Who is Parshuram? The 6th Avatar of Lord Vishnu

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

Who is Parshuram?

In Sanskrit, Parshuram 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 as the Parashurama avatar of Lord Vishnu.

He is known by names such as Bhargava, Rama Bhargava, and Virarama. Legend says that he came to the earth to destroy the sinner Kshatriyas. Tales and folklore have been told about his origin and existence.

It is believed that Parshuram has lived through all the Yugas and will remain alive through Kali Yuga and the next Satya Yuga. Are you curious to know more about the legend of Lord Parshurama? Below, let’s understand the Bhagwan Parashuram story in detail!

The Legend of Lord Parshurama

Known as a warrior and saviour of people, Lord Parshuram history includes a couple of tales. Once, in Vana Parva, 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 him warmly and respectfully.

• 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. 

• Parshurama’s Vow to Kill Kshatriyas

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

Also Read: Everything About The Cheiro Numerology Chart

Parshuram’s Father: Rishi Jamadagni

Do you know Parshuram father name? Well, the great Brahmin sage Jamadagni is the father of Parshuram. He was also the master of the Vedas 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

Lord Parshuram mother name is Renuka Devi. She was the wife of the sage Jamadagni and the beloved daughter of King Prasenjit, who 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 named Anjana.

The Killing of Parshurama’s Mother

Once, Renuka Devi went to the riverside and was filled with an unholy desire, seeing 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

Bhargava was taught warfare by the sage Vishwamitra, one of the seven Brahmarshis. 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, all the other Brahmins were full of rage and killed him. Moreover, all such stories and facts about him are found in Hindu mythology.

1. Lord Shiva’s Devotee

Parshurama was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. 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. 

Also Read:  The Eternal Power Of Mahamrityunjay Mantra

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)

Also Read: Ekadanta: The Story Behind One-Tusked Form of Ganapati

For interesting Astrological Facts and Videos, follow us on Instagram and read your daily horoscope.