State Manual. Travancore Government Press. pp. 210–12. Retrieved 12 November 2007.
- ^ Srinivisa Iyengar, P. T. (1929). History of the Tamils: From the Earliest Times to 600 A.D. Madras: Asian Educational Services. p. 515. ISBN 978-8120601451.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - ^ Shree Scanda Puran (Sayadri Khandha) – Ed. Dr. Jarson D. Kunha, Marathi version Ed. by Gajanan Shastri Gaytonde, published by Shree Katyani Publication, Mumbai
- ^ Gomantak Prakruti ani Sanskruti Part 1, p. 206, B. D. Satoskar, Shubhada Publication
- ^ Aiya VN (1906). The Travancore State Manual. Travancore Government Press. pp. 210–212. Retrieved 12 November 2007.
- ^ Cornelia Dimmitt (2012). Classical Hindu Mythology: A Reader in the Sanskrit Puranas. Temple University Press. pp. 82–85. ISBN 978-1-4399-0464-0.
- ^ Thomas E Donaldson (1995). Umakant Premanand Shah (ed.). Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects in Honour of Dr. U.P. Shah. Abhinav Publications. pp. 174–175. ISBN 978-81-7017-316-8.
- ^ Thomas E Donaldson (1995). Umakant Premanand Shah (ed.). Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects in Honour of Dr. U.P. Shah. Abhinav Publications. pp. 160–161. ISBN 978-81-7017-316-8.
- ^ Ganguly KM (1883). "Drona Parva Section LXX". The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa. Sacred Texts. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
- ^ a b Daniel E Bassuk (1987). Incarnation in Hinduism and Christianity: The Myth of the God-Man. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-349-08642-9.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1896). "Mahabaratha, Digvijaya yatra of Karna". The Mahabharata. Sacred Texts. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
- ^ Lynn Thomas (2014). Julia Leslie (ed.). Myth and Mythmaking: Continuous Evolution in Indian Tradition. Routledge. pp. 66–69 with footnotes. ISBN 978-1-136-77881-0.
- ^ Lynn Thomas (2014). Julia Leslie (ed.). Myth and Mythmaking: Continuous Evolution in Indian Tradition. Routledge. pp. 69–71 with footnotes. ISBN 978-1-136-77881-0.
- ^ L Eck, Diana (27 March 2012). India : A Sacred Geography. Harmony/Rodale. p. 37.
- ^ Stanley Wolpert (2006), Encyclopedia of India, Thomson Gale, ISBN 0-684-31350-2, page 80
- ^ Chandra, Suresh (1998). Encyclopedia of Hindu Gods & Goddesses. Sarup & Sons. p. 376. ISBN 9788176250399.
- ^ a b Thomas E Donaldson (1995). Umakant Premanand Shah (ed.). Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects in Honour of Dr. U.P. Shah. Abhinav Publications. pp. 178–180. ISBN 978-81-7017-316-8.
- ^ G. Kameshwar (2004). Tulu Tales: A Soota Chronicle. Rupa & Company. p. 31. ISBN 9788129104274.
The association of Parasurama, an incarnation of Vishnu, with the Linga, came to be known as Anantheshwara and the place of worship is the present Anantheshwara temple.
- ^ "Thousands gather at Parshuram Kund for holy dip on Makar Sankranti". The News Mill. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
- ^ "70,000 devotees take holy dip in Parshuram Kund". Indian Express. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ^ "दशावतार कीर्तनमाला परशुराम अवतार श्रावण विशेष ह.भ.प. डॉ. चारुदत्तबुवा आफळे #vishnu Dashavtarv". 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Janapav to be developed into international pligrim centre". One India. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ "सभी भूमिहार-ब्राह्मण परशुराम के वंशज: आशुतोष". Hindustan. 2 January 2024.
- ^ "भूमिहार ब्राह्मण एकता व संस्कार मंच ने मनाई परशुराम जयंती". Dainik Bhaskar.
- ^ "Bihar Politics: बिहार में 'भगवान परशुराम वंशियों' के गढ़ में कड़ी फाइट, इस दफे फायरब्रांड के लिए आसान नहीं मैदान". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "मुजफ्फरपुर में भगवान परशुराम की मूर्ति स्थापित करेगा भूमिहार ब्राह्मण सामाजिक फ्रंट - Bhumihar Brahmin Social Front to install statue of Lord Parashurama in Muzaffarpur". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Thomas E Donaldson (1995). Umakant Premanand Shah (ed.). Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects in Honour of Dr. U.P. Shah. Abhinav Publications. pp. 161–70. ISBN 978-81-7017-316-8.
Bibliography
[edit]- KM, Ganguly (2016) [1883]. The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Drona Parva Section LXX ed.). Sacred Texts.
- Mackenzie, Donald A (1913). Indian Myth and Legend. Sacred Texts.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Parashurama at Wikimedia Commons
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1 The list of the "ten avatars" varies regionally. Two substitutions[clarification needed] involve Balarama, Krishna, and Buddha. Krishna is almost always included; in exceptions, he is considered the source of all avatars. | ||
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Parashurama
View on GrokipediaParashurama, revered in Hindu tradition as the sixth avatar of Vishnu, embodies the archetype of a Brahmin warrior sage who wielded a divine axe (parashu) bestowed by Shiva to enforce cosmic order.[1][2] Born to the sage Jamadagni and his wife Renuka as Rama Jamadagnya, he is depicted in ancient epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana as an immortal (chiranjeevi) figure whose primary exploits involve the systematic eradication of tyrannical Kshatriya kings twenty-one times, filling sacred lakes with their blood to purge earthly corruption and rebalance dharma.[3][4] This act stemmed from vengeance for his father's murder by arrogant rulers, underscoring themes of retribution against abuse of martial power, though scriptural accounts portray it as a divine mandate rather than mere filial rage.[5] As mentor to legendary warriors such as Bhishma, Drona, and Karna, Parashurama's legacy extends to shaping heroic lineages while embodying the fusion of ascetic wisdom and martial prowess, distinct from Vishnu's other avatars focused on preservation through non-violent means.[6] His enduring presence in texts like the Puranas highlights a cautionary narrative on unchecked authority, drawn from oral and textual traditions predating written Sanskrit epics, with variations reflecting interpretive layers across sectarian sources.[7]
Identity as Vishnu's Avatar
Position in Dashavatara
Parashurama is the sixth avatar in the Dashavatara, the canonical list of ten principal incarnations of Vishnu that progressively manifest to uphold dharma and counter adharma across cosmic cycles.[1][8] This sequence, detailed in Puranic texts like the Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana, places him after Vamana (the fifth, a dwarf Brahmin who reclaims the universe through a boon) and before Rama (the seventh, the prince of Ayodhya).[9][10] His incarnation embodies a transitional warrior-sage archetype, bridging the divine interventions of earlier animal and semi-divine forms with the fully human avatars that follow, reflecting an era of martial restoration amid Kshatriya excesses.[1][11] Unlike preceding avatars focused on cosmic preservation (e.g., Varaha retrieving earth from primordial waters as the third), Parashurama's role emphasizes terrestrial justice through eradication of corrupt rulers, occurring in the Treta Yuga.[8][11] As a Brahmin-born warrior wielding a divine axe (parashu) granted by Shiva, he exemplifies Vishnu's adaptation to human societal imbalances, specifically the tyranny of Kshatriyas over Brahmins, which necessitated twenty-one cycles of their annihilation.[1][10] This position underscores a causal progression in the Dashavatara: from elemental to anthropomorphic forms, culminating in ethical warfare to reset varna hierarchies without total annihilation, as later avatars like Krishna would employ diplomacy and counsel.[9] Parashurama's enduring presence as a chiranjeevi (immortal being) allows narrative overlap with subsequent avatars, such as his confrontation with Rama in the Ramayana, affirming the non-linear temporal aspects of these incarnations despite the sequential listing.[8] Traditional enumerations, as in temple iconography and festival observances like Parashurama Jayanti, consistently uphold this sixth slot, with no major scriptural variants displacing him.[12][13]Symbolic Attributes and Traits
Parashurama is iconographically represented as a warrior-ascetic, typically adorned with matted locks (jata) resembling those of Shiva, and clad in deer skin, emphasizing his dual nature as a Brahmin sage and martial figure.[1][14] His primary emblem is the axe (parashu), which serves as the sole distinguishing attribute in traditional texts like the Visnudharmottara Purana.[14] The parashu, gifted to Parashurama by Shiva after intense penance, symbolizes divine strength, justice, and the decisive destruction of evil and ignorance.[9][15] It embodies righteous anger as a tool for eradicating adharma when peaceful means fail, reflecting the avatar's mission to restore cosmic balance through forceful intervention.[10][16] In some depictions drawn from Puranic sources, he appears with four arms holding the axe alongside a bow, arrows, and shield, underscoring his preparedness for battle akin to a Kshatriya warrior.[1] Symbolically, Parashurama traits highlight the integration of ascetic restraint with aggressive valor, portraying him as an enforcer of dharma who wields Brahminical authority to curb Kshatriya excesses.[17] This duality signifies the imperative of intellectual and spiritual discipline fused with martial resolve to protect righteousness, positioning him as a protector of the vulnerable against tyranny.[18] His enduring presence as a chiranjeevi further symbolizes timeless vigilance over moral order.[19]Origins and Family
Birth to Jamadagni and Renuka
Parashurama, revered in Hindu scriptures as an incarnation of Vishnu, was born as the son of the sage Jamadagni and his wife Renuka, with accounts portraying him as their youngest or fifth child among brothers including Vasu, Vishvavasu, and others.[20][21] Jamadagni, a descendant of the Bhrigu lineage and recognized as one of the Saptarishis in certain traditions, embodied Brahmanical austerity while possessing the celestial cow Surabhi (Kamadhenu), which provided boundless sustenance.[22] Renuka, from Kshatriya origins as the daughter of a king such as Prasenjit, exemplified wifely devotion through her ritual of daily molding unfired clay pots for fetching Ganges water without breakage, a feat tied to her unblemished purity.[9][23] The prelude to their union traces to Jamadagni's own conception, rooted in a ritual mishap narrated in epic and Puranic texts: the sage Richika, Jamadagni's father, prepared two portions of sacred payasam—one infused for a Brahmin son of supreme wisdom, the other for a Kshatriya warrior—intended respectively for his wife Satyavati and her mother. A switch by Satyavati led to her consuming the warrior portion, prompting Richika's curse that her son (Jamadagni) would exhibit latent ferocity, later deferred at her plea to manifest in the grandson, thus endowing Parashurama with unparalleled martial prowess despite his Brahmin birth.[24][25] This narrative underscores the causal interplay of ritual intent and familial destiny in scriptural lore, explaining Parashurama's hybrid sage-warrior archetype as a deliberate divine configuration to counter Kshatriya excesses.[1] Scriptural references, such as those in the Mahabharata and Vishnu Purana, depict the birth without chronological specifics, emphasizing instead Parashurama's innate divinity and obedience, traits immediately tested in family trials. These texts, preserved through oral and manuscript traditions, prioritize thematic verity over historical empiricism, with variations in brother counts (four or five preceding him) reflecting regional recensions rather than contradictory accounts.[22][9]Early Test of Obedience
Renuka, the devoted wife of the sage Jamadagni, possessed extraordinary powers derived from her unblemished chastity, enabling her to mold and carry water in unbaked clay pots without them disintegrating.[26] One day, while fetching water from the river, she observed a handsome king (or Gandharva in some accounts) sporting with his wives, leading to a fleeting thought of desire that compromised her mental purity and caused the pot to break upon her return.[27] Jamadagni, perceiving this lapse through his ascetic insight, became enraged at the violation of pativrata (wifely devotion) and demanded the execution of his wife to uphold dharma.[26] Jamadagni first commanded his four elder sons to behead their mother, but they refused, citing affection and moral hesitation, prompting him to curse them with degradation from Brahmin status or transformation into lower castes.[1] Undeterred, he then turned to his youngest son, Parashurama, who, demonstrating absolute obedience to his father as guru, complied without question, severing Renuka's head with his axe; in certain versions, he also dispatched his brothers for their prior defiance.[26] This act underscored the scriptural emphasis on filial duty overriding personal bonds, positioning Jamadagni's word as paramount in the hierarchical family structure of ancient Vedic society.[28] Pleased with Parashurama's unwavering compliance, Jamadagni granted him a boon, which the son used to request the revival of his mother and brothers, restoring them to life through the sage's yogic powers, though the brothers retained their altered status as a consequence of disobedience.[26] This episode, narrated in texts like the Bhagavata Purana, serves as an early illustration of Parashurama's temperament—fierce adherence to paternal authority and ritual purity—foreshadowing his later exploits against perceived adharmic forces.[29]Primary Legends and Exploits
Confrontation with Kartavirya Arjuna
Kartavirya Arjuna, a Haihaya king ruling from Mahishmati on the banks of the Narmada River, possessed a thousand arms granted by the sage Dattatreya and was known for his martial prowess.[30] [31] During a visit to the ashram of the sage Jamadagni, father of Parashurama, Kartavirya Arjuna and his large retinue were lavishly feasted using the divine wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu, which produced abundant food and provisions through its supernatural abilities.[6] [31] Impressed by Kamadhenu's powers, Kartavirya Arjuna demanded the cow from Jamadagni, who refused, citing its sacred role in ascetic sustenance.[31] Enraged, the king forcibly seized Kamadhenu and departed, prompting Jamadagni to implore his sons for retribution; only Parashurama, the youngest, agreed to act.[6] [30] Parashurama pursued Kartavirya Arjuna to Mahishmati, where he challenged the king to battle after offering obeisance to the Narmada River.[30] In the ensuing confrontation, Parashurama wielded his divine axe, the Parashu bestowed by Shiva, to sever Kartavirya Arjuna's thousand arms one by one before slaying him decisively.[6] [30] This victory repelled the king's forces and allowed Parashurama to recover Kamadhenu, though it precipitated further vengeance when Kartavirya Arjuna's sons later assassinated Jamadagni.[31]The Twenty-One Annihilations of Kshatriyas
Following the murder of his father Jamadagni by the sons of the Haihaya king Kartavirya Arjuna, Parashurama vowed to eradicate the Kshatriya class to avenge the act and restore dharma by eliminating tyrannical rulers who had abused their power.[26] The sons of Kartavirya Arjuna had slain Jamadagni in an attempt to seize the divine cow Kamadhenu, prompting Parashurama to first kill the perpetrators and then extend his campaign against the broader Kshatriya lineages perceived as corrupt.[32] In the Mahabharata, Parashurama is described as having rendered the earth devoid of Kshatriyas twenty-one times, traversing the world repeatedly to fulfill his oath after each resurgence of the warrior class.[33] This repeated annihilation targeted male Kshatriyas, with accounts noting that he filled vast pools and lakes with their blood as markers of his campaigns, symbolizing the scale of the purge.[33] The Bhagavata Purana similarly records that he rid the world of Kshatriyas twenty-one times, emphasizing the cyclical nature required due to surviving lineages repopulating.[26] Variations in scriptural accounts attribute the number twenty-one to specific triggers, such as Parashurama's mother Renuka striking her chest in grief twenty-one times, binding him to that precise count of exterminations.[34] The Vishnu Purana details his vow to extirpate the entire Kshatriya race in response to the unprovoked attack on his ascetic family, framing the acts as a corrective to cosmic imbalance caused by Kshatriya overreach.[32] Not all Kshatriya lines were targeted indiscriminately; certain righteous dynasties, such as the Ikshvaku lineage, were spared, allowing for eventual restoration of the class.[26] These narratives underscore Parashurama's role as a fierce enforcer of varna duties, wielding his parashu (axe) gifted by Shiva to check the excesses of martial rulers, though interpretations differ on whether the twenty-one cycles refer to generational wipes or global sweeps against pockets of corruption.[33][26] The Brahmanda Purana reinforces the vow's origin in familial retribution, linking it directly to the desecration of the brahmin hermitage.[34]Reclamation and Creation of Lands
In Hindu mythological traditions, Parashurama is credited with reclaiming land from the Arabian Sea to establish habitable territories for Brahmin settlers following his annihilation of Kshatriya rulers. According to accounts in the Brahmanda Purana, Parashurama approached Varuna, the deity presiding over waters, demanding additional land after existing territories proved insufficient for displaced Brahmins. When Varuna demurred, citing the exhaustion of available earth, Parashurama fixed a divine arrow to his bow and compelled the sea god to withdraw the ocean southward from Gokarna in present-day Karnataka.[35][36] The act culminated in Parashurama hurling his parashu (axe) into the sea, which caused the waters to recede dramatically, exposing a new coastal strip extending from Gokarna to Kanyakumari. This emergent land, spanning regions now encompassing Kerala, coastal Karnataka (including Tulu Nadu), and parts of Konkan, became known as Parashurama Kshetra or Parashurama Srishti, signifying the "creation" or "reclamation" by Parashurama. Legends emphasize that the axe, stained from prior battles, marked the boundary where the sea halted, symbolizing divine intervention in geophysical formation for societal restoration.[37][38][39] Parashurama subsequently apportioned this reclaimed terrain among Brahmin groups, particularly inviting Saraswat and other northern Brahmin lineages to settle and perform Vedic rites, thereby founding communities like the Nambudiri Brahmins in Kerala. These narratives, echoed in regional folklore and texts such as the Skanda Purana and local traditions, underscore Parashurama's role in balancing varna order by providing priestly domains amid post-conflict upheaval, though the accounts blend mythological causation with symbolic geography rather than empirical history.[40][7][41]Roles in Major Epics
Encounters in the Ramayana
![Parashurama challenging Rama with Dasharatha][float-right]In the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, Parashurama's primary encounter with Rama occurs shortly after Rama breaks the bow of Shiva (Pinaka) during Sita's swayamvara in Mithila. Enraged by the news that a Kshatriya has shattered the sacred bow, which he associates with the pride of divine weapons, Parashurama storms into King Janaka's assembly hall, axe in hand and carrying the divine bow of Vishnu. He rebukes the assembly for allowing such an act, recounts his own annihilation of Kshatriyas twenty-one times to assert Brahmin supremacy, and demands to know who dared break Pinaka.[42][43] Parashurama then identifies Rama as the culprit, prompted by Dasharatha, and challenges him to prove his worth by stringing Vishnu's bow, which Parashurama claims no ordinary being can handle. Rama, with calm demeanor, accepts the bow, strings it effortlessly in a single attempt, and releases the string, causing the earth, mountains, and oceans to tremble violently. Overwhelmed by this display of divine power, Parashurama realizes Rama's superior manifestation as Vishnu's avatar, bows in reverence, and withdraws his aggression. He explains that his anger stemmed from attachment to the bow's glory but acknowledges Rama's precedence in the cosmic order.[42][43][44] The sage then prophesies Rama's future deeds, including the establishment of righteousness, and departs peacefully after seeking forgiveness from Dasharatha and the assembly. This confrontation underscores the transition of divine authority from Parashurama's era of Brahmin martial dominance to Rama's embodiment of dharma balancing Kshatriya valor with cosmic order. No further direct encounters between Parashurama and Rama are detailed in the Valmiki Ramayana, though the event symbolizes the harmonious resolution of potential conflict between two Vishnu avatars.[42][43]