Parashurama Avatarr

PARASHURAMA SLAYING ALL THE KSHATRIYAS

Even after this, Parashurama's wrath did not subside. He felt uneasy and full of anguish whenever he saw his sorrowful mother. In his anguished heart was slowly taking shape a plan of action. Finally, Parashurama vowed: "All these kings are evil men. They stole the cow, which had fed them; they killed my father. They made my mother suffer widowhood. This entire kingly class should be destroyed. The pious cannot live in peace till then. Let me sharpen the axe. I am going to wipe out the whole lot of them." Carrying the axe on his shoulder, he traversed the earth twenty-one times chopped off all the arrogant Kshatriya, wiping out the entire royalty.

It is said Parashurama built lakes out of the blood of the evil princes he killed. There he prayed for peace to his father's soul. These lakes are known as 'SYAMANTA PANCHAKA'. He conducted 'ASHWAMEDHA', 'VAJAPEYA' and other sacrifices to purify himself and gifted the land he had acquired after killing the princes to the priestly men who had come to these sacrifices. Finally, he bathed himself in the river Saraswati, built a hermitage at the foot of the Mahendra Mountain and settled down for penance. It is believed Parashurama is living there even today, as he is ageless.

PARASHURAMA - THE ANNIHILATOR OF KSHATRIYAS

When Parashurama decided to build a hermitage for himself, a problem confronted him. He had given away all the land he had acquired. Now, any plot upon which he settled down would mean his taking back the land he had donated, and it would be a wrongful act.

He then found a solution for the problem. He threw his axe into the sea and requested the King of the Ocean to give him land up to the spot where the axe hit the seawaters. There he built his ashram. This came to be known as 'Parashurama Srishti'. It is an age-old belief that this stretch of land would always be prosperous and no drought or disease would ever affect the region.

Though bloody, Parashurama's rebellion contains many instances of his submission to 'Dharma'. He did not kill those kings who performed religious sacrifices (yajnas) and kings like Janaka were thus saved; he did not kill married princes, and thus king Dasharatha and others were spared. He did not attack women. In fact, it I said that upon knowing that Parashurama would not harm women, some Kshatriya princes donned the robes of women and escaped amidst female groups. One such person came to be known a 'NARI-KAVACHA' (one who sought protection amidst women.)

There are stories pertaining to Parashurama in Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Parashurama in Ramayana:
Vishnu appeared on the earth as Sri Rama, son of king Dasharatha, and his consort Lakshmi was born as Sita, daughter of King Janaka. On her reaching marriage able age, a 'Swayamvara' (an assembly wherein a princess chooses a prince as her mate from amongst the invitees) was arranged. Many were those who came with high hopes of securing her hand. At the palace of Janaka, there was an ancient bow blessed by Lord Shiva. Janaka announced that his daughter would marry the prince who could bend the bow and tie it up. All the assembled princes attempted it and failed while Sri Rama easily accomplished the task broke the bow into two and Sita married him.

Parashurama, upon learning of Sri Rama's breaking the bow, became angry. Parashurama had learnt archery from Lord Shiva. Added to his anger was the fact that a Kshatriya prince had accomplished the feat. As Sri Rama was heading toward Ayodhya with his father Dasharatha wife Sita and others, Parashurama confronted them and a battle ensued between him and Sri Rama. The former wielded his axe while Sri Rama replied with his famous 'KODANDA' bow. As they stood confronting each other their eyes met; and both instantly realized that they were the incarnations of the same Supreme Power. The Vishnu-effulgence of Parashurama merged itself with Sri Rama's personality. Parashurama realized that his incarnation had come to an end and returned to his hermitage in the Mahendra Mountain.