Parashurama
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Parashurama Bhargava or Parasurama (Axe-wielding Rama), according to Hindu mythology is the Sixth avatar of Vishnu, belongs to the Treta yuga, and is the son of Jamadagni & Renuka. Parashu means axe, hence his name literally means Rama-with-the-axe. 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 advancing ocean back thus saving the lands of Konkan and Malabar (Maharashtra - Karnataka - Kerala coastline). The coastal area of Karnataka and Kerala state in India is known as Parashurama Kshetra (Parashurama's area). Some dispute this and say it extends all the way to Mumbai in Maharashtra.
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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[edit] 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. 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. There is another, predominant version of the story that the army was actually killed by an army generated from the cow. In return, the king killed the sage Jamadagni.
[edit] Extermination of the kshatriya caste
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 Ashvamedha 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 Ashvamedha 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 had a very famous incident with Lord Rama's father during one of those raids on the kshatriya clans. When Parashurama had visited Ayodhya to annhilate Dasharatha, then the latter had actually prepared for a certain death, knowing that Parashurama had the blessing of the almighty and also that it is not honourable for a kshatriya to show his back to a challenger. But at that time the king had no progeny. So his queens refused to let him go to the battlefield and disguised him as a woman. Irritated after a long wait, Parashurama searched everywhere in the king's palace, then entered the queen's quarters (antahpuram). There he found the king in women's garments. Parashurama discarded Dasharatha from a challenge saying that the latter had himself proved lacking of virility! This tale is often told to youngsters that it is often better to face an insult instead of facing a certain death.
[edit] Legends
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 to cut off one of his tusks.
[edit] 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 came to confront Rama as the Ayodhyans made their way back to their city. At this point, Parashurama felt himself devoid of the tremendous mystical energy he had possessed for so long. He realized that Rama was superior and the true Vishnu incarnate. He accepted Rama's superiority, devoted his tapasya to him, paid homage to Rama and promised to return to his hermitage and not return to the world of men.
In another version, played in ramlilas across India, Parshuram arrived after hearing the sound of the bow of Shiva breaking. The kshatriyas were afraid to confront the sage, but Sita approached the sage. He blessed her, saying Saubhagyawati bhavah, literally meaning "be thou blessed with good luck". So when he turned to kill Rama, the destroyer of Shiva's bow, he could not pick up his axe to do so. This was so because, as he blessed Sita with good luck himself, he himself could not cause any harm to her husband. At the same time, he recognised Rama for what he truly was, namely, the avatar of Vishnu.
[edit] 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 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 an incident would render the Brahmastra almost useless to Karna.
One day, Parashurama was sleeping with his head resting on Karna's thigh, when a beetle crawled up and bit Karna's thigh, boring into it. Inspite of the bleeding and the pain, he neither flinched or uttered a cry so that his teacher could continue his rest. However, the blood trickled down, reaching Parashurama and awakening him. 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.
[edit] Kalki Purana
The Kalki Purana states Parashurama will be the martial guru of Sri Kalki, the 10th and final avatar of Lord Vishnu. It is he who instructs Kalki to perform a long penance to Shiva (just as he did) to receive celestial weaponry.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Ganapati in the avatara of Sage Parshurama
Image:Ganapati visarjan 5-wiki.jpg
Ganapati is popularly worshipped in numerous avataras <ref>Various avataras of Ganapati </ref> including that of Sage Parshurama.
[edit] Formation of Kerala
According to the legends the there existed no Kerala before Parashuram threw his axe into the sea. The sea lord varuna respected him and retreated to a postion till where the axe fell. Thus formed Kerala.
[edit] Other Names
- Bhrigupati
- Bhargava
[edit] References
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| Hinduism | Dashavatara of Vishnu | Image:HinduSwastika.svg |
|---|---|
| Matsya | Kurma | Varaha | Narasimha | Vamana | Parashurama | Rama | Krishna | Balarama | Buddha | Kalki |
| Hinduism | Hindu mythology | Itihasa | Image:Hindu swastika.svg |
|---|---|
| Female Deities: Gayatri | Saraswati | Lakshmi | Dakshayani | Parvati | Durga | Shakti | Kali | Sita | Devi | Radha | Mahavidya | more... | |
| Male Deities: Brahma | Vishnu | Shiva | Rama | Krishna | Ganesha | Kartikeya | Hanuman | Lakshmana | Indra | Surya | more... | |
| Texts: Vedas | Upanishads | Puranas | Ramayana | Mahabharata | |
