Parasurama

 

The parasurama avataram is about how a Brahmin or the people who practice Brahmmainism or in pursuit of Brahmman should conduct themselves and various conditions. This avatar narration is not about brahmin caste but about the practical living on earth with a goal of attaining spirituality by following the principals of Brahmmaann which is called knowing the self called Soul and reaching Maha Vishnu. 

According to Naradha a true Brahman should earn his livelihood by alms or begging or bhikshatan. He shouldn’t demand any dhakshina for his services, just accept what is given.  It is even better if he collects food grains scattered in places like fields, granary, market place and in yaga rituals. A brahmin should engage in educational services and engage in auspices services to earn livelihood.

In any of the above circumstances don’t permit a brahmin to earn his livelihood, he may opt for the occupation of Kshathriya. In such situation he should endeavor to master vedas and well versed in using different weaponry. Battle should be his last option. When the very existence of his race, religiousness, or his possessions taken by force or injustice, he must wage war with his knowledge of vedas and with shrewd war strategies. For survival a brahmin can occupy the profession of a vysa or business man. These activities should be performed only under extreme circumstances where a brahmin can’t live by alms or services.

Sage Jamadagni’s son is Rama. When a king came to his ashram, Jamadagni performed all rituals and respects that a guest should receive. The king wondered how a sage can arrange all these exotic things in an ashram. He discovered Kamadhenu which gives anything the owner wants. The king demanded the cow, Jamadagni refused, the king took the cow forcefully and destroyed the ashram and killed Jamadagni. Rama when he was a child mastered many weaponries. After his father’s death, Rama performed tremendous penance to please Lord Vishnu. Vishnu gave Rama Parasu - Axe and Vaishnava Bow. Thus he became Prasurama. Now the Brahman turned Kshatriya Prarasurama waged a war for 21 years and vanquished all the kings.

The message that is being conveyed in this avataram is that how a brahmin or a person follows brahmnism, should live and conducts oneself under different circumstances. Finally a brahmin should come back to spirituality, veda reciting and living by the basic principles of alms etc. If not he is sinned for many janmams. Parasurama donated all his kingdoms to a king and started living a basic spiritual life.

Significance of the Story

Jamadagni represents the burning fire of Sadhana. When the spiritual fire becomes strong, it gives rise to spiritual ecstasy (Parashurama). Spiritual ecstasy (Parashurama) can only rise in one, when the arrogance has been killed and purified. Here, the king KritaViraya, represents the arrogance born out of brave deeds. When such ecstasy rises, it kills and purifies and relative temptations arising due to Maya (which is represented by Parashurama’s mother). Also, such ecstasy, kills and purifies all the kshatriya qualities in one like revenge, anger etc. (represented by killing the warrior clan of the king KritaVirya).

Stories

Parshuram is believed to have been immortal. Born in the Bhrigu clan, Parshuram Avatar possessed the qualities of both brahmin and Kshatriyas. He was half Brahmin and half Kshatriya. Lord Vishnu had incarnated as Parashuram to end the evil deeds of Arjuna, a Kshatriya king who was blessed with invincibility. He had 1000s of arms and he along with other Kshatriya kings had strayed from their path and Parshuram Avatar was born to eliminate the evil in the form of Kshatriyas.

The killing of Jamadagni – Why Parashuram killed his mother Renuka & cut her head

Parshuram’s parents were spiritual people and his father Jamadagni had his ashram on the bank of the river. It was there that he imparted education to his sons and disciples. One day, while he was performing yajna, he asked his wife Renuka to fetch some water from the river for oblation. Renuka went as asked to fetch some water but she lost track of time and missed oblation as celestial singer Chitraratha was indulging in leisure activities with his wife in the river.

Sage Jamadagni was so angry at his wife’s carelessness that he asked his sons to behead her. No son came forward. Seeing this, Lord Vishnu Avatar Parshuram picked his axe and killed his mother. His father was very impressed and offered him a boon. Parshuram asked for the life of his dead mother’s back. By then, Jamadagni’s anger had subsided and thus he brings his wife back to life.

The incident with the cow

Jamadagni and Renuka had a magical cow called Kaamdhenu that was the symbol of abundance. It had emerged out of the ocean during the great churning. One day when the sage and his sons were away and Renuka was alone, a few Kshatriyas came to visit, Renuka offered them food and delicious milk from the cow. The Kshatriyas on seeing this and finding out about the cow decided to take it to king Arjuna. They asked for the cow and Renuka refused. However, while leaving, The Kshatriyas seized the cow and took it with them anyway.

Parshuram came back to his mother wailing and was very angry. He at once stormed to Mahishmati, the capital of Arjuna. Seeing him, Arjuna mocked him and told him that his father and he should only indulge in Penance and forget about Kaamdhenu as only Kshatriyas deserve the best of all things. He sent his army to face Bhagwaan Parshuram who is the Avatar of God Vishnu and not one did survive. Arjuna was too furious to see his army destroyed. So, he went on his own to fight Parshuram.

Arjuna completely forgot about the curse that was spelled upon him by Muni Vashisth after Arjuna had once burnt a forest down. The curse was meant for him to be killed by a very powerful man and he was to cut off all the thousand arms of Arjuna. The curse did turn into reality and Arjuna’s all thousand arms were cut off by Parshuram followed by his beheading.

Parshuram brought Kaamdhenu back and handed it over to his mother. Jamadagni was not very happy with his son’s adventures as it seemed he had given air to an enmity between the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas. Jamadagni, in order to atone for Parshuram’s sins, asked him to go for a pilgrimage. Parshuram obeyed his father’s command.

Kartavirya Arjuna killed by Parashuram Avatar

That incarnation of God is known as Jamadagnya (Parashurama). For what and when did he take incarnation in Bhrigukul, he tells the episode, listen. King Yudhishthira! Parshuram, the son of Maharishi Jamadagni, is very powerful. Parashurama, the best among the strong men, killed the Haihayavansh. Mahaparakrami Kartavirya did not keep his life in the Arjuna force but was killed by Jamadagninandan Parasurama because of his improper behavior. ShatruSudan Haihayaj Kartavirya was sitting on the Arjuna chariot, but in the battle, Parashuramaji killed him by knocking him down. It was Lord Govind who emerged in the Bhrigu dynasty as Parashuram. This is the one who disguises the head of Jambasur and is fatal to Shatdundubhi. He incarnated only to kill Sahasrabahu Arjuna, who had won thousands of battles, in the war. Mahayashasvi Parashurama had conquered the six hundred and forty thousand Kshatriyas gathered on the banks of the Saraswati river with the help of a bow.

The tale of the bloody revenge

Meanwhile, the sons of Arjuna were seeking their father’s revenge and while Parshuram was away, they came to the ashram and killed Jamadagni. Renuka fainted as she was grief-stricken and scared. Parshuram came back to find out what had happened. This angered and devastated him. He swore to avenge his father’s death and annihilate the entire Kshatriya race.

With his axe in his hand and blood on his mind, he went to the Prince’s palace and went on a killing spree. He started by killing all the Kshatriyas in the palace, then he killed every single Kshatriya king and did not stop until not one Kshatriya was left. He finally avenged his father’s death by killing all the Kshatriyas and filling five ponds with the blood of all Kshatriyas. This pond came to be known as Samant-panchaka. Later, Parshuram took a dip in the blood-filled pond and performed rituals to honor his father’s death. 

It is believed that Parshuram still exists in this world among us as he was known to be Chiranjeevi or immortal and he was believed to rule until the end of the world.