What is Parashuram story (Parashuram killing Kartavirya Arjuna) (full information)
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Just before moving towards to know about “What is Parashuram story (Parashuram killing Kartavirya Arjuna) (full information)“, let us know a brief, basic and very important information.
Parashurama parents names are : Sage Jamadagni (father) and Renuka (mother). | Parashurama consort name is : Dharani (Goddess Lakshmi avatar). | Parashurama siblings names are : Vasu, Viswa Vasu, Brihudyanu, and Brutwakanwa. |
Parashurama other names are : Bhargava Rama, Jamadagnya Rama, Veerarama and Ramabhadra. | Parashurama weapon name is : Axe named Vidyudabhi (Parashu).
Parashurama story is as given here : There was a king named Gadhi. His daughter was named Satyavati. Satyavati was married to the Sage Richika. Sage Richika arranged for a spectacular sacrifice. Some rice pudding was obtained from the yajna and Sage Richika gave it to his wife Satyavati.
Sage Ruchika said, “Split this rice pudding into two halves. Eat half yourself and give the remaining half to your mother. Here, let me divide it. This is your half and that is your mother’s.”
Sage Ruchika continued – “We are Brahmanas (Brahmins). So we will have a son who will display the traits of a Brahmana (Brahmin). Your father is a Kshatriya and your mother will have a son who will behave like a Kshatriya.”
Saying this, Sage Richika went off to perform tapasya (meditation) in the forest. But mother and daughter managed to mix up their halves. In the course of his meditation, Sage Richika realized that Satyavati was going to give birth to a Brahmana (Brahmin) son who would display Kshatriya traits.
Through his powers, Sage Ruchika managed to postpone this birth by a generation. So, Satyavati gave birth to Jamadagni. It was Jamadagni’s son Parashurama who exhibited all the Kshatriya like characteristics.
Gadhi’s son was Kaushika (later he came to be known as Vishvamitra). Kaushika (Vishvamitra) was born a Kshatriya. But because of the mixing up of the rice pudding, Kaushika (Vishvamitra) turned out to be Brahmana (Brahmin).
There was a king of the Haihaya dynasty named Kartavirya Arjuna. He had a thousand arms. He had also obtained the boon that flaming fire itself would be perpetually present on the tip of his arrow. He was a devotee of Lord Dattatreya, an avatar of the Supreme Lord Sri Vishnu.
Whenever Kartavirya Arjuna shot an arrow, the fire from the tip of the arrow burnt up the target. In this fashion, Kartavirya Arjuna used to burn up villages, cities and forests. He once burnt up the hermitages of sages.
And one of the sages cursed Kartavirya Arjuna that he would be killed by Lord Parashurama (An avatar of the Supreme Lord Sri Vishnu). Lord Parashurama learnt the art of fighting from Lord Shiva himself.
While, Lord Parashurama was away learning how to fight, Kartavirya Arjuna arrived in Jamadagni’s hermitage (ashram). Jamadagni had a wonderful cow (Dhenu), known as a Kamadhenu because it produced whatever things one asked (Kama) from it.
Using this divine cow Kamadhenu, Jamadagni treated Kartavirya Arjuna and his entire retinue to a royal feast. Kartavirya Arjuna asked Jamadangi to give him this cow Kamadhenu, but the sage refused. Kartavirya Arjuna then asked his soldiers to forcibly take away the cow.
But, just as this was going on, Lord Parashurama arrived. He killed Kartavirya Arjuna, slicing off Kartavirya Arjuna’s thousand arms in the process. Having disposed of Kartavirya Arjuna, Lord Parashurama went off to meditate and pay another visit to Lord Shiva.
Taking advantage of Lord Parashurama’s absence, Kartavirya Arjuna’s sons invaded Jamadagni’s hermitage (ashram) and they killed Jamadagni. When Lord Parashurama returned, he exacted vengeance for this evil deed. Lord Parashuram killed Kartavirya Arjuna’s sons.
Since Kartavirya Arjuna and his sons happened to be Kshatriyas, Lord Parashuram also killed all the Kshatriyas who don’t do Dharma in the world, that is, he killed only the ill Kshatriyas. Lord Parashurama did this not once, but twenty-one times altogether.
Why Parashuram took twenty-one (21) times to kill Kshatriyas – The reason was that there were twenty-one weapon-marks on the dead Jamadagni’s body. Also, Lord Parashurama is an avatar of Lord Sri Vishnu and he knows what is Dharma and what is Adharma.
Thus Lord Parashurama was not killing the young juvenile (underaged) children even though they were ill. Thus, Lord Parashurama was waiting these young juveniles to grow up and as soon as they started to harm the good people, Lord Parashurama was killing these ill Kshatriyas and thus Lord Parashurama took 21 times to kill the ill Kshatriyas.
(Note : We should remember that Lord Parashuma is an avatar of Lord Sri Vishnu and thus Parashurama can’t be a sinner as he knows what is right and what is wrong.)
(Lord Parashurama took the avatar to free this world from the sinners and ill people and thus he killed only the ill Kshatriyas and not all the Kshatriyas.)
To show to the world on how one should live, svayam Bhagavan Lord Parashurama who is an avatar of Lord Sri Vishnu is teaching us the Dharma by participating in the life of journey.
As Lord Parashurama had killed so many Kshatriyas, as penance, Lord Parashurama donated cows and performed a lot of tapasya (meditation). He also arranged an ‘Ashvamedha Yajna’. All this did not prove to be atonement enough.
To complete the penance, Lord Parashurama sought the advice of the sage Maharishi Kashyapa. Maharshi Kashyapa told him to perform the donation that is known as ‘tulapurusha’. A tula (or tuladanda) is a pair of scales.
The person (purusha) who is performing the donation is placed on one side of the weighing scale. On the other side are placed things like honey, clarified butter, molasses, clothing, gold etc. The weight of the things being donated has to be equal to the weight of the person performing the donation.
This is known as tulapurusha. Parashurama performed tulapurusha and was freed from his sin (again please remember it is only lessons for humans like us, as Lord Parashurama can’t be a sinner).
PS: Many people have doubts that, “why didn’t Bhagavan Lord Sri Parashurama killed all the bad Kshatriyas in one time itself and why he took 21 times to kill all those bad Kshatriyas”. This is where the greatness of our Great Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) is.
Bhagavan Lord Sri Vishnu and Sanatana Dharma give chance to everybody. If he / she is learning from his / her past mistakes, then it’s great. Otherwise he / she has to pay for it.
Bhagavan Lord Sri Parashurama is so so so Great (The Greatest), he never killed a child / an underage (juvenile) person even though he was big sinner. Bhagavan Lord Sri Parashuram gave chance to such kind of sinner children.
But, only after they grew older and also giving multiple chances, then only Bhagavan Lord Sri Parashurama killed such types of sinner humans. Thus Bhagavan Lord Sri Parashuram waited every time and he took 21 times to kill all such types of sinner Kshatriyas.
Information about different disciples of Parashurama is as given below:
Bhishma – Bhishma gained various knowledge for over 425 years from Lord Parashurama. Bhishma also had studied another 100 years under Brihaspati, the divine Guru of all the Devatas (Demigods).
Dronacharya – He was the Guru (Teacher) of both five Pandavaru and 100 Kauravas. Dronacharya or simply Drona had a son named Ashwatthama. Ashwatthama had never drunk the real milk before Duryodana gave him pure cow’s milk.
After this, Ashwatthama once asked his mother for cow milk. But Dronacharya (Drona), was a poor Brahmin at that time, and he was performing a vrata (vrat) called “Shiloncha Vritti”, that is, during this vrat he can’t ask any body for anything in order to feed his family including his son.
Thus Dronacharya sought Lord Parashurama’s help. Dronacharya felt that asking Lord Parashurama, who is an avatar of Lord Sri Vishnu is not wrong. This is because, as Lord Parashurama is the direct avatar of Lord Sri Vishnu, Dronacharya felt it is not wrong in asking Lord Sri Vishnu.
But, when Dronacharya went to ask Lord Parashurama, he had nothing at that time, as he had done the daanam (donation) of whatever he had already given to Brahmins. Lord Parashurama gave all the weapons to Drona, making him highly capable in the science of arms. This became very crucial when Drona taught Pandavas and Kauravas.
Karna – Karna came to Lord Parashurama as he was refused by Dronacharya (At that time Dronacharya was designated as the Guru of the Kshatriyas and thus he was allowed to teach only to the Kshatriya students, that too to Pandavas and Kauravas only and not for other students).
Lord Parashurama had promised himself that he will not teach any Kshatriya after killings millions of ill Kshatriya kings. Earlier Lord Parashurama had taught Kshatriyas like Bhishma. Karna had not revealed about his varna as he himself was not aware of his varna.
Karna had told Lord Parashurama that he was a Brahmin. Lord Parashurama taught Karna all lessons during the four years of study. Once, Lord Parashurama was taking rest on the on the lap of Karna. An insect came and bit on Karna’s thigh.
In spite of the huge pain, Karna neither flinched nor cried so as to enable his Guru Lord Parashurama could rest. Warm blood of Karna’s thigh came running on the leg of Karna, which made Lord Parashurama to wake up.
Then, Lord Parashurama asked Karna as to how he could sustain the pain and said that only Kshatriyas could have borne such a huge pain. Lord Parashurama came to know that Karna is a Kshatriya by birth, and he cursed him that Karna will not remember the vital Mantras in the war field.
Thus, when Karna and Arjuna fought in Kurukushetra, Karna loses his life to Arjuna simply because he could not remember the mantra to invoke Brahmastra. Here one may get a doubt that Lord Parashurama being the Supreme Lord Sri Vishnu himself, how could he not know the caste of Karna earlier.
Lord Sri Vishnu is called as ‘sarvajna’ (सर्वज्ञ / sarvajña), that is, he knows anything and everything and there is nothing which he doesn’t knows in the unlimited universes. This is only ‘loka shikshanaartham’, that is, to teach lessons to the liars and to punish for their lie.
Information about why Parashurama killed his mother (Why Parashurama cut his mother head) is as given below:
Once when Lord Parasurama’s mother Renuka went to fetch water from a nearby river, she saw a group of Gandharvas (Chitraratha Gandharva) flying in the sky in a chariot. For a while, she lost her concentration, which made her return home late.
Realizing the reason for her late arrival, Sage Jamadagni became terribly agitated. He asked his sons Vasu, Vishwa Vasu, Brihudyanu and Brutvakanva to kill their mother Renuke as punishment. But they all refused to do so.
Then Sage Jamadagni asked Lord Parasurama to execute ‘Pitru Vakya’ (father’s orders). Sage Jamadagni asked his son Parasurama to kill Renuka and all the four brothers. Lord Parashurama is the most courageous and thus obeyed his father’s command and beheaded his mother and four of his brothers.
‘Pitru Vakaya Paripalana’ (to follow father’s orders) from Lord Parashurama pleased Sage Jamadagni and he asked Lord Parashurama to ask for a boon of his choice. Lord Parashuram requested his father and Sage Jamadagni to “restore life in the dead bodies and let them not know of their killings”.
Sage Jamadagni resurrected everyone immediately as per the request of Lord Parashurama. This shows the true love Lord Parasurama had for his loved ones. Thus, Lord Parashurama proved himself to be a true ‘pithru vakaya paripalaka’ (someone who obeys his father’s command without hesitation).
What we need to note here is that Lord Parasurama is a direct incarnation of Lord Sri Vishnu and he can give boons to anyone including his father and sage Jamadagni, but he accepted his father’s words only for worldly etiquette and nothing else. Lord Parasurama shows how a son should obey his father’s command.
Here one must also note that Lord Parashurama removed the head of his own mother and brothers. But, he also ensured that all the lives were restored. He himself stood as the example for ‘Maatrudevo bhava’ (inside mother God is present) and ‘pitrudevo bhava’ (inside father God is present).
One may get a doubt Sage Jamadagni gave the boon and Lord Parashurama whom we call as God (Vishnu) got the boon. Why didn’t Lord Parashurama himself could have restored the lives of his mother and other brothers?
This is only for ‘loka shikshanaartham’, that is he want to teach to the world about the Dharma. Lord Parashurama did that to ensure that his father and Sage Jamadagni shall be respected by all for removing the black remark of his wife Renuka.
Renuka had lost her ‘paativratya’ for a short time. Lord Sri Vishnu is called as ”YedamaanadviT”, that is, any excess punya (good deeds) beyond their ‘yogyata’ (ability), he (Vishnu) will take off or cut off.
For that reason reason Renuka was given the punishment. Further, Sage Jamadagni had the capacity of restoring the life. That was also proved by Lord Parashurama. In both Rama avatar and Parashurama avatar, he showed the ‘Pitru Vakya Paripalana’ is everyone’s duty.
Lord Sri Vishnu has no ‘karma bhandhana’ (confinement) and no ‘karma phala’ (doesn’t want any fruits). This is only for ‘loka shikshanam’, that is, to teach lessons to the common man about following the true lessons of the Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism).
Story (information) about Lord Parashurama and Bhishma fight (yudh) is as given below (correct story and information as per Mahabharata):
As per Mahabharata, Bhishma carried Amba, Ambika and Ambalika for marriage with Chitravirya and Vichitravirya. Amba told Bhishma that she intended to marry Salva (साल्व) and was not ready to marry Vichitravirya.
But, Bhishma had carried Amba forcefully. Later, Bhishma asked Salva to marry her, which he refused saying as she was carried out in the swayamvar and it was a shame on his part to marry her now. Now Amba insisted Bhishma to marry her. But, Bhishma refused as he was on a brahmacharya vrat (to be unmarried) for ever.
With this being the reason, Amba sought refuge with Lord Parashurama who gave Bhishma two options, that is, either he should marry Amba or prefer to fight with Lord Parashurama. Bhishma preferred to fight with Lord Parashurama.
Bhishma refused saying that he is ready to sacrifice his life at the order of his Guru but not ready to compromise the oath that he has taken earlier. Upon the refusal, Lord Parasurama called Bhishma for a fight at Kurukshetra.
At the battlefield, while Bhishma was on a chariot, he saw his Guru Lord Parashurama on the ground. Thus, Bhishma requested his Guru Lord Parasurama to be equal to him by taking a chariot and Kavacham (shield). Lord Parasurama blessed Bhishma with the power of divine vision.
Bhishma got down from the chariot and sought the blessings of Lord Parasurama to protect him and his dharma and also took the permission to battle against his teacher Lord Parashurama. Lord Parasurama was pleased and said to Bhishma that if he had not behaved in this manner, Lord Parasurama would have cursed Bhishma.
This is because, it is the duty of warriors who fight against elders and not to abandon the traditions of humility and respect for elders in the war. Lord Parasurama blessed Bhishma and advised him to protect his Dharma of Bramacharya (celibacy) as Lord Parasurama himself must fight to fulfil his Dharma of fighting to uphold his word as given to Amba.
Both Lord Parashurama and Bhishma fought for 23 days without conclusion. Lord Parasurama is a chiranjeevi (immortal), and Bhishma had a boon that let him choose the time of his death which was given by his father Santanu.
Bhishma initially bent down and did Sastanga Namaskaram (bowing down) to Lord Parashurama saying that he is not ready to marry and as such, he will fight against Lord Parashurama. Some say that here Lord Parashurama’s ‘garva bhanga’ (breaking the pride) was there. No, it was not ‘garva bhanga’, of Lord Parashurama, but instead it was total surrender of Bhishma to Lord Parashurama.
On the 22nd night of the fight, Bhishma prayed to his pitrus (ancestors) to help him end the battle. His ancestors gave him a weapon which was not known to Lord Parasurama. Ancestors told Bhishma that it would put Lord Parasurama to sleep in the battlefield.
A person who sleeps in the battleground is considered to be dead as per Hindu Vedas. Ancestors advised Bhishma to call back the weapon at the end of day after Sunset so that Lord Parasurama will come back to his sense and that shall bring the end to war. However the weapon was never used as Bhishma walked out of the war.
Information about why Parshuram killed Kshatriyas 21 times is as given below:
There was a king named Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrabahu) (Sahastrabahu), the King of Mahishmati and the son of King Kritavirya. Kartavirya Arjuna was a great devotee of Lord Sri Dattatreya (an avatar of Lord Sri Vishnu) who had blessed Kartavirya Arjuna with great strength and invincibility.
Kartavirya Arjuna possessed the strength of a thousand arms on the battlefront. He had defeated the mighty demon King Ravana at war and was reigning at Mahishmati, full of glory and arrogance. Kartavirya Arjuna had ‘yoga siddhi’ with the blessings of Lord Dattatreya.
It is said in the Hindu Texts that doing ‘smaranam’ (remembering) of Kartavirya Arjuna can bring back the someone lost wealth. “यस्य स्मरणं मात्रेण गतं नष्टं च लभ्यते | ಯಸ್ಯ ಸ್ಮರಣ ಮಾತ್ರೇಣ ಗತಂ ನಷ್ಟಂ ಚ ಲಭ್ಯತೇ | Yasya smaraṇa mātrēṇa gataṁ naṣṭaṁ ca labhyatē”.
Once King Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrabahu) (Sahastrabahu) went on hunting and was tired, thirsty and hungry and came to the Sage Jamadagni hermitage (ashram). The sage Jamadagni arranged the entire team of Kartavirya Arjuna with a royal feast and the king was surprised about this arrangement and was very happy with the hospitality.
King Kartavirya Arjuna asked Sage Jamadagni how he could prepare such delicious food in such a short time. Then the sage said that he has a divine cow called Kamadhenu which can provide any amount of food within a short time.
Kartavirya Arjuna demanded the cow Kamadhenu, but the sage Jamadagni refused to give the divine cow Kamadhenu to him. Then the king Kartavirya Arjuna ordered his soldiers to take away the cow Kamadhenu by force.
By that time, Parashurama who had gone out for collecting wood for Yagna, returned and got angry over the king Kartavirya Arjuna, went to Mahishmati, where the soldiers of Kartavirya Arjuna’s had carried the cow Kamadhenu and had a fierce fight with the soldiers and killed all the soldiers.
Then came the King Kartavirya Arjuna who had 1000 arms with the blessings of Lord Dattatreya, and the two were engaged in a fierce battle. Finally, Lord Parashurama killed the King Kartavirya Arjuna along with his 1000 arms.
Lord Parashurama thus brought back the divine cow Kamadhenu defeating the King Kartavirya Arjuna and his team comprising of 17 ‘akshyohini sainya’. Sage Jamadagni even though was happy with the return of Kamadhenu, asked Lord Parashurama to go on a pilgrimage tour for the ‘pariharam’ (expiation) of the sin for having killed so many people, for which Lord Parashurama accepted.
Here, one gets doubt as to whether Lord Sri Vishnu’s avatar Lord Parashurama can get sin for killing the sinners. It is the wrong understanding of Sage Jamadagni which made him to ask Lord Parashurama to do tirtha yatra (pilgrimage / expiation).
Lord Sri Vishnu can never get any sin, as he never makes any sin and never goes against the Dharma, because he himself is Dharma. But, just to please his father and Sage Jamadagni and for the ‘pitru vakya paripalana’ (to follow the orders of his father), he went for tirtha yatra (pilgrimage / expiation).
While Lord Parashurama was away, the 10,000 sons of the King Kartavirya Arjuna attacked Sage Jamadagni’s ashram and killed Sage Jamadagni, who was on a penance, in front of his wife Renuka by beheading Sage Jamadagni head.
King Kartavirya Arjuna’s sons took the head of the Sage Jamadagni to Mahishmati. Lord Parashurama, on his return was angry after he learnt about this incidence and he picked his Parashu (Axe) and marched towards Mahishmati.
On reaching the city of Mahishmati, Lord Parashurama broke down the strong gate of the city, he stalked to the palace like a fierce lion. There he destroyed the whole army, which came to attack him. He killed all the princes, picked up his father’s head and returned to the ashram.
There Lord Parashurama and his brothers performed all the formalities in honoring the departed soul. Then Lord Parashurama vowed like this :
“All these kings are evil for the nation. They stole the cow Kamadhenu which had fed them food, they killed my father and made my mother a widow. This entire evil royal class must be destroyed. Until then the pious cannot be at peace. Let my Parashu (Axe) be sharpened. I am going to wipe them all out.”
Carrying the Parashu (Axe) on his shoulder, Lord Parashurama toured the whole earth twenty-one (21) times and killed all the ill Kshatriyas, wiping out the entire royalty and distributed all the Kingdoms to eligible Brahmanas (Brahmins) as daanam (donation).
Lord Parashurama did not kill those kings who performed Dharmic sacrifices (‘yajnas’) and followed Dharma, and kings like King Janaka of Videha (Goddess Sita’s father) and King Dasharatha (Lord Rama’s father) and other Dharmic Kings were spared, as they were great Dharmic people.
Also, Lord Parashurama did not attack women. In fact, it is said that upon knowing that Lord Parashurama would not harm women, some Kshatriya princes donned the robes of women and escaped amidst female groups. Such people came to be known a ‘Nari-kavacham’ (Someone who sought protection amidst women.)
Also, Lord Parashurama was waiting for the young juvenile and underaged ill Kshatriyas until they are grown up. As soon as they were grown up and had become powerful and matured, and if they were following Adharma, they were not spared by Lord Parashurama, and thus he took 21 times to wipe out all the ill Kshatriyas from the earth.
Lord Parashurama created ‘sarovaram’ (pond) comprising of only blood “shyamanta panchaka” in Kurukshetra. Lord Parashurama did this for ‘bhoo bhara haranam’ (To decrease the burden on the earth) by a Brahmin form of Lord Sri Vishnu, that is, Lord Parashurama.
Lord Parashurama didn’t ruled the world as he was a Brahmin. But instead he created awareness amongst the entire world that ill and cruel people cannot be spared even though they are great and powerful Kings.
Information about Parashurama Kshetra is as given below:
After touring the whole world 21 times and slaying down all the ill Kshatriyas, Lord Parashurama got the possession of their entire kingdom. Lord Parashurama made the daanam (donation) of his entire possession to Dharmic Brahmanas (Brahmins).
After this, Lord Parasurama had no place to stay. That is why one should say “Sri Parashuramaya Namah” while doing any charity (danam). Then, Lord Parashurama threw his axe on the western ocean and moved the ocean a little distance and turned the sea land into land. This field is called ‘Parashurama Kshetra’.
The seven Kshetras are popularly known as Parashurama Kshetras and are called ‘Parashurama Srishti’ (created by Lord Parashurama). The area between the present day Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats stretching from Nasik in Maharashtra to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu along the southern tip of the peninsula is known as ‘Parashurama Kshetra’, meaning the holy land of Lord Parashurama.
Today’s Udupi, Kukke Subramanya, Kollur, Shankaranarayana, Koteshwara, Kumbasi (Annegudde), Gokarna and it stretches through Kerala, and Konkan region until the Kanyakumari. That is why when we are doing ‘sankalpam’ at these places, we have to say ‘Parashurama kshetre…’
Anantheshwara temple in Udupi and Lord Parashurama story : Earlier Udupi was called as ‘Roopya peeta puram’, that is, a land full of silver lining. There was a devotee of Lord Parashurama called Rambhoja in this place.
Rambhoja was performing ‘Ashwamedha Yajna’ and while ploughing the land, he mistakenly killed a serpent. To expiate this sin, Rambhoja was directed by Lord Parashurama to build a silver image of serpent and that he himself shall have his ‘sannidhana’ (divine presence) in this place.
There is a temple in Udupi even today by which the main deity is called as ‘Anantheshwara’. Even though this deity is in the form of Linga, this is a Vaishnava temple since Lord Parashurama is been worshipped in this place in the form of a Linga and it’s name is Anantheshwara.
Information about Parashurama and Rama fight is as given below (as per Ramayana / correct):
There is huge difference between the original Valmiki Ramayana story and the stories shown in TVs and movies about Parashurama and Rama fight. Let’s know the real and correct story as per Valmiki Ramayana as given below.
Lord Sri Rama breaks the ‘Shiva Dhanusha’ in “Sita Swayamvara” and marries Goddess Sri Sita Devi. According to TV serials and movies, Lord Parasurama arrives at the time when Lord Rama breaks the ‘Shiva Dhanush’ (Shiva bow) which is completely incorrect according to the original Valmiki Ramayana.
But, according to the original Valmiki Ramayana, after the wedding of Lord Sri Rama and Goddess Sri Sita Devi, Lord Parasurama comes before Lord Sri Rama while the entire wedding procession is returning back to Ayodhya and not during the time of breaking the Shiva Dhanush.
At this time, Lord Parashurama approached Lord Sri Rama and asked him to lift his own Dhanush called ‘Parashurama Dhanush or Vishnu Dhanush’. Lord Sri Rama picked up that Dhanush (bow) also very easily and used an arrow to kill an asura (demon) called “Atula” hiding inside Lord Parasurama’s stomach. (This is as per ‘Moola Ramayana’.)
This asura (demon) named Atula knew that Lord Vishnu would never be defeated. He was given a boon that he would not die unless Lord Sri Vishnu or his avatar is defeated. So, realizing the fact that Lord Parashurama was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and that he would never be defeated, Atula hid inside Lord Parashurama’s stomach.
Thus, when both Lord Parashurama and Lord Rama fight with each other, Lord Parashurama gets defeated in the hands of Lord Sri Rama. Here we should remember that both Lord Prashurama and Lord Rama are the avatars of Lord Vishnu and both are Lord Vishnu by themselves. Here Lord Vishnu (Parashurama) gets defeated by Lord Vishnu (Rama).
Thus, Atula thought that Lord Sri Vishnu is defeated and came out of the stomach of Lord Parashurama. Lord Parashurama told Lord Sri Rama to use his arrow on Lord Parashurama, and pretended to be defeated by Lord Sri Rama, which prompted Atula to come out of Lord Parashurama and then Lord Rama killed Atula.
This boon was given by Lord Shiva to Atula. Here Lord Shiva’s boon proved that Lord Sri Vishnu is Supreme. The defeat of Lord Parashurama may mislead that Lord Parashurama was defeated. There was no defeat at all as both Lord Sri Rama and Lord Parashurama are one and the same and are the avatars of Lord Sri Vishnu.
Both Lord Rama and Lord Parashurama did this vidambana (drama) and there was no ‘ajñāna’ (अज्ञान) (agyan) (ignorance) in any of the avatars of Lord Sri Vishnu. Here they played like that only for ‘असुर जन मोहनार्थम्’ (Asura jana mōhanārthaṁ), that is, ‘to show the wrong path for the demonic type of people’.
After some time, Lord Parashurama got ‘aikya’ (to get united) in Lord Rama’s form in front of all. It proved that both the forms are one and the same of Lord Sri Vishnu. Similarly after some time, again, Lord Parashurama came out of the Lord Rama’s form.
Some have written it is the ‘Parashurama Garva Bhanga’ (breaking pride of Parashurama), which looks highly ignorant. How can Lord Vishnu can have ‘garva’ (pride). There is no breaking of pride here. This is only to show that another avatar of Lord Vishnu, that is, Lord Rama has arrived to cleanse this world of Adharmic (unrighteous) people.
Many think that Lord Parashurama is a student of Lord Shiva. But as per Hindu Texts, Lord Parashurama is the Guru of Lord Shiva. Shiva Dhanush (bow) of Lord Shiva was broken by Lord Sri Rama. Vaishnava Dhanush was held by Lord Parashurama.
As such, Lord Parashurama is the Guru of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva gave him the “Parashu” (The Axe), the weapon of Lord Parashurama after he had the ‘samarpana bhava’ with devotion of vidya (knowledge). This is only ‘loka reethya’ (to teach lessons to people) that he pretended to have learnt from Lord Shiva.
In the same Valmiki Ramayana it is said that Lord Shiva could not even stand before Lord Parasurama during the fight between Lord Parasurama and Lord Shiva during the wedding procession of Lord Rama back to Ayodhya. No one shows all these in TV serials or movies.
As per Vishnu Dharmottara Purana, Lord Parashurama went to Kailash (Kailasa). Lord Shiva was doing the severe tapasya (penance). Lord Parashurama asked as a ‘loka reethya’ (to teach lessons to people) to Lord Shiva that “You (Shiva) are the sarva shresta (best among the all). But you are doing the penance of someone else, then he must be superior to you, whom you are worshipping”.
Lord Shiva smiled and said “I am worshipping you only my dear Lord (Vishnu). You are the supreme amongst all and you don’t not any birth or death or destruction etc. You are the kaarana karta (cause of all) even for the jagat kaarana (cause of the universe) Brahma”.
This proves that Lord Shiva was Guru for Lord Parashurama just for ‘loka reethya’ (to teach lessons to the world). Lord Sri Rama leans weaponry from Sage Vishwamitra and Sage Vasishtha. Does this mean that these Sages are more superior to Lord Sri Rama.
Similarly, Lord Sri Krishna learns from Rishi Sandipani. Does this proves that Rishi Sandipani is superior than Lord Sri Krishna. Similarly, Lord Shiva can’t be superior to Lord Sri Parashurama or Lord Sri Rama or Lord Sri Krishna or any avatars of Lord Sri Vishnu.
Lord Sri Parashurama is physically present on this earth even today and is performing penance of himself on the mountain called ‘Mahandra Parvata’ for the peace and happiness of the world. Lord Sri Vishnu incarnated as Lord Parasurama to destroy the evil in the cruel Kshatriyas and free the earth from their burden.
Lord Parashurama is one among the sapta chiranjeevi (seven immortals) : There is a shloka (sloka) (hymn) about the ‘sapta chiranjeevi’ (seven immortals) as given below –
अश्वत्थमो बलि व्यासः हनुमानश्च विभीषणः | कृपाः परशुरामश्च सप्तैते चिरन्जीविनः ||
ಅಶ್ವತ್ಥಾಮೋ ಬಲಿ ವ್ಯಾಸಃ ಹನುಮಾನಶ್ಚ ವಿಭೀಷಣಃ | ಕೃಪಾಃ ಪರಶುರಾಮಶ್ಚ ಸಪ್ತೈತೇ ಚಿರಂಜೀವಿನಃ ||
Aśvat’thāmō bali vyāsaḥ hanumānaśca vibhīṣaṇaḥ | kr̥pāḥ paraśurāmaśca saptaitē ciran̄jīvinaḥ ||
Meaning of this sloka : Ashwatthama, Bali, Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripa and Parashurama (seven) are the seven immortal souls. (Even today all these including Lord Parashurama is living physically on this.)
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The Pàrashurama story is confusing pl make it comprehensive and logical
Namaste,
Kindly clarify, where do you require the exact clarification?
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