Who is Parshuram? The 6th Avatar of Lord Vishnu

Do you know who is Parshuram? He is the sixth Avatar of Lord Vishnu who came to the earth to save Dharma. As the Parashuram Jayanti 2025 is on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, let’s learn about Lord Parshurama in detail and learn other interesting facts about his life!

Who is Parshuram?

In Sanskrit, Parshurama means ‘warrior with an axe.’ It is one of the most aggressive incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Parshurama was the son of Renuka and Rishi Jamadagni. He was born on the 3rd day of Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Vaisakh.

He is known by names such as Ramabhadra, Bhargava, Rama Bhargava, and Virarama. Legend says that he came to the earth to destroy the sinner Kshatriyas. Tales and folklore highlight that Parshurama has lived through all the Yugas and will remain alive through Kali Yuga and the next Satya Yuga.

The Legend of Lord Parshurama

Known as a warrior and saviour of people, Lord Parshurama has a couple of tales to his name. Once, in Vana Parva, Shurasena, the son of Kartavirya Arjuna, a legendary king of the Haihayas Kingdom of Madhya Pradesh, had begun to misuse his powers to become great by trying to abuse and kill innocent people. On visiting Jamadagni’s home, Renuka welcomed Shurasena warmly and respectfully.

1. The Killing of Jamadagni

Once, Parshurama was out of the house due to some work. At that time, the son of Kartaviryarjuna, Shurasena, beheaded Jamadagni and left his body in a pool. Also, he killed Kama Dhenu (their sacred cow ). Bhagwan Parshurama performed the last rites of his father, and his mother performed Sati. Heartbroken by his father’s unnatural death, he vowed that he would destroy every Kshatriya on the earth.

2. Parshurama’s Vow to Kill Kshatriyas

After this unfortunate incident, Ramabhadra vowed to kill all of the Kshatriyas on Earth. When the other Kshatriyas learned about this, they immediately ran away. Later, Kashyap Muni asked Parshurama to calm down and save things. He told Bhagwan Parshurama to leave the world. Thus, Lord Ramabhadra started residing in the Mahendragiri mountains, which are located in Orissa.

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Parshuram’s Father: Rishi Jamadagni

The great Brahmin sage Jamadagni is the father of Parashuram. He was also the master of the Veda and a skilled archer, and he gained knowledge in warfare from his father. After gaining a good understanding of the Vedas, he went to King Prasenjit, the king of the Solar Dynasty, and fell in love with Renuka, the king’s daughter.

Jamadagni married Renuka and had six children: Anjana, Suhotra, Rumanvan, Vasu, Visvavasu, and Parshurama. As a devotee of Lord Shiva, Jamadagni used to do Tapasya beside the banks of the river Narmada.

Parshuram’s Mother: Renuka Devi

Renuka Devi was the Mother of Parshurama and the wife of the sage Jamadagni. She was the beloved daughter of King Prasenjit, as he got her from the fire of his Yajna. She always helped her husband, Jamadagni, while he performed holy rituals. After some time, Jammadagni and Renuka were blessed with a baby daughter who came out from the fire of the yajna, whom they named Anjana.

The Killing of Parshurama’s Mother

Once, Renuka Devi went to the riverside and was filled with an unholy desire to see a Gandharva couple. Jamadagni learned about this incident and became angry. He advised his sons to kill their mother, but all four of his sons refused and were changed into stones.

But, being his father’s most disciplined and obedient son, Parshurama followed Jamadagni’s advice and beheaded his mother. He was given two rewards. So, he brought his mother and four of his brothers back to life.

Facts About Lord Parshurama

Sage Vishwamitra taught Bhargava warfare, who was among the seven Brahmarishis. He was excellent at his skills and intelligent and aggressive at the same time. Parshuram had vowed to kill every Kshatriya on the planet, and he did so.

As a consequence of this, all the other Brahmins were angry and avoided Ramabhadra. Moreover, all such stories and facts about him are found in Hindu mythology. Let’s know some more interesting facts about Bhagwan Parshurama:

1. Lord Shiva’s Devotee

Parshurama was a great devotee of Lord Shiva, and he got his Parashu (axe) from Lord Shiva and thus came to be known as Parashurama. Ramabhadra was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva was the first to teach Parshurama about warfare and the spirit of being a warrior.

2. Lord Ganesha’s Tusk

Once, Ramabhadra went to Mount Kailash to meet Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. But Lord Ganesha stopped him, saying they were listening to the Rama-Katha. Listening to this, Parshurama refused to wait and said he wanted to meet them at that moment.

Lord Ganesha became angry listening to Parsurama and warned him that he would have to fight him if he wanted to get to this place to meet Lord Shiva. Parshurama accepted the challenge and fought with Lord Ganesha, breaking his left tusk with his axe; this gave Lord Ganesha the name ‘Ekdanta.’

3. Parshuram in Mahabharat

There is an unknown story about Lord Parshurama in the Mahabharata. Parshurama was the guru (teacher) of Dronacharya and Karna. Once, Karna went to Bhagwan Parshurama with a request to learn about warfare, saying that he was a Brahmin. Karna kept his true identity a secret and told Bhargava he was a Brahmin by caste. Listening to this, Pashurama considered his kind request and taught him warfare.

One day, Parshurama was lying on Karna’s lap when Karna got bitten by a scorpion, but he did not react to it. This made Parshurama realise that Karna was not a Pandit but a Kshatriya, eager to learn warfare. He taught Karna warfare and how to use his Brahmashtra. However, Parshurama cursed Karna, saying that he would not remember what he was taught when he needed it the most because Karna kept his identity secret to become Parshurama’s student.

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The Connection Of Rameshwaram Temple & Parashuram

After Bhargava brought his mother, Renuka, back to life, he asked for forgiveness and cleaned the blood on his axe. However, a drop of blood was still left on the axe. For this, he went to various rivers to clean the blood drop. However, he failed to clean that blood drop.

Parshurama went to the Tirthahalli village of Karnataka and finally cleaned his axe in the Tungabhadra River. With respect for the river, he constructed a Shiva Linga there. Later, people built the Rameshwaram Temple in that place, which is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.

How Parshuram Died?

Bhagwan Parshurama was among the seven Chiranjeevis (immortals). Devotees say that he is still living in the Mahendragiri mountains and waiting to be the Guru of Kalki (the last avatar of Lord Vishnu).

A skilled archer, a loyal son to his parents, and a great teacher, Parshurama shares his life lessons with us and teaches us the importance of knowledge, wisdom, willpower, and our duty towards our parents. However, people believe that Bhagwan Parshurama cannot die and is still alive in the mountains of Mahendragiri.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What was the birth name of Parashuram?

Parshurama’s birth name was Ram, but it was later changed to Parshurama when he took the axe.

2. Who gave an axe to Lord Parshurama?

Parshurama was Lord Shiva’s devotee, and as a boon, Lord Shiva gave him the “Parshu,” an axe-like weapon.

3. When is Parshuram Jayanti 2025?

In 2025, we will celebrate Parshurama Jayanti on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

4. Why did Parshurama break Lord Ganesh's tusk?

When Lord Ganesha stopped Lord Ramabhadra from meeting Shiva and entering Mount Kailash, Ramabhadra became angry at being prevented from doing something. Thus, he fought with Lord Ganesha, and in the process, he attacked him with his axe, breaking his tusk.