Sri Parasurama Jayanthi !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!

 

In Srimad Bhagavatham Canto -9 -16 describes the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Parasurama 'The Story of Fortunate One'.  

 

Lord Vishnu's incarnation as Sri Parasurama was took place in Kritha Yuga  (Satya - Yuga) and it was the Sixth avathar of Him.  Parasurama was born to Sage Jamadagni and Renuka, a Kshatriya woman.  Parasurama underwent severe penance to please Lord Shiva, as a result of  His blessings Parasurama rewarded   with an Axe known as 'Parasu'.

 

One day, Parasurama's mother Renuka went to fetch water from River Ganga, there she found the King of Gandharva - Chaitraratha handsomely garlanded with the  lotus flowers  having pleasing time with the Apsaras (celestial singers and dancers).   Renuka lost her presence of mind at the beauty of  charming Gandharva and the Apsaras.  Her attraction towards the handsome Gandharva made her forget everything.  Immediately, she regained her conscious and engaged herself in making a pot out of the raw sand.  Her chastity was so powerful to make the raw sand into a beautiful golden pot and she used to fetch water on the pot for Sage Jamadagni's daily rituals.  Unfortunately, on that day she failed to make any pot out of the sand and returned home with guilt and shame.  Seeing his wife with her head down, Sage Jamadagni envisaged the thing happened to her.  Instantaneously, she fallen at the feet of her husband and begged for forgiveness.  Sage Jamadagni in a rage ordered his son Parasurama ' Kill her, She is impure with sins and lost her chastity'.  Parasurama and his brothers shocked at their father’s fury.  All the sons were transfixed and reluctant to follow the order of their father out of rage but Parasurama came forward.  Parasurama killed his mother and his brothers who did not obey the order of their respected father. 

 

Sage Jamadagni pleased at the act of Parasurama and  blessed for any fortune thing he had wished for.    Parasurama straight away asked his father, to bring back his mother and brothers into life.  At once Parasurama's mother and brothers rose on their feet like awakened from deep sleep. 

 

The King Karthaviryarjuna's sons worried at the extraordinary powers of Parasurama.   They were looking for a chance to take a revenge on Parasurama for their father's death.   Once Parasurama and his brothers were away from the hermitage,  Sage Jamadagni was under deep meditation.  The King Karthaviryarjuna's  sons arrived at the place and severed the head of Sage Jamadagni who was under deep meditation.  At this alarming sight Renuka wept bitterly at the death of her husband.  She continued her shrilling cry  and called out for her son Parasurama who was away from the sight.  Hearing his mother's gravelly voice calling for him, Parasurama rushed to her.   He thunderstruck at the sight of lifeless body of his father.  His mother was sitting near his  father's lifeless body beating her hands vehemently on her chest ,  looking bewildered, hurt and in great sadness.  At the disheartening plight of his mother, Parasurama took a vow to put an end to all the Kshatriya's life.  Lamenting over the death of his father, Parasurama got hold of his axe and moved towards the Capital city - Mahishmati.  He severed the heads of Twenty one Kshtriya Kings those who were causing terror to the people of their country.

 

Parasurama returned to his hermitage and performed all the rites to his father thereby he brought back him to life.  Sage Jamadagni regained his original form and became one of the seven stars in the constellation of Saptharishi Mandala (Kashyapa, Atri, Vashishta, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamagadni, Baradwaja).

 

Jai Sriman Narayana !!