Jamadagni and Renuka's union produced five sons, the youngest being Parashurama, who would become the axe-wielding avatar of Vishnu destined to cleanse the earth of tyrannical kshatriyas.
Parashurama is Vishnu's sixth avatar, the warrior-brahmin who received his divine axe from Shiva and destroyed the kshatriya warrior class twenty-one times to avenge his father Jamadagni's death.
Parashurama hacked off the thousand arms of Kartavirya Arjuna and slew the Haihaya king in retribution for the murder of his father Jamadagni, igniting the cycle of vengeance that drove Parashurama to purge the earth of the Kshatriya caste twenty-one times.
Parashurama beheaded his mother Renuka with his axe at the command of his father Jamadagni, who was enraged by her momentary lapse in chastity — then used his boon to restore her to life.
Parashurama is one of the seven Chiranjivi, the immortal warrior-brahmin who awaits the end of the Kali Yuga to emerge as the martial guru of Kalki, training Vishnu's final avatar in the arts of war for the last battle against adharma.
Parashurama is the sixth avatar of the Dashavatara, the axe-wielding brahmin warrior who descended to exterminate the Kshatriya kings twenty-one times over, purging the earth of tyrannical rulers who had strayed from dharma.
Parashurama trained the young Devavrata (Bhishma) in warfare and divine weapons during his years in Ganga's care. Later, when Amba sought Parashurama's help against Bhishma, master and pupil fought a legendary duel that lasted many days and ended in a stalemate.
Parashurama, having given away all his wealth to brahmins after his conquest, taught Drona the science of arms including the celestial weapons and the Brahmastra, making Drona the last living master of divine weaponry.
Parashurama broke Ganesha's tusk by hurling his axe (a gift from Shiva) at the elephant god, who had blocked his path to Shiva. Ganesha, recognizing the axe as his father's weapon, refused to dodge and received the blow on his tusk out of filial respect, becoming Ekadanta (the single-tusked).
⚠ The Mahabharata (Adi Parva 1.1) attributes Ganesha's broken tusk to his pen snapping while scribing for Vyasa, while the Brahmanda Purana gives a separate tradition of Parashurama's axe.
Parashurama, the immortal sixth avatar of Vishnu, instructs Kalki in the arts of warfare and penance at his ashram, preparing the final avatar to wield the divine weapons that will end the Kali Yuga.
Parashurama taught Karna the Brahmastra and celestial weapons, believing his student to be a brahmin — until a scorpion bored into Karna's thigh and he endured the pain without flinching, revealing kshatriya blood. Parashurama cursed him to forget the Brahmastra at the moment he would need it most.
After slaying the world's Kshatriyas twenty-one times over, Parashurama performed a great sacrifice and gifted the entire earth to Kashyapa as dakshina, then withdrew to Mahendra mountain at the sage's command to leave the land he had given away.
Parashurama confronted Rama after Rama broke Shiva's bow at Sita's svayamvara. Parashurama challenged Rama to string Vishnu's bow, and when Rama did so effortlessly, Parashurama recognized him as Vishnu's successor avatar and withdrew.
Shiva, pleased by Parashurama's devotion and severe penance, bestowed upon him the divine axe that became his signature weapon and namesake.
We use cookies to understand how you use our site and improve your experience. Learn more